Independent Promoters Forum

Independent promoters are probably more sensitive than others to economic shifts, and this year’s meeting seemed to reflect some tension but also the belief that adversity produces a rich climate for creative thinking.

Kirby talked about past years in which independent promoters were somewhat at the mercy of agents and the artist managers who tended to side up with them, creating adversarial relationships.

“The promoter is the frontline, operating on behalf of the consumer,” Kirby said. “There was a lot of non-transparency, a lot of hiding expenses and a high level of distrust.

“That’s changed a great deal now and it’s obvious that people realize that if we don’t keep promoters in business, we won’t have anyone to sell shows to.”

One issue between promoters and agents is the practice of bringing in local bands as opening acts – it was pointed out that agents often package tours with specific bands or simply refuse to let a popular local or regional artist share the stage with their headliner. Kirby challenged that premise, saying he’s open to the idea.

“Sometimes we leave a local slot open on purpose so the local star system is fed,” Kirby said. “If there’s a band in town that’s drawing 400-500, I want them to have a slot to play. They have something to add to the equation.”

Jade Presents’ Jade Nielsen thanked Kirby, but said, “Most calls I get, it’s a full package. I can plead for a local but often it’s a full package and no negotiating. It ends up, in my case, a headliner and agency decision.”

But that’s not always the case. DCF’s David Fitzgerald pointed to a Mudvayne tour. “Most of the packages are put together and I liked how Mudvayne allowed one local support. The local flavor is going to add more value. We usually add one more act to shows on the club level.”

Outback Concerts’ Darin Lashinsky said that there could be more cooperation in marketing shows.

“Buildings are digging deep into what they can do to help us out. Maybe there are a lot of things they’re already doing I wasn’t aware of. You have to reach out to venues and get them to reach out to media and other partners who are already in the building and getting title sponsors, etc., to go one step further.”

Nielsen said the venues can reach out, too. “I like hearing from venues,” he said. “There’s venues that have reached out that I’d never worked with and in Great Falls, Mont., we’ve done well. From a venue’s point of view, you should pick out a couple of indies and make them an offer they can’t refuse.”

Of course, advertising is becoming more of a challenge, too, with traditional media such as radio and newspapers less effective at getting the word out.

“My marketing department beats me over the head that only men 55 and over read daily newspapers,” Lashinsky said. “It seems to me a necessary evil. With certain genres, I don’t see any return.”

Fitzgerald agreed, and said he has stopped advertising in dailies, opting instead for weekly papers that are more entertainment-oriented.

The cost of adver-tising in dailies is another factor.

“I try to pay no more than 10 cents per dollar on the [advertising] card rate,” said Bill Blumenreich of Bill Blumenreich Presents. “A lot of people read papers online. I can have an ad, and people can see right on the entertainment section page that Lewis Black or Neil Diamond is playing, right there on the screen.”

Mobile marketing, Web sites and e-mail are attractive, but run the risk of being seen by consumers as “spamming.” And all of those new marketing ploys require databases and data management. Lashinksy said Outback does ticket alerts in Nashville, and has a company it works with. “We try to reach out to our ticket buyers but not beat them over the head.”Another issue is who controls the data – and the question produced some conflicting opinions about Ticketmas-ter’s role in data collection.

“The data you have is critical, valuable material. Ticketmaster won’t turn that data over to anyone,” Kirby said. “They consider it valuable property. Every manager should have an IT manager to show them the way. You’re not spending money on the phone bill anymore, but on IT.”

Paquin Entertainment’s Gilles Paquin contradicted Kirby on at least one point, causing many quizzical expressions from his panel-mates.

“We use Ticketmaster data and sold a number of our shows across platforms without spending any money. It is our data. The transference of the data is the cost, but it’s our data.”

But regardless of who owns the data, all agreed that it’s the contact mechanism that’s needed before mobile or Internet marketing can be a truly widespread practice for independent promoters.

A line of audience members with questions formed early, and they pro-vided a couple of opportunities for drama, which the indie promoters meeting never seems to lack.

After an audience member asked about opportunities in China, Kirby let the crowd know in no uncertain terms he didn’t have much use for censors, whether they be officials of the Chinese government or the Disney Co.

“I represent bands that would never get in China or, if they did, they’d certainly never get out,” he said before explaining how several of his bands have been banned from performing at the House of Blues in Orlando, Fla., which is on Disney-owned property.

Next in line for the mic, however, was a guest of the person who raised the “China question.” It turned out he was part of a contingent from China, who gave it to Kirby as good as he apparently felt like he got it.

“You don’t understand our culture,” he said. “We want to make money, just like you. We don’t want to hear ‘Free Tibet.’ We don’t want the politics,” he said, sparking a lively debate with Kirby and his fellow panelists. Once everyone apologized for various offenses, Kirby moved on to the next in line: a woman who said simply, “Free Tibet.”

- Reported by Deborah Speer, Pollstar
- Photos by Jason Squires and John Shearer