Form a committee. In order to begin delegating duties, an initial brainstorming committee should be formed to get specific ideas on to paper. After the ideas are written down and preliminarily agreed upon by committee members, work can begin on implementation. Reaching out to others through social media sites or classified ads can be a good way to create a diverse planning committee. If possible, find people from diverse backgrounds like college students, young families and older professionals.
Contact potential bands and performers. It can be important to contact potential bands far in advance so that the musicians can plan around the event in their tour schedules. This may not be as important for small, local bands, but if you are planning on booking a national act, up to one year of notice is usually recommended. Some bands book their own event dates, but more often, it is recommended that initial contact be made with a booking manager. The local university is often a good resource for finding booking information for regional acts. If you are planning to hold a concert with an instrumental soloist, the music department at the local university should be able to offer input in this regard.
Find a venue. Just like booking performers, booking a venue should be done far ahead of the proposed date of the concert. Cold calling local bars, amphitheaters and concert halls can help to start to rule out specific locations based on cost and availability. Be sure to factor in typical seasonal weather into your selection of a venue. Ask about the rules and regulations of a specific venue--some have noise ordinances that they have to adhere to, for example. Sometimes you will need to get an event permit as well.
Start fundraising. After a basic plan for the concert is in place, start marketing it to people who might want to help out. Again, the local university is a good resource, as are radio stations and area businesses. Consider contributing profits from the event to a local charity that might help with the initial costs of the concert.
Market the event to establish an audience. Fliers, radio advertisements and interviews with booked performers are all effective ways to market the concert. Word-of-mouth is often viewed as the best marketing tool. Get the word out at local coffee shops, bars and record stores.
Finalize the designation of duties beginning at around two weeks from the concert date. Performers and stage crew are often the first personnel that are finalized, but there are many other jobs that need to be performed. A professional sound engineer is an important addition; you can often find a single engineer that can arrange for all applications among different performers and DJ duties. When hiring sound personnel, equipment specialists and security personnel, be sure to employ fairly well-known, trusted service providers. The local music store is a good resource to find professional services in this regard.
Stick to the planned routine the day of the show. Major changes should not be made the day of the show, if at all possible. In the few hours before the show starts, arrange a meeting of all involved parties. This meeting will help you to discover any small details that may have been overlooked. Even if there are several small changes to be made, like the order of performers, for example, simply note the change and explain it to everyone at the meeting.