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What is a Music Promoter?:
The main job of a music promoter, usually simply called a
promoter, is to publicize a concert. Promoters are the people in
charge of "putting on" the show. They work with agents, or in some
cases, directly with the bands, and with clubs and concert venues to
arrange for a show to take place. Promoters then are in charge of
making sure the word gets out about that show. They also take care
of arranging the incidentals, like hotels and backline for the band.
In a nutshell, it is the promoter's job to make sure things go off
without a hitch. Note that this kind of promoter is different from a
radio plugger or PR agent.
What Jobs Should a Promoter Do?:
If the promoter is not tied to a specific venue, they should:
- Liase with bands and agents to agree on a date for a
performance
- Negotiate a deal with the band/agent for the show - what fee
will be paid? Will the promoter provide accommodation?
- Book a venue for that agreed upon date
- Promote the upcoming gig to the local press and radio, put
up posters and email their mailing list
- Make sure everything the band needs is in place - backline,
accommodation, rider, etc.
- Set up soundcheck times and the running order of the show
- Arrange for a support band
Venue tied promoters skip the "contact venue" step.
What is the Pay Like?:
The pay for promoters varies and depends on several factors,
including:
- The deal made with the band/agent
- How popular the artists are with whom the promoter is
working
Indie music promoters can find it very hard to make money, and many
indie promoters do promotion on the side of their "day jobs."
Promoters make their money off of the proceeds generated by a
show. Promoters can either have two kind of deals with bands:
- Pay the band a set fee, no matter how many people buy
tickets
- A door split deal
With both deals, a promoter can easily lose money on a show. Making
money as a promoter requires careful planning.
Do Promoters Need a Contract?:
When you are dealing with large sums of money, a contract is
always a must. But many indie music promoters who know they won't be
making much money, if any, on a gig often skip the contract. Even if
no money is exchanging hands at the end of the night, though, it is
still a good idea for a band and promoter to have a contract that
clearly states things like whether or not the promoter will provide
accommodation, who is taking care of the backline, when the
soundcheck is, how long the band's set will be, what the band will
get for a rider, and of course, how any profits will be split. It
helps avoid confusion later.
How Do I Become a Promoter?:
There are two ways you can get into promoting. You can contact
promoters and venues in your area and offer your services and learn
the ropes that way, or you can try to get your promoting career off
the ground yourself. If you want to work for yourself, start small.
Pick a favorite local band and offer to promote a show for them.
Book the venue, contact the local media and put up some posters
advertising the show. If you do a good job, other bands will find
you, and as you become an established promoter in your area, bands
from out of the area will find you as well.
Making Money as a Promoter:
Promoters who work with mega stars who sell out huge venues can
make some serious money. But indie music promoters can easily find
themselves working all day, every day, and only getting deeper into
debt. Many promoters have a day job that supports their promotion
job. If you want to become a promoter, you need a clear
understanding of the money involved, and you need to make deals with
bands and venues very carefully. For any given show, a promoter's
expenses include:
- Venue rental
- Advertising (posters, newspaper/magazine advertisments, etc)
- Backline rentals
- Accommodation for the band
- Rider
- Payment for the band
You can't get around some of these fees, like the venue fee, but
there are ways of mitigating some of the expenses involved in
promoting, and if you want to stay in this for the long haul, you
need to cut costs as much as you can. For instance, ask the
band/label/agent to print posters and send them to you, instead of
you taking that cost on. Don't provide accommodation if the band's
show is not going to generate enough money to cover the costs, or if
you must, put the band up at your house. Don't provide overly
generous riders - a few waters and a few beers is fine. Split the
cost of renting special equipment with the band.
You can also cut down on some of your expenses by working under a
door split deal arrangement, instead of paying the band a set fee.
That way, you make all of your money back first, and then the band
gets paid if you get paid. Bigger artists will balk at this kind of
deal and will want a set fee - paying a set fee is fine, and even
ideal, when you're working with a band who you know will sell enough
tickets to recoup your costs. But if the band you're putting on is
just building a name for themselves, a door split deal is fair for
everyone. Make sure the band try to sell some merchandise at the
show to give them some extra money. If you have a door split deal,
and the show didn't make any money, a nice promoter might throw the
band a little bit of gas money, which can go surprisingly far in
earning you a rep as a good promoter!
The truth is that many indie shows lose money, especially shows
featuring new bands. As long as you are not withholding earnings
from the band, it is perfectly OK to set up your shows so you lose
as little as possible. Most up and coming bands will recognize that
and will work with you. After all, if you succeed, they succeed.
Being fair to both parties - yourself included - is the name of the
game.
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