Throwing a concert with a Big Name band?
 

Has anyone ever done this before? I'm talking about getting someone like the NewFound Glory/MxPx/Starting Line style or like John Mayer (sp?)/Jack Johnson/Ben Harper to come and play, along with local bands. Has anyone ever been invovled with putting something together like this? I am curious as to how much it would cost for all expenses. I've heard estimates from 10k for NFG to 3k; but if anyone has ever done this before and can help me out with numbers, that would be great.

Well, my campus was going to have Big Head Todd and the Monsters come and it was going to be about $60,000. Plus, you either have to work it into when they are going to be in the area on their tour or pay travel expenses too. Some bands want part of the door money and most have very detailed contracts (ie. how it will be advertised, if you can or can't have photographers, etc).

Also, you need a venue... very expensive (most bands will not play at your fraternity house).

311 played my campus, but I don't think any of our fraternities could have pulled off a concert of that magnitude. Unless you have serious connections, it is really hard to pull off a MAJOR band.

Very Difficult
 

Well sort of...

First of all here are the problems...
Tickets versus guests. Can't charge for tickets legally. Have to register it through the city (permit for concert), Noise ordinances, noise complaints, and the hardest thing of all...

Agent.

Their agent are going to charge you a certain amount of money per show. Unless it is beneffiting something. In that case you can't serve alcohol legally. Fine no alcohol... except the cost is still gonna be around at least $10,000 for a decent guest. But then you can't make the money back because you can't charge for tickets, as well as you can't have an open party as well (as deemed by most national Fraternities). That means a guest list. Do-able definately. A few guests per member and your golden. Now if you could only make the money.

Now here is where I have a lot of experience...

We had a well known DJ (Internationally and Nationally well known) come and play at our house. I know him personally as a friend and he agreed to it only we couldn't have his agent find out about it. This was after the fact I had already gotten sponsors. Try cutting three major sponsors a day before the event. I had to cut BMG, a local radio station (who was more than likely going to air some of the concert on air, great publicity) as well as all newspaper ads. Sucks. But he did play and it was awesome and he had a good time. Tip though: If you are having locals play with them, make sure that your headliner likes them. It creates a feeling of resentment by the headliner and will put them in a bad mood and ruin the whole thing. Happened once to us. F' Jimmi Hoffa! If you do it this way, it will cost around $1,000 to pull off. Security is definately needed though. Thats where the money is most likely going.

Hope any of that helps.

We were going to try a block party but Seattle wouldn't let us do to a bad event in the 80's in the greek system. May be different where you live. Look at the Transportation codes about closing streets and also call the police department to see if they need to be security or you can hire someone else. More than likely it will be the police being security since it will be on public property.