Top Tips To Help You Choose The Perfect Concert Venue
Whether you're just starting off your music career with smaller crowds and more humble venues, or you're scaling your concerts to meet demand and need a larger space, finding the perfect concert event venue can be a challenge. There are so many details to consider such as the capacity, facilities and aesthetic. You may be asking "What are some tips to choose the perfect concert venue?" and we have assembled quite a few to get you started.
1. Budget
The first thing you will want to consider when venue booking is your budget and finances. You will first want to see how much the music concert venue is to rent out, and from there you will set your ticket price and how much your share of the ticket sales will be. You will also want to see what is included in the contract so you are aware of the full extent of your agreement. Is the venue going to do any sort of promotion on your behalf? Can they provide any kind of staffing for you? This is where you will be able to negotiate and set a price to get the best deal possible.
2. Capacity
Once you set your budget, you will want to figure out how many people will be attending your concert. This will directly affect the type of venue you select based on the capacity that the space can hold. You may be attracted to well-known venues that you have been to before or where other established artists have performed at, however, you need to be strategic with how many people you can draw to your show and make sure you find the venue to match. The last thing you want is to overestimate how many tickets you can sell and then have your concert looking empty.
3. Location
Now that you have considered budget and capacity, you will want to focus on location. Where your concert takes place is crucial to your success. Finding a venue that is centrally located and easy to access will ensure your attendees can get to the location. For example, if you are looking at concert venues in Los Angeles, picking something downtown could be beneficial due to the public transport options. At Ovation, being located in downtown Long Beach, we are a great venue for concerts as well because we are centrally located and also easy to get to.
4. Audience
Knowing the audience you will be targeting is important in terms of the venue you select. If you have a younger crowd, booking a concert in a trendy lounge or a dive bar may be more appropriate than if you were trying to reach an older, more established crowd. Your venue can also vary depending on the concert's genre and audience preference. Hard core rock enthusiasts are going to differ drastically from indie rock hipsters, and catering to your audience will ensure your success.
5. Aesthetic
The atmosphere of your concert can make or break the stage. Making sure your audience enjoys the ambiance is important so they want to come back time and time again when you host an event. The aesthetic can also add on to the kind of concert you are hosting by adding layers of lighting, décor and furniture to really bring your event to life. When everything comes together, your concert comes alive.
6. Sound
Finally, there is no doubt that sound is very important when throwing a concert. Making sure the venue is well-equipped with technology to support your show is important. Working directly with a venue's sound engineer or your own, will ensure that you will achieve the sound you want. It's also good to do your due diligence and read reviews. This will give you a feel of past clients and what their experience was like.
We hope these tips helped lay the foundation for why choosing the right concert venue matters for the success of your event. When you find yourself asking how to organize a music concert, use this list for reference. As event experts ourselves, with an entire event team behind us, we are always happy to work with you directly and make your vision come to life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can you host concerts at Ovation?
A: Yes. With our advanced technology when it comes to sound and lighting, we have a perfect space to host concerts of varying sizes.
Q: Is Long Beach a good concert location?
A: Yes. Being a larger city in Los Angeles county, this is a city that has great access to public transportation and is an up and coming location. This is a great spot to host a concert.
Q: If I don't know the aesthetic I want, can you help with that?
A: Of course. With an entire event planning team behind us, we can help bring a vision to life that you are excited about.