What does a booking agent do?

A good music booking agent will help artists and entertainers to raise their public profile for them to get more performance bookings. They will not look at short-term gains: instead, they will assist the artists and entertainers to promote themselves, their music and their brands. Which often means working long hours for no gain. A good booking agent will do this because they genuinely believe in the artists’ and entertainers’ talents. They spend many hours promoting talent because they believe that the bookings will eventually come in.

In order to succeed, a good booking agent needs to be a good salesperson. Most of their time is spent seeking out opportunities for artists and entertainers and negotiating fees and contract terms.

Behind the scenes, they quietly take on rejection, disrespect and false promises. A lot of the time, they are rebuked and treated rudely by large festival/gig organisers and event promoters. The booking agent takes the knocks and bumps that could potentially dishearten and discourage an artist or entertainer if they had to hear first-hand opinions and conversations about why they are not needed for particular gigs.

Booking agency fees range from 10-20%, although some charge a minimum fee if the value of the performance contract is below a set figure. The amount of acts they represent is not a reliable way to judge a booking agent, nor is the popularity of their name. One should consider, above all things, whether the booking agent has belief in the talent they represent and whether they will act to increase the profile and popularity of their talent for little or no short-term gains.

To book an artists for the Private parties, public, corporate and charity events, product endorsements, theatre, film and television visit us

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WHAT IS A PERFORMANCE CONTRACT?

by Valued Customer • 19 January 2023

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What is an Artist Rider?

by Julie Ricketts • 6 December 2022

WHAT IS AN ARTIST RIDER? Artist riders are incorporated in performance agreements and set out the various elements needed to enable a sleek, hindrance-free gig. Riders are designed to inform gig organisers about what the artist needs to perform well on-stage and what they need to be comfortable off-stage before and after their performance. The rider is usually split into two parts which are the technical rider and the hospitality rider. Technical Rider The technical rider informs gig organisers what technical equipment, such as instruments and mics, are required for the artist’s gigs. This is very important because all artists, stage managers and musicians have their own equipment preferences. In some cases, a deviation from the technical rider will result in equipment being incompatible with the gig set-up. Good technical riders include the sound and lighting equipment preferences, the stage plan to show where each musician will be placed and where mic stands for singers should be positioned. The venue organisers will provide their event production manager with a copy of the artist’s technical rider. The earlier this is done, the more time they will have to liaise compromises with artists’ sound engineers because some things (such as stage dimensions) cannot be changed. Good technical riders also deal with rehearsals and sound check arrangements. Hospitality Rider The hospitality rider informs gig organisers of what is needed of a non-technical nature to facilitate the gig and to ensure the comfort of the artist. They include flights, accommodation, ground transport, security, backstage passes and other items such as food, refreshments and hygiene products for the artists’ team. Summary The technical and hospitality riders are crucial parts of any performance contract. From an event organiser’s point of view, riders provide a clear insight into expenditure and are an essential budgeting tool. From an artist’s point of view, riders set out the requirements to make event organisers aware of the provisions that need to be in place (alongside performance fees) for event bookings. To book an artists for the Private parties, public, corporate and charity events, product endorsements, theatre, film and television visit us