Moderator: Mike Elko Elko Concerts
Joe Fletcher Joe Fletcher Presents
Dave Kirby TKO
Steve Litman Steve Litman Presents
Mike Thrasher Thrasher Presents
John Valentino Fantasma Productions

The independent promoters panel always runs a bit of a risk of breaking down into a gripe session about how to compete with with the Live Nations and AEGs of the world – but this time, panelists made it clear that, as Joe Fletcher put it, “I don’t wake up every morning wondering what Live Nation is going to do today.”

Indeed, much of the discussion focused on issues that had very little to do with the giants of the promotion business – issues like artist development, controlling venues, developing and keeping relationships with agents, and how to sell shows – and everything to do with how the independent promoter is uniquely able to affect those areas.

The role indie promoters play in artist development is one that especially can’t be dismissed. While the majors might be buying major tours with established artists, the indies are out there driving ticket sales for emerging stars.

John Valentino discounted the notion of history when buying talent. “If you buy artists based on history, you’ll become history. It’s the manager’s job to get the best deal for the artist,” he said. “Independent promoters are in the business because of passion – which conglomerates don’t have or have lost. You need to learn to market without radio. It’s about selling tickets.”

But Mike Thrasher also pointed out that being there and selling tickets early in a career does go a long way towards establishing necessary relationships.

“You can push tickets early in an artist’s career,” Mike Thrasher said. “I’ve sold The White Stripes, The Killers and The Strokes when they were selling 300-plus tickets. You can be very involved in developing those careers if you have established relationships.”

As some audience members quickly noted, it’s not always that easy to establish those relationships when you can’t get an agent to return a phone call because they’re not familiar with you.

That remark got the attention of the lone agent on the dais, TKO founder Dave Kirby.

“There’s a high number of trust issues involved when an agent is handing their artist over to a promoter,” Kirby said. “Building a business can’t be done overnight.”

Others noted that it’s helpful to control a venue, because in many cases it might be the only leverage an independent has. A.C. Productions’ Ashley Capps, who went from being a small local promoter to the national stage with the Bonnaroo festival, was named as a success story in that regard.

Steve Litman concurred on the importance of venues. “If you’re not the artist and you’re not the venue, your position is very nebulous,” he said. “Try to control some part of the process, especially a key piece
of real estate. Managers, artists and agents need to pay attention to you. You need leverage.”

As daunting as that may sound, Live Nation actually made that easier in several markets when the company streamlined its operations late last year.

“Changes that were recently made were not arbitrary,” Kirby stressed. “They were based on numbers. There will be room in the markets that Live Nation has left and that bodes well for the industry.

“Be willing to bring in everyone, even on a bar gig,” Kirby advised. “You can pay a promoter a flat fee and tell him to take the day off, but establish the relationship – because you only get to cut him out once.”

Litman offered other ways a new promoter can work on those relationships.

“Make it as attractive as possible to an artist and promoter to want to play your building. Do the advertising, and so on,” Litman said. “You have revenue streams besides the door you can offer to put on the table. Communication is everything. You need to have dialogue with me as a promoter. Finances in this industry have gotten way out of whack and you have to find creative ways to come to the party.”

Fletcher possibly provided the smartest tip of all: “You learn a lot more with your ears, than you do with your mouth.”