Greg Tilson continues his guide to putting on shows in Kingston. Photo by Christopher Canning.
Part III: The Big Night - from sound-check to tear-down.
February 3rd’s CFRC Funding Drive Concert, in collaboration with Apple Crisp, was an example of a perfectly planned concert. This sold-out show at The Grad Club featured one of the best local line-ups Kingston has seen in some time: Magic Jordan, False Face, Cities Turn to Sand, and The Gertrudes (of course I am a little biased [editor's note: Greg is in the Gertrudes and I'm in False Face, so there's plenty of bias to go around. Also Greg chose the photo. Sorry for interrupting]).
Event organizer, Chris Trimmer from CFRC (me again, sorry: Chris is also in the Gertrudes and TimKnightUs), had the planning down to a science:
- solid promotion on behalf of both CFRC and Apple Crisp (including posters by Benjamin Nelson and catchy radio jingles)
- sound requirements and load-in times planned out in advance between the Grad Club, SoundWorks, and all of the bands (several musicians made plans to share gear throughout the night to help make change-overs run smoothly)
- cool DJs between sets (Scott Stevens and Laura Kelly from CFRC)
- Master of Ceremonies, Lindsay Heggie
- early sound-check (in reverse order of bands on the bill)
- heck, CFRC even arranged drivers to help pick up the band’s gear! (thanks Owen!)
- a “green room” for musicians to hang out in and store their equipment
- well-organized ticket booth and merch table
- CFRC and Apple Crisp volunteers to help set-up and clean-up
So, let’s just use this shining example of a concert to sum up Part III of this series on concert bookings. Well done, Chris! Congratulations CFRC!
However, there are one or two things you will want to remember for the big night. Two of the most important things that can make or break a good concert often go unnoticed… unless they are really bad: sound quality and sight lines. If nothing else, these are the two essential things to focus your energy on when organizing a show.
You will want to make sure your concert has a decent sound tech and equipment. The first place you will want to start is by asking the band to send you their sound requirements by e-mail and forwarding this on to your sound tech. As discussed in Part I, you will want to make sure the venue you choose suits the type of music to be performed.
If you can’t see the stage you’re not going to be happy about the show. Make sure you set things up in a way that gives everyone a good view of the stage. This can be tricky if you are expecting a sold-out show (which is easier to predict if you sell advanced tickets).
I’m a big fan of good lighting. Bright or florescent lights make people feel uncomfortable. The best combination seems to be soft lighting on the musicians and next to no lights on the audience. How about candles?
Depending on the size of the band, plan for the band to arrive at least a couple of hours before your doors open, so that they will have time to load-in, set-up, sound-check, and eat. These things always take way longer than expected.
The opening act is key for warming up the stage and the venue. You want a local band to draw the crowd. Remind them not to play too long! In general 45 min sets are standard.
If you have a master of ceremonies, you will have a much easier time of keeping things organized and especially keeping the crowd quiet.
Make sure there is space to display cds and merch.
Provide drinking water. Snacks are a nice touch.
And oh my goodness, do not forget the house music.
Coming soon: Part IV: Music in your Neighbourhood
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