Set up your own PA
Introduction
If you are having problems getting gigs then you could set up your own night.
It could be a club night of deejays or live night of PAs.
Read on for:
Market research
Planning ahead
Hiring a venue
Getting artists
Promoting your night
On the night
Building a reputation
"Know your scene and the music you are promoting inside and out. Know who's up and coming and which DJ's the kids want to hear."
Izzy
Promoter
Dekefex, Brixton
Market Research
The very first thing you need to think about is what your night needs to be a success.
By doing a bit of research you'll be able to work out if the night is feasible, where and when to hold it and what you can expect back from it.
A lot of people start nights because nowhere else does what they want.
If this is the case you are probably best off starting somewhere small.
However, if you've spotted a massive gap in the market you could risk starting bigger.
If there's already a lot going on in your hometown, you could consider starting something in a nearby town where the scene isn't so strong.
Do your research by going to clubs, record shops and talking to people.
Also find out what the best night of the week would be and if anyone has tried it before and failed.
Get together with your crew and think about how the night should run - including how many DJs and artists you'd like to feature.
Plan Ahead
Give yourself a good couple of months to plan.
You have to contact venues (the better the venue the more months you'll have to book in advance), find the DJs/artists and promote the night itself.
That's some hard work right there so set yourself a schedule and stick to it.
Having a plan to work with will give you a couple of major advantages.
It gives a professional impression to the people you're dealing with and as a result they'll be more likely to take your idea seriously.
Also most venues you deal with will want a detailed description of your night to ensure it's right for them.
Make sure you've covered all the bases as to how the night will run and who's dealing with what.
Think about how much funds you've got and what you'll need to budget for.
"Confirm all your acts and have all the promotional material in hand at least a month before the event."
Richie 'Vibe' Vee
Pure Essence
Hiring a Venue
You need to have this sorted first
The first thing聽artists will聽want to know before they'll perform for you is where they'll be playing at - and how many heads will be there to see them in all their glory.
Choose your venue carefully.
If it's your first night, avoid venues that are too large - they can cost a lot and you might find it hard to fill.
Find a cheap venue like a community centre or even the backroom of a club or pub.
Hundred capacity venues are probably your best option.
If the event's not that well-attended it won't look too empty.
On the other side of the coin, if it's a roadblock and heads outside can't get in it's all good.
Arm yourself with your plan and contact the venue manager.
If they're interested in your idea find out what their hiring policy is - some places want a deposit which you get back depending on the bar take, but generally a lot of venues operate a straight hire policy where you pay a flat fee.
Find out whether the decks or sound engineer is included in the cost of hiring the venue.
While places used for a lot of music events are likely to have a PA system, a community centre might not. Make sure you check it out!
If you and your crew are planning to do regular showcase events it could be worth investing in a basic PA system - bear in mind they're not cheap though.
If you're kind of brukpocket you can loan one from a PA hire shop - this will set you back around 拢60 for the night.
"It's better to have somewhere a little bit too small than too big. It'll look ram and it'll feel like a party vibe."
Lawyer Da Black
XS Promotions
Getting Artists
Artists are the backbone of your night, so it's important to get the best you can.
Try to target places where you're most likely to find them.
Approach record shops, colleges, community centres and anywhere else you can think of and ask if you can advertise for demos.
Don't forget underground magazines - a lot of your target audience will read them and it's also a chance for some advance promotion for your showcase.
Talk to artists at PAs.
If you've seen an artist you rate, approach them after their performance and ask them if they'd like to get involved with your showcase.
Even if they already have a strong rep. they may agree to do it for the extra exposure.
Remember, if they impressed you, chances are they will impress others too, so really use all your powers of persuasion to draw a few strong acts to bring some weight to your night.
"Big established names will always want money to perform at an event. One exception could be if the event is for charity. This could be a good way to make a name for your promotion, by donating the proceeds to a good cause."
Richie 'Vibe' Vee
Pure Essence
Promoting Your Night
If you've got no dough, you've got to really think about some fresh ideas when it comes to promoting your night.
Get heads to sign up for e-mail and get their mobile phone numbers.
Send them text and email vouchers they can print to get in cheaper and/or get free drinks.
Remember to send fliers to the DJs/artists to give to their supporters.
Make sure all the underground magazines know about your night well in advance (monthly publications often go to the printers a few weeks before they come out).
If your night is really popular, you might be able to get covered in the national music press. It's always worth trying.
When it comes to guest lists, don't over do it. You don't want to end up with a large list otherwise you'll have jack to pay the artists or anyone else.
Stick up posters a good week in advance of the night and ensure you have an up to date website that people can get more information from.
Find out more in the 'How to... Promote live PAs'.
"Make sure your flyers are everywhere they need to be - shops, outside clubs etc."
Richie 'Vibe' Vee
Pure Essence
On The Night
Once you've got everything planned there are聽a couple of things you can do to make sure the night runs smoothly.
Call everybody who's involved on the day of the event and make sure they know when they are due to be at the venue (i.e. your brej who's doing the security) and ensure you've got a sound-engineer.
A lot of first timers forget, but, remember to have a cash float!
You'll need plenty of change for when people don't have the right money.
Get all the artists to arrive early for the soundcheck and make sure they all know what time they're performing.
Make yourself totally available to them - running the night itself is an all day of a job and you'll probably need to be around from the minute the doors open to answer questions and deal with any hiccups that there may be.
"One way of making sure it isn't a washout is to avoid doing it on the same night as someone who's promoting the same kind of thing."
Richie 'Vibe' Vee
Pure Essence
Building a Reputation
It could take a while before your night takes off and it may take longer to build a rep.
Since the success of your night depends on the artists it's important to have a good running order with similar acts following each other.
A soulful singer doing an R&B ballad may find it hard to perform straight after a hardcore rapper.
Another thing to consider is the name and image of your night.
You've invented a brand and you need to think of something that people can identify with.
Be consistent - put the night on at the same time each week - a week night might be best聽as the clubs are often fully booked at weekends.
It's probably obvious but treat the artists and the venue owner with respect.
If the night goes well, the owner will be up for letting you do another night, and if the artists are treated well they'll tell loads of people and other artists.
When it comes to paying the artists give them a fair percentage of the profits.
"Ensure that you deliver what you advertise. If any artist does cancel then inform your customers it was beyond your control."
Richie 'Vibe' Vee
Pure Essence
More... from How to...
Promote live PAs
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/1xmusic/promotion/gigsp01.shtml
Making the best of a PA
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/1xmusic/performing/bestp01.shtml
Put together a press pack
http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/1xmusic/promotion/packp01.shtml
More... from the web
大象传媒i What's On: Searchable for venue details
http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/livemusic/
(c) 大象传媒 1Xtra 1XMusic 2006