Portfolio | Kolby FMP

Research Portfolio

For this Portfolio, I will be doing some Research of the following Subjects:

Promoting Concerts and Live Music Events.
Organising a Music Event.
Working Safely while Performing.
Rehearsal techniques.
Job Roles provided within a Music Event.
Creating Surveys + Questionnaires for Audience Feedback.

Promoting Concerts and Live Music Events;

When it comes to holding a Live Music Event/Festival, there’s many different aspects you need to consider which help to promote the Show and ensure a good outcome overall.

One of these aspects is Promotion. Now you can Promote an Event in many ways such as Leaflets, Posters and even word-to-word information. But nowadays, the easiest way to spread the word on Festivals and Music is through Social Media, this is because the internet is accessible to practically everyone due to Technologies increased success. Through Social Media, you can use apps such as Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat and many more to create your own little Blogs that help to spread information about the Event and what will be hapening there to entice people into coming along and showing some support. Something that you can also consider to help with Finances and Budget surrounding your Show would be to reach out to Sponsorships;

“ Sponsorships and partnerships can provide additional funding and resources. Reach out to potential sponsors who align with your event's theme and audience. In return for their support, you can offer brand visibility at your event and in your promotional materials. “ (ICMP Staff Writer, 2023)

( Bib - https://www.icmp.ac.uk/blog/how-organise-and-promote-live-music-events )

Working Safely while Performing;

When it comes to being able to Perform Safely, you must make sure that both the Performers themselves know how to stay safe and that the Venue itself creates a Safe Environment. If Performers are unaware of how to Safely hold a Music Gig or Event, they will be unable to Perform as they will possibly be shut down by the Venue or even worse case, authorities.

While playing at a Live Show, Musicians must bare a few things in mind in order to ensure their Safety; this includes things such as Cable Management, Venue Structure, Audio + Volume Levels, Hydration, Venue Lighting, Audience Rowdiness & Atmosphere, Venue Security, etc. When I mention 'Venue Structure'- what I am implying is that, Reading a room can save your life, both Hypothetically AND Literally. For Example, in the tragic case of Patrick Sherry- a man that had too much trust in his Venue Structure- who " jumped from the stage to grab a lighting gantry during his band's last song but lost his grip and fell " (BBC News, 2005). I mention Patrick Sherry because he is considered the first man to die by Stage Diving, and the reason for his death was because he wasn't fully aware of his Venue Structure and how Safe the Environment was compared to how he would act on Stage while he Performed where he had been described as " explosive and jumped around enthusiastically " (BBC News, 2005).

There is also the aspect of Audience awareness for the Musicians where they must make sure there is good Security who keep an eye on the Performance attendees because letting in just anybody can endanger the lives of both the Audience and even the Musicians. A perfect example of this is the case of 'Dimebag' Darrell. Darrell Abbott, the former Guitarist of the band Pantera, was shot and killed by a young fan who had been attending the Gig. The fan had " shot Abbott – who was headbanging, his hair in his face – at least once in the forehead " (Wilkinson P, 2004). It is true to say that no one could've predicted that such a traumatic event would happen that night, but it could've definitely been prevented. A way the Band could've ensured there own safety would've been to hire some Security Bouncers or the Venue itself should've had some kind of Security already there on behalf of the Company- another way it could've been prevented would've been for the Band to be aware of their Surroundings, including the people closest to them on their Stage.

( Bib - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/4460450.stm )

( Bib - https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/behind-the-murder-of-dimebag-darrell-233541/ )

Organising a Music Event;

Organising a Music Event can definitely be difficult due to how many aspects need to be taken into account; things such as finding a Venue, getting permission to play, organising staff to help with the Show, getting the Performers, Promotion for the Event, discussing Gig Times, etc. When it comes to choosing a Venue to perform in, it is usually very centred around your Budget- unless you are just holding a Pub Gig or a pre-planned Show, Venues will usually expect you to pay THEM in exchange of you performing there. You also need to have discussions with the Venue on behalf of the Music you would like to play because certain Genres can cause a Venue to decline your requests depending on the atmosphere they want to have for the Event. For example, Big shows won't be as concerned about what Genres you choose to perform unless there is a Set Theme already established, whereas a local Pub Venue can sometimes be a little picky-choosy about what you want to play because they would rather have Music played that can accommodate for the Local Attendees and would usually prefer some songs for an older Generation usually slower paced and popular.

For both Local Gigs and Festival Events, if you want people to actually attend the Show, you need to create a way to push some Promotion. Nowadays, Promotion is so much easier due to Social Media because of how easy it is to connect with others and how accessible the Internet is globally. For bigger Festivals and Shows, Social Media Promotion is the easiest option because one post can spread like Wildfire, then the more it is shared, the more people see it and the more people who see it, the more people get told and so on. You can definitely use Social Media to promote a Local Gig too, although it may be good to consider an old-fashioned option. Local Gigs may be easier to promote through face-to-face contact or be Posters and Leaflets- this can also be a cheaper option due to leaflets being easily created just by hand.

" You can’t plan a music event or a music festival without music - so making sure you can fill your lineup should be your next step " (Collis R, 2023). This line leads me onto the most important aspect of a Music Gig- having people ready to Perform. Choosing the Musicians for your Gig can also be a difficult thing to achieve because you have to compensate for your own Budget and decided whether you can financially support the Performers you choose. This is why it is usually easier to host an Event for a Pub Gig- people looking to perform in Pubs are usually new to the Music Industry and are trying to get their names out into the world, this is good financially due to them not usually expecting to be payed for their Gig and if they DO expect to be payed, it only has to be cheap. Whereas bigger Music Events will have more popular bands performing which will be way more expensive because their management requires more for just a chance to book certain bands, especially when they are in High Demand.

( Bib - https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/blog/plan-a-successful-live-music-event )

Rehearsal Techniques;

Rehearsals are always one of the most important things you must do when apart of a Band as they are extremely beneficial in the long run for Performances and making sure your Band is held to a good quality. Although, as a Musician myself, it is true that Rehearsals can be hard especially when your Band Mates are also your friends. Being in a room with people you enjoy company from can become a very unproductive session when you are all meant to be working towards a specific goal- in this case, that'd be Rehearsing. A way of preventing this problem would be to set goals and discuss what you and your band would like to achieve by the end of the Rehearsal time. So for example, if you need to learn a full song in one session, you could each learn your parts individually and then use the rest of the session to combine all the parts until you get it sounding presentable enough- even if it means removing anything that may become a distraction to the learning.

A good way of making a Rehearsal more productive could also be taking Breaks where necessary. These breaks should never take more than 20 minutes, just a little time out of the Rehearsal room; grab a drink or take a walk, anything that isn't music related. Taking a Break will always be beneficial, even if it is only a slight reset, this is because " Listening to and practicing songs with fresh ears always make for a more productive band rehearsal " (Olsson D, 2025).

Doing some of the things I mentioned can always make Rehearsals better and help to keep you and your band having fun, because the worst thing to happen as a Musician is to burn out and start to view Practising Music as a drag.

( Bib - https://www.schoolofrock.com/resources/music-industry/how-to-have-a-successful-rehearsal )

Job Roles provided within a Music Event;

Whenever people take an interest into the Music Industry, the first thought to cross their mind is usually "how would you go about getting a Job in the Industry". The Music Industry can offer a huge variety of different Careers, but that doesn't mean you don't have to do some hard work to secure getting one of those Jobs. Live Festivals offer Job Roles such as" technical and production staff, such as sound technicians, lighting engineers, and stage crews, play a crucial role in the festival's success "," security and stewarding staff make sure everyone follows the rules and stays safe" (Nathan D, 2024). But then you can also be on the Performing side- for example- being the Musician, being a Roadie for a Band, being a Music Manager, etc.

To be the Musician playing at these Events, you technically don't need any kind of Qualifications, all you need is Passion for Music, a skill in playing an Instrument or being a good Vocalist and a good Band behind you or if you are a Solo performer- you need to be confident in your performing abilities. Whereas if you wanted to acquire a Job that didn't concern actually Performing, you could Require any number of Qualifications that are essential to being employed and progressing in said Career of your choice.

Some examples of Qualifications needed for certain jobs can include; If you wanted to be a Music Technician, you may need at least a Base-Level Degree in IT or Computer science as these will teach you about different forms of Tech Equipment and how they work. If you wanted to secure your applications, having some form of proof that you have hands-on work experience within the Tech Industry already as many companies and festivals will favour people who they don't need to train from scratch. Or if you would like to pursue the Security/Bouncer Position, you may need pry experience in Crowd-Controlling Jobs and you may have to take some Crowd Safety Training classes- to ensure your own safety within the Security aspect of the Festival Industry, some basic training in self defence may also be beneficial for you in the long run.

( Bib - https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/hospitality-and-events-management/how-to-get-a-festival-job )

Creating Surveys + Questionnaires for Audience Feedback;

Surveys and Questionnaires are always useful in Music for many different things. When it comes to creating these Surveys & Questionnaires, you need to include things that a relevant to the Subject you want Feedback on. So to use Audience Feedback as the main example, you need to think of Questions surrounding the Show they have just witnessed. These Questions could be things like;

Did you enjoy the Show ?
Which Performance was your favourite ?
Would you come again ?
What do you think the Performers could do better ?

There are plenty more you could ask but those are just some to think about.

These Questionnaires and Surveys are beneficial for both Musicians and the Venue as it gives them information to keep in mind from the public that can encourage them to come back again. It also provides some insight on wonders that would usually be left unanswered as the Surveys help the Performers understand what the Public want from them and they can use that information to help them get bette and more open minded for their next Performance.