Getting the show on the road

You've been waiting for this day for weeks. Your favorite band is on tour and has finally rolled into town, saving you the hassle of a drive to Indianapolis or Cincinnati. By some stroke of luck, this artist is right here in Bloomington.\nBut as concert promoters and bookers will tell you, it takes more than luck to get notable bands into Bloomington. The process takes time on their part, but the end result is as rewarding for them as for the fans that attend the shows.\n"There's a certain level of excitement that goes into concerts," says Dave Kubiak, who books bands for the Bluebird Nightclub and Axis Nightclub. "For the people that go to see concerts, it's exciting, and it's a similar thrill putting them on."\nSo, how does this all start? Typically, the process begins in one of two ways: either an artist's agent will contact a promoter, or a promoter wants a particular artist to play a venue and gets in touch with the agent themself. \n"Over time you develop strong relationships with different agents," says Kubiak, which makes the booking process easier. \nSometimes, the first step does not always follow this formula. For Andy Proctor, former Union Board concerts director, the process is more democratic. Each week, different people will come up with proposals and bring them to the board. They outline the factors to be considered, including the break-even point, and submit it. Then, the offer is sent out to the agents. \nAt this point, the bidding process begins. Promoters offer a certain amount of money for a band to come play, and then the promoter and agents work out a definite price and payment process.\n"There can be a lot of problems with that, but it's usually kind of cut and dry," Kubiak says. "We can usually afford an act, but I also try to judge what the band is worth for the market."\nEven if the band would be good for the market in Bloomington, bidding can still be a sticky situation between promoters in the area. From time to time, the Bluebird will get a show that Union Board wanted to do. Some bands prefer to play bars, while others like to play at all-ages venues, Proctor says. It often comes down to the promoter who makes the larger bid, he adds. Despite this fact, he believes competition keeps the Bloomington music scene healthy. \n"The more competition you get it, the better the scene becomes. It kinda feeds on itself," Proctor says.\nOf course, the date must work out for the band and the venue. Another important element, especially for the promoters, is the issue of ticket prices. Keeping ticket prices affordable for concert-goers is a priority, Kubiak says. \nEven once ticket prices are worked out, contracts and the riders are a fact of life for promoters. Sound and lighting can become issues for bands that play at the IU Auditorium, Proctor says. Catering and hotel arrangements also enter into the picture for most of the acts Union Board brings in. Riders in contracts often call for certain foods, supplies and anything else the band might want backstage for the concert. Even in the independent and punk world, contracts are part of the whole process.\n"With just about every band I've dealt with, I've had a contract, I've had a rider, there are sound standards, there are lighting standards," says Scott Gallop at Churchkey Music. "The idea that all these bands are in a van and it's all personalized is all a sham."\nFor Proctor, striking out riders in contracts means not providing alcohol or tobacco for bands, because of the affiliation with the University. On the other end of the spectrum, Gallop strikes many of the riders, only keeping a bare-bones contract with agents. \n"A lot of times I'll tell them 'no' to certain things, and it's fine. They're playing a bluffing game as well as we are," Gallop says. "I only do percentage guarantees. I don't do money; I don't do catering."\nBringing a national act to Bloomington isn't something that Kubiak, Proctor and Gallop do on a whim. Though some of the factors are universal, each promoter considers slightly different things when booking a band. For example, the appeal of the concert weighs heavily into the equation. \n"The first thing you take into consideration is attendance. I try to make the shows a reflection of what people want," Kubiak says. "If people want to see rock shows, I'll bring rock shows. If people want to see cover bands, I'll bring those."\nProctor takes a similar approach, trying to balance what people want with monetary concerns.\n"We try to look at what's going to appeal to the students and the community, what would be a success ultimately, both financially and what people want to see," Proctor says.\nWhile all of this is important for Gallop, he sometimes takes a different approach when bringing bands to town. Though he often considers which bands and what kind of music people want to see, he will also brings in bands that have more of a personal appeal. \n"If a lot of kids like a band and they're good at what they do, I'll book them," Gallop says. "I'm more into booking bands that are building a following, rather than a band you know that's going to sell out. You're serving in the punk genre what's the purpose of shows, not just to entertain but to build a following." \nSome of these bands will play basements or Space 101 and bigger bands will play Rhino's All Ages Music Club. Gallop and friends at Churchkey feel a certain sense of accomplishment booking the bands they like.\n"We actually do better when we're trying to push a band than with bands that are well-known and have a following. Rise Against you think is going to do well; whereas with Army of Paunch, you know you have to put in 200 percent." \nAs for what brings bands here, Bloomington has certain characteristics that make it attractive to some of these national bands, the promoters say. Kubiak believes people in Bloomington show a high level of excitement for live music, and that the Bluebird in particular provides an intimate atmosphere. Gallop says that bands often notice this level of excitement, but that they also see camaraderie amongst the fans. \n"Everybody so far has really loved Bloomington. Most bands that have good attitudes really enjoy playing here," Gallop says. "It just appears that everybody knows everybody else, and it's become a small dysfunctional family"