Important things to remember when booking gigs!March 7, 2011

When you’re planning a gig – whether it’s touring around the world or playing your first show – communication with the venue is essential.

How many times have you heard of someone being double booked, duped into playing for free or shut down for being “too loud”? It can be quite annoying to get to the end of the night with it not going as planned after putting in a heap of effort in the lead up to the gig. A lot of the time these incidents can usually be avoided with a few quick phone calls and emails.

Find a suitable venue for your band. Make sure the venue isn’t too big or too small; is the venue is suited to your style of music and will your fans will be comfortable there?

Check with the venue to find out how payment will be on the night. Some venues do door charges, others pay a percentage of the bar takings. You may need to supply a person to sit at the door to take tickets and some venues may also take a percentage of tickets sold, so it’s extremely important to check how your payment will be taken care of. A good idea is to get an email from the venue with information about the payment, print it out and take it with you on the night, in case there are any incidents that could leave you and your band walking away empty handed.

Does the venue have a resident sound person, or will you need to bring someone along? Some venues will have a soundperson that they pay; others will take money out of your fee to pay the soundperson. However, a lot of venues will ask you to find and pay for your own sound person. Don’t leave it to the last minute to find a soundperson. If you’re having trouble finding someone then talk to the venue. They’ll most likely have a favourite sound person that operates sound there regularly. It’s also very easy to get in contact with the other bands playing with you, as you can all use the same sound person.

As well as a soundperson, check that the venue actually has a PA system. Most city venues have sound systems but if you’re doing a regional tour you will find that a lot of them expect the bands to bring one along. Always check this as it can be embarrassing arriving in a new town to find that you will then have to look for a PA and fork out the hire bill.

So you have some recordings and merchandise to sell? Is there somewhere in the venue to sell it? Always ask the venue if they can set aside an area, and a table and chair, where you can show-off and sell your merch. Don’t forget to find someone to operate the table, usually a friend will take a free ticket and some drinks as a fee for the night.

Don’t forget to call the venue a week or a few days before the gig. Ensure that the gig hasn’t been double-booked and that the times for load in, sound check and set times are all confirmed. Nothing is worse than arriving to play a show to find another band has already set up their equipment on the stage where you should be.

Written by Valleyarm intern Damian Grigg