#worknotplay

Working with people who have never booked talent before is stressful sometimes. especially when they seem to have never talked to people... 

For example, my gig on monday I have been told when and where it is. which would be fine if it were a wedding or concert but it’s a festival gig and I haven’t been told if I’m inside or outside, if there will be reserved parking so I can get my harp to the venue. If there is any particlar music they want, how long my set is.... these are all things that I would like to know in the next 4 days before turning up and being told I have to walk 15 minutes with my harp, climb a flight of stairs and play in the rain for 3 hours... 

So, there are different schools of thought on the whole live music promoter thing. 

First and foremost, it is a musicians responsibility to promote themselves. This is a fact that's really very widely accepted. Exposure comes from hard work on the artists side (whether they are a band or soloist).

So, what is the promoters job? you would think that the clue was in the title. So let's put some flesh around this.

Role of a your typical live music promoter (as seems to be widely expected)

Book venue 

Book bands 

Organise PA (if not provided by venue)

Organise sound tech (if not provided by venue)

Organise tickets

Distribute tickets to band

Take money for tickets sold

Send out invites to shows on facebook

Show up on the night (sometimes)

Bitch about acts that don't promote and sell tickets

Role of your typical musician

5 - 10 years learning your instrument

Producing a set

Practising a set

Organising recording

Producing recording

Promoting self (online, social media, networking)

Booking gigs

Organising and transporting gear for gigs

Selling tickets

Distributing tickets

Bitch about promoters that don't provide an audience other than the tickets the artist(s) have sold

Now, you could create an argument that says, "Well both sides are putting a lot of work in, that's just life" and you might get away with that.