May 30, 20184 min read

Why does your band have to sell tickets? Isn't that the promotor's job? - Answered!

"Good unique music will always find its way." - Sean Healy

Why should my band have to sell tickets to our own show? Isn’t that the promoter’s job to get people in the venue?

These are only two of a billion questions that fresh out of the garage bands have, and while they’re valid questions, they have a logical, and obvious answers. Simply put, if your band has no following, other than your friends and family, how is the promoter supposed to find them to sell them tickets? If you want to be a rockstar, go work for it. It’s not all sex-drugs-and rock n roll, guys. Sorry to burst your Djent-y bubble.

This week I am excited to bring you Sean Healy, of Sean Healy Presents and WeBookBands.com. Sean’s name was brought across my desk by Jordan Grossman, an artist manager out of LA, and I immediately took an interest in Sean’s job title of Band Booker and Show Promoter. As a touring photographer and musician myself, I have heard from countless bands around the world about how “unfair” or “ridiculous” it is that local bands are asked to be in charge of their own ticket sales. But I think a lot of them fail to realise the reason they are asked to do this.

Sean began his journey to success as an actor, who moved out to LA with no money and a dream, similarly to myself. He quickly Realised that was Angelas is full of young actors with no money and dreams.so he took up a lunch rout that led him to the studios and set of some of the top filmmakers and individuals in Los Angeles. He quickly got on his feet and started putting his headshot and resume into the lunches that he delivered to the set, in the hope that someone would contact him.

He began producing open mic nights at clubs and ended up landing a job as a booker at a venue, which launched his passion for the music industry.

If you were in a local band, touring band, or if you are simply a fan that has no idea about any of the stuff but perhaps you want to get into the music industry, this is an app so do you want to check out.it’s one of the most talked about topics in the local music scene, in my opinion, and unfortunately the reality of the situation is that if you want your band to grow, you have to reach out and find the fans. You have to do the leg work, sell your CDs at school, play your music over the intercom and potentially get suspended by the principal, and you just about anything else for your music to get heard. It takes a lot more than just posting on Instagram and Facebook to become something, don’t forget that.you can start something online, but if it is something that is never tangible, no one will care at the end of the day.we want something that we can hold onto and be a part of, so get out there and give people tickets, put your music in their hands, build relationships. Okay that’s just the motivational portion of this blog, now to the economic reasons for why bands are asked to sell their own tickets.

Did you know that it costs money to have a show in the venue? Did you know that it is it free to play all the time? Did you know that sometimes you’re not going to get paid to play show? No? Well maybe you should think again about being in a band, because not all sunshine and roses, it’s a struggle, but if you push past the lack of money, the lack of sleep, and the ridiculous amount of fast food that you’re going to be eating over the next 10 years of your life, it will be the most incredible experience you could ever ask for.

Here’s the reality of concerts. A venue is just a building that people can rent out to hold events. They aren’t like a church, where anyone can come in and worship, for free, they, unlike the church, who lives off of donations, need money to keep the lights.

The money from your ticket presales goes to pay for part of the fee for allowing you to play in that venue.you have to remember that you are going into a building to make money off of your music, merchandise, and the exposure from being a part of the tour package, so from a business standpoint, isn’t it only fair for that venue to ask for a fee for allowing you to make money in their building, while using their stage, lights, cables, mic stands, sound boards, etc.?

Don’t think you’re entitled to anything, because, chances are, you’re only looking at a situation from one side.

If you don't promote your own show, no one is going to show up. If you can't bring anyone out to your show, don't play the show. You have to earn your chops. There are no more handouts guys.

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