Make Your First Festival Show Rock!
Are you playing your first green-field music festival or outdoor show soon? Not sure how it all works on the other side of the 'Artists Only' sign? Don't worry; help is at hand.
My name is Andy Reynolds, a concert tour manager & live sound engineer, and I have written this mini-guide to give you my tips on making the most of your first festival slot. I have toured with music artists for over 25 years, and work on open-air, 'green-field' type festivals, such as Glastonbury, Roskilde, Coachella, and Bonnaroo, each summer. I know how music artists can have a good show at a festival - and how they can mess up their chances by not being prepared for that all -important music festival slot.
It is important to your musical career that your music festival appearances happen with no hitches, dramas or technical problems. Audiences go to music festivals to hear great music. If they happen to catch you, playing a great set and full of confidence, they are more likely to become fans of you and your music. You should remember there is so much competition at each festival, and every band has that one chance to ignite the crowd. No musicican can afford to be ill-prepared or leave things to chance, But you need not worry about any of that - you will hit the stage looking like a pro after reading this book!
After reading, 'Playing Your First Music Festival', you will know about:
The differences between a venue show and your performance at a festival
Preparing your live set for ultimate impact
How to use your guest tickets to attract industry taste-makers
The don'ts and dos of selling merchandise at festivals
Make sure you get booked for next year's festivals
...and much more.
This is a short guide which will give you the low down on how a modern, open-air festival works, what you need to do to prepare for your slot, and how to make the most of it while you are at the festival.