APPENDIX: Live show checklist and resources for musicians
Before the Show
1. Make sure that you have a written performance agreement with the venue before the show.
The venue will normally arrange this, but if they don’t, write one yourself and give it to the venue to sign. At a minimum, the performance agreement should outline:
- The performance date, your performance fee and terms of payment, load-in and sound- check times, playing times and support acts.
- Whether you or the venue are responsible for providing a sound technician.
- Fees for venue hire or per paying customer.
- Door deal and band rider (food and drinks).
See this checklist for a good example.
2. Ask venue management whether they have any special requirements for live performances at their venue.
3. Establish who will be responsible for promoting the show.
4. Provide the venue with your press kit for their website:
- Hi res 300dpi photo
- Short bio (100 words)
- Video footage via youtube link
- Social media links
5. Make sure that the venue has your poster at least a month prior to the show.
6. If you are using an in-house sound technician, call them at least a week before the show to confirm load-in and sound-check times and provide them with your stage plot.
On the Night
1. At the start of the event, it is respectful to offer an ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ or if budget allows, book an elder from the local area to perform a ‘Welcome to Country’. For more information, see pg 52.
2. If you are headlining the show, make sure your support acts know what time they are required to be at the venue and when they need to be on and off the stage. It is your
responsibility to ensure the night runs on time.
3. If you are a support act, play within the prescribed set times.
4. If the venue doesn’t provide a door person you will need to organise your own.
5. Set up your merchandise table and check that the bar staff is aware of your rider requirements.
6. Be aware that the venue may wish to settle the door takings on the night.
7. Keep noise to a minimum when loading out to avoid disturbing the venue’s neighbours.
After the Show
1. Send a tax invoice with your ABN
to the venue booker. Generally, a 14-day settlement term is standard. If you were treated well by the staff and had a great show, make sure to express your gratitude.
2. Here is a Tax Fact Sheet that may help you to decide how you wish to set up your band or solo act and whether requirements such as GST are applicable to you.
3. If your compositions are original, remember to lodge a live performance return with the Australian Performing Right Association (APRA).
Acknowledgement Of Country and Welcome to Country Resources
A Welcome to Country ceremony is performed by Aboriginal Traditional Owners for people visiting their Country. An Acknowledgement Of Country is a respectful way to acknowledge the traditional land owners and can be delivered by anyone, Indigenous or non-Indigenous.
The resources below provide further information on best practices in this area.
Land Councils
Reach out to the Land Council for your area to receive information regarding the Traditional Owners of the Country on which your venue/festival operates. You can make contact with the Traditional Owners to discuss an Acknowledgment of Country or to receive the appropriate wording for a Welcome to Country.
Northern Land Council (Top End)
Central Land Council (Central Australia)
Tiwi Land Council (Tiwi Islands)
Anindilyakwa Land Council (Groote Archipelago)
Reconciliation Australia
https://www.reconciliation.org
Reconciliation Australia has created this short PDF document outlining the differences between an Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country and explaining the importance of incorporating them into events/functions.
Indigenous Protocols And The Arts by Terri Janke and Company
https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/funding/indigenous-cultural-protocols-and-the-arts/
Indigenous Cultural Protocols and the Arts is a book of case studies that are based around the Australia Council of the Arts Indigenous Protocols. Indigenous Cultural Protocols and the Arts includes:
- Principles of the Protocols
- Artform Specific Case Studies
- Checklist for working with Indigenous people and content
- Examples of Forms e.g: Community approval form.
Resources
Arts Law Centre of Australia (ALCA)
The ALCA is a not-for-profit company that provides legal advice and information on a range of arts related matters, including contracts, copyright, defamation, insurance and taxation. Visit www.artslaw.com.au
Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN)
AMIN advocates on the behalf of its members and state and territory music industry associations. The AMIN website features several handy fact sheets and checklists for both venues and musicians. Visit amin.org.au for fact sheets and checklists, go to Projects > Music Industry Legal Pack
LISTEN
LISTEN exists to spark and cultivate a conversation from a feminist perspective around the experiences of marginalised people in Australian music. LISTEN also work closely with SLAM on the Live Music Sexual Harassment Taskforce. Visit www.listenlistenlisten.org.
Live Performance Australia (LPA)
LPA is the peak body for Australia’s live entertainment and performing arts industry. LPA’s activities centre around workplace relations, policy and strategy, and membership
services and events. The LPA website includes useful links to industry codes and guidelines, including Safety Guidelines for the Entertainment Industry. Visit www.liveperformance.com.au
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA)
The MEAA is a union and professional organisation that covers people working in the media, entertainment, sports and arts industries. The MEAA offers a range of services to members, including legal advice and industrial representation. Visit https://www.meaa.org/
MusicNT
MusicNT is the peak body for contemporary music in the Northern Territory. MusicNT’s mission is to support the growth and development of the contemporary music industry in the Northern Territory and they do that through a suite of programs that support and encourage NT musicians to create and export their music to the world as well as working to grow the NT music industry. Visit www.musicnt.com.au
Musician’s Union Australia (MUA)
The MUA provides a range of services for its members, including free copyright and contract advice, free legal and financial advice, and discounted instrument and equipment insurance. Visit www.musiciansunion.com.au/