Moderator: Steve Litman, Steve Litman Presents
Charles Attal, C3
Mike Elko, Elko Concerts
Matt Hickey, High Road Touring
Bill Rogers, BRE Presents
Bill Silva, Bill Silva Presents
Andy Somers, The Agency Group

Matt Hickey, Charles Attal, Andy Somers, Bill Rogers, Mike Elko, Bill Silva and Steve Litman

Independent promoters are a hardy bunch - and in today's climate, they have to be. It's not enough to compete in their respective markets with the likes of Live Nation and AEG Live.

Independents are often the ones to look to for new ideas, specialized market knowledge and good old-fashioned hustle.

It's a rapidly changing landscape where new technologies, questionable artist loyalty and the 360 deal are just a few of the challenges for independent promoters. Moderator Steve Litman and a panel of promoters, with a few agents thrown in for good measure, exchanged ideas and information with a full house. Right off the bat, discussion focused on "history" and artist loyalty. And without the deep pockets that the global promotion giants can bring to the table, it comes down to what independents can, and must, do to give artists reason beyond the dollar sign to stay with promoters who "play with their own money."

"The '70s and '80s acts have more loyalty than the new acts," Mike Elko bemoaned. "We just lost the Jonas Brothers, but we've still got Social Distortion playing in a seated theatre, and booked with Andy Somers. It's working well. Everyone loved it."

For his part, The Agency Group's Somers gave promoters cause for optimism when he flatly stated, "I stay with the promoter who bought my artists from the start."

C3 Presents' Charles Attal raised the issue of exclusive rooms and the decisions artists have to make in getting the right play, recognizing that sometimes that means the right play is with a competitor.

"You have to be flexible as a promoter," Attal said. "You can't get upset with agents and managers. There's no upside to that. If you're locked out of a room, get another one."

BRE Presents' Bill Rogers added, "Pick your battles. Sometimes it's out of your hands. But it's important to build those relationships, and cultivate your new areas of business. Put ego aside a little bit. Keep working to build and develop relationships and bring tools to the table."

With most panelists agreeing that loyalty isn't what it used to be, Litman asked if it is to everyone's advantage to say the rules are over and move on?

Bill Silva

"Record companies are having those conversations," Somers said. So are the major promoters. Every-one wants a piece of everyone's revenues since record companies aren't making it."

High Road Touring's Matt Hickey added, "The paradigm is changing with people getting into the music business through the Internet. Traditional distribution is changing. Way too much money is out in front, but there's no wave behind."

Steve Litman

Somers noted that everyone has different skill levels. "Some [promoters] are great, some are average and some are a pain in the ass," he said to much laughter. "Same as the big companies. I do business with people and I have relationships. I have to prove myself to them and them to me. Even when you're doing a 40-city tour, you can work with different contracts."

Hickey cautioned against worrying too much about the big guys.

"One important thing is not to get bogged down now by politics," he said. "[Live Nation's] Geoff Gordon could work for Jimmie's Chicken Shack Concessions, and be the best in the business. It's up to the individual if they can be the promoter they want to be."

The independent promoters' panel wrapped with its theme: survival strategies. Attal suggested a proactive approach.

"Think outside the box. We went into theatres and arenas. You have to be nimble. Think of new things to do. Don't wait for the phone to ring. Be flexible with venues and be flexible with your own room if you want flexibility from others.

"Why not copromote? The day of 'this is my territory' is over." Silva gave some of his own ventures outside of traditional promoting to make his point.

"I've had long term relationships with the Hollywood Bowl and Orpheum. I've always done crazy things. I did the 'X Games' and tour, and had young creative people with new ideas. I have a couple of film projects under development for later this year.

"Evaluate your opportunities and duck the ones you're not suited for." Somers reminded the audience that change is a constant.

"Even Live Nation and AEG have changed in the last two years. Be ready to change and learn."

Rogers added, "A lot is knowing what limits there are. I would be stupid to go toe-to-toe with Live Nation or AEG. I did enough to not do it any more. I'm an entrepreneur, but I'm a music guy. It's hard to think of anything else. I've had to adjust. I hesitate with non-music things - I try to stay focused on music; it gets me up every day."

Hickey summed things up, saying, "The best people out there are independents. It's their money. Repercussions can impact seriously, but if a major opens a big office in your town, it's just more business."