Our friend Patrick McNease recently interviewed UK artist King Kash for his blog Praverb.net. In the interview they talk about the hip-hop scene in the UK and how to build a loyal fanbase by organizing your own live events.
King Kash has some good advice for up-and-coming artists looking to produce and promote their own shows:
As soon as I knew I could bring 20 friends down to a gig I liked the idea of doing my own show. Be grateful for the people who come out and support. I thought it would be more beneficial to do something really small, but still my own than to just keep on doing open mic gigs where I’m only performing two songs, with 10+ other artists performing and the event isn’t even that well promoted. If you want something done right you got to do it yourself (or pay someone a lot of money to get it done right).
My top 5 tips would be:
1) Know your budget – How much do you have to invest for your show? There’s no right or wrong answer to it, but obviously the more money you can put into this the better your options.
2) Plan – How many people do you want to attend? What do you hope to gain from the night? Who’s the target audience? How are you going to promote? What incentives do you have to make people come to your show?
3) Be professional – I treat the venue owner, bar staff, bouncer and even the cleaner with the upmost respect. I’m firm but fair.
4) Learn to negotiate – When arranging prices for venues (even equipment or special offers), always negotiate the lowest possible price. Believe me, no price is fixed.
5) Get references – I always make sure I go to the venue …read more
Source: The DIY Musician
