Normal for venue to provide for opener?

Milt Hathaway

Milt Hathaway

Junior
Jan 11, 2011
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Permian Basin
www.fitzcosound.com
Pardon my ignorance, but while I've done this for years I haven't been in this position. In addition to my normal day job (AV company owner) I work freelance at a new local 1800 seat performing arts center. The PAC doesn't have a TD, and as I have experience I've been helping them out.

Major "Nationwide" act is playing Friday at this venue. Headliner is bringing in all their own production (they'll use the venue's 'rack & stacks'). Yesterday I received from the promoter (through the venues production manager) a plot for the opening act and requirements. Three days before the show.

Finally, my question: Isn't it normal for the headliner's touring production to handle opening acts? No, I haven't contacted anyone yet as I just found out about the opener late yesterday. The venue has the necessary equipment (which I supplement if needed). I just haven't run into this before. I don't think the opener is actually touring with the headliner, so maybe the promoter is pulling a fast one here.

I know I'll probably have this settled before most of you have a chance to read this, but I'll still be interested in a consensus of what is 'normal'.
 
Re: Normal for venue to provide for opener?

In my experience, if the headliner is picking up different openers in each city, this is "how it's done"
A PITA for sure. don't count on a much more than a line check for the opener. You'll probably get hosed time-wise for a real souind check.
I had one "event" where we thought we were providing racks&stacks. Well, that's what the paperwork said. As the BE rolled in his 3K, he asked where the openers board was. "At the shop" was my first answer, followed by "I'll have one here in 10 minutes - Who's paying ?"
 
Re: Normal for venue to provide for opener?

Milt Hathaway said:
Pardon my ignorance, but while I've done this for years I haven't been in this position. In addition to my normal day job (AV company owner) I work freelance at a new local 1800 seat performing arts center. The PAC doesn't have a TD, and as I have experience I've been helping them out.

Major "Nationwide" act is playing Friday at this venue. Headliner is bringing in all their own production (they'll use the venue's 'rack & stacks'). Yesterday I received from the promoter (through the venues production manager) a plot for the opening act and requirements. Three days before the show.

Finally, my question: Isn't it normal for the headliner's touring production to handle opening acts? No, I haven't contacted anyone yet as I just found out about the opener late yesterday. The venue has the necessary equipment (which I supplement if needed). I just haven't run into this before. I don't think the opener is actually touring with the headliner, so maybe the promoter is pulling a fast one here.

I know I'll probably have this settled before most of you have a chance to read this, but I'll still be interested in a consensus of what is 'normal'.
Click to expand...

The answer to your question is no. The headline act will provide production to the support act only when they are being paid to provide it. How much, and for what gear/services is negotiated before a tour. For one-offs, it's almost unheard of.

It is up to the promoter to provide (read as: pay for) technical production. If an act is carrying production, you can bet the promoter is paying a 'production buy-out'. What the promoter is doing here, is getting the PAC to provide for the support act. And that may be legit depending on what gear and services come with the venue rent, or what the venue can arrange for the promoter as a billable item at settlement.

Sounds like the venue manager, you, and the promoter need to have a conference call.
 
Re: Normal for venue to provide for opener?

Tim McCulloch said:
Sounds like the venue manager, you, and the promoter need to have a conference call.
Click to expand...

No, I just need to know if this is normal. It makes more sense now. Would have been nice to know sooner, but at least I found out before load-in. It's a simple opener plot, so it can be handled.

Thanks for the help. I'm not used to seeing a situation like this from this angle.
 
Re: Normal for venue to provide for opener?

If I'm carry the support on my tour, I typically try to provide the necessary equipment for them. It's usually someone that works with us in the form of "we had something to do with their new record" and I end up mixing them as well because of stage co-habitation. As soon as the venue wants and/or demands an act of their choosing, then they have to assume all costs associated with that support act.
 
Re: Normal for venue to provide for opener?

If the tour is traveling as a package with headliner and support, then often production is shared. If the support act is picked up on a local basis, it is rare for the headliner to share production.
 
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