Wednesday, February 2
Independent Promoters
Moderator: Lionel Bea, Bay Area Productions
Dave Leiken, Double Tee Concerts
Paul Thornton, Bravo Entertainment
Darin Lashinsky, Outback Concerts
Lucy Lawler, Rival Entertainment
Mike Quinn, Monqui Presents
Corrie Christopher, The Agency Group

As has been the case in recent years, independent promoters continue to grapple with competition for shows from major promoters such as Clear Channel Entertainment, AEG Live and, to a lesser extent, House of Blues Concerts.

Many familiar themes came to the fore again in 2005: the risk factors when a promoter is spending his own money rather than shareholders’, relationship building and artist loyalty in an age of rapidly rising fees.

Moderator Lionel Bea of Bay Area Productions told promoters they are missing out on a huge urban market because they don’t understand it and too often fail to reach out to local black promoters to help them.

“A big problem is a lot of these companies bring in people from out of town and, to me, that is one of the worst things that you can do,” said Bea, whose company is located in Oakland, Calif.
“I used to get offended when an agent would show up from New York before a show and tell me how to market. I live there. I work there. I know the people. My office is located there. You can walk down the streets and go into the beauty salons and the barbershops where we’ve got the firsthand – what we call the real – market.”

Lucy Lawler of Rival Entertainment in Atlanta concurred that indies have a marketing advantage.
“Marketing is everything,” she said – “radio, print, flyers, street, word-of-mouth, reaching the audience that’s appropriate to your show, making sure [fans] know about the show, when it is, where it is, when tickets go on sale, and make sure they are there. The bigger companies don’t have those relationships. This is where we come in.”

Outback Concerts’ Darin Lashinsky agreed. “Personal relationships with folks in the market is a huge advantage. Print, radio, everything. When you can make a print buy at one fourth the cost anyone else can, that’s important.”

Paul Thornton of Bravo Entertainment stressed that a clear marketing plan is essential to creating an edge. “We have shows where we have to compete with Clear Channel, AEG, all that,” Thornton said. “When I deal with an agent, I show them my marketing plan. Literally, every time I’ve done that, I’ve gotten the show. We know our markets. Foster your relationships – talk to them on the phone, have lunch with them, get everybody together on the promotion, have them on the phone every day.”

The Agency Group’s Corrie Christopher pointed out that another reason it’s important to develop those relationships is that an agent is more likely to work with someone he or she knows.
“I need to know that the promoter knows his market. (For a newcomer to a market), I’d recommend co-promoting with an established promoter whenever possible. You can still make money.”
Loyalty from artists and agents was another major issue for the panel. Dave Leiken of Double Tee Concerts was especially frank on the subject.

“In my opinion, loyalty has a price. Six or seven years ago, $125,000 to $350,000 was the going rate for a show, and now the going rate has gone to a half million to $1 million a show. It’s huge.
“People like me who use their own money really can’t afford that. So I don’t expect those acts to stay loyal, and I’m not going to worry about it. But I can’t say it’s not a factor.”

Mike Quinn of Monqui Presents has been on both sides of the loyalty fence.

“I managed an act for a few years and we’d go in and play somewhere, and we’d go back and play for a larger crowd and then go back again and play to an even larger crowd,” Quinn explained.

“Everything was great; then somebody would come in and offer a lot more money.

“Still, it’s all about relationships and the human factor. If you can forge a relationship with someone you trust, that’s the most important thing.”