Anyone Can Book a Gig Part I: Where Do I Start?

Anyone Can Book a Gig

Part I: Where do I start? From setting a date to booking a band

By Greg Tilson (of Little Joe Management)

[click here for the series introduction]

I would suggest starting with the bands that rile you up. If you’re going to put all the time and effort into organizing a show, you had better be excited by the bands you choose.

The easiest thing to do is check out your favourite band’s websites and myspace accounts. This is where you will find their tour schedule. If they are performing in Montreal and Toronto, for example, with one or two blank days in between, this is the perfect opportunity to inquire if they might like to fit a Kingston show in en route. They even be interested in coming to Kingston on its own merits. Allow at least a few weeks for the event to be properly promoted (we’ll discuss that in Part II of this series).

If you are new at organizing shows, you probably do not want to guarantee a band any money in advance. Bands are used to performing at bars and clubs where they take a percentage of door sales after expenses, so this is something they are usually comfortable with. Promoters often take between 15 – 30% of the revenue, depending on how much work they put into things like promotion. If you are not trying to make any money, offering 100% of door sales will definitely catch most bands’ attention.

One thing you will likely want to avoid is dealing with musicians’ agents. This sounds cynical, I know, but it will not be a very positive introduction to booking shows if you get lost in contracts and caught bargaining for fees. The nicest way of doing things is to speak with the musicians personally and work out something informally that suits everyone (of course, you will never get past the agents and managers if you plan on booking Feist).

Try and do your homework in advance and make sure you choose a date that does not conflict with holidays or other big-ticket events. Kingston is still a small town when it comes to multiple live entertainment events on any given night.

The best combination is to pair up a touring band with a local act that draws a good crowd. You will need to have an idea of what the absolute minimum number of people is who will be attending your event. There is nothing more depressing than only a handful of people showing up at a show that you have worked hard to plan. On nights like these, I end up going in the red with my own bar tab alone. Try to avoid this. One of the first questions you may want to ask is does your band have a following in Kingston?

Before you confirm anything with the band, ask them if they can help with promotion by sending posters, press releases, CDs, press kits, etc. If you’re lucky, they will have a publicist who can take care of this for you.

Bands will appreciate it if you can help sort our logistical things like when and where they will eat (or better yet, invite them over before the show for a home-cooked meal) and where they will spend the night.

The most important thing to consider when organizing a show is ensuring good sound quality. I have learned this the hard way and still falter from time to time (I am the self-proclaimed worst sound tech in Kingston). The easiest thing to do is what local promoter Virginia Clarke does at the Grad Club – book sound techs and equipment in advance. This will be an extra expense to add to your budget but one less thing you will have to worry about. Make sure the band sends you their sound requirements and stage plot far in advance (this will be the first thing the rental company will ask for).

Establish a “load-in” time AND a “sound check” time. I am continuously amazed at how long this process takes. Try and give at least a couple of hours before show time.

Friends and volunteer music-lovers will certainly come in handy when it comes to having all of your organizational bases covered. You may want to make a list of volunteers such as: a door person, set-up crew, tear-down crew, and a poster team.

You will want to exchange phone numbers with the band, just in case something goes wrong, like they get held up in traffic.

Collaborating with other organizers is a sure-fire way to ensure a good turn-out, and lighten your load. This could be as easy as calling up CFRC radio and asking them to co-sponsor your event, in exchange for free tickets and including their logo on all promotional material. Or, you may wish to co-organize with a local music promoter, like Live Wire, who can take on a lot of the promotional side of things.

The best motto is: keep it simple.

The following is a list of local venues to check out prior to contacting your favourite band. Your choice will depend on things like the size of the band, how loud they play, the audience capacity, all-ages vs. 19+, rental fees, and how well you get along with the manager(s).

• The Artel

• Apple Crisp

• The Island Grill

• Bar None

• Modern Fuel

• The General Wolfe Hotel

• The Grad Club

• Elixir

• The Merchant

• Alfies

• Time to Laugh Comedy Club

• Camden East Bookstore Café

• Clark Hall Pub

• Sydenham Street United Church

• The Living Room

…and don’t forget, often the best venue is your own living room.

Coming soon:

Part II: Promotion – From posters to press releases

Part III: The big night – From sound-check to tear-down

Part IV: Music in your Neighbourhood

Photos by Lindsay Heggie