Table of Contents
The live music business relies on the collaborative efforts of various professionals to stage everything from small gigs in local venues to large-scale international tours and festivals. The live music business operates alongside the concert production industry (CPI).
Understanding the structure of both the LMB and CPI, and the key players involved, is crucial for you looking to enter this field.
Read on to find out how it all works!
The Artist and Artist Manager
At the heart of the live music business is the artist. This can be a band, singer, DJ, or any contemporary music act that performs live. Artists tend to book their own gigs at the start of their career. However, as the artist gains popularity and their schedules become busier, an artist manager steps in to assist the artist. An artist manager should offer guidance on logistical and financial choices for recording, publishing, and live performances. The manager hires the road crew for the artist’s live work, focusing particularly on a good concert tour manager.
Managers are responsible for booking performances and settling fees for their artists during their early careers.
The Booking Agent
A booking agent’s job is to secure live performance opportunities for their music artist clients – gigs, tours, and festival slots. Booking agents negotiate performance fees with concert promoters. The deals are based on projected ticket sales. The booking agent then issues contracts between the artist and the promoter.
After securing the booking, the booking agent’s duties continue. They manage ticket sales data, ensure clients pay deposits, and help collect the balance of performance fees after each concert.
A booking agent makes money by charging her client a percentage of that artist’s gross income for the performance. The percentage charged by the booking agent is known as the commission, similar to that of artist management commission. The commission for contemporary live music (rock, pop, alternative, etc.) is usually 10%, while DJ work commands a 15% commission.
The Concert Promoter
Concert promoters sell tickets to see an artist in concert. Ideally, the concert is profitable after covering all costs, including artist fees and production expenses. Promoters take on significant financial risk and must develop good relationships with booking agents and artists to ensure long-term success.
The Concert Booking Process
The artist manager, booking agent and promoter work together to book concerts and tours. The booking agent approaches promoters to see if they are interested in promoting a show. The promoter evaluates the costs and potential profits before agreeing to the terms.
Alternatively, promoters will approach an artist’s booking agent with an ‘offer’ – a proposed deal including money, venue details, stage times, competing acts (if the offer is for a festival for instance) to entice the artist into performing.
If the deal is viable, the booking agent finalises the arrangements and sends the offers to the artist and manager for approval.
The Contract
The contract sets out the specifics of the concert and the contractual responsibilities of the concert promoter and the artist. The contract will stipulate the date of the performance, the venue, the agreed number of tickets that will be sold, the price of the tickets, the deal type (guarantee, split of profits, or a mixture of both), the length of the performance by the artist, agreements about the promoters costs, what happens if the show sells out, and so on.
The contract is specific to each concert or festival appearance.
The Contract Rider
A contract rider sets out the requirements for every performance by the artist. These include technical specifications, catering needs, and other logistical details, necessary for every performance.
The contract is specific to one performance; the contract rider is for every performance.
More resources
There is a similar guide on the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) website: ‘About the Live Music Industry’, and another brief explanation on the CMU site ‘The Live Music Sector‘. You might want to read those as well.
Please also read my book, The Live Music Business – Management and Production of Concerts and Festivals to find out more.