By Charlie Dahan
It is often said that it is ten times easier to find a record company than it is to find a booking agent. I have had the unfortunate experience more times than I wished to have an artist signed to the label I was working for who could not get an agent to book them a tour.
An agent makes money only if the act is working and commanding enough of a guarantee and/or ticket sales to not only make the agent a profit but to cover their expenses.
A friend of mine who runs a very successful agency did an informal study for a few months on the income generated by an artist and the expenses that was required in order to book that date. He learned that each date booked cost him approximately ninety dollars when his total expenses for that period were taken into account versus the income generated by the date. This includes the cost phone calls, mailings, printing, overhead and staff. So if the artist is not making at least somewhere between $600 and $900 per night guaranteed, then each date is a loss.
Another agent once said in a panel at some convention that I attended a few years back that ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂitÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs time to shop for an agent once you no longer have enough time between booking your band and performing those date.ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ In other words, you, the new artist, will have to take on the booking responsibilities yourself.
However, I wont leaving hanging out in the wind wondering how you will be able to book your own tour, there are some wonderful resource guides and books out there that can help you tremendously in at least handling the identifying of clubs and their talent buyer.
The most popular of these guides is printed twice a year by Billboard Magazine and is called ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂThe MusicianÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Guide to Touring and Promotion.ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ In addition to identifying clubs, their contact information, capacities and types of music that venue presents market by market, the guide also includes contact info for radio stations, press outlets, retail and equipment stores in those markets. So in addition to booking the dates, you can actually promote it. More than the market-by-market breakdown, the guide also lists contact info for record labels (and their demo submission policies), booking agents, attorneys, managers, publications, manufacturers, conferences, and organizations that will help you further your career. All of this for a mere $12.95. You can find this magazine in most bookstores, but can always order it from Billboards website (www.billboard.com).
Another publication that deals only with the clubs in each state but in more detail and with more listings is PollstarÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂTalent Buyer Guide.ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ While this publication is free with their $300 plus dollar a year subscription, you can buy it individually usually for around $90. Granted it is more expensive than the Billboard guide, but the information on venues is larger and more reliable. It is a small investment to make in your career; much cheaper than ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂcalling aroundÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ each city to find an appropriate venue.
The last publication is a book called ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂHow to be Your Own Booking AgentÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ by Jeri Goldstein. This book is chock full of information about the business of booking your own shows and contains a ton of real-world and practical advise from many people in the industry; your truly included. This book can be found at most online bookstores and is a tremendous ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂhow to guide.ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ
Now that you have the necessary guides, get on the phone and start building your career. Hey, if it doesnÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂt work out as an artist, you can always become a booking agent!
Charlie Dahan is a professor of music business and history studies at Oneonta State College as well as a freelance A&R consultant and writer. He has been a part of over 70 commercial releases and has two Grammy nominations from his work with the Skatalites. He also owns Larchmont Recordings, a new label set to debut its first recording in the Fall of 2002.
