Charity gig advice

[MarkW]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]Hi everyone – I’m on the scrounge for advice I’m afraid![/color][/size][/font]
[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]I’d like to organise a charity gig with our band to raise some money for a foundation that was set up in memory of an old friend and fellow musician. I’ve never done anything like this before (to be perfectly honest I’ve never organised a gig of any description) so if any of you has any experience of this sort of thing I’d be really grateful for your advice.[/color][/size][/font][font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][color="#000000"] [/color][/size][/font]
[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]I guess the key things are going to be selecting the right type and size of venue, advertising the event (are local radio stations willing to promote this sort of thing?), the money stuff (sell tickets, or have free entry and ask for a donation?), anything else we can do that’s likely to increase attendance, and of course the best ways of coercing people into doing things for nothing![/color][/size][/font][font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"] [/color][/size][/font]
[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]Thanks in advance folks, and all the very best for 2014![/color][/size][/font]
Mark

[JTUK]

Hmmm People make quite a bit of money out of charity.... ( that is my cynical view )
I would set a few targets.
How much to raise and where does it go.
What sort of event do you want?

You could ask a pub the fellow was known in, to host it.... that is most of your venue concerns dealt with.
How many people could you reasonably expect to get.
How many bands do you want/ Bands are notorious for playing for free ( which is good-ish for you)

I am against long all dayers, generally, as people don't know when to turn up..and can't really be expected to last start to finish
so maybe 4 bands from 1830 till midnight....??
Also, just because a band is free, it shouldn't automatically qualify them.
If you can't get the people in for the event/person alone, you need to bring people in and that is the bands job.

If you get a venue to provide a bar...are they going to contribute to the charity..???

The thing you are up against, if people don't know the fellow, or buy into the charity thing...is that they can see free bands in a pub anytime..and not be hit with all sorts of begging buckets...?

To save yourself a lot of trouble... just do the next few gigs for free...advertise them in the guys name... and hand over your fee straight to the charity.

[Len_derby]

I do a lot of charity events, and I would endorse JTUK's comments on the whole.
A suggestion I have is think laterally about a venue. A lot of organisations love the kudos of being involved in a charity event. Consider some of the things your mate did. Examples; if he was a serviceman ask the local British Legion. If he was a sportsman ask his old football or cricket team. His school, his old employers etc.
But, most of all, don't try and do it all on your own.
Good luck, and if it comes off, as I hope it will, make sure you let us know on here.

Len

[lojo]

Don't forget the PA system requirements and someone to operate it, assuming you've done everything else well and the punters are there etc. this will make or break the evening re the band

Just did a local charity gig, around 180 guests , tickets / bar / raffle and auction (some cool stuff donated) raised around £4k

The event went well due to the number of people involved in promoting, the bar was also run by helpers not the venue, so all profits went to the charity

Edited December 31, 2013 by lojo

[MarkW]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]Thanks for the advice guys – some great food for thought there.[/color][/size][/font]

[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]I should perhaps have mentioned that I’m based more than 100 miles away from where my friend lived, so we’re not going to be able to rely on any support from his local venues. I did a very well attended charity gig in aid of the British Heart Foundation a few weeks ago with the aim of raising enough to install a couple of defibrillators in local venues, which we did, but it was mostly friends and family of the deceased who turned up. Logistically we’re not all going to be able to get down to Stoke, so I guess we’ll have to set more modest expectations for this. [/color][/size][/font]
[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]If we get this off the ground I’ll certainly let people on here know, although I’m not sure how wise it is to expose myself to the wider bass playing community! Mind you, as good as it is to seek out better players to have something to aspire to, sometimes it’s also good to watch a complete no-hoper in action to make us feel a bit better. [/color][/size][/font]

[mrtcat]

My experience of charity events is that the cause itself is most important. If it's a big well known charity it will naturally draw more people than something a bit more niche. You should consider putting the aims and ethos of the charity at the centre of everything. For example if you are going to approach local media you need to be prepared to put across how important the cause is, how they will use the funds raised and why they are as worthy of the support or even more so than many of the other charities out there.
You're going to need volunteers to help at all stages and as previously stated just booking a band because they're free is not ideal. Most bands will donate their fee if they buy into the cause so look for bands that will draw a crowd and have your passionate plea ready.
Venue wise be wary of places with ulterior motives. Many will look at the profit side first. We raise for Help For Heroes every year and use pubs - particularly ones where the regulars are the type that read The Sun, hang George's cross flags off their houses. Sounds awful but these people really buy into H4H so the venue gets kudos with its customers. In return we asked the venue to pay the bands (which all bands then donate). The venue charges on the door or sells tickets in advance or both. This gets donated. The venue makes plenty over the bar with a crowd that have paid to be there so won't have one pint and leave.
Finally we always get local businesses to donate prizes (golf club donates round of golf for four, hair salon donates haircut, butcher a big roasting joint etc) which we raffle. One of the best raffles is for someone to sing a song with the band. People always love that.
Bottom line is to get people passionate about the cause.
Really good luck with this.

[SpaceChick]

I've done a few charity multi band gigs.

A key issue in every one has been gear..... do each band supply their own, does everyone use the headlining bands, is sufficient time built in for change overs. I think this is something you will need to have established when booking the bands.

I've done ones where the headlining act provide the gear, whilst the simpliest there are "trust" issues and then additional concerns such as specific effects. I've also done ones where each band provides their own, but then you need to allow a good 30 mins to allow for removal and re-set up.

I would certainly think twice over who you get aswell. I did one in the summer as the headlining band. I'm so glad I raised concerns over other bands using my gear. One band was a bunch of 17 year olds who maximised use of the free bar for acts and used the band after thems gear (the one before us) and they spilt cider all over the amps!! I'd have gone ballistic if it had been my stuff!

Re raffles, this can be a good way to pass the time between acts. and you do find local businesses are happy to donate for the publicity.

Regarding how to pay, I've done free entry ones with a bucket on the bar, and pay to enter ones. Wouldn't like to comment on which is best (as we did one gig witha bucket on a bar where a fortune was raised, another hardly anything... equally I've done a pay on the door where less than 20 people showed up, another which was roofed!)