Couple of annual events, I was interested in going to, recently started to promote next year's event, straight after this year's had finished. I've seen this as a growing trend.

Tbh, it's put me off; early bird ticket systems, no cash, accepted, sold out months in advance, same cliques, same faces, exclusivity and the loss of the spontaneous night out. A promotors dream but as a punter I'm just not into it. Your thoughts appreciated.

 

Don't need to be specific and use it as an opportunity to grind an axe, it's a general trend for sure!

TBH in the post pandemic world it's fair enough really, they've probably lost two years of income in '20 and '21 and selling some advance tickets is one way of recouping some of the losses, any Government grants have long since ceased and no one wants the risk anymore of their event failing due to lack of interest or a sudden disaster.

Personally I ain't gonna book anything a year in advance and therefore possibly miss out but I can totally understand why they do it.

Edited July 5, 20222 yr by Timillustrator

3 hours ago, Geeselad said:

same cliques, same faces,

Do you mean 'friends'? Isn't that the whole thing about the scene - familiar faces and friendships made up and down the country?

1 hour ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Do you mean 'friends'? Isn't that the whole thing about the scene - familiar faces and friendships made up and down the country?

Absolutely this mate. Lifetime friendships with people who you never would have known if not for our music taste's.👍

7 hours ago, Timillustrator said:

TBH in the post pandemic world it's fair enough really, they've probably lost two years of income in '20 and '21 and selling some advance tickets is one way of recouping some of the losses, any Government grants have long since ceased and no one wants the risk anymore of their event failing due to lack of interest or a sudden disaster.

Personally I ain't gonna book anything a year in advance and therefore possibly miss out but I can totally understand why they do it.

In the full time professional business of northern soul? Or is it the northern soul industry now? 

It is generally word of mouth that persuades me to go anywhere.  I rarely believe some of the hype promoted today. 

15 hours ago, Geeselad said:

Couple of annual events, I was interested in going to, recently started to promote next year's event, straight after this year's had finished. I've seen this as a growing trend.

Tbh, it's put me off; early bird ticket systems, no cash, accepted, sold out months in advance, same cliques, same faces, exclusivity and the loss of the spontaneous night out. A promotors dream but as a punter I'm just not into it. Your thoughts appreciated.

 

Don't need to be specific and use it as an opportunity to grind an axe, it's a general trend for sure!

Inflation might make this a goer... pay twenty quid now, this time next year that will be the cost of a bag of cheese and onion.

15 hours ago, Geeselad said:

Couple of annual events, I was interested in going to, recently started to promote next year's event, straight after this year's had finished. I've seen this as a growing trend.

Tbh, it's put me off; early bird ticket systems, no cash, accepted, sold out months in advance, same cliques, same faces, exclusivity and the loss of the spontaneous night out. A promotors dream but as a punter I'm just not into it. Your thoughts appreciated.

 

Don't need to be specific and use it as an opportunity to grind an axe, it's a general trend for sure!

Fair point well made...makes one wonder about also how efficient is the refund system......more often than not..its becoming increasingly difficult to commit to something 12 months in advance

Variables such as health, family commitments, budgetary restraints, holiday plans...can ALL impact on even the most ardent weekend goer

Point being ..how easy do promoters  make a refund......its a difficult one I'm sure

1 hour ago, Paraboliccurve said:

Inflation might make this a goer... pay twenty quid now, this time next year that will be the cost of a bag of cheese and onion.

Never considered this, might be the reason some promote in this way, but I doubt it.

15 minutes ago, Geeselad said:

Never considered this, might be the reason some promote in this way, but I doubt it.

I was joking, but if it goes up at the current rate then £2000 taken now is the equivalent of £1800 taken next year.

It's more likely (I suppose?) that venues are thinking this way than promoters, and trying to get promoters to pay upfront.

But in that case promoters should make sure the cost is set in a contract (and should only use venues which are unlikely to go bust and disappear with their cash).

8 hours ago, Chalky said:

It is generally word of mouth that persuades me to go anywhere.  I rarely believe some of the hype promoted today. 

I agree...BUT when (and sometimes it happens) does word of mouth exceed its usefulness and civilians start turning up with Iphones and Shazam in the air? - and it kills anotherwise top venue.

52 minutes ago, Kenb said:

I agree...BUT when (and sometimes it happens) does word of mouth exceed its usefulness and civilians start turning up with Iphones and Shazam in the air? - and it kills anotherwise top venue.

The kind of venues I attend aren’t usually one where divs frequent. Word of mouth is amongst those I know and trust with a similar outlook to me. 

On 05/07/2022 at 03:51, Amsterdam Russ said:

Do you mean 'friends'? Isn't that the whole thing about the scene - familiar faces and friendships made up and down the country?

I thought it was more about the music ...

On 05/07/2022 at 02:01, Timillustrator said:

TBH in the post pandemic world it's fair enough really, they've probably lost two years of income in '20 and '21 and selling some advance tickets is one way of recouping some of the losses, any Government grants have long since ceased and no one wants the risk anymore of their event failing due to lack of interest or a sudden disaster.

Personally I ain't gonna book anything a year in advance and therefore possibly miss out but I can totally understand why they do it.

Government grants ?  ... be interesting to know if Northern Soul events qualified for such ...does anyone know if it did ?

1 hour ago, Jez Jones said:

I thought it was more about the music ...

Chicken and egg... 🐔🥚

14 hours ago, Chalky said:

The kind of venues I attend aren’t usually one where divs frequent. Word of mouth is amongst those I know and trust with a similar outlook to me. 

I find myself (annoyingly 😀) agreeing again. But...that can be like the conversations at the Cathedral ( & other places) before Tony Palmer's film. Yester-year's social media...word of mouth.

5 hours ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Chicken and egg... 🐔🥚

well yeah...but put it this way....................if I went somewhere and knew no-one BUT the Music was great....then that floats my boat

2 hours ago, Jez Jones said:

...if I went somewhere and knew no-one BUT the Music was great....then that floats my boat

I don't think anyone would disagree with you.

11 hours ago, Jez Jones said:

I thought it was more about the music ...

Government grants ?  ... be interesting to know if Northern Soul events qualified for such ...does anyone know if it did ?

I meant venues getting either furlough money, ARG grants or discretionary Council grants, which many did get, up until October 2021. That money may have enabled them to keep going until they returned to profitability but I imagine much of it has gone now and if they are not yet back in the black they'll face closure unless they can think of other ways of getting some cash in - such as selling advance tickets. 

Edited July 6, 20222 yr by Timillustrator

37 minutes ago, Timillustrator said:

I meant venues getting either furlough money, ARG grants or discretionary Council grants, which many did get, up until October 2021. That money may have enabled them to keep going until they returned to profitability but I imagine much of it has gone now and if they are not yet back in the black they'll face closure unless they can think of other ways of getting some cash in - such as selling advance tickets. 

It's a fair point, I'd not really seen it from that perspective, but given venues circumstances I'd have thought they weren't In a position to ask for such indulgences from promotors. 

42 minutes ago, Geeselad said:

It's a fair point, I'd not really seen it from that perspective, but given venues circumstances I'd have thought they weren't In a position to ask for such indulgences from promotors. 

 

1 hour ago, Timillustrator said:

I meant venues getting either furlough money, ARG grants or discretionary Council grants, which many did get, up until October 2021. That money may have enabled them to keep going until they returned to profitability but I imagine much of it has gone now and if they are not yet back in the black they'll face closure unless they can think of other ways of getting some cash in - such as selling advance tickets. 

Sorry i think I've misinterpreted the original posters question.....I was referring more to promoters....I don't know many venues that do the promoting as well as providing the venue...not on an annual large scale advance ticket affair which I'm 'assuming' the original post was about .....

I understand many 'pubs' got furlough....but even some of them had to close....was a very difficult time...actually still is !!



 

4 hours ago, Geeselad said:

It's a fair point, I'd not really seen it from that perspective, but given venues circumstances I'd have thought they weren't In a position to ask for such indulgences from promotors. 

All sorts of people who used to work on credit or 30 day payment terms are now asking for advance payments, I've seen a few examples personally. I could well see venues saying that in order to secure a date for next year they require a hefty deposit, otherwise they may not be in business next year. Or is it just promoters getting the money in and sitting on it?

25 minutes ago, Timillustrator said:

All sorts of people who used to work on credit or 30 day payment terms are now asking for advance payments, I've seen a few examples personally. I could well see venues saying that in order to secure a date for next year they require a hefty deposit, otherwise they may not be in business next year. Or is it just promoters getting the money in and sitting on it?

If that is the case, then why not be honest with the punters, I'd appreciate it. I suppose it's the very anathema to the way promotion is done, and not realistic.