Concert Promotion

I’ve been interested in live music/concerts and what goes on behind the scenes since the early 80’s.  Honestly I think at that time I was more “star struck” than anything.  But it was in the 90’s that I really became interested in the actual production of a concert.  This is when I started to work part time for All Points Booking in Burlington, Vermont.  Since I usually got to the venue first thing in the morning when the stage was empty and the crew had not yet arrived, and left after the stage was empty again and the crew was ready to leave.   I was amazed at how much work and how many people it takes to make a 3 or 4-hour concert happen.

I found an article, Making Star Bucks, written a few years ago, before the economy started taking a turn for the worse, about Jay Strausser, the co-owner of All Points Booking and the person who hired me when the Artist Rider requested a runner or production assistant.  When I was reading the article I realized that it was Jay and this company, All Points Booking, that inspired me to want to work in concert promotion, production.  In the article Jay talks about concert promotion not being all fun and games, except when things going smoothly it is a great satisfaction.  He states, “It’s a great night when we’re working with an artist and I am passionate about their music and everything they are about.”  (Koornick, 2003)  Concert Promotion can be a difficult job and there are many factors to consider, like the venue, the location, the type of music and audience.  I believe you have to be passionate about music and have the ability to take chances. 

 

I've worked for several artists and the feeling of working with an artist you admire, giving them the opportunity to perform, and being part of making the show happen is an awesome feeling.  I loved the satisfaction of being part of something that makes people happy all around.

References:

http://www.vermontguides.com/2003/1-jan/allpoint.htm

Aerosmith Picture: http://www.songkick.com/artists/224919-aerosmith/images/1339471

U2 is still on the road with their 360° tour make up shows from last year when Bono had emergency back surgery.  The U2 360° Tour is a monstrous production with a “spaceship” like stage.  U2 360° has a traveling crew of 196 from 15 countries. In every venue around the world, the tour also recruits local labor to build and take down this enormous 360°production.  Usually this local labor is recruited from the local Promoter.  

I've followed U2 since 1983 and have been to 28 shows, most in the New England Area.  In the early days the stage production was a simple stage with a few video screens, the biggest prop was most likely Bono walking around waving a large Irish flag.  

In 1992, the Zoo TV Tour had an enormous production with 33 trucks, 100-foot high towers, video screens, and German cars hanging from the staging. Zoo TV was one of my favorite tours; I've seen every tour since 1983.  In 1992, Foxboro Stadium, Massachusetts, I had the opportunity to see the production of Zoo TV. Since I had a few friends who worked on the video and rigging crew, I was able to watch load in and load out. Just as the 360° "spaceship stage", it took 24 hours to build the stage and put it all together.

I've never worked for U2, although it is a dream of mine. I've worked other shows doing catering, hospitality, setting up the dressing rooms, a runner and production assistant. The production side of music/concert industry it is something I am very passionate about.  
It is amazing to see something like U2 360° or Zoo TV start out as an empty venue and become a monstrosity of video screens, steel, and equipment, along with what goes on behind the scenes like hospitality, sound boards, rolling cases, dressing rooms that look like someone’s living room, and people at work putting all this together for 2 to 3 hours of live music.  


With U2 its not only the music and massive production, it's the message they send out.  Put this all together and it's priceless.