Dork’s hooking up with Leeds promoters Pizza for the People for another Indie Banquet on 24th May, so we asked them for their Top 5 tips for being a DIY promoter. Why not have a go yourself?
It sounds pretty common sense, but one thing we’re really mindful of is respecting those around you that have been doing it for years, listening to their opinions, taking on board their advice and learning from their experiences. That includes respecting your audience and those who play for you. Without them, you aren’t going to get far! Treat the bands that play for you well, pay them well, supply them with drinks and if you can afford to, feed them – it goes a long way!
Do your own thing and do it well, don’t worry about what others are doing around you. Find your thing, put all your effort, heart and soul into it and equally as important – prevail. (If it doesn’t at least, you’ve had a great time doing it.)
Don’t be afraid to learn. We learn things at every gig we do, both in the build-up to it and on the day. If you don’t learn from the mistakes you make and think about how to make them right next time, you won’t grow or continue to make the next gig bigger and better.
Immerse yourself within your scene, support your friends & local bands, go to as many shows as you can, get to know people, make friends. The amount of people we have met and become good pals with since we started PFTP has been immense, and we find ourselves part of a very supportive DIY community.
It goes without saying that those looking to get into promoting will no doubt have a strong passion for music and experience that beautiful buzz when they discover a new band and watch their journey from the band’s inception. For that very reason, support the new ones, go to gigs to watch all the support acts, don’t limit your experience to the headliner or well-known bands on the line-up. The same applies to festivals and all-day events. The beauty is often in the unknown. We’ve definitely stumbled across some incredible acts this way.
Taken from the June issue of Dork, out now.
Don’t be afraid to learn. We learn things at every gig we do, both in the build-up to it and on the day. If you don’t learn from the mistakes you make and think about how to make them right next time, you won’t grow or continue to make the next gig bigger and better.
