Whether you’re a new band booking your first EP launch, or a promoter running a perfectly-curated showcase, putting on a killer show in front of a packed room is one of the most exciting and satisfying feelings in music.
One of the worst feelings, though, is looking at your ticket sales a day or two before the show and realising that you’re staring down the barrel of an empty room, and probably a big financial hole to dig your way out of.
To get an idea of how to avoid the pitfalls that can get in the way of a successful show, and hopefully nudge the balance in the direction of excitement rather than anxiety, we’ve asked some experts to share their experiences and a bit of advice on how to throw great shows each and every time.
Oliver Moir is the director of Pine Forest Tea Party, a touring and event company running festivals and gigs in unique locations.
One such event is Lady Grey’s Sunday Best, a series of curated shows bringing an array of talented international producers to both Sydney and Melbourne, beginning this Sunday with the UK’s Cleric + Reflec at The Gasometer Hotel.
Jason Moore also knows a thing or two about selling shows, now booking iconic Melbourne venue The Corner Hotel, as well as twin Melbourne and Sydney venues The Northcote Social Club and The Newtown Social Club.
An industry veteran and a music buff, he also presents Local And/Or General on community radio station 3RRR, and works with a local musicians like The Harpoons and Sui Zhen.
Promotion Is Changing
As we’ve found out already, music promotion has changed a lot in recent times, and is continuing to do so at a rapid rate. But has this made it easier for bands and promoters to connect with a fanbase and plug their gigs?
“Much, much easier!” Jason believes. “It’s so much easier to connect with your fanbase these days via the power that is the internet. There are too many things to list, but even that Spotify can let you know if a band you’re listening to has a show coming up at local venue is an amazing thing.”
As always, building a strong connection with an audience is the first step to getting them out of the house and out to your shows. In the early days for any band or promoter, shows are often mostly supported by friends, and if you can extend that camaraderie to your audience, you’re set.
“I love how Tash Sultana has been able to build a really nice fanbase spending basically no promo money, simply by having an amazing YouTube channel, and I heard Allday responds to most fan mail/messages.
“There’s the potential to have a much more personal relationship these days, it can be less about ‘promotion’, and more about catching someone’s show that you feel like you’re already friends with.”
Tash Sultana built excitement for her shows and grew her fanbase by letting them into her bedroom studio
The ease of access to social media can prove to be a double-edged sword, however, and Oliver agrees that building a loyal and active following is more important than merely racking up the likes.
“Melbourne is incredibly unique with how rapidly the underground music scene is developing, and we love it for that. Five years ago there were only a handful of touring agencies that effectively owned the dance scene – now there’s a new party crew and promotional group popping up every week with a sponsored post on Facebook about their next event. Your event can easily get lost in the crowded market, unless you have the core following and great reputation.”
Despite the huge shift towards digital promotion, he argues the importance of knowing your audience back-to-front, and not neglecting your other options.
“As a new tours and promotional company, we’ve always seen greater value in using online media platforms like Facebook and Resident Advisor, along with word of mouth, as the best tools for promotion and selling tickets – this seems especially crucial for the more electronic and dance orientated events. However, with our more recent events we have come to appreciate print media like poster & flyer distribution as an invaluable tool.”
“You have to understand your brand and the audience you’re marketing to. Don’t waste all of your time and money on online platforms, print media certainly isn’t dead. When branding an event, make sure the posters you have in support are actually appropriate for the music you are showcasing.”
Starting Strong
So, gathering a group of people who know and like your band or your brand is an obvious first step, but when it comes time to actually start booking shows, what are some of the early steps that need to be taken to ensure success?
Firstly, don’t panic if your tickets don’t start flying off the shelves right away, and don’t feel the need to bombard potential punters with all of the info from the start – a bit of a tease can be a good thing.
“We’ve had shows that have had great ticket sales from the get go and we have had just as many that we haven’t seen anything until the week before the show. A solid marketing plan in place is absolutely imperative.
“Create hype by revealing a brief understanding of the vibe of the party – the location, decor, artists – whilst still leaving that element of mystery that intrigues your audience to come back for more. Ensure you don’t scare your audience away with too much information, but enticing them with a product to good to refuse.”
While it’s okay to save a bit of info for later reveals, Jason stresses one key point: “Make sure you have your ticket link listed everywhere from the get go.”
It’s also important to give your audience a chance to miss you, so while it may be tempting to book in a launch party for every track and take every opportunity you’re given, scarcity can be a compelling reason to attend any gig.
“Make sure you don’t have any other shows coming up for the two or three months leading up to the show,” Jason says, “unless it’s an amazing guest slot at a much larger venue.”
The Bennies front a packed room at The Corner – Photo by Ian Laidlaw via The Corner
Pick The Right Room
Speaking of larger venues, picking the right capacity for a gig is always a tough first step, with the temptation of more ticket revenue and the promise of an epic show weighing against the fear of a half-empty room. How do you go about estimating the right venue for you?
“It’s certainly an interesting part of planning an event!” Oliver says. “Ultimately, it’s so easy to get caught up in the event you are producing and aiming for a venue that is too ambitious. What music punter doesn’t want an intimate show where they can feel immersed in the performance? You should always be ambitious, but it’s important to remember that the event is ultimately for the people.”
“There is an element of trying to ensure you get a return on your investment, but to us… the more intimate the show, the more responsive the crowd and the better performance you get, and the punters leave deeply satisfied and hungry for more.”
“I reckon always good to start small and pack out your show,” agrees Jason. “Seems like a like of bands get famous very quickly these days… but also get forgotten about very quickly.
“Feels like the smart thing to do is to grow slowly, and a good way to do this is by not going to big rooms too quickly – sell out a small room and add a second show if you can. Much better to be safe than sorry!”
On the other side of the coin, while the idea of a heaving room can seem like a great thing, you don’t want your punters having a terrible time and getting crushed while they’re lining up for a beer.
“Most venues are pretty sensible these days and don’t oversell shows, which means most packed shows have a good feel. I have to say, I (like most people, I think) avoid oversold shows like the plague, and avoid venues that oversell.
It’s not just the size of the room that needs to be taken into account, though, but also the clientele that make their way through the doors each week.
“When we look to lock down a venue, we are far more interested in finding a venue that suits the style of music the artist is going to play.
“There are certain venues in Melbourne that are well respected for the types of music they showcase. For example, to us The Mercat is a filthy dungeon (and we wouldn’t want it any other way) where it is well known and loved for the industrial and techno events they put on.
“It’s common to wonder whether your venue just doesn’t suit who you are, or the artists you’re touring. Just because a space and artist is fantastic, doesn’t necessarily mean you can just jam them together like smashed avo on toast.”
No stranger to big crowds, UK producer Cleric is heading to Pine Forest Tea Party this Friday
Save Our Show
Sometime, despite all your best efforts and early planning, things can just conspire against you and a gig just isn’t selling. What are some of the last-minute tactics to turn a show around and make it as good as it can be?
“Not sure this is an area we have totally nailed yet,” Oliver admits, “but it’s really important not to go into your shell. Keep pushing your event, as if you become fearful of an event failure, it can hurt your productivity.”
According to Jason, setting up your promotional material in advance can often turn things around at the last minute.
“I reckon it’s good to have all your interviews etc. running the week leading up to the show if you can. Lots of people might not be able to afford buying a ticket when they go on sale, or may not plan so far in advance, so it’s good to have a gentle reminder the week of the show – but it’s good not to be too spammy, as well.”
If you’ve done everything you can, and still had what can only be described as a flop, it’s time to reassess and see what could have been done better. What do Oliver and Jason see as the most common causes of an under-performing show?
“There’s any number of different sins that can hurt your event before it’s even started,” Oliver warns promoters, “but poor organisation is definitely the root cause of most problems, and usually results in a poorly-marketed show.”
“Not having material ready is the big one,” Jason tells the bands, “hence the golden rule – don’t book your launch show until you have your record in your hand, ready to send to radio and blogs. There can be sooo many delays beyond the artist’s control that eat into precious promo time (mixing, mastering, artwork, videos, pressing, postage, etc), best to avoid this as much as possible!”
Hitting The Mark
When things go perfectly for a show, there are few things more memorable, and an amazing show can keep your band living in a fan’s memory for years to come.
“I remember seeing a Nicolas Jaar DJ set at The Mercat a number of years ago, when he could have sold out a venue 10 times the size!” Oliver recalls.
“The promoters decided that The Mercat was going to provide a platform to bring the best out of an operator who plays to the crowd – the atmosphere and the vibe of the party – and the result was unforgettable. They must’ve packed 500 people into that basement, and it is still to this day one of the best 5 hours of music I’ve ever seen.
Jason can also reel off a laundry list of incredible gigs. “Some great sold out shows I’ve seen in smaller rooms in the past have been D.D Dumbo, Methyl Ethel, Courtney Barnett, King Gizz, Lorde, Movement, GL, Total Giovanni, Rolling Blackouts, Sampa The Great – and of course The Harpoons and Sui Zhen, who I also work with.”
His most important bit of advice for anyone hoping to replicate their success?
“Have fun! Work with nice people and be excellent!”
