So What Makes A Good Promoter?

[Winnie :-)]

I'm not generally talking about the "big" promoters, more the ones who promote small venues. Should they be out and about every week supporting various venues? To me they should, personally I'm far more interested in attending somewhere if I know the promoter is not only flyering his events, but enjoying others. Gives more a community feeling .......... Well I think it does.

Winnie:-)

[Guest dundeedavie]

can i presume this is aimed at someone or is it random ?

[Winnie :-)]

can i presume this is aimed at someone or is it random ?

=====================

Totally random Dave, just wondered what a promoters perspective might be. How do they further their own events, good will etc. My view is that promoters should be in touch with each other wherever possible, so as to avoid clashes, and of course they should believe in their product, in this case the soul scene. Never having promoted an event, (and never would) just thought it might be interesting to the 'normal' soul punter.

Winnie:-)

[Guest]

I'm not generally talking about the "big" promoters, more the ones who promote small venues. Should they be out and about every week supporting various venues? To me they should, personally I'm far more interested in attending somewhere if I know the promoter is not only flyering his events, but enjoying others. Gives more a community feeling .......... Well I think it does.

Winnie:-)

hi winnie

im at an event most friday or saturday nights

not always easy as i work every sunday and most saturdays

with all the local promoters we send each other flyers to put out at various events and through chatting to other promoters i try to get ideas so as to improve my own events.

down our neck of the woods its very friendly and we all check each others dates so as not to clash etc

by the way.....lightwater is on this sat night if you are at a loose end

regards moldie

[Guest soulgirlie]

=====================

. My view is that promoters should be in touch with each other wherever possible, so as to avoid clashes, and of course they should believe in their product, in this case the soul scene. Never having promoted an event, (and never would) just thought it might be interesting to the 'normal' soul punter.

Winnie:-)

/quote]

Hi Winnie

speaking personally , I think its very important to create as much goodwill as possible both with clients and other promoters. Soul Underground is fairly small and although fairly established now after 5 years I still recognise the need to move around to avoid major clashes..you can never ever become complacent in this game ..clients are very fickle .

Over the years I've travelled up and down the M6 and beyond most weekends to support other peoples gigs and obviously to flier my own ...attending the Weekenders is a very important part of the remit too .

I also think its important to be approachable,make friends and listen and take on board what people have to say about your gig ,the good and the bad (hopefully not too much of the latter ) promoters have a responsibility to be honest about their promotion ..ie what music will be on offer ,provide a nice venue where people want to come and have a good time after a hard working week ,give the very best value for money ,book the very best DJ's,invest in state of the art sound equipment not second rate gear ,and basically have a fervent love of the music they are promoting..hopefully infectiously so.

On the night itself for me its all about being seen, greeting and chatting to people ,making sure the venue is welcoming and tidy (I clear away glasses etc during the course of the night ) ..make sure the clients the DJ's ,management and barstaff are happy ..it all comes into play and helps promote a successful night

..which is probably why I'll never make a bean ...its all about the love !!!!! bottom line for me is I always think that if I wasn't the promoter would I want to be there as a paying customer ...thankfully up to now its always been an honest and resounding yes ,the day that changes I'll stop doing it

Lin

www.soul-underground.co.uk

Edited May 14, 2006 by soulgirlie

[Makemvinyl]

having promoted with all the pitfalls that go with,

attended weekenders

Put soul artists and other artists on and lost a packet,

attended other venues on a regular basis,put out the flyers

booked the djs and Accomadation.

kept the punters and the club owners and the bar staff and the cleaners etc etc etc

carried the sound systems around,stood the door,security.

advertised the venue in different venues around the area.moved venues at short notice

seems the point is mute.

nuff said its wot we all do.

and mostly for pleasure.

[Guest dundeedavie]

well my own personal view a good promoter should attend other events if not only to see other dj's etc and maybe to learn what the other event does right ...

they should always book the best dj's they and think of their punters before themselves , if it is about money forget it you'll be seen thru and abandoned by your thinkin man .... do it for the musics sake and the good will always be successful ....works for me

[Dave Abbott]

I'm not generally talking about the "big" promoters, more the ones who promote small venues. Should they be out and about every week supporting various venues?

Winnie:-)

Yes

[Guest Soultown andy]

Personaly im out every friday and sat,its very important to support as many venues as possible as well as listening out for new djs,im not personaly one of the promoters who meets and greets i have an excellent door team to do that.I give my punters respect by supplying the very best djs in the uk,and makeing sure the djs the advertisers and the venue are all paid,its a disgrace that djs are regularly not paid usualy because the promoter is waiting for people through the door to pay the bills and it always the djs that lose out,these people are not promoters,imho of course.

[Guest alison]

What make a good promoter ?

One who gets the drinks in

Andy McCabe scores highly 'cos he's been known to stump up for champers

(Well we ambushed the poor sod )

[Guest]

its a disgrace that djs are regularly not paid usualy because the promoter is waiting for people through the door to pay the bills and it always the djs that lose out,

totally agree

my dj,s are paid in full wether its a top name dj or a local one

i offer most dj,s payment even before there set.

if not enough punters then it comes out of my pocket

luckily enough its only happened once so gave the dj a top tune he was after in respect of payment

[Guest Soultown andy]

It was a pleasure alison,all the best to john .

[Guest dundeedavie]

,its a disgrace that djs are regularly not paid usualy because the promoter is waiting for people through the door to pay the bills and it always the djs that lose out,these people are not promoters,imho of course.

absolutely , never happen at anything i do , i regularly have to talk the dj's into taking the money lol

[Winnie :-)]

Not sure what I'm doing Saturday Moldie, but you never know

Thanks to Lin, DD Andy, and M.E.V for their replies, all punter friendly just as it should be IMO

I would just like to reiterate this was NOT meant as a dig at anybody, just a general enquiry.

Winnie:-)

[Guest gibber]

I'm not generally talking about the "big" promoters, more the ones who promote small venues. Should they be out and about every week supporting various venues? To me they should, personally I'm far more interested in attending somewhere if I know the promoter is not only flyering his events, but enjoying others. Gives more a community feeling .......... Well I think it does.

Winnie:-)

Try to go to one every weekend, friday or a saturday , got to pick and choose and not leave the wife and kids all weekend but where ever i go i do enjoy and have a good time sometimes to much .

[Guest]

I just wish some of you guys who promote these nights invest any profits into some ok equipment starting off with some stylus and weighted decks which gives the stuff the jocks you book play, the respect they deserve.

I've been to functions where the right deck is weighed down by a taped 3d bit on it, the left deck plays quiter and slower than the right, and the mic either doesn't work or you end of sounding like er No....man....Co.....l....ier....the jocks and more importantly the punters deserve better.

The particular night I refer to the promoter then came up to me and said..."Ive had a shit night on the door here's half of OUR agreed fee" the fact he waited until I'd finished piffed me off a tad however when I suggested he puts the £25 he'd offered me toward some new decks, he mumbled something on the lines of.."there's nowt wrong wih my fucking decks mate"

Happy days...

[Guest Soultown andy]

Good point paul so why do djs keep working for these so called promoters who are takeing the piss out of djs and punters.

[Steve G]

I just wish some of you guys who promote these nights invest any profits into some ok equipment starting off with some stylus and weighted decks which gives the stuff the jocks you book play, the respect they deserve.

I've been to functions where the right deck is weighed down by a taped 3d bit on it, the left deck plays quiter and slower than the right, and the mic either doesn't work or you end of sounding like er No....man....Co.....l....ier....the jocks and more importantly the punters deserve better.

The particular night I refer to the promoter then came up to me and said..."Ive had a shit night on the door here's half of OUR agreed fee" the fact he waited until I'd finished piffed me off a tad however when I suggested he puts the £25 he'd offered me toward some new decks, he mumbled something on the lines of.."there's nowt wrong wih my fucking decks mate"

Happy days...

Think you've summed it up for me.

Poor decks and a crappy system are a real turn off for any DJ - let alone the punters suffering a fuzzy mumbly sound.

And those that don't pay properly - should be named and shamed. I've promoted in the past and one of the golden rules is always make sure you have enough dosh to pay the DJs, regardless of whether no one turns up on the night. Some promotors are very good like this, others maybe not so it seems.

[Jumpinjoan]

A shit sound system is probably the thing that winds me up the most about a venue .... wether i'm playing records or playing out.

A decent sound has got to be the most important thing ... after all ... that's what we go for isn't it .... to hear music?

I really feel like promoters are taking the piss sometimes ... surely i can't be the only one ..

On the DJ side .... records are far from cheap ... so to expect someone to play their pride and joy with a stylus that resembles rusty a 1" nail is a bit much.... hasn't happened to me for a while though i'm happy to say.

A decent dancefloor is also a must have .... still .... you can't dance without music ....

[Wiganer1]

Good point paul so why do djs keep working for these so called promoters who are takeing the piss out of djs and punters.

==========

most 'wannabe ' djs do it so they get some exposure in the hope that they will lead to other gigs i suppose...

getting paid jackshit can be a real downer ,,even if u get a drink or summat for your petrol would be at least a gesture..

some dont even do that!!

[Steve G]

==========

even if u get a drink or summat for your petrol would be at least a gesture..

some dont even do that!!

Frankly getting a drink foir DJing is taking the piss - unless the DJ has agreed in advance to do it for nowt (and that can happen with a friends venue / specialist type do for example). I say (as a former promotor) anyone who doesn't pay their DJ's properly is having a larf at their expense.

[Guest Soultown andy]

Agree about the sound system,but its not always the promoters fault ive paid out good money to 5 different equipment lads and had loads of problems with em,ive now got pete french supplying all my equipment he is not the cheapest but his equipment and service is bang on.[you owe me big time now frenchy for the free plug].

[Guest Baz]

Agree about the sound system,but its not always the promoters fault ive paid out good money to 5 different equipment lads and had loads of problems with em,ive now got pete french supplying all my equipment he is not the cheapest but his equipment and service is bang on.[you owe me big time now frenchy for the free plug].

same sort of thing as promoting there Andy, any one can buy a sound system, but if they are not clued up on setting it up getting the balances right ect leads to poor sound.

as with any one can put on an event, but if your not clued up then only the strong survive.

To me a good promoter, is one that can supply the goods, knows what is expected of a DJ befor booking them, and most important is out and about on the scene, so they know there punters

[Guest Soultown andy]

MMM who does that soundlike [just jokin ]

[Winsford Soul]

Agree about the sound system,but its not always the promoters fault ive paid out good money to 5 different equipment lads and had loads of problems with em,ive now got pete french supplying all my equipment he is not the cheapest but his equipment and service is bang on.[you owe me big time now frenchy for the free plug].

Thought it was about time i joined in . I,ve had the same problems with sound systems been faulty, the guys getting there late for whatever reason and not getting set up in time esp when they have 2 rooms to set up before the opening time and only half a hour to do so . what room do you tell them to do first ? anyway thats my moan. Just off to retire to the Bahamas on the profits from running Winsford Nighters. I wish. Most of us do it for the love of the music, I got involved because a few years back two of my fav nighters where closing. Tony,s and Bretby and Winsford was heading the same way and i didnt want to lose another independtly run nighter so here i am 2 years down the line and its on the up.and hopefully it will continue that way. Hard work, you bet it is. But i love soul music and nighters and i will do my best to make sure that Winsford is run to the best of my ability so that everyone that goes there leaves with a smile and a promise to return.

Steve

[Guest Dodger]

Plus how many DJ's actually know how to make the kit work to it's best, other than pushing the volume sliders up to the very top?

[Steve G]

Plus how many DJ's actually know how to make the kit work to it's best, other than pushing the volume sliders up to the very top?

Agreed we're all tone deaf m8. But also v difficult to gauge sound from behind decks, as we all know it sounds totally different in front of and aft speakers particularly where a stage is involved. Hence soundmen always check what it sounds like on the floor as opposed to from behind the decks.

[Guest soulgirlie]

Agreed we're all tone deaf m8. But also v difficult to gauge sound from behind decks, as we all know it sounds totally different in front of and aft speakers particularly where a stage is involved. Hence soundmen always check what it sounds like on the floor as opposed to from behind the decks.

Hi Steve

I find a monitor helps mate

Lin

[Dave]

- unless the DJ has agreed in advance to do it for nowt (and that can happen with a friends venue / specialist type do for example).

I think you've made an interesting point there.

If we're honest, which events, especially in terms of soul nights, are the best attended? Generally the ones playing familiar oldies.

IMO this will not be the case for too much longer as the "nostalgia" crowd gradually go out less and less, but currently..... anybody who tries to put on a night which varies from the safe formula is taking a risk.

I, and probably a good few others, have DJ'd at more "specialist type do's" for petrol money... because we want to see a particular event do well, i.e. its an event with a music policy that appeals. I wouldn't do that though if it was yet another oldies night put on in an already saturated market.

Going back to another point, however, those that hump the leg of a progressive scene but then only attend events which they promote/ DJ at.... have got all that's coming to them, IMO.

[Guest Baz]

Plus how many DJ's actually know how to make the kit work to it's best, other than pushing the volume sliders up to the very top?

Its just criminal aint it

Northern soul DJ's should not twiddle with nobs, we used to tape them up so the channel volumes could only go to a certain extent ect,

How ever if one knows what they are doing with the mixer they can offten enhance a record by tweeking the bass, mid, or trebble.

no end of times have i seen people turn the gain right up for extra volume

[Guest dundeedavie]

can someone tell me why every bloody thread on here goes negative ... it was a question about good promoters

what makes a GOOD promoter ... not a bad one

Davie

[Guest]

I think a good promoter doesn't promise what they can't deliver, listens to feedback good and bad and trys to act upon it and attends other venues which have nothing to do with him/her either promotions wise or DJ wise.

[Guest dundeedavie]

I think a good promoter doesn't promise what they can't deliver, listens to feedback good and bad and trys to act upon it and attends other venues which have nothing to do with him/her either promotions wise or DJ wise.

i originally said yes to promoters going out and about to other venues , and i do btw ... but why?

what if you are intentionally trying to be independant and create a sound that sets you apart from the rest , would it be counter-productive to go to the rest?

Davie

[Winnie :-)]

can someone tell me why every bloody thread on here goes negative ... it was a question about good promoters

what makes a GOOD promoter ... not a bad one

Davie

===========

That was what I wanted to know, never saw any pitfalls when I asked it

Winnie:-)

[Guest]

i originally said yes to promoters going out and about to other venues , and i do btw ... but why?

what if you are intentionally trying to be independant and create a sound that sets you apart from the rest , would it be counter-productive to go to the rest?

Davie

I think it shows that you are interested in the scene in general and not just in it for your own particular night.

I would think you could do this and still keep your own night with your own sound.

[Guest dundeedavie]

I think it shows that you are interested in the scene in general and not just in it for your own particular night.

I would think you could do this and still keep your own night with your own sound.

thing is i go to other do's but not as a promoter of BASICS ,that is very separate and hopefully isn't influenced by other nights , just as me going to a do (and doin the column in On The Scene lol)

[Guest soulgirlie]

i originally said yes to promoters going out and about to other venues , and i do btw ... but why?

what if you are intentionally trying to be independant and create a sound that sets you apart from the rest , would it be counter-productive to go to the rest?

Davie

Its never really counter productive I dont think ..but how can I say this diplomatically .. sometimes when you go to other venues it makes you appreciate what you've got

[Guest dundeedavie]

Its never really counter productive I dont think ..but how can I say this diplomatically .. sometimes when you go to other venues it makes you appreciate what you've got

very diplomatically put ..... i'm glad you said it and not me , i'm not good at diplomacy

[Guest]

No reason why promoters shouldn't attend other venues. I'm sure that this practice only furthers the whole "politics" game.

Good promoters promote the scene as a whole, bad promoters are looking out for themselves/wallets/egos. Simple as that.

-Mike