- Horsham District Live Music Alliance

HDLMA PROMOTERS SEMINAR
19th November 2003
"Nothing ever happens around here"
So you'd like to see more live music of the kind YOU like around Horsham.
Your mate's in a band and he keeps moaning about how there's no local venues where they can gig.
You have three choices - carry on bitching - become a big fan of "Bjorn Again" or …

This presentation and accompanying handouts will teach you all you need to know to get street credibility, get your name up in lights or possibly become a pariah in your own little town.

The first thing you need are partners. You do have mates don't you? Promoting is hard work, ask Trevor Beadle, and you will not want to do most of it. Get some friends (the more the merrier) to share the load. They may only do it once but once is enough. If the first gig is a success you'll rely less on pulling in favours, blackmail, coercion etc to get people to help you.

Second is thinking up a name for your promotion group. (You might want to change it after every event if your gigs are really bad!). Business people (that’s everyone you'll be dealing with apart from musicians) react better to something official sounding like "Broken Design" or "Rock Asylum" than "Well, uh, me and me mates want to put on a gig, like".

What event do you want to throw? Is there a local band that would make record bucks, if only someone would book them? Does your favourite underground band never get to play in your area? Need a support act? The HDLMA has a list of active bands and contact details on the website.

Set a date with the band. Planning a night for your event should be easy so long as you make sure it does not conflict with the European Cup Final and be aware and stay clear of school and public holidays. There are professional promoters out there putting on acts that are a much bigger draw at these times than your mate's band at the Frog and Bucket.

Book a venue. This is the hard bit. New UK entertainment licensing laws have been willfully misinterpreted by many in local government (not Horsham District Council, I hasten to add) in an apparent attempt so stamp out all forms of live music. As a result few pub landlords are willing to put on music events and even fewer of these will consider a local grunge group over a Ceilidh band. If your band and its followers are under 18 then you're gonna be in even bigger trouble. But fear not! Help is at hand! The HDLMA have a list of music friendly landlords and of course an agreement with the Extra Time bar at BBHLC about allowing U18s into gigs. Trevor has the details of the privilege cards. Think about what size of venue you are going for. Your mate's band probably won’t fill Wembley Arena just yet. Check out a few places for size and accessibility. You might find a great venue in the sticks somewhere but it's no good if you can only get to it if you drive a military spec four wheel drive vehicle. Find somewhere as close as possible to where you live preferably.

That’s Public Address system and stage lighting rig. If the band has their own PA and lights, that's cool. It's also their problem to bring it along and set it up. However if they don't you are going to have to hire a PA and engineer. Think about what size of venue you are going for and what you are going to need. The HDLMA PA is available to hire for a nominal fee but YOU will have get it transported it to the venue. Does one of your group have transport and knows how to use it? The HDLMA can offer an introductory sound engineers course. Otherwise find someone who will do it for the kudos or a nominal remuneration. Andrew Wilson is a lighting engineer with his own rig and is also available for advice. Marky’s done a few gigs in his time as well.

Some venues will have their own staff to cover the security issues, others will not. Usually at joint HDLMA/HDC events the council insist on having security there but usually the council are also prepared to pick up the tab. If you’re putting on a band that draws a crowd of mad moshers then it would be advisable to make sure that they have their own stage security (mosh patrol) to prevent the mosh-pit spilling onto the stage and people being consequently injured. (Note that is not the job of the mosh patrol to “sort out” troublemakers. Only officially licensed professional security people can deal with that sort of situation. )

Work out how much you are going to have to pay for all of the above and publicity (below). Click here for the HDLMA costing sheet...we're handy like that! Use it. Then figure out how many punters you need to draw and what to charge to break even. Sweat a bit. Decide you are going to go for it, and read on.

By now word of your night should be sweeping through the town...yeah, right! Flyers and putting up posters is an important part of getting word out about your event. You should have your flyers printed up and start distributing them at least two weeks beforehand - that will give your potential audience plenty of time to read and circulate them. Drop off a handful (around 10-15) flyers at two record shops relatively close to each other for the best results - if one person doesn't go to the first store, chances are they will go to the second. In the HDLMA's experience sending posters to shops and colleges etc is no guarantee that they’ll ever make it to a notice board. FLYPOSTING IS ILLEGAL. There, we've told you. However the boys in blue do not seem to mind too much if a poster does not damage in any way the thing to which it is affixed and is easily removable. See around the town for examples. Local tribute band promoter Gary Bayliss (Rock Asylum) is a past master at event publicity!
** USE THE INTERNET!** Email people, post details on the numerous free “Whats On?” sites. Let the HDLMA know and we’ll spread the word. Lastly, you should TALK to potential audience members out there about your event and try to woo them out. Get your promotions group to try striking up conversations with those you normally wouldn't touch with a 50ft pole. Who cares, you just want their money and respect, right? You want to get your point across and make sure that they remember the time and place. And another thing, just because you are the promoter does not absolve the band of any responsibility regarding promoting the event. Get them off their butts and out there too. (I'll give you an example. In 2002 the HDLMA booked a big name indie band for the Concert in the Park. The band put no details on their own website, neither did they email anyone on their e-list. Not only that but a mate of the bass player's turned up while I was on the door and HE didn't know they were playing Horsham until he saw the posters on the day. What's more he'd been on the phone to the bassist the previous Thursday and the fact that they were playing in his mate’s home county was never mentioned. Had he known he could have brought another two-dozen people along. Then the singer had the gall to complain from the stage that the HDLMA could have publicised it a bit better! Give me strength...)

Venue open : Make sure the bands, PA & lights people all know when the venue will be open to unload the gear.

Stage manager : Appoint one of your group as stage manager to oversee setting up and moving gear on and offstage and make sure all the fire extinguishers and fire exits aren't blocked by Marshall 4x12's and drum cases.

Checklist : Give everyone a copy of the playing order and set duration and tell them to stick to it. Stranger things have happened. Dream on.

Soundcheck : The stage manager must attempt the near impossible and get the bands to get the soundcheck done before the punters arrive.

Riders : These are “perks” musicians sometimes expect when they deign to play at your event. Unless you’ve promised the bands in writing and signed in blood in front of a Mephistophelean witness their own individual dressing rooms, champagne on ice and unlimited groupies then tell them to get knotted. And they can forget about a guest list, too, you’re running a business here, though you could allow them one roadie per band if you’re feeling generous.

Door : Get two of the most hirsute members of your group to watch the door, take money from customers, ID them, stamp them and remember their faces for re-entry. Give them a metal moneybox, a hand stamp and some change to work with.

Bar : Proceed to the bar and watch everybody else work like Trojans. Find a high stool at the end of the bar with a good view of everything, order a drink and pretend to be speaking to Harvey Goldsmith on your mobile phone. Hold an unlit cigar and call everybody "Man" or "Baby". The rest of the night should go smoothly.

Finish : Collect the money from the door, pay everybody (make sure your helpers get a cut of the action), personally thank everyone involved including the bar staff, tell them you couldn’t have done it without them. Then take off home; dreaming of the next fabulous event you will be throwing.

And because we are such an efficient and helpful organisation, here is that "Gig Costing" spreadsheet again (in case you missed the link in Section 8!) that can be used for each event you organise. Click here!

HDLMA > Resources	Promoters Seminar Transcript