Gig planner 2016
Everything you need to know
about planning your year of gigs.
Everyone knows that the Great British
pub has always played a huge part in
supporting UK music
But what can music do for your pub? We’re here to explain.
Pubs, bars and other licensed venues across Britain are
committed to providing space for both emerging bands
and established performers. Pubs form the bedrock of local
scenes and without their support, our musical landscape
would look very different. Publicans and licensees are also
always telling us how much music helps their business as
there is a strong link between music and increased profits.
But are you making music work for your venue too?
PRS for Music is the UK’s leading collecting society with
over 100,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher
members. We license businesses like yours to use our
members’ copyright music and distribute the royalties
to them fairly and efficiently.
‘All bands need to start somewhere
and the local pub scene is generally
where they need to be.’
Gus Unger-Hamilton from alt-J
Make music the heartbeat of your business
We know your pub is an important local venue that
provides a unique function in the community.
• On average, venues that feature live music nights
take an extra £306 more in drinks sales on those days.
You know it’s at the heart of the community because your
customers tell you. However, have you actually asked them
what they think about live music?
• On Friday and Saturday nights this rises to an average
of £667 more a day.
Making music a feature at your pub with high quality, well
organised events, will attract more customers and deliver
real financial benefits. We asked the experts* to do some
research and they discovered:
‘Pubs and music are natural partners;
it’s where musicians and songwriters
learn their trade.’
Paul Clements, Commercial Director at PRS for Music
• That means live music could potentially boost
a bar’s wet sales by nearly £100,000 a year**.
* CGA Strategy research, 2011. Full research available at prsformusic.com/uplifting. **How we calculated the figure of ‘nearly £100,000’: The study conducted by CGA Strategy found that, on average, pubs that use live music take £306 more a day in wet sales. On Friday and Saturday nights, this rises to an average
of £667 more a day. So we calculated that if a pub was to put on live music for 50 weeks of the year on Thursday (50 x £306) + Friday (50 x £667) + Saturday (50 x £667) + Sunday (50 x £306) nights they could increase takings by around £97,300 - nearly £100,000 a year.
Make sure you are licensed to play music
Providing musical entertainment can be a rewarding way to increase sales, but
there are some things that you’ll need to consider including licences and insurance.
Premises Licence from your local authority
You may already have a Premises Licence, authorising the
performance of live music. If you don’t, you may need to
add a Temporary Event Notice to your Premises Licence.
Consult your local licensing authority for more information
at direct.gov.uk
PRS for Music and PPL music licences
To play music, live or recorded, you must have the correct
copyright licence. PRS for Music collects royalties on behalf
of songwriters, composers and music publishers, whereas
PPL collects on behalf of performers and musicians for the
use of music.
PRS for Music and PPL both license background music
used in your pub, such as radios, TVs, CD, MP3 and computer
speakers. A PRS for Music licence can also cover you for
live music.
Having these licences is a legal requirement.
For more information visit: prsformusic.com, ppluk.com
Insurance
Make sure you are covered for your events by checking
that performers have Public Liability Insurance (PLI).
DJs
Please ensure any DJs you hire have a ProDub licence. This
is a joint licence between PRS for Music and PPL for the
purpose of copying and mixing music. A ProDub licence is
for copying, burning or transferring music from vinyl, CD,
MP3 or CD+G collection onto a digital format such as an
MP3 player, flash drive or laptop.
If your DJ does not possess the correct licence for ‘copying’
music to create their playlists, then you may have infringing
music being played in your premises. This would render
your licence invalid and you responsible for any fines or
legal prosecution under the Copyright Designs and Patents
Act 1988.
Please check our list of licence holders to find out if your
DJ holds a ProDub licence. prsformusic.com/ProDub
‘Small venues and pubs allow musicians to start their live career without any
money, any fans, any strategy or game playing and keeps the music scene
honest and fun. When Wolf Alice first started playing live we didn’t know what
or where was cool. We didn’t know anything about the music industry or anyone
who worked in it. We just played shows (probably quite badly) in our local pubs
and venues every week because we could. That‘s what eventually introduced us
to the “music scene”.’
Ellie Rowsell, Wolf Alice:
Some considerations
before you start
Bringing live music to your pub can be both rewarding
and profitable. However it is worth taking some time to
think about what you want to get out of it before you
begin. Here are some essentials to keep in mind:
• What’s the maximum
capacity of your venue?
This will help you work
out the potential income
from increased takings
and door charges.
• D
o you want to maximise
business on weekends or
target quiet nights?
• D
o you want to make a
door charge? Consider
what other venues in
the area are charging
for similar bands. Ask
the performers if a door
charge is normal when
they play elsewhere.
• If you decide to charge,
consider including a
meal or drink in the
ticket price. This can help
maximise takings and
cover the band’s costs.
And it can provide a great
angle for advertising.
• It can take time to
establish a reputation for
good music and build an
audience for a certain
night. But stick with it.
Aim for good quality and
your early investment
should pay off.
Finding the right sound
Choosing the right type of music night can be a daunting
task. You might be overwhelmed by the number of acts
on offer or worried that your musical tastes won’t impress
your customers. But don’t worry. There are plenty of ways
of helping yourself:
• W
hat kind of music will
work for your venue, your
area and your customers?
Don’t make assumptions
– ask people what they’d
like to hear.
• In the beginning you
might want to stick to
one genre. Later you
can decide whether to
specialise or offer a range
of different nights.
• T
here are lots of great
sources of information
about different acts
and performers. Get
recommendations from:
- Other venues in the area
- Listings and local
newspapers
- Local music shops
- Your customers
• C
heck out recommended
bands online through
websites such as Twitter,
Facebook and music
blogs. This should give
you a good idea of
whether the band is right
for your venue. Look out
for reviews too.
• B
uild relationships
with local bands.
• C
ontact the Musicians’
Union in your area via
musiciansunion.org.
uk. They will be able to
give you guidance about
contracts and setting up
a standard agreement
for acts playing in your
venue.
• C
onsider using a
promoter who will book
acts for you for a fee or
share of the takings.
• C
ontact colleges or
universities in the area.
They often have music
students who are looking
for places to play.
• B
e sure to maintain a
good relationship with
bands, performers and
managers. Stay in touch
with them.
‘Pubs play such
a vital role in
many musicians’
careers and
provide an
essential platform
from which
talent can grow.
Demonstrating
how music can
really benefit
Organising the gig - before, during and after
Organisation and communication are vital when hosting gigs. And the type
of gigs that you can host in your pub will vary depending on its size and location.
You need to think about some of these points:
Staging
You don’t need a raised stage area but you do need to find
some suitable floor space.
Sound
Acoustic music can be perfect for smaller or quieter venues
and it’s also a good way to introduce music at a lower cost.
When you’re starting out you can hire a PA system; but in
the longer term it’s worth buying equipment to suit your
venue. An in-house PA system is easier for performers and
gives you more flexibility.
Bands will need to soundcheck. Some bands have their
own sound engineer, some will not. You can employ a
professional sound engineer or find a student at a local
college who might do it for free.
‘Local pubs and small venues are
hugely important. I’ve been playing
in bands since 1993 and there’s
a real willingness from pubs and
promoters up here to give young
talent a chance. They are a really
encouraging force bringing new
bands through and are the musical
lifeblood of the city.’
Iain Cook, Chvrches
Lighting
Lighting can be key to creating the right atmosphere.
It’s particularly important if you want to hold regular
DJ sessions.
Ticketing
How many tickets will you need to sell to break even or
make a profit? You will need to keep some free tickets on
hand for journalists or promoters. You might even decide
to operate a guest list. If you don’t print tickets, sell access
to the gig on the door. Consider using a rubber hand
stamp at the door so that punters can come and go.
Be a good neighbour
Make sure you spare a thought for your neighbours.
Simple steps like fitting removable shutters for windows
can reduce noise at low expense. Consider investing in
sound-proofing. Keep neighbours updated about your plans
and maybe even invite them to your music night for free.
Timings, line-up and other stuff
• Put the most popular
band on last (the
headliner).
• T
he main act should have
more stage time than the
opening acts.
• T
ell the band that their
set is five minutes shorter
than they actually have –
this will keep everything
running to time.
• T
alk to each band about
their gear requirements.
Some bands are prepared
to share gear; some are
not. If each band brings
their own kit, the set up
times between acts will
need to be longer.
• T
hink about whether
you need security or not.
• For larger events or
venues, you may like to
set up an area back stage
with some refreshments.
Make sure it’s big enough
to hold the bands while
they’re not playing.
A ‘rider’ is often
requested by bands - this
is just a list of food and
drink that they would
like supplied.
On the night
• Keep in contact with the
band’s manager (if they
have one) and make sure
the performers arrive in
good time.
• C
heck in with door
staff, security, the sound
engineer, the band’s
manager and the band.
Make sure everything
is running smoothly.
• T
he headline act will
need to soundcheck first.
Check with your sound
engineer and listen to
his advice.
• T
ake photos that can
be published on your
website. Remember to
ask permission first.
• T
he first band should go
on about half an hour
after the doors open.
It’s showtime
• Take a deep breath.
• B
e seen at your event –
on the door and in the
crowd.
Ask people what they
think and listen to what
they say.
The after show
• Pay the bands and other
staff promptly. This will
help you build and keep
a good reputation.
• M
ake improvements
based on what you’ve
been told by the bands
and punters.
• E njoy the feeling, earn
some cash, have fun
and get ready for your
next successful gig.
‘I think the UK’s live music circuit is vital. All bands have to go through it - they all play the little venues. As Erland and
the Carnival we’ve played tiny little gigs in Glasgow right up to the Southbank in London, and each of those shows are
important. You really earn your spurs through live shows and despite all the gigs we’ve done, I’m still learning what it
is to be a front man in a band in these venues.’
Erland and the Carnival
Spreading the word - advertise
Advertising does not need to be expensive, but you should
work it into your overall event budget.
Prominent advertising
Inside and outside of your
venue is a very effective
way to advertise the gig.
Posters are cheap
to produce
Don’t forget to include
the band names, location,
date, door times, cost,
where to buy tickets and a
website address. Put them
up wherever you can but
ask permission first. Music
shops or colleges are good
places to advertise but
think about who you want
to come to the gig.
Your audience
Will the gig attract existing
or new customers or a mix
of both?
Call your local
newspaper and
radio station
Tell them when the gig is
on. Invite the newspaper’s
photographer and a
reviewer. Fundraising nights
often get good coverage.
How about a showcase of
local bands?
Advertise in local
newspapers and listings
When building your profile
as a music pub, invest in
some larger adverts. Once
you’re established, you can
just use the basic listings.
Get online
Take advantage of social
media opportunities
through Facebook, Twitter
and EventBrite. Setting
up an account is simple.
Think about creating your
own events website too.
Regularly provide updates
to followers and to your
mailing lists.
Ask the bands to help
Most bands will have
their own Facebook page,
website or blog, and
they’ll probably have
their own mailing list and
fanbase. Use them. Work in
partnership with the act to
promote gigs.
Everybody’s talkin’
about it
Word of mouth is
invaluable. Regular music
nights can quickly attract
a regular crowd if people
know to expect good
quality. Once people know
who you are and where you
are, they’ll come to other
nights and recommend
your venue to friends.
‘I played my first gigs in pubs in Surrey when I was in
a band with my brother called Tools Down. Back then
in 1978 or 1979, the only place you could play would
be a village hall or pub. To have a friendly landlord or
landlady, who would let you set up and play, was like
gold dust. Many wouldn’t even let you in if you had a
funny hair cut, never mind let you play music. We had
a couple of landlords who would let us play and have
us back. This is still important, perhaps even more so
now than back then.’
Paul Heaton: The Beautiful South
What do you need to host
live music in your venue?
Liam manages a team of staff dedicated to maintaining
music equipment across the Guildford campus. During
his time at ACM, Liam has also engineered recording
sessions by artists and session musicians including Roni
Size, Frank Turner, Bob Knight, Chris Johnson (Rihanna),
Nik Kershaw, Zomboy, Dishan Abrahams (Kylie)
and Newton Faulkner.
As a freelance sound engineer, he has worked on a variety
of live events across the UK, including PRS for Music’s live
music tent backstage at 2015’s Glastonbury Festival.
Liam St Ledger: Head of Technical Services at the Academy
of Contemporary Music (ACM)
Choosing the right
PA for your venue
If you’re serious about
putting on live music
events, you will certainly
need to invest in a PA
system (a public address
system is an electronic
sound amplification
system, used to allow a
person to address a large
public). A typical PA
system normally consists
of a front-of-house system,
a monitor (speaker)
system and a mixing desk.
However, before you make
ANY decision about which
PA you should buy, ask
yourself the following
questions:
What is it being used for?
Will it be used primarily
by DJs, acoustic performers
or full bands? It’s really
important to think about
this before choosing your
PA to ensure to have the
best configuration for
the job.
What does your venue
need?
There’s no point in buying
a system which is too
big, too loud, too small
or not loud enough. Also,
you need to check if the
system will physically fit
in your venue - you want
to safely and comfortably
accommodate all your new
customers!
I think it’s always in your
best interest to ‘over-spec’
a system by a fraction
so you can always turn
it down, rather than have
to turn it up over its limit
because it’s too quiet.
What are the key
considerations
when setting up and
positioning a PA?
The room layout
What is the best position
for the stage? Are there
surfaces that will cause
you problems, for example
a mirrored wall? Sound
bounces off smooth
polished surfaces and
creates unwanted noise
distortion.
The audience
Will the audience be
seated, standing or
dancing around in front
of the performers?
The band/vocalist
positioning
Within the performance
area or stage, where will
the vocalist stand? Are you
likely to get feedback from
the front-of-house speaker
system?
Health and safety
Are there fire exits located
nearby, or areas of high
foot traffic that might
become blocked, for
example walkways, kitchen
entrances, toilets, disabled
access?
Where are the power
points? There is nothing
worse than spending time
setting up a system to
discover there’s no power
sockets nearby. Solutions
can be found but it’s better
not to have the problem in
the first place.
Who looks after the
PA during the gig?
This is the job of an
experienced sound
engineer. A good sound
engineer is worth his or
her weight in gold and can
be the person who really
makes or breaks your night.
Their role is to work with
the venue and performers
to deliver a successful
event and to ensure that
the audience, performers
and venue neighbours
(domestic or commercial)
receive a positive
experience.
As a sound engineer, what
should I be listening for?
Clarity - I want to be able
to hear all elements of
a band’s sound without
anything being lost in
the mix.
Feedback - unless created
intentionally by the
performer, this unpleasant
high-pitched sound is a big
no-no.
Reverb and delay - as
sound engineer, I can add
these effects from the
mixing desk at the band’s
request. Too much reverb
and delay may distort the
band’s sound, so always
check they are happy with
the levels.
How do you know what the band
or artist need to perform?
They will normally provide a tech spec
or rider. These can vary from a one
pager with names and responsibilities
to a full dossier. Without this
information to hand, the sound
engineer’s job can become rather more
complicated. But, whatever situation
you find yourself in, communication
(prior and during the set-up) is key.
Microphones
Mic-ing up
Identify what needs
mic-ing up and what,
realistically, doesn’t. At a
minimum, vocalists will
need microphones, but
your mic-ing up duties
could extend to drums,
guitar amps, bass amps,
brass section or whatever
else needs amplification.
Mic placement
When I’m mic-ing up for
a live event, I aim for as
little ‘overspill’ as possible
from other instruments or
amps – this will provide the
cleanest sound. Be sure to
position the mic as close
to the sound source as
possible. Beware of putting
too many mics on one
instrument as this could
lead to problems, like phase
cancelation. This where the
two audio signals combine
and cancel each other out.
Sometimes it’s better to
use one well placed mic.
Mic stands
Another important thing
to remember is to ensure
you set up your mic stands
correctly.
Recommended
microphones
Every engineer, band and
musician has their own
preference when it comes
to mics and signal sources
- here are just a few of my
recommendations from
what is currently available
to buy:
Source Mic
Kick Drum
Shure Beta 52, Audix D6
Snare Shure Beta 56, SM57
Toms
Shure Beta 56, Sennheiser e604
Guitar
Sennheiser e906, Shure Beta 57
Remember:
The more mics you use, the more headroom you need
and the more headroom the system will need to have.
Headroom: there is a certain sound amplitude level that your
PA system most efficiently handles, known as the ‘nominal
level’. If the signal is turned up too high, it will overdrive
the electronics and you will get distortion. Headroom is the
difference - usually measured in decibels - between the level
that your system works best with and the point at which
distortion occurs.
Other sound sources
Apart from mic, where
else can a sound signal
come from?
Keyboards, synths, drum
sample pads and acoustic
guitars are some of the
more common sources, but
basically anything that has
a signal output.
If the output is through
an instrument jack (TRS)
connection, there is a high
chance it will need to run
through a DI box before
going into the mixing desk.
There are two types of DI
boxes - active (powered)
and passive (non-powered)
- and can vary from the
size of your thumb through
to the size of your hand.
How does the signal
get from the mic or
instrument to the
mixing desk?
The simple answer is cables
- to be specific XLR-male
to XLR-female cables.
These can be categorised
as singular cables or in
multiples more commonly
known as a loom, multicore
or snake. When buying
cables you need to consider
the use and routes of each
cable; look at the size of
your stage to decide on a
sensible length, but always
overestimate your length
requirements, just in case.
I always invest in good
quality cabling and
connectors as they will
have a hard life and a
signal fault could end up
costing time and cause a
lot of frustration. Equally
important in extending
the life of your cables is
to coil them correctly. The
internet has plenty of video
tutorials to teach you how
to do this properly and
remember; practice makes
perfect!
So, my signal is coming
into my mixing desk,
what do I do now?
Every mixing desk
is different so it’s
recommended that you
take time to read the
manual to ensure you
get the very best out of
your investment. Why not
visit the manufacturer’s
website? They are likely to
have some great tutorial
videos or user guides that
might come in handy.
Common issues with
every mixing desk:
Too much gain (volume)
is not going to be
supportive of a good
sound.
Too little gain is also a
bad thing and could lead
to its own problems, such
as feedback.
Monitors
It’s important to provide
performers with monitors
(speakers) positioned in
the performance area
or on stage so they
can hear what they are
playing. A 32 band graphic
equalizer is a must have.
It will help to control and
contour the sound from
the speakers and help to
eliminate feedback (a large
undesirable sound
or screech).
Lights
This doesn’t often need to
be more than a simple fill
of lights across the stage
and can make a really big
difference to the whole
atmosphere and event.
Good lighting should
enhance the audience
experience and uplighters
can create a simple, quick,
but effective stage vibe.
Meet our Music Makeover
competition winners
PRS for Music supports and actively encourages pubs
that want to introduce live music into their venue.
To show our commitment, we run a competition called
Music Makeover to find worthy pubs that we work with
to establish new, local live music destinations.
To find out more or to enter Music Makeover visit:
prsformusic.com/musicmakeover
2013 winner:
The Railway, Oakham
Shaun Jackson’s passion and enthusiasm for developing
an unused area of The Railway Inn and providing a
dynamic space for local bands to practise and play
impressed the judges.
2012 winner:
The Burnaby Arms, Bedford
Lucie Fuller of The Burnaby Arms in Bedford displayed
great ideas for improving her business and community
links by offering live music in the pub.
2011 winner:
The Market Inn, Faversham
David and Suzanne Pott of The Market Inn, Faversham, had
some great ideas, including introducing open-mic nights
and other musical events including ‘The Hop Festival’.
2010 winner:
The Royal Oak, Taunton
Nicola Berridge of the Royal Oak, a traditional country
village pub, demonstrated excellent potential to grow
into a great live music venue’.
About our partners
The Musicians’ Union
The Musicians’ Union is a globally-respected organisation which represents over
30,000 musicians working in all sectors of the music business.
As well as negotiating on behalf of musicians with all the major employers in
the industry, the MU offers a range of services tailored for the self-employed
by providing assistance for professional and student musicians of all ages.
‘It’s great for the MU to be a part of
Music Makeover. We have over 30,000
members, a lot of whom make their
living from live music. Live music is
the bedrock of the music industry and
pubs are the bedrock of live music.
Live music is not only important to the
music industry, but people who watch
live music become inspired to make
music of their own.’
Horace Trubridge, Assistant General Secretary, Musicians’ Union
The British Beer & Pub Association
The British Beer & Pub Association is the leading body representing Britain’s brewers and
pub companies. The Association is more than a century old and was originally founded as
the Brewers’ Society in 1904. Our members account for some 90% of beer brewed in Britain
today, and around half of the nation’s pubs.
These members are also diverse in their activity – from international brewers, to marketleading managed pub companies, the nation’s largest tenanted pub companies and historic
family brewers. This diversity of membership enables us to speak up for the industry,
championing its cause, whilst also being able to credibly claim a wide representative base.
‘It is a challenging economic time for
the great British pub and live music is
a vital lifeline to many venues. We are
proud to be part of Music Makeover,
helping pubs to realise the benefits
live music can bring.’
Neil Williams, Head of Media, British Beer & Pub Association
To arrange a PRS for Music licence or to talk about including live music on your licence please call 0800 068 4828 Lines open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday
PRS for Music, 2 Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG