There are numerous reasons why you might decide to put on your own gig. Perhaps as a fundraiser for charity or to give you a means of promoting your act. Whatever the reason, putting on a successful show involves a lot of work and preparation

Making a lot of effort with the organisation of the gig will help things run as smoothly as possible. The more work you have done in advance the better equipped you will be to deal with any unexpected problems that you might encounter on the day.

First things first:

When you first consider putting on your own gig there are two main things to take care of, a) the venue and b) the bands. Both of these should be dealt with before making any other plans.

In a lot of cases people put on gigs to showcase their own band or perhaps one that they like. If this is the case the choice of bands doesn’t really take much thought as this is the motivation behind the gig. What is helpful in these cases is to think about getting another band who are more established in your area to play as well. People are more likely to come if there is a popular act on the bill. Try and find a group that complements the style of music that you play and have a good reputation in the area. If you are putting on a gig for other reasons and won’t be playing yourself then try and find bands that people will want to see. A local support act is usually a good idea in this case, again, to get the heads through the door to see the lesser known acts.

Once you have made a decision on the bands that you would like to book have a think about possible venues. What kind of audience do you expect to get at your gig? Is it for children, adults, all ages? This plays an important part in your choice of venue. If you are putting on a gig for under eighteens then it is important to find somewhere that allows this age group.

The majority of licensed venues do not allow those who are under-age through their doors so think about alternatives. Perhaps you could approach your local community centre or village hall with the idea? If the gig is aimed at regular gig going adults then you need to find a different type of venue. Is there an established live music venue in the area? If so, this is a good place to try. You should try and put on a show in a place that people already associate with live music. If the venue is a popular one then people are more likely to come and check out the bands that are playing.

Think about the number of people you hope to get out (be realistic) and use this when deciding on a venue. Anything between 50-100 people is a good start so look around for venues of this size. Remember it is better to have a small place packed out then a large one sparsely populated.

In terms of hiring costs etc. each venue is different. You should find out what they expect for letting people put on gigs. In some cases it is a percentage of the door takings whilst in others it is a pre-determined fee. In many cases you can get the venue for free and if there is a bar they make their money at the bar. In any case make sure you check out what your commitments are before booking.

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