How to set up a concert?

Question

How do you go about getting backing, promotion etc for a concert?

I have this amazing idea for a concert. I have been disscussing it with like minded music fans and we all think it is a wonderfull idea. The idea is: we want to see an open air (ideally) concert in London featuring Only Asian music stars. We are huge fans of many of the major artists in China Japan etc and want to see thier music heard and acknowledged here. English speaking artists are found all over the world so why shouldnt they be? These artists have already huge armys of fans here and we believe this concert could really work. Esp with the olympics here this year.

Thing is we have no idea what to do with this idea. How do people realise ideas like this? What sort of people should we be talking to? Clearly we dont have the sort of money needed to go ahead and put this show on ourselfs. but someone out there may like the idea enough to invest we are hoping.

Answer 1

You need one of the major promoters to take this on.They will probably take this idea of yours and you will be saying later that's my idea. They may be find a global sponsor where sales are both in Europe and the Asian countries of the likes of Coke Cola so they can sell the concert back to the artiste counties of origin. Its a mega challenge even if you are a experienced promoter. Sorry cannot help.

Answer 2

You have absolutely no idea what you are getting into.

You can expect to have close to a Million Dollars invested in it before you sell the very first ticket.  You will need to pack at LEAST 50,000 people into whatever stadium you plan to use, JUST TO BREAK EVEN because those artists you like won't come to London and play for free.

It's a great idea, but since you have obviously never been in the music promoting business, you can easliy lose your shirt and never get out of debt if you get it wrong.

Answer 3

Your best bet would be to start off small.  This concert can be your ultimate goal but before that you need to get a feel for this industry.  Start off by organising a few small gigs... that's easily done if you ask in some bars if they'd let you use their facilities.  They're likely to say yes if they'll make enough money from drinks.  Ask some musicians - bands, solo artists, buskers, whatever ... or even run an open-mic night as long as you're positive there's someone standing by to sing or play when no one else is taking the mic.  You can take money at the door (advertise with posters, online, adverts in newspapers etc) or sell tickets beforehand.

As long as you make enough money from tickets to pay the bands (they'll sometimes do it for free if they're looking for coverage ... or open-mic artists do it for free) and make a profit.

For a bigger concert, you'd be safer getting help from someone who has experience as it can easily go wrong and there are a lot of things you need to get sorted out, for example health and safety, council permission, levels of noise permitted, age limits, etc.

Nice thinking though!