Dearest New England Metal Scene: A Guide To DIY Booking
[views:6832][posts:26]_________________________________________________
[Sep 16,2004 3:44am - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
In a band? Friends with a band? Or just love music and want to see more happening with it? Now's your chance! Due to a chance in the economic climate, you are now able to book YOUR VERY OWN SHOWS!
Previously reserved for rich white people or sleezy guys with pony tails, show booking is now available to you, right from your very own home!
With show booking, you can:
-decide who plays (put your own band on! Play with your favorite band ever!)
-potentially make money (pay all the bands, AND make $50 to boot!)
-inspire and please others ("Hey man, that Bongzilla show ruled!")
-make new friends or "more than friends"
and much, much more!
Show booking is easy with our step-by-step program!
1) Decide where (what area) and when you want the show to be
2) Call the venue you have chose or venues in that area and decide which works best as far as cost, location, and availability.
3) After you get the venue, decide what bands you want to play.
4) Contact those bands, and ask them to play! Ask GOOD questions like "Do you have a guarantee?" "Do you prefer all ages?" "Do you mind 18+?" "Who else would you like to play with?" and tell them as much information as possible at the time you write them.
5) After you have a "line-up" confirmed make tons of flyers, post on websites, alert college radio stations with events calenders -- get people to come! That's your job as a promoter: To promote!
6) On the day of the show, arrive early and neaten the venue -- move tables around, make sure the load in area is clear. Set up your space to collect money, or instruct someone else on how to collect. Talk to the people that you are renting / borrowing / using the space and thank them for allowing such an event to go on.
7) Supervise the event, listen to the tunes, be available for the bands to ask you questions, and most of all HAVE FUN! It's YOUR show!!
8) At the end of the night, count all the money you took in. Divide the money up and pay the bands. Normally, you will have paid for the venue in advance, and you should take out what you are owed for the venue after you pay any bands with a guarantee or that traveled very far. If the venue takes a cut of the door, chances are they will already be talking to you about that anyway. When everyone has been paid generously and fairly, the leftove money is yours to keep - give it away, invest it, by cheeseburgers; It's yours!
Here are some tips:
- If you have 3/4 of the line-up (average show is 4-5 bands), don't worry! Make flyers anyway and put "+1 TBA" on them. That way you are ACTIVELY promoting the show as you go along!
-The 5-20-5 rule (as popularized by Melee) = 5 minutes for your band to set up, 20 minutes to play, 5 minutes to tear down. This is ideal. However, when planning set times for bands, allow them AT LEAST 10 minutes to set up and 10 to tear down. Normally this equates to 15 minutes between bands, as one band can set up as the other tears down.
-The 20% rule = Anticipate that 20% -OR LESS- of the # of flyers you make will be the # of people that show up. That means if you need 50 people to break even, then you need to make .2X = 50, which means 250 flyers, at LEAST. More is always better.
-The 20 day rule: Try to book shows AT LEAST 20 days in advance. Sometimes it's unavoidable. A Month is industry standard, meaning 30 days.
-On age limits: generally, though there are exceptions to this and factors otherwise, for every age limit you go up (all ages -> 18+/19+ -> 21+) you tend to lose part of the crowd. I say 20%, but you might find otherwise. Essentially, a good show with a tight bill that can draw 200 people, you end up with 160 at 18+, and 120/130 with 21+. However, since 21+ can have deals like $1 drafts, you can make up for it and sometimes get 150 people.
Now you know the secrets of the trade!! ANYONE can book a show, fewer people can do it right. A good show is worth it's weight in gold, and a bad show...well, at least you are doing something to help the community. As long as you promote, help out local bands, and do your part you can add to a pleasurable and rewarding rock environment.
[Sep 16,2004 4:00am - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
Here's some more useful advice:
On Band Order, Paying Bands:
The key to deciding who plays when is all about "positioning". If you blow it and put the "draw" bands (bands that bring larger amounts of people out, either from seniority, charisma, talent, what-have-you, but people like them) on early, no one will stay for the rest of the show, and chances are people that were planning on showing up late just won't bother coming. What can you do about this? Strategize.
-Put a local somewhere not entirely first and not entirely last. This way the local crowd that came to see their "friend's band" will stay to see them and will watch the other bands.
-Have at LEAST one local band (from the same state or general are is good, but from that town is BETTER) on the bill, if not more. This way people from the area will show up and have an incentive to support your show, AND you help out the community that is kind enough to let you do your show. You also can help people in that area see music they haven't seen before, which usually works to expand people's musical horizons.
-Headliners should be just that: Headliners. If they brought all the people, they are the headliner by default, whether they like it or not. Putting them on early will just clear a room faster than a fire.
-Touring bands, no matter how big, should really not headline unless necessary or unless you can prove they will be the biggest draw out of the bill, hands down. Sometimes you think I LOVE THIS BAND EVERYONE CAME TO SEE THEM!! But chances are, you're wrong, and the band from Illinois just played to 2 kids on their 6 month tour, which bites. Book a big big local band and put them above the headliner if at all possible, unless we're talking Dimmu Borgir or In Flames here.
When paying bands, take into account their expenses, not just in money but in time and energy. Did the band flyer like crazy for the show, making flyers out of pocket money? Did the band travel far to play just this one show? Did anyone come to see the local band, or did they just sit on their hands and make you do all the work?
-Even if you are mad at the band, be an honest dude and pay them their expenses. It's the least you can do and you would want the same for yourself. Only if the band completely breaches your verbal contract (starts a fire on purpose, beats up the audience, neglects to play, etc) can you go back on this, as they obviously were the first to make the bad move. But don't let the first person be you.
-Local bands usually get gas. Touring bands get at least gas/tolls/acceptable minor expenses + $20, if not a guarantee. Longer touring bands with overnight stays should be offered a place to crash and a meal, on you. You can take the extra money out as part of your cut of the door later on if you feel it's necessary.
-Your cut comes LAST. I repeat: YOUR CUT COMES LAST. Never take $200 and pay the touring band $5. You're not only a greedy jackass, no one will ever work with you again.
-Pay is up to you, but here's a method to start with if you can't figure one out on your own: Opener (should be a newer band, local) gets $5-20, Second band $30-40, Third band / Fourth band $100-150 depending on your door. The headliner(s) get priority over the other bands. It is not uncommon for the first band, the opener, to go unpaid and simply just be allowed to play for the sake of getting their name out. Openers should not ask for money, likewise touring bands should not be openers. Use this idea of a ratio if you need a basic plan, but coming up with your own system will help you develop your own show style and program. I always pay the touring bands, even out of pocket; I pay guarantees even if i have to borrow money.
[Sep 16,2004 9:04am - BornSoVile ""]
This should be passed out to high school kids!
[Sep 16,2004 11:05am - tbone_r ""]
thank you for posting that.
[Sep 16,2004 11:40am - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
I hope it makes some kind of impact.
I figure the biggest complaint by people as to why the haven't booked anything or why they beg other people for shows instead of helping to do their own is that they don't know how.
I assure the people that read this, though it is still not a myth that there is work involved and skill to doing a show right, the basic route to doing a show is like playing the harmonica: anyone can pick it up and do it off the bat. Maybe you won't be Johnny The Rocking Harmonica Blues Soloist on day one, but you WILL get a sound out of the thing. That said, show booking, via the route above, is 100% possible for anyone. Take a crack at it and help out the "scene", aka the collection of zines, friendships, folklore, bands, websites, etc that relate to metal, hardcore, "extreme" or "brutal" music.
This way we get a greater sense of community, a better musical product that has to worry about money less, and shows that have a good, positive vibe. We can also take back what we do from places that force us to sell tickets, "get x # of heads or not play", or even charge us to play! For the same cost as 4 bands BUYING 20 tickets and having to sell them to play at a 21+ club, you could EASILY rent a hall and do your own show. And the PR from this -- the way our scene is not only perceived by outsiders but by each other -- is immeasurable.
[Sep 16,2004 11:45am - Joe/NotCommon ""]
the_taste_of_cigarettes said:
We can also take back what we do from places that force us to sell tickets, "get x # of heads or not play", or even charge us to play!
You mean The bombshelter and Jarrod's place?
The 2 worst clubs on earth.
[Sep 16,2004 10:38pm - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
bump.
should i make a site "www.diybooking.tk"? with resources for DIY booking?
[Sep 17,2004 2:19am - hey ""]
did you write that or find it online?
[Sep 17,2004 2:27am - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
wrote it.
[Sep 17,2004 6:24am - lady_czerach ""]
Wow, Nick. That's pretty cool. I can't believe you wrote all that. :NEWHORNS:
[Sep 17,2004 8:40am - succubus ""]
this post makes up for the 490380594 nonsense ones
much love,
Carina<3
[Sep 17,2004 9:45am - TOC nli ""]
hahahahah oh come on!!! all my posts make sense if you have the secret decoder ring. You DID get one, right?
[Sep 17,2004 5:25pm - xmikex ""]
More tips from a guy who's seen it done every way wrong possible:
- No more than 5 bands. Ever. Unless you're booking an all day fest at the palladium with a HUGE headliner marathon shows outright suck without exception. They're boring, and costly.
- Put a sincere effort into putting a lineup together. Not just: Some band thats not really headlining material, your own band, your friend's band, some kid from the internet's band who's been bugging you about shows even though you've never even heard them.
- For DIY shows your headliner should be expected to bring in at least, bare minimum 30 - 50 kids by their name alone. If you can put 2 more bands with a solid reputation in the middle, and get an opener to bring at least 10, you can get yourself 100 kids there no problem.
- Bands from out of state, or who travel over 2 hours to play a show should never ever play first, or last.
- TIME MANAGEMENT TIME MANAGEMENT TIME MANAGEMENT. This was covered earlier but I can't stress it enough. Know when the venue shuts down. Don't over book your shows, and make sure you enforce time limits on bands' sets. Its ridiculous when it gets to there being 3 or 4 bands left with like 40 minutes till the venue kicks you out.
- Never EVER EVER for any reason abandon your show. There is absolutely no excuse imaginable for abandoning a show that you booked. It is entirely your responsibility to see that show through from beginning to end. You should be the first one there, and the last one to leave. Even if your "ride" wants to leave. Even if you don't have the money to pay whoever. Even if you get punched dancing and you're too scared to stay.
- PROMOTION. There is no excuse for a poorly promoted show. Get the local bands on your bill to do promoting. Bands that refuse to promote have NO buisness even playing shows. MAKE FLYERS. Flyers are the life-blood of DIY. Hand flyers out at shows 100 at a time. Put them up in record stores, skate shops, the mall, wherever. Copies are 5cents each. That's 100 flyers for $5. For person to person flyers make 4 smaller flyers on one sheet of paper. That quadruples the amount of flyers you can make. PUTTING UP AN ADD FOR YOUR SHOW ON LAMBGOAT, RTTP, AND SOME LIVEJOURNAL COMMUNITY ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT PROMOTION. You might make 300 flyers for a show that only 100 people show up for, but it'll be well worth it.
- Get your bands, and people directions to the show. Mapquest does not count.
- Keep your bands informed.
- For christs sake, whatever or whoever you get your PA from make goddamn sure that its there for the ENTIRE show. Its not up to anyone to pick and choose who gets to use "the good PA", or whatever. One PA for one show, for ALL the bands.
- Above all BE PROFESSIONAL. If you act like a professional, manage your show well, and at the same time are courteous to the bands, and people you will get respect and cooperation from people. If you act like a jerk, and try to bully people you're going to get it thrown back in your face. If you act like a retard no one will take you seriously.
- And no matter how many phone calls you make, how much work you put into your show, how many months of labor that goes into convincing a well known venue to book independently to 18 year old kids, and how much good it would do for a band to headline the middle east, odds are Burial probably won't show up.
hope this helps.
[Sep 17,2004 7:03pm - the taste of cigarettes ""]
thanks for adding your write-up, xmikex. What do YOU think of a site called DIYBOOKING.TK that has all sorts of stuff like this in it, and links to resources and stuff? Like a not-so-fucked BookYourOwnFuckingLife.org? but more static?
[Sep 20,2004 12:52am - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
bump
[Sep 21,2004 7:53pm - TOC NOT LOGGED IN BY HIS DINGLE ""]
people should take advantage of this and do more booking. I am starting to see more of the same names doing all the work. Get involved!
[Sep 21,2004 11:05pm - JayTUS ""]
I like this. I will post a link to this in my news section of my site. Good job dude.
[Sep 21,2004 11:11pm - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
gracias
[Sep 22,2004 1:39am - JayTUS ""]
I just hope people actually read it...
[Sep 22,2004 1:56am - Joe/NotCommon ""]
Some of these points are false, for instance, I always act like a retard and a prick, and everyone takes my shows seriously.
[Sep 24,2004 10:46am - the taste of cigarettes ""]
bump
[Sep 26,2004 4:48pm - dreadkill ""]
i'm bumping this thread because i like it and want to book some shows
[Sep 26,2004 5:32pm - hybrid ""]
im going to print that out and run through it before any show i book from now on haha.
[Sep 26,2004 6:08pm - heimdall ""]
This post is very good,too bad I am wayyyyyyyyyyy to busy to ever book A show im in the middle of refroming my damn band, work, school, and other such adventures.
when I get in track I will make the craziest shows
[Sep 26,2004 6:09pm - whiskey, weed, and women ""]
Nick you should repost that on live journal Oh Yeah
[Oct 9,2004 11:19pm - the_taste_of_cigarettes ""]
bump
[Oct 10,2004 7:20am - sinistas ""]
I wish this messageboard system had a way to pin and/or sticky certain topics, because this should be one.