Unspoken agreement between scene folks.
Think back to a concert you attended; could be a current one or a favorite that sticks out in your mind. Now the bigger question: do you remember the opening band at all?
If not, that’s a bit of an issue. Granted, most go to local and out of town gigs just for the headliners alone, but the openers are just as important. They help in setting the tone for the overall gig and gets the crowd hyped for the main act. If they do their job correctly, the openers can add to their fanbase. On the flip side, if the band bombs outright, the repercussions are small but memorable in the worst ways. Now this is where the unspoken agreement is vital. When a promoter takes a chance on doing a show, it really is just that. Taking a shot to bring good music to whatever city they currently reside and making a good impression on all those involved. Money changes hands and a tentative trust is built up. The openers trust the promoter to bring on people that are 100% on their game.
If a promoter thinks highly enough of a band to bring you on with a national or even an international act, you better do your damnedest to show up and show out. And why is that? Well, the promoter trusts you to do your job. The fans inadvertently trust you do put on a great show because you happen to be opening for one of their favorite groups. Lastly, the headliners trust you to do well because the promoter thought enough of you to bring you into the gig. That’s a lot riding on the openers, but us performers seem to come alive when the odds are stacked against us.
Did you know there’s also an unspoken agreement between concert goers and promoters as well? There is, and allow me to fill you in on it. Promoters want you to come to the ENTIRE SHOW. Not just the headliners, but the full show; from start to finish. When fans ask what time each band is going on, it’s quite rude whether most know it or not. Each band deserves a chance to be heard out. Some have traveled a long way just to play the one show and go back home. Speaking from experience, it’s disheartening to see people ask when other bands go on under the pretense of getting there “when the show gets good.” Promoters rely on the attendance of concert goers to encourage more bands to give their chosen city a shot as a viable scene town. When people ask things like that, it’s doing everyone a disservice. So keep that in mind when someone happens to utter the dreaded phrase, “the scene is dead since there are no shows coming up.” Please show them this as a reminder that we all have a job to do to keep our janky DIY scene together. Uphold your end of the agreement.