Thursday, February 3
Round Table - “Cold Case - When A Stiff Is Not A Stiff”
Danny Zelisko, Evening Star Productions

A highly successful new event implemented at the 2005 Concert Industry Consortium was a group of round tables, covering a wide range of topics and facilitated by some of the most highly respected people in their fields. Running the gamut of industry concerns from how to structure a deal to purchasing tour insurance to staying sober on the road, conference guests could stop at one discussion or visit them all for a taste of what’s happening in today’s concert business.

Between 20 and 30 people got the lowdown from Evening Star Productions’ Dan Zelisko and others on the fine art of picking the right act for their market for the right reasons.

“We talked about buying groups at the right price and making good deals that work for the buyer,” Zelisko told Pollstar. “And we reminded buyers to stand their ground when they’re doing deals with agents.

“The agent is there to get as much as he can for his act and is not oftentimes only looking out for what the best choices are in that market. Not to say all agents are like that, but some are.”
Also discussed were when to call an agent’s bluff and whether booking a specific act is to make money or just to get the show.

Zelisko said there was a good mix of young and veteran industry reps at the table, where spinning stories and telling “lies” made for some good feedback.

“It seems as though everybody is anxious to not only get as many shows as they can, but to get the deal going in a way they feel is fair for them,” he said.

“It was odd being in a room talking with small groups like that but after awhile, it settled in and I think everybody there had a good time.”