After two years of the pandemic, many people are desperate to listen to live music again. We want to dance in a crowd with spilt beer and face glitter. We might finally have a few music concerts and festivals to attend this summer. Unfortunately, some events may still be postponed and cancelled. The pandemic isn’t quite over yet.
Follow this step-by-step guide to hold your own gig successfully – and most importantly, safely.
Story Stages
Consider the 6 W’s
You need to think about the six Ws of event planning. What is the artist? Why are you holding the event? When will it be? Where will the venue be? Who is your audience?
Once you have answered the six Ws, you can start to plan the event effectively.
The venue
The venue is a big part of any music event. Some people care more about the venue than the artist playing on stage. For example, many big artists play in an arena with thousands of seats available. However, many fans prefer a more intimate venue where they can actually see the artist on stage. Determine the genre of music for your festival and go from there. For example, house music pairs well with a nightclub, while classical music is better at a theatre. An indie-rock gig would be fantastic at a legendary pub where plenty of musicians have played before.
Finances
Determine your fixed and variable costs in the budget. The fixed costs are the bare bones of the event and your essential expenses. Your fixed costs include venue hire, production, artists fees and staff salaries. The variable costs, like utilities and extra security, could be negotiated. You could opt for a lower-priced version of these items to save some money. You may need liability insurance for your event, which would go under your variable expenses.
Think about your ticket pricing and whether you need to offer competitive prices. You could offer discounts on some tickets, or you may prioritise your profits. Your ticket prices should reflect the cost of the venue and the artist playing.
Marketing
You need to market the event so people will attend. Marketing doesn’t need to be expensive either. You can use social media to reach your audience or printed materials if it’s a local gig. Consider your target audience and how they will respond to different marketing strategies.
For example, a younger audience is more likely to respond to social media marketing on platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok. Create an account for the event and ask the artist to share any promotional details. You need to reach fans in the local area or worldwide if it’s a virtual event.
It’s time to revive the music industry after two quiet years.
