Live, from your Event...
Headliner Snafus? Not with Planning and On-Site Savvy
by Geoff Thomas | Published in December 2006 Focus on Entertainment
Nothing creates quite the same level of excitement and anticipation in an audience as live headline entertainment. Watching a living legend such as Tony Bennett, Don Henley or Earth, Wind & Fire perform live, in a private setting, creates a once-in-a-lifetime experience that connects the audience with your brand. While it may seem as easy as booking artists and watching them perform, to get the right result, a great deal of strategic planning goes into every event. To ensure a performance with lasting results, planners should understand the many variables during the planning stages and on-site that create smooth events and deliver the all-important “wow” factor.
Is your Short List the Right List?
Several key criteria are needed to develop the perfect target list to match an entertainer with an event. The number of guests, demographics of the audience, overall event objectives and client’s brand message are the most important factors to consider. Is it a black-tie dinner with older, sophisticated clientele and a seated audience, or a casual affair with a younger group who may want to get up and dance?
Also consider whether a popular national or international artist would be appropriate, or if local or regional talent would be better suited. If you’re planning a small fundraiser, for example, you might be tempted to book a big name in hopes of generating a large amount of money. However, keep in mind that celebrities don’t typically contribute their efforts unless they have strong, established ties with the organization, board of directors or event sponsors. A typical booking fee for a popular name, combined with all of the artist’s requirements, could easily wreak havoc on your cash flow.
Know your Riders
Once artist negotiations commence, one way to reduce costs without sacrificing quality is to have a keen understanding of live entertainment production as well as artists’ technical and hospitality riders.
In almost every instance, an artist’s representative will provide a standard technical and hospitality rider — the same exact rider that would be used for a regular paid tour date in a local concert venue. However, there are often several items that can be omitted and/or modified given the venue and size of the artist’s traveling party. Everything from stage size and lighting requirements to backstage accommodations can and should be negotiated within reason. Establishing which equipment the talent travels with versus what can be rented locally can also be a cost-saving opportunity.
Advance Communication is Key
Direct contact between the artist, client and event planner/producer at every step is absolutely crucial.
Artists should understand exactly who they will be performing for in order to prepare their material accordingly, as private functions are quite different from their usual environment. This helps them connect with the audience and deliver the best possible performance.
The producer should also be on top of artists’ travel logistics and details: when they arrive, where they are staying, if and when a sound check will occur, and how they will be getting to and from the venue. No feeling is worse for an event manager than not having talent show up when expected and having no control over the logistics.
On-Site Success through Finesse
Managing artists and their teams on-site requires a great deal of finesse. Every client, artist and show has specific nuances that need to be dealt with individually.
Planners and/or producers should be aware of what requests the artist will accommodate on-site, and should have already addressed performance time limitations, VIP meet-and-greets and other issues.
Inevitably, requests arise for items not covered in the original performance contract. One of the biggest potential pitfalls for planners on-site would be demanding something specific from an artist (i.e. access, production or content) that was not previously discussed. Referencing payment as justification for this demand may appear extremely distasteful to the performer and will almost certainly wind up with him or her denying the request. Although no steadfast rule governs these situations, knowing how to approach artists and their management with the right amount of diplomacy and respect is one of the keys to ensuring a smooth experience for everybody on-site.
While pairing the right artist with a brand and audience isn’t easy, entertainment remains the most effective way to connect with people on a visceral level and leave lasting results. By selecting the right artist and working proactively to manage all issues, you’ll deliver a successful program that will leave your audience with one word — “Wow.”
About the author: Geoff Thomas
Geoff Thomas is vice president of entertainment with corporate events and consumer marketing firm TBA Global Events.
Contact: gthomas@tbaglobal.com