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ROLES AND PROCESSES IN LIVE MUSIC

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Event Planner

 

Skills: communication, punctual - stick to and set deadlines (time management), negotiation, ability to multitask and handle heavy workloads, confidence, attention to detail.

 

Experience and qualifications may be necessary for an event planner to one, understand the job and two, get hired for certain jobs. These qualifications could be business diplomas or form of education in business etc.

 

• Decide on a theme

• Select and liaise with venues

• Organise each aspect of event and make sure it is carried out by teams involved - liaise with...

  • Entertainment - music, comedy

  • Smaller events inside main event - raffles, competitions, fun games etc

  • Food and drinks

• Arrange marketing/promotion teams, photographers etc - share event information, themes, mood boards etc or if no team this will be done by the planner

 

• Event planners will work practically everyday to get the event planned

 

• Expected to get everything done in an organised timely manner.

• Expected to organise others and not just themselves

• Expected to meet the wishes of the hosts if it is a specially catered event

 

Our event

Our whole group will be event planners, lessening the workload as the roles in each section will be distributed. This will be decided through volunteers and then distributing the rest as necessary, making sure everyone is aware and capable of what work their job includes. If the event is going to cost as well as any add ons included, the money will be taken from the £800 budget provided by the college for this project.

 

Although we will all have our own sections there are certain things we will all have to work on and decide as a group, eg:

• • Theme

  • Location - we will have to research different types of venue and consider their price, location and size in parallel to our event and what we expect from it. There may be time or noise restrictions, possibly limiting performers s.g could only allow acoustic musicians.

  • Distribution of roles

  • Headliner

• These all being decisions an event planner would make individually.

 

Marketing team/promotion

 

• Responsible for ensuring the event is advertised well and word is spread across wherever necessary (local area, schools, pubs, etc), anywhere where a crowd/guests can be found.

• Posters, flyers, web pages (websites and social media), banners and adverts for the internet (instagram and facebook (stories, posts on feeds etc), pop ups, sharing posters around shops and businesses.

• Sometimes they are also responsible for coming up with themes, colour schemes etc if not already done so by the hosting party. In this case they take on the role of graphic designers and work on designing posters and adverts. If a separate designer is hired, they will most likely liaise with them.

 

Our event

We will assign a specific team of people, a leader who will oversee each section. These sections will include: promotion material designers (posters, banners, leaflets, booklets, promotional videos (could be a separate role) etc), distributors - distributing posters and spreading the word of the event, word of mouth etc, social media and internet advertisers - these will create a website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook page/account and regularly update it with event progress and promotional materials. Any expenses will be accounted into the £800 budget.

 

Photographer

 

Skills: patient and flexible as working hours can be long and will be dependent on performers and event schedule. Communication, time management - punctual and organised, dedication and positive mindset, ability to work well and adapt with others as well as having independence and confidence in their own work and technical abilities, self sufficiency.

 

Qualifications: specific qualifications are not required as photography is an individual form of art, although having experience (portfolio could be required) or a degree could help give the upper hand in certain situations. Having a degree in art and design, digital imaging, fine art, graphics, media studies and photography could give you an advantage when applying for work.  

Our event

We will most likely have multiple photographers, these will be working not only at the event but throughout the weeks leading up. They will be taking pictures of bands and individual performers which will later be included in a booklet highlighting the event. This will require them to find locations and organise dates and times in which the performers are available, as well as possible transport arrangements. If no cameras are available from within our group, they will have to outsource them, perhaps from the photography/media department in the college, hiring them for certain stints of time. Meaning, dates and times will have to be well organised and communicated with necessary teams and people. This will require that either they communicate well with who is charge of setlists and performers or they create the setlist and organise performers instead. Photographers will also be responsible for editing and selecting pictures which will be used for promotional purposes and in booklets or videos following the event.

 

Musicians/performers/singer - songwriters

 

Skills: Professional, organised, patient, good management of time, being punctual, self marketing, creativity, talent

 

Qualifications: not necessary to be hired, however a portfolio of their work could be useful e.g website/social media pages of performances. If qualifications are required then BTEC/A levels/ diplomas/degrees in music performance, technology or theory or grades in instruments would be good.

 

Our event

They will have to fit the guidelines of the events location - they may have time restrictions for loud music of only allow acoustic etc. Headliners or non - college performers will be contacted and details about prices, dates, times and equipment will be arranged before they are booked. Once this is successful, they will communicate with event planner/organiser or specific band liaison through the lead up to the event; discussing riders - PA systems, instruments, microphone or music stands, microphones, amplifiers, leads etc. Anything that they may require at the event. They will then decide on a set and songs to play within the time provided. It is a chance for students on the music course to showcase their original music and hard work throughout the year. At the event they will arrive on time or early to help set up stage and sound and act in a professional way. Paid acts will receive their money either through cash or online/card payment taken from the £800 budget provided by the college.

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DEFINING FACTORS OF OUR EVENT

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Event research:

 

Originally the plan was to have an event relevant to where we live. Music by the beach, with a BBQ and a beach clean, allowing us to incorporate the event with a charity supporting sea life, the ocean or protecting the planets environment. However, this had to change as the venue (Cantina), were suddenly unable to hold us and our event due to music licensing reasons.

 

 

Due to many students living farther away from performance locations compared to other students, we had to be careful on where our venue was located.

 

Our venue ideas:

The Cantina – Free use for charity – Was original venue before a sudden change – Capacity

Princess Theatre – Capacity 1,500

Palace Theatre – Capacity 380

Alexandra Theatre – Capacity 110 – 230

Jolly Farmer – Free use for charity – venue used

Babbacombe theatre – Capacity 600

 

Some of the venues had a sound limit which meant that we had to choose music types to fit the venue. We had to stick to mostly acoustic music due to a sound limit at our venue. We were able to play some electronic music but not for long or to loud.

 

Headliner ideas:

Sora - Rock band based in Dartmouth.

Rachel jones

Rosie Park

Harry and Conor

Przelez Hotlas

Alex Fisher

Isabelle Warren - acoustic singer/songwriter. No band just solo with acoustic guitar.

Jackie Olsen

Rosie + Matt

Lara Faye

Wes Richmond

Harry Quick – act added last minute £150 – one-man band performs adapted covers to entertain.

When we were monsters – our chosen headliner £200 – three-piece acoustic group performing upbeat rootsy covers.

 

 

We wanted to use this event to raise money for charity.

 

 

Charity ideas:

Rowcroft – Final charity chosen

Devon air ambulance

Sea life

Cornwall’s Seal sanctuary

British heart foundation

Animals in distress

Water aid

Royal National Lifeboat Institution

World wildlife foundation

Macmillan

Mind

The Red Cross

 

Raising money for charity ideas:

Raffle – sell ticket at possibly £1 per strip, contact local businesses for donations.

Donation buckets

Festival glitter and tattoos – any donations accepted

Face painting - donations

Rip of ticket – pay entry fee then choose from a selection of 2 or 3 charities to donate your ticket (price of ticket) to. Simply rip of charity token on ticket and place in correct box when entered, gives opportunity to fundraise for multiple charities.

Open mic – pay to play (donate)

Food and drink – set prices or percentages taken from businesses at event location

BBQ – set prices or percentages taken from businesses at event location