Musical events are a great way to bring the community together.
These festivals encourage people, especially the younger crowd, to let go of their worries and focus on vibing to the music.
After scoring a stellar band performance, you not only end up hosting a memorable show but get a chance to showcase your talent in organizing a live music festival, earning you major brownie points in the music industry.
However, like any recreational activity, you have to worry about the finer details of your music festival to ensure it goes flawlessly. But before you can start jamming to the music and watch your hard work come to life, immense planning needs to go into the event you plan on hosting.
To help you nail your live music event, here’s what you need to do:
1. Outline Your Music Event
Outlining helps you chart out what you want in your music event. Think of it as a blueprint for your event that enables you to decide what you have the space for doing and what you need to let go of.
First, you need to narrow down the theme of your event. Why are you hosting this live music event? Is it a way to introduce new talent into the music industry? Are you celebrating something, or do you want to give the community a fun party to enjoy for the night?
Once you have a theme in mind, start building your event’s concept from there. Figure out the type of decor you’ll need, including band backdrops that will add more flare and personality to each performance. It would be best if you also planned out how big your stage will be and how each piece of equipment will go on the stage.
Don’t forget about the lighting. The kind of light you pick out and how you arrange them add to the ambiance. You want your venue to look exactly like your vision, so take your time charting your ideas.
2. Apply For Permits and Insurance
You cannot hold an event without following due diligence first. The venue you book may need additional paperwork to allow you to bring alcohol, sell food and play music.
The permit you get also legitimizes your event. Try and get insurance for your event, as mishaps like broken equipment, fire, or damages to the building can occur in the heat of the moment, and the last thing you would want is to pay out of pocket.
3. Have A Reasonable Budget
A budget can define the framework of your live music event. Your budget must include the venue, security, staff, and catering payment. If you don’t have financial constraints, it’s easy to get carried away and end up with an event that may be too expensive for patrons to attend. This is why you should decide how much you’re comfortable spending and proceed with planning around that number.
If you want to invite a talent out of town, you’ll need to pay extra for their traveling and accommodations. The money will also cover renting the equipment and the band you plan on hiring. Don’t forget to save money for unexpected expenses and emergencies. Maybe the food falls short, or you want to keep the artists an hour longer, you’ll need to pay extra money for all these situations.
4. Know Your Target Audience
Your demographic is the most crucial part of your live music event. You will suffer massive financial losses if you cannot appeal to your target audience. So think about the community you want at the festivals and market the event to them.
If you’re inviting teenagers, you should advertise on social media like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Create innovative campaigns that you’ll know will go viral online and become a primary conversation starter among your audience.
Don’t forget that the price of the tickets is also a major deciding factor for many patrons. Teenagers will not be carefully paying more than $20 to $30; if you try pushing for higher prices, they’ll skip out on your event altogether.
Your tickets need to be affordable, and if you want to keep VIP passes, you must ensure you can fulfill the perks of a premium pass. Make sure the tickets go out at least a month before the event.
This gives your audience ample time to decide and attracts a broader community to attend your event. The weekend is always the safest day to hold a music event since your patrons will have the time to participate in your party and enjoy it liberally.
5. Do A Sound Check
The final touch to your music event is to do a sound check. You need to adjust the equipment to the venue. For instance, if you’re playing indoors, the speakers shouldn’t echo, and the instruments should stay in tune with each other creating a melody. However, if you’re playing outdoors, you need to calibrate the equipment to be audible.
A sound check can also inform you of the mic, equipment, and speaker feedback, allowing you to replace faulty equipment immediately. This is also an excellent time to ask the local talent to practice a song, enabling you to gauge whether your venue is ready for the event. Take this opportunity also to fix the lights and confirm every item on your checklist is in its place, ready to liven up your music event.
Final Thoughts
Planning a music event is hard work, as you must carefully chart what to expect from the event you’re planning and how you plan to make your vision a reality. Hence, start by outlining the central theme of your music festival and list the items you’ll need to breathe life into it. Don’t forget to apply for permits that legally allow you to host your party without the threat of getting charged.
Picture the community you want to invite, market, and price the ticket accordingly. As the days of your event roll closer, test your equipment, ensure that the venue is ready to receive guests, and take care of all logistical errors before you go live.
