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How To Book, Organise and Pull Off a Local Gig (Part 3)

By: Ed Townend, Venue Administrator at the Memo Arts Centre

How To Book Organise And Pull Off A Local Gig

Now you have an idea of a lineup and a venue, next you must put it all together and ensure everyone is on board! Easy right? Well, there’s a lot to consider, so follow these steps and you can’t go far wrong.

  • DO stick to email! This applies to everyone involved – acts, venues, photographers etc. Having everything in one place, easily searchable and written down will save you so much hassle. Don’t organise over the phone, or if you need to, make sure you get an email afterwards to confirm all the details.
  • DON’T make promises you can’t keep. When approaching acts, keep the information to only what you can confirm – proposed date, venue, pay and timings. Don’t promise a lineup or venue until you’ve secured them. False hope and promises will sink your reputation faster than a cannonball through a ship.
  • DO plan your date early. Check everyone is available - the acts, the venue, everyone who would work it (cashier, photographer etc.). Consider potential clashes, like similar genre gigs or major events that could impact travel or attendance.
  • DON’T leave it to the last minute! We usually had a month/four week limit on advance bookings. There’s a lot of work involved in putting a show on, but also you need enough time in advance to promote the show. There’s no point putting on an amazing show in a week’s time, because no one will have heard about it in time and you’ll be tearing your hair out trying to get everything arranged.
  • DO remember people have commitments! If you’re putting an event on a weeknight, consider that people may not be able to get there until they finish work. Check with acts to find timings that work for everyone and give enough notice for anyone who might need time off.
  • DON’T neglect promotion. You should already be considering what you need to sell your show. Ask the acts for high resolution photos, biographies and even things like logos from the acts you’re booking. Nothing sells a gig better than the artwork and the pitch. I recommend doing this as early as possible, the earlier you can start promoting a show the better and getting all the assets from a band early on is the first step in this.
  • DO be polite, respectful and understanding with everyone you’re contacting. If they say no, you can ask why, but if they give you a good reason or just say simply that they don’t want to, accept it and move on. Okay, it’s not your dream line-up, but there’s no need to turn on the act you’ve wanted to book as they won’t want to be part of your next gig. Don’t burn bridges.

"False hope and promises will sink your reputation faster than a cannonball through a ship."

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