We’re starting this one off talking about being sick. Thankfully it wasn’t that bad, but my energy was off all week, and I had moments of tasting the sick in my phlegm. Gross, I know, but we never talk about gross things over social norms. Tell me you can’t taste it in the phlegm when you are sick.
Life would be more efficient if we were able to communicate these things directly without fear of ridicule. Maybe y’all have peers you can be that honest with, I don’t have many.
The timing of getting sick is trash. Over the weekend I found it hard to find energy. Far too many naps were taken instead of grinding it out.
On top of that, N.A.R.S. (Not Another Rap Show, the event we threw May 25th) was a week ago and the blog is only ready today.
The 5th N.A.R.S. event was punctual
Given my failure to start the 4th N.A.R.S. event on time, I felt much pride when the 5th one was punctual. I learned my lessons and booked people specifically to be the first 3 acts.
Something you don’t hear a lot about, unless you are knee deep in the rap game, is the conversations around being an “opener”. The perception is you will get the lowest crowd size of the night, especially when the event is built around a headliner. It’s viewed as a mark of dishonour.
When I opened for larger acts, the coheadliner had a fatter crowd than my opener slot. I relate to the sentiment of watching the crowd fill up after your finish your set. Being asked by person after person if you performed only to say they just missed you.
There is this strange song and dance I watch play out. The crowd is accustomed to a show starting late so they ignore start times. Or rather, the crowd, who is paying to be there, pulls up when they want. The promoter/artists need to then decide to follow a schedule and wait on the crowd to arrive.
Waiting on the crowd backfires most of the time. People start texting their friends, or calling them, and reporting on the vibe. People forgive a not packed event that is underway faster than a not packed event with no start time in sight.
The N.A.R.S. event series aims to start on time.
Positions on a show
Let’s pivot into how I see myself booking future events. While every artist has their opinion, which they share with me liberally, it’s our reputations on the line.
When things don’t go according to plan you need to analyze what happened and look for areas of improvement. Let’s think about the lineup strategically.
Headliner – last act to perform – for N.A.R.S. this means my team, other events we’ll pick based on who can sell tickets.
Coheadliner – act before the headliner – for N.A.R.S. this is our guest not on the flyer. In other shows, it’s usually someone perceived as a ticket seller.
Mid-Card – Anyone past the second act – This is the people who politics dictate shouldn’t open but also aren’t the headliner. Most people book everyone as the same mid-card tier on these showcases.
Openers – First 2 acts to open the show – These are the people who bite the bullet and perform to the empty room.
There’s this notion that everyone is equal on a lineup, I don’t think this is the case. It’s not a question of talent, but reputation and position. A mid-card player should be able to sell more tickets and generate hype than an opener.
Before I started throwing shows I felt one way about all this. Now that it’s my business, I care about the money and where it all goes. It took us 5 events before I walked out with a small profit.
But Holden, do artist’s even get paid?
For the most part, no they do not. Full disclosure, I did pay for the band that pulled up last time. I booked them and only then realized bands cost money and didn’t want to be a chump about it.
I would love to pay my artists but I’m personally down about 800$ on this N.A.R.S. project. It did take 5 shows to learn how to lower our costs to a point of super small profit, but that means we’re still down a fair chunk collectively.
I’m not sure how to pay people on a show with so many performers. Especially when we only sold 17 tickets to the last one. I have to pay the DJ, there’s no event without a DJ. The reality is there ARE artists down to perform for the love of the cause.
I’m not sure how to throw a show with less artists unless there is some kind of commitment to sales. The larger number of artists gets more people to pay.
I don’t have the answers, but all this is on my mind. It needs to exist somewhere as in person I’m not concise enough to get through these chats.
Testing ticket splits for artist payment
There are a lot of ways to deal with ticket sales. The one I refuse to do (for N.A.R.S.) is sell packs of tickets outright. This would be like you pay me 50% of the ticket value up front and then you go flip it.
I don’t like this because it’s got such small amounts on it. Maybe I’m bougee but it’s a lot of work to make like 50-100$ in most cases. This matters to me because the people motivated by that number are probably not in the same place I’m at. While I want my artists to get paid, I want it to be on some bigger number talk.
I’m more open minded to a % of tickets sold given to the artist. This feels very similar to what I said I won’t do, only no one’s paying me upfront. All online sales are tracked with affiliate links. At the door a person marks off who the people paying at the door came to see.
Then we run some math and people get a percentage of the revenue from tickets they sold. I have to do more math to find out what that number is but as people sell more the higher % I can give them.
End of the day if you sell 400$ worth of tickets for me, the least I can do is send you a hundo. Once the bread is in order I see it being a 50-50 split.
#Datagang is the path forward
I didn’t just go to 50+ shows as an audience member for solely the love of it. There was a PR element of me posting on socials, a reputation element of y’all remembering me. But most importantly, I wanted to see who can sell tickets.
People get a little confident with what they can do with regards to numbers. Your first show or two it’s easy to pull a larger number of people. It’s a new thing and there are sympathetic heartstrings you can tug. It’s almost easier (for a short time) when you are a complete noob.
Sometimes people get booked on free events, pull a crowd, and equate that to ticket sales. While it is a measure of your pull in a free event circumstance, this is not a measure of what you can sell when people need to buy tickets.
Sometimes you get to open for someone like Paul Wall who people want to see live and that results in a boost on sales. That doesn’t get carried over into the show you’re on the next week for Jeru the Damaja. That last one was about me. This is a reflection of who I know with regards to their love of these artists.
There is so much that goes into what a person can pull. I don’t think we’re very good at honest assessments yet.
Artists hustle differently for different events
I’m very guilty of this. I’ve spent over 10 years behaving in ways I’d criticize today before I took on the promoter hat. Now I’m in new rooms, having new conversations, and I like to Bridge the Gap.
All the PRSPCTVS I’ve learned help me see things from a broader view. We do not live in a world where every booking feels equal. Even right now, I’m involved in several shows. I am far more invested in the Jo Dolo & Syla show than every other one I’m involved with.
In a perfect world I would treat every show with the same love. For the most part I try to. However, as time goes on the shows where I can make bank take priority over the shows where I cannot. This is the business side of it all.
I’m learning to be good promoter. I’m still absorbing all the pieces that go into successful events. I have only lightly dabbled in paid ads. I totally get how people may not be as down to as much effort into promoting N.A.R.S. as one they feel will give them more clout. Or maybe they simply, like me, have 8-10 upcoming events. I understand that everyone has priorities. If people help me make money they will most definitely get paid. I will keep doing this, I hope people choose to lift this up to where I know it can be.
Thanks to everyone who came to N.A.R.S.
I had a great time at the event. The people who performed make great music and everyone who came was entertained. We were able to wrap it up just after midnight, which on a Thursday, is a good end time. Shoutout Vincent Pryce for holding us down as a DJ.
King Browne started us off with a proper performance. Rust & Shhvelly brought their energy next and the people felt it.
Then we took a break to kill time. I know, but well K-Rym who was next had people on their way. They pulled up during his set and we ran it for awhile. In hindsight I forgot to call for the second break I had planned out. K-Rym on some real high art drama vibes lately, I like it.
Drew Edghill repped the city and came correct. Travis Bryant was on point and brought Jungle out for his set, who now wants a spot at N.A.R.S. Regulators & Jimmie D keep upping their performance. It’s incredible to see their synergy.
Tru Story came through as our special guest. He was actually added last minute. The original special mystery guest had an emergency. Shoutout the D.R.U.G. Prophets for saving the day.
Then the KIL Team did their set and I think our style of randomized song order is fun. I really like how it went and truly wish my phone storage hadn’t filled up ending my recording. I got 14 mins of the set.
The gimmick of the event was meh as half the lineup had to wait to promote it.
Waiting on a date for the next one
The next N.A.R.S. will be called “Ce Fois C’est Billingue” and will be July 28. We are also throwing another event at Belmont as a collaborative effort. Shobiz514, Rust and I are setting up this Jo Dolo & Syla experience.
We also got booked at the Dave East show taking place at Club Soda. Throughout the summer I will also perform at Will E. Skandalz birthday party and Shazamfest. We’re also going to Toronto for the boat party.
The way life is evolving there is a lot of cool stuff going on. There is also lot of content to make and edit and things to figure out.
Soon I’ll have 2-3 hours a day of bus rides to contend with. The new normal will kick in once I actually start my new job.
Live Long and Prosper Everyone Hit up Wonder Bread for images
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