Gigging thing - opinions, please!

[mrph]

(With apologies to diffrentcolours for poaching the title...)

There's been a fair bit of debate about gigs and promoters elsewhere on LJ today - mostly about a specific incident, but with some discussion of what should be expected/provided, good practice and all that sort of thing.

And thinking about it, there are a few musical and promotery types reading this journal. So...

What advice should be in a FAQ/guide for first time gig promoters?

Or, from the other point of view, for new bands who are about to start playing gigs?
Edit: actually, there seems to be a very decent take on the band's checklist here. Which the gigging thing lyrics indirectly reminded me of... :)

Comments

[sogoth.livejournal.com]

12. If you're worried about making all the money back, find yourself a sponsor who can add some extra cash into the day. Your best bets are for people like Grave News, Music Non Stop or Resurrection. Offer something like advertising on your promotion campaign and sole trader rights (of a certain type... in the examples offered the sole CD stall other than band merchandise).

13. Stalls. If you're doing an all day event add some stalls selling CDs, clothes... that sort of thing. It gives people something to do between bands, gives you some extra income to pay for the event and makes a large venue seem fuller in terms of attendance. People judge an event by how packed it looks as much as the bands playing. If it looks packed, it must be popular and people will come back next time and bring friends along :)

14. Don't throw a strop. Remain calm at all times and project a professional image, even if you're running around like a headless chicken. Makes the bands panic less. If something is going seriously wrong on the day, talk to the bands, the venue and everyone else involved. There's probably some way to come to a solution without arguments.

On #14...

[mrph.livejournal.com]

Too true. And if something goes seriously wrong, try to deal with it quietly before going loud and public about it.

Unless there's been a real breakdown (the Dublin goth fest springs to mind as one of the few examples. Or the Leipzig where the promoter fled with the funds...), it should all get resolved behind the scenes.