Live Nation can’t promote every type of show in every town every week. The other indie promoters in town haven’t thought of every great concert idea for your market, nor do they act every upon money making concert opportunities. There is no monopoly on intuition and creativity when promoting. The US concert promoting behemoths don’t control EVERY venue and EVERY act.
Promoters can find plenty of holes in their respective markets to promote all kinds of shows. Nobody seems to use the local Armory for New Years. The local Armory is the least used venue in town. It seems to always be available for the best concert night of the year. How about promoting that metal show or reggae concert on a Friday night in a warehouse downtown in an industrial area? Rent is cheap, it’s big, you can make as much noise as you want and you control the venue. That warehouse may end up being your own cool venue.
Communities are always looking for more tax revenues. Go to the local counsel and present your concert idea for their park in the spring. Don’t ask for money, they have none. Ask for the venue free. Try to get the beer sales, though for established venues, that’s not likely to happen. It’s your shot at a one day music festival downtown and not only do you own that weekend every year, but it’s an annuity for the community.
One concert promoter bought the Chippendales for a few east coast club weeknight dates. He promoted heavily with flyers on the beach to tourist women only just days before, concentrated his radio in the last 5 days, no print ads, and made more than he had ever on regular musical concerts. The club took the booze.
The point is that whether it’s the newest flower show in the city park, or a tier 3 Jamband weekend concert in an old movie theater with 500 seats, there are obscure venues in your market and national acts or shows that will work. Knowing what you are doing helps and that’s where Hal’s HOW TO manuals come in. Losing at promoting is part of the learning process but you need to learn fast or perish. The concert and business is tough enough with all of the dangerous variables out there. With decent instruction you reduce surprises.
George Washington lost most of his battles and lost every battle he fought early on. He learned without getting shot and won in the end. Promoting is not for the thin skinned. You have enough to worry about without thinking about what Live Nation or AEG is doing. Just don’t do the same thing they are doing on the same weekend in the same town. It will adversely affect your show’s attendance. Keep your event secret until launch.
Get up, get out and start promoting an interesting event in your town. Go where others won’t and you will find your promoting niche. The secret is your input.
ENERGY IN = ENERGY OUT
Hal Abramson with 34 years promoting experience, lives in Maryland and promotes and consults on concerts and festivals in the US and globally. He is author to best selling concert and festival promotions manuals and books at www.concert-
