PLA 2012 Backstage Pass to Concerts at Your Library!

Kelly Bennett, Derndale, MD
Kevin King, Kalamazoo, MI
Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding)


Kelly Bennett, Derndale, MD / Kevin King, Kalamazoo, MI
KPL: big budget   ....   FPL: tiny budget

Why Concerts?
PLA 18 service areas, community chose 5, one was reading, viewing, listening for pleasure.  Hard to connect with 20's & 30's without kids.  Tap local musicians, friends come to see them, get cards, connect to services.  Get into local scene, pick up CD's, get acts to test out work in front of sober, nice test audience.  Can also bring children.  Elderly people also come, sit in back, enjoy, huge fans. Exposing young people to quality, local music, may become musicians.  Raises "cool" factor.  Monthly show attracts huge crowd of regulars in "listening room" environment.  Afterhours shows can be louder, but daytime can bring a nice, mellow vibe.  Hipsters/musicians enjoy unique venue.

Where/What
Cram people in.  70 at FPL, 170 at FPL.  Variety, make it fun.  FPL does rock, KPL does something more mellow. FPL does small acts.  KPL has hosted Justin Townes Earle, but mostly locals.

Musicians vs. Authors
Author visits highlight books and concerts to highlight.  It may have to use a booking agency, make an offer.  Look for what's already playing, if they want to stop over.  Be in the music scene, talk to people, personal connection gets acts.  Eventually, they start coming to you.  Be consistent: 3rd Weds of every month, First Stop Friday, etc.  Providing another venue, when others are disappearing will get not only locals, but local musicians talking: "have you played the library yet?  They treat you very well."

National vs. Local
National: potential for larger audience, more attention for library, higher costs, booking agents, contracts and riders.  "Routing gigs" have hotel costs, 1/3 or 1/10 of what a musician would normally get.  Riders can be strange just to make sure people read them.  Most are sound needs, fresh towels, water.  Some can be urban legendary.  Agents need to talk to someone who knows what he or she is doing, agents "like to talk dirty" and don't like to "pussyfoot" (JWH's words).  Give them a reason to do it.
Local: connection to scene, hipster cred, providing musicians a venue, not always professional (best to set ground rules before hand: "no drinking on grounds."

Promotion
Press release (early!), concert poster, social media, area calendars, what can I get the musicians to do?, music blog, word of mouth.

Pre-concert Prep
PA ($200) & Sound Engineer ($175), staff (1 person + volunteer(s)), room size, library open or closed?, set load in and sound check times (coordinate with sound person to be set up first), room set-up & lighting, merch table, "Green Room" (AV closet), refreshments, recording the concert, security (good to have available).

Concert Day!
Before/During: Load-in/soundcheck/set up gear, parking, food & drink, room set-up/chairs, volunteers, introductions, social media during concert (Tweet/FB at soundcheck to promote, also during show)
After: Sell merch, clean up/assist break down, performer feedback, post-publicity (website--Youtube channel).

Costs
$3-500 or $100 per person + travel, publicity, PA & Sound Engineer, refreshments, giveaways.  Or free (+ travel, publicity, PA & Sound Engineer, refreshments) for acts trying out new stuff, if you're FPL.

John Wesley Harding
His website.  NPR will be hosting a music/book combination.  Was offered to do a gig one night and a reading the next day.  Makes it much more attractive sans the money.  Then he performed a song called "I Cant Make Love to Bob Dylan."  A lot like Robyn Hitchcock.  "I can't get it on with Blonde Upon Blonde," best line.