P6: Be able to evaluate the potential success of the planned new live UK music event, based on feedback gained

I received some feedback from my pitch and have made some changes to my event proposal based on this.

• The first piece of feedback was to create a more detailed break down of the budget so I have put together a table to try and show a more clear idea of my plans.

• The second suggestion I got was to create a clear plan of publicity via social media for  after the event in order to create a 'buzz' for Seaway in order to bring in as many people as possible to their set at Slam Dunk.

Overall after the feedback and the alterations that I have made to my plan, I am pretty confident that this event would be successful in its purpose to create hype for Seaway and draw in a bigger crowd at Slam Dunk, an also that it will sell out and their label can make a profit out of putting on the show. 

P5/M3: Deliver an effective pitch or presentation for a new live UK music event

This is a basic presentation that I put together to help pitch my event.

P4/M2/D1: Learners plan a new live UK music event

a) Proposal
Canadian band Seaway are playing a slot at Slam Dunk Festival on May 27th, 28th, and 29th. I will plan a concert for them to play just before this event probably a few days before. Gigs like these are often called 'warm-up shows' as they are usually put on for before a big festival for the band to practise their set and see a response to their setlist from fans to let them know if anything should be changed. This is a useful thing to do as it is likely that they wont have a huge amount of fans at Slam Dunk so they need to make sure that their set is good enough to bring in a bigger audience. In terms of audience at this show, it isn't strictly for promotional purposes so it is expected that mostly already existing fans will attend however there could potentially be some people that are going to Slam Dunk that might attend to check out Seaway ahead of the festival.

b) Event Planner
Key Dates - Thursday 25th May. This is 2 days before Slam Dunk begins giving the band enough time to alter their set if needed and also travel up to Birmingham for the the first date of the festival. All advertising and ticket sales will start on may 2nd, although fairly short notice, I am still confident that tickets will sell out prior to the event.

Possible Location(s) - Camden Underworld. This is a favoured venue amongst fans of this genre, its relatively small capacity 500 and there being no barrier between the stage and floor makes for fairly intimate shows. All 3 bands on the line up have played sold out shows here before meaning fans know it and will be willing to travel to it. I imagine the audience will primarily made up of fans from London and surrounding areas, however there will be some people that have traveled from far away to come to the festival so they will potentially also come to the show. 

Potential bands/artists - With Seaway being the headline act, artists of a similar style and preferably who have played with Seaway before would be best for to support this show. Some appropriate bands would include Homebound who are also playing Slam Dunk and Trash Boat who often play shows with Seaway in the UK. I think this would be a good lineup and help maximise ticket sales. It would also be a good promotional move for Seaway as Trash Boat have more fans in the UK so anyone who attends the show for Trash Boat could potentially become a Seaway fan too.

Running order - Doors: 7:00pm, Homebound: 7:20-7:50, Trash Boat 8:10-8:40, Seaway: 9:00-9:45, Curfew: 10:00.

Personnel, equipment, materials - Any production personnel needed (including security, sound engineer etc) are provided by the venue with the hire price. At one-off shows like this bands will usually help the production team in setting up their instruments and equipment for their set. Below is a list of equipment that is available at the Underworld and is also including including with the venue at no extra cost.

The Underworld have already got a contact with ticket distributors Music Glue, tickets will be sold via this website as well as from the box office from the venue, and on the door of the event should there be any left by that point. Tickets will be promoted via Music Glue and The Underworld website (mailing lists, social media etc), posters will be up around the Underworld in weeks leading up to the event. There is a budget of £50 for promotion on social media so any posts by the venue or artists will be promoted in order to reach more potential guests. Tickets are non refundable (unless event is cancelled). 

As a contingency plan, in the event of support bands pulling out the concert will still go ahead and if given enough notice, a replacement will be found. Should The Underworld be unsuitable to hold the gig, The Garage in Islington has a similar capacity and is not to far away from Camden so the event would be held there instead. The event will be cancelled should the headline bands be unavailable to play and full refunds will be given to ticket holders.

Relevant risk assessments - 

Stage designs - For smaller scale concerts like these (particularly within this genre of music), stage designs aren't very important and it will usually just be a flag with the headline bands logo hung up on the back wall of the stage. This is a very low budget and easy option. The stage in the Underworld is very small and in a corner giving it pretty limited options for more complex stage designs so I will probably go for the flag. The Underworld has a fairly basic lighting setup, so in terms of lights and colours, there will be red and yellow lights towards the stage which will remain static for the entire event. All three bands playing have 5 members in, so the setup for each set will be very similar, drums, microphones and amps etc will be shared between them to save time. I've put together a rough design of where each member will be on stage, amps and pedal boards will be along the front and to the sides/back of the stage.

                                  

c) Budget, Funding
Since this event isn't strictly for promotional purposes, the budget will be kept to a minimum. I was unable to find a quote for hiring the underworld however I was recommended the External promoter 'Hash7' who offer slots to play in the Underworld at no cost to the artist. As long as the artist can guarantee a minimum of 45 attendees. Below is a summary of how it works and the terms of agreements. (All production personnel and equipment are included with this deal.)

Seaway have sold out this venue before and with added support from Trash Boat and Homebound, tickets are almost certainly going to sell out. Therefore I think an appropriate price for the tickets would be around £12, doubling the profits already. I would say a guest list of about 30 people would be ok for this event is really for promotional purpose so getting a lot of industry professionals in isn't too important.

In terms of splitting ticket sales with Trash Boat and Homebound, I have been told that (varying on popularity of the artist) usually around £150-£200 is paid towards an artist for an event like this. So paying all 3 artists to perform here would cost probably around £500

Another cost would be the hire of a Merchandise seller and possibly a photographer. Artists like these usually have people that they use for these jobs at every show they do (they are usually just good friends of the artist). I've been told an expected price for these jobs would be around £50-£80 for the night. 

On top of the ticket sales, we would hope to make profit from merchandise sale too. Since Seaway would already have merchandise lined up to sell at Slam Dunk, we probably wouldn't have to print a lot more garments if any. As an estimate I have sourced some prices of a minimal printing service for some hoodies t-shirts.
20 Hoodies for £225 - sell at £20 each = £175 profit
50 T-shirts for £230 - sell at £10 each = £270 profit
CD's & Vinyls of recent album to also be for sale.

A rough profit that Pure Noise Records would be expected to make on this event would be around £3,800.


d) legal and/or ethical issues
Ethical 
- The Underworld follows an age policy of 14+ only, any under 16's MUST be accompanied by an adult. I think this suits the nature of the music being played at the event as it does contain swearing but nothing too offensive.
- First Aid will be on site for any minor injuries, multiple hospitals are very close by.
- Crowdsurfing/Stage Diving/Mosh pits are very likely, audience take part at their own risk. Anyone that does not want to be involved are advised to stand towards the back of the crowd or not on the dance floor.


Legal (see risk assessment)
- The Underworld are fully insured for these events including public liability cover. 
- Any contracts will be signed by the artists (or a representative) prior to the event. Contracts regarding security and other staff will have been already agreed.
-Standard advertising such as posters, flyers etc will be covered by the venue. Any extra such as promoted post on social media will be at the expense of the label.
- The event will be photographed and possibly filmed. audience agree for photos of them to be used on social media by buying the ticket.
-Filming/Photography is allowed by the audience.
-Support bands, timings and venue are subject to change. No ticket refunds will be given unless headline band are unable to play or for whatever ease the event cannot be held. There will not be a rescheduling of the event.

Justification

Live music events in the UK increased by 35% last year and are expected to keep rising. However due to there being a greater choice in everything (food, travel, entertainment) it is expected that fans will be more demanding in what they want regarding concerts. Therefore I think that my event is a good option for the current trends as a majority of fans prefer smaller, more intimate gigs. For the genre of music my event is based around, you will often get 2-4 support bands before the main artist. Obviously people would prefer to get the most out of their money so I've chosen just 2 support bands due to time restrictions and early curfews.

Due to streaming websites and illegal downloads becoming more common, it is predicted that artists will turn to touring to make most of their money, and promoters are beginning to hybrid their events with other events to try and maximise ticket sales. This concert is in association with Slam Dunk Festival, so we will hopefully reach as many potential fans as possible with advertising. 

P3: Understand the work of UK bands/artists, and how they promote themselves

Trash Boat have released one EP and one full length album under Hopeless Records with both being available at all major music music outlets. They have headlined promotional UK/EU tours for both releases and have supported larger bands in America and other countries where they are not known. They have also played at many popular UK festivals including Slam Dunk, and Reading/Leeds which is helpful in terms of exposure to potential fans and larger promoters. Their debut album was praised by popular music press companies including Alternative Press who have compared them to already well established bands in their genre.
Their first single from their debut album featured Dan Campbell from a very well known American band called The Wonder Years. 

 This is the poster for their UK tour after the release of their debut album, it features the artwork from the front cover of the record. Most of these dates sold out and the venue for the London show upgraded to a higher capacity due to ticket demand.

On the release date of their debut album, they played a free acoustic show and signing at independent music store Banquet Records in Kingston upon Thames. Free events are a good way to promote a band as people that don't already listen to them will find an event like this appealing because they dont really lose anything by attending them and more often than not, they will enjoy the show and potential start buying the bands music.

Since the release of their full length album, they have been invited for interviews with a few online magazines. below are some examples of this. Interviews are a reach way to reach a wider audience as most of the time, the platform that is doing the interview will have a larger following than the band itself and therefore, it gets their name across to a lot more people. It can also give a good insight into what the band are like as people which (if they are likeable) can entice more people to try out their music.

The members of the band also often post in the UK Pop Punk group on Facebook which is a direct link to fans and keeps them connected. The fact that it is the individual members themselve posting rather than just seeing a post on the band's social media accounts can be more appealing to new potential fans as it makes the band seem more down to earth. Because this group isn't an official company, everything posted in it is quite informal so their style of language is pretty casual which again will make them appear more down to earth and enable fans to relate to them.

They also have accounts on all the main social media platforms enabling them to post directly to their fans. This is a very standard way of promoting themselves as pretty much all artists will have some form of a social media account. These days everything is done on the internet and posting on Facebook, Twitter etc is the fastest way to connect with their fans and get any news across. Their accounts will be suggested to any users that follow a band of a similar genre which gets their name known to potential fans for free.

P2: Profile the career development of an existing UK band or artist

a) Record Labels
After forming late 2013, Trash Boat released their debut EP independently mid 2014. After this they a few headline concerts and a few support slots including a shot tour in Europe, gaining attention from American label Hopeless Record. They were approached by the company after a show supporting Knuckle Puck at a small in Kingston upon Thames. They signed with Hopeless early 2015, announcing their accomplishment on March 17th 2015. 

b) Songs/Albums
Trash Boat have so far released 2 EP's and a full length album. Their debut EP 'Look Alive' was release on 23 June 2015. This was initially only released on Bandcamp, and sold in CD format but was later made available on iTunes and other later music platforms after their signing with Hopeless. 'Boneless' was release as a single in on 7 April after they were signed, This created further anticipation for their new EP

They announced a second EP 'Brainwork' on the same day that they announced their signing with Hopeless, along with this, they also released a single from Brainwork, 'Perspective'. The single was well praised among the UK Pop Punk scene and there appeared to be lots of hype for the upcoming EP. Brainwork was released on May 19 2015 with another single 'Eleven' being released on the same day. Brainwork was available for free streaming on Kerrang on 18 May. released on all major online music stores including band camp on which it was free to download for a few days and also made available to order on CD and LP.

 On 10th april they announced their first full length study album entitled 'Nothing I Write You Can Change What You've Been Through' (abbreviated to NIWYCCWYBT), this was announced via social media with an album trailer uploaded to youtube showing clips of the recording process.

NIWYCCWYBT was released on June 17 2015 on all major online stores, CD and 3 variants of vinyl record. 3 singles had already been released prior to the album, 'Strangers' featuring Dan Campbell from The Wonder Year was released on April 11, 'How Selfish I seem' on May 16, and 'The Guise of a Mother' on June 14. These were received well amongst fans and helped promote the album before its release.

Their debut album was released in 3 variants. One was Red and white with a black splatter which was exclusive to independent record shop, Banquet Records in Kingston upon Thames, there was only 200 copies of this variant pressed which make it more desirable amongst fans and collectors. Other variants are a coke bottle clear with purple/blue/yellow rainbow heavy splatter, and a black variant. It is not know how many were pressed of these two which suggests they are not limited and are likely to be pressed again in the future if there's a demand for it.

c) Recording and Production
Trash Boat wrote and recorded demos for their debut EP 'Look Alive' in their drummer's bedroom using his computer. "We spent pretty much all our free time for months in Oak's room, we'd still be sending each other ideas and recordings from our phone even when we were at work". After around 4 months of writing and perfecting tracks, they headed to Southampton for a week in February 2014 to begin the recording process. Look Alive was recorded by Neil Kennedy at Ranch Production House and mastered by Alan Douches.
Below are some examples of the equipment that is used at Ranch Production House.

d) Audience Profile
Trash Boat are a pop punk band although they are considered to be on the heavier end. The usual demographic for pop punk is all genders (although more so male) of ages between about 14-25. They usually have a more alternative look with piercings, tattoos, died hair etc. the fanbase of pop punk is a fairy close community which makes promoting for bands fairly easy as everyone is quite supportive of smaller bands. There is a Facebook group called 'UK Pop Punk' which is for fans of the genre, people share news, recommendations, general opinions about UK bands on here, with over 10,000 members it can offer a huge promotional opportunity for bands like Trash Boat. Another similar group is 'The Defend Pop Punk Group' which is similar to UK Pop Punk but larger with over 30,000 members, most of who are American.

Below is an example of some of the members of UK Pop Punk on Facebook, Giving an idea of their demographic.

e) Public and/or industry response
In general, Trash Boat have received mostly positive reviews to their releases. They have been featured in many popular alt music physical and online magazines such as Rocksound, Kerrang, Musicology etc. Many people have posted cover versions of their songs online. After the release of their second EP in 2015, they were voted by fans to play at Slam Dunk Festival opening the 'Kerrang! Fresh Blood Stage'. They featured the singer of well establish American Band 'The Wonder Years' on their debut album which gained them more attention from other bands and more fans across the world who listen to The Wonder Years. The release of this album landed them a slot at Reading and Leeds Festival 2016.