Many performers are beginning to accept gig offers for live performance situations and that is exciting. Some of your rescheduled gigs are now right around the corner. And, just like any live gig, you need to negotiate your contract and express your needs and requirements. You may need to review those upcoming gig contracts and reconnect with the presenters to make sure your new COVID needs are being considered. Normally, your contract riders, if you use one, includes any additional requirements to help ensure that you can present your best performance.

In these COVID times, circumstances are such that you need to include additional items during your negotiations, follow-up and advancing your gig procedures.

When speaking with various artists, I became aware that some of the issues I’ll discuss here, were not being considered.

So, in this episode, I’ll share my LIVE GIG PROCEDURES COVID STYLE so you can be well prepared for your return to live gigging.

First, be aware that there are many resources constantly being updated by the major organizations representing performing arts presenters, booking conferences, managers, and agents. Please check with organizations that best represent your act and the venues in which you regularly had perform. There, you are likely to get the most current thinking and operational procedures being implemented by the venues at the time to safely return to live gigs.

What I’d like to talk about here includes things you need to think about for your safety as you consider returning to live gigging.

Let’s break this down into 4 categories:

[02:57] 1. Think About Your Needs

[05:56] 2. Plan Your Negotiations

[08:59] 3. Follow Up with Presenters

[09:28] 4. Advance the Gig

[10:40] In My COVID GIG PROCEDURES PDF, you’ll find most of the questions you need to be asking and items you need to be thinking about, if you haven’t already created your own set of procedures.

I think about these touring items from the road manager/ artist/agent perspective. When touring with my artists, I would often arrive at the venue, only to discover certain items in my contract or riders were not followed, even with all my advancing the gig diligence. Stuff happens.

And with COVID issues needing to be adhered to, all this follow-up just might make your live gigs go more smoothly and safely.

[11:24] In the show notes you’ll find a PDF to download of my COVID GIG PROCEDURES that you might want to incorporate into your conversations with presenters, bookers and buyers.

[11:43] It may be time to begin thinking about live gigs again. It is certainly time to think about how you might proceed with any live gig situation. This is not the time to venture into playing live, unprepared. Consider your needs and plan appropriately. You just might be able to return to live gigs with greater confidence in your health and safety as well as all those with whom you work.

Let’s hope we’ll be returning to live gigs with live audiences sooner rather than later.
Your diligence in making your needs known will certainly help.