Important factors to consider before you book a band
WE guarantee that Beat Street International demos are ALWAYS samples from our live shows (you can hear the whole show if you like) and we pride ourselves in providing a 'what it says on the tin' service. We truly believe clients should be extremely wary of any band that is unable to provide honest live recordings, this is not a method we ourselves would ever subscribe to. Simply ask yourself if they do not, then why not?
NEITHER a studio recording nor any over dubbed video footage will ever be a true rendition of how a band will really sound on the night. Even the greatest stars in the world rarely live up to their studio album productions in a live situation. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either strongly misleading you or does not know any different, in either case we would advise you to proceed with caution. Do your Homework!
ALWAYS investigate any band that directs you to their 'virtual' manager. We know our business very well and this will more often than not be a cheap sales pitch, where the band leader will act as a management company and sing their praises from the rooftops in the hope of securing the date. In reality it would not make much business sense for an 'agency' to lease an office paying out costly overheads and in turn expect to earn a living from offering only one band and a handful of other acts. When the bandleader is incognito as an agent or management company for a band they actually perform in then it makes us think. Agent or Artiste? Doctor or Patient? Pilot or Passenger? You Decide!
BEAR in mind, when considering using any 'agency' that a real manager or agency will sing the praises of the many bands they have on their database. Ensure the management company or agency is a reputable one and preferably one who is a member of the Agents Association. They should have a website with around 50 bands to choose from. Avoid any with less than 10 as there will undoubtedly be a reason for this and in our wealth of experience we have yet to discover any bona fide agent that would operate to any degree of success or longevity in such a fashion. Don't Get Bitten!
IF you suspect you are speaking to an 'incognito' bandleader ask them to provide you with a full list of all the other bands of that ilk they have on their database. If they cannot furnish you with such a list, you should seriously consider looking elsewhere. Don't Feel Obliged!
REPUTATION and total honesty count for everything in our business. You really should think about the person who is accepting your deposit for a booking of up to 12 months or more ahead, and as to whether or not they will still be around at the time of the event. We have heard of quite a few bands that have taken clients deposits then 'vanished' a few months later. In some cases the client had already paid in full. Stay with the Established Professionals!
