From the time Peter D. Rowe 46, Director of the now defunct Avalon Events of Adelaide,SA finally secured the venue, a sprawling 500 hectare addition to Monarto Zoo called Wild Africa, located about 40 km east of Adelaide, SA, to the time the gates opened, it was a scant 79 days.
It normally takes 8 months to more than a year to typically plan a major music festival.
Hal Royce 55 knows. A legendary US event producer with more than 3 decades of promoting experience, he wrote the book How Not To Promote Concerts & Music Festivals, a 345 page comprehensive instructional manual on what to do as well as what not to do in the concert and music festival promotions and production business. With other books Royce authors under his full name Hal R. Abramson, his www.concert-
When Rowe first called Royce in Maryland, US last October, 2008 after buying one of Royce’s books, he asked if there was enough time. Rowe wanted a multi-day music festival in South Australia, which did not have any camp out events. Royce explained that “a beginner shouldn’t attempt it this late but a professional could do it if there was no month lapses…. And that Rowe should stop using the phrase “Woodstock type festival” in explaining the format. That it wasn’t a positive to local governments issuing permits.
A specialty of Royce’s. He has promoted or consulted on many campout music festivals going back to 1976, producing Stompin 76, the largest bluegrass music festival in American history, see www.stompin76.com Royce is also a former Marketing Director for Ringling Bros. Circus.
Royce also expressed concern that there was no venue secured and “that nothing could happen until that did”. Rowe then said that he felt he could secure a ball field in Yankalilla, a town 40 km South of Adelaide. Royce then made it clear that if this was going to happen, it needed to happen now, meaning the present time.
Peter Rowe showed signs of delays early that Royce now admits he saw but believed once he was in Australia, he’d have the promised control he agreed to with Rowe on. Peter Rowe never promoted anything and Hal Royce was a seasoned pro. Rose understood this and agreed.
There was now far more than just a one month lapse. Royce didn’t land in Adelaide until 22 Dec 2008. After more delays, Rowe finally secured Monarto Zoo, on Jan. 22, 2009. Live at the Zoo was born. The rush was on to contract everything from bands to fencing. It was a daunting task for a seasoned organization working at for a year, let alone a lone rent-a-promoter just off the plane from 18,000km away.
Besides the ultra time crunch, Royce said “I worked alone most of the time until March, and for along time with no car. It was a trying experience but I was able to lose 30 lbs. from the stress”.
Royce then proceeded on one of the bumpiest rides of his career enduring “a problematic owner incapable of getting things done” Royce said. “Even though the people there were great and I enjoyed working there, it was a horrible promoting experience full of disconnects, drastically delayed and unpaid bills and missing deadlines, all due to an embarrassingly bad operator. I was stuck there”. Royce tried to resign several times but realized if he had left, Monarto Zoo would most likely cancel the festival. “I couldn’t let that happen.
“It was important that the event happen. I’m proud of hanging in there through it all to the end and have been told by workers that without me, there would not have been a Live At The Zoo.” Many who attended said it was one of the best times they ever had with 2 dance tents operating 24 hrs. a day of the 4 total stages hosting 130 bands and DJs. It was a wild time!
A detailed report is posted at www.liveatthezoo.info . The full 34 page report reveals many of the unpleasant and disturbing behind-the-scenes details surrounding Royce's frustrated attempt to produce a successful event, and obstacles he encountered producing Live At The Zoo.
