Books and Resources to Start Strong
The live music booking business requires knowledge across talent relations, event logistics, contract law, and business operations. These books provide the foundational understanding you need to navigate the industry professionally and avoid costly mistakes.
The Art of the Music Festival by Margaret Cooter
This book covers the full spectrum of festival planning, from artist selection and negotiation to audience development and risk management. Even if you’re booking individual venues rather than festivals, the principles of artist curation, scheduling, and stakeholder management directly apply to your booking operation. You’ll learn how experienced promoters think through logistics and artist fit.
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The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
Understanding what makes talent valuable and how to recognize it is central to booking. Coyle explores how people develop deep skill, which directly informs how you’ll evaluate artists, understand their trajectory, and make booking decisions that serve both the artist and your venue. This book sharpens your eye for genuine talent versus hype.
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Booking Sec 101: A Practical Guide to Music Booking by Matt Kane
Kane’s guide is practical and specific to music promotion and booking. It covers contract basics, artist relations, promotion strategy, and the day-to-day work of moving shows from concept to sold-out event. This is one of the few books written specifically for bookers rather than general music business professionals.
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This Business of Concert Promotion and Touring by Marc Hoag
Hoag provides detailed insight into the business mechanics of live music—how money flows, where risks sit, and how to structure deals that protect you and your artists. Understanding concert economics is essential whether you’re booking a 200-capacity room or a 2,000-seat venue.
Shop This Business of Concert Promotion and Touring on Amazon →
Equipment You Need
A live music booking business is primarily a relationship and logistics operation, not a heavily equipment-dependent business. Your core tools are digital: communication platforms, contracts, ticketing systems, and financial tracking. Physical equipment needs are minimal but important for professionalism and efficiency.
Computer and Software Setup
- Laptop or desktop computer: You’ll spend significant time managing artist communication, contracts, ticket sales, and promotion. A reliable machine is non-negotiable. Windows or Mac both work; choose based on your preference and existing ecosystem.
- Spreadsheet software: Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel for booking calendars, artist rosters, payment tracking, and financial projections. Industry standard and essential for organization.
- Email service: Gmail or Outlook for professional communication. You’ll want a business email address (yourname@yourbookingcompany.com), which requires domain registration.
- Document management: Google Drive or Dropbox for storing and sharing contracts, promotional materials, and artist information. Cloud backup is important for business continuity.
Communication Tools
- Phone (smartphone): A reliable mobile device for calls, texting, and messaging with artists and venue owners. Many deals close over phone conversations, so reliability matters.
- Headphones or earbuds: You’ll review demo recordings and listen to artist submissions regularly. Quality audio helps you evaluate music fairly. Studio headphones aren’t necessary, but decent over-ear or quality wireless options improve your ability to hear detail.
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Office and Administrative Supplies
- Printer: A basic inkjet or laser printer for contracts, promotional materials, and occasional hard copies. Many venues and artists still prefer signed paper contracts.
- External hard drive: 1-2TB drive for backing up contracts, agreements, and artist information. Protect your business data against computer failure.
- Filing system: Folders (physical or digital) organized by artist, venue, date, and show type for easy contract and document retrieval.
- Business cards: Professional printed cards with your contact information. You’ll hand these out at venues, festivals, and industry events.
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Ticketing and Payment Processing
Your ticketing and payment system is critical infrastructure. Most booking businesses use third-party platforms rather than building their own. Eventbrite, Ticketmaster’s artist tools, Songkick, or Ticketweb handle ticket sales, attendee data, and payment processing. You’ll pay 5-10% in fees, but this is standard across the industry and worth the infrastructure you gain.
Audio Equipment for Live Events
If you’re booking venues that don’t have sound systems, or if you’re producing your own shows, you’ll need basic sound gear. This depends heavily on venue size and your model.
- PA system (powered speakers): For smaller venues (under 300 capacity), a pair of 12-15″ powered speakers ($400-1,500 per pair) handles most solo and duo performances.
- Microphone set: Basic dynamic mics for vocals and instruments. Shure SM58 is the industry standard for live vocals.
- Mixer: Connects microphones and instruments to your PA. A 4-8 channel mixer gives you flexibility without excessive complexity.
- Cables and stands: XLR cables, microphone stands, and instrument cables. Buy quality here—cheap cables fail mid-show.
- Monitor wedges: Small speakers on stage so performers can hear themselves. Critical for show quality.
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What to Buy First vs Later
Phase your equipment purchases to match your business stage. You don’t need everything on day one.
- Month 1: Laptop, phone, spreadsheet software, cloud storage, domain registration, email setup, and business cards. This $1,000-2,000 investment enables you to operate professionally while building your roster.
- Month 2-3: Ticketing platform account (usually free to set up, fees only on sales), printer, filing system. Add a basic website through Squarespace or Wix ($150-300/year).
- Month 3-6: Sound equipment only if your business model requires it (you’re promoting your own shows rather than just booking existing venues). A quality PA and mixing setup costs $2,000-5,000 but can wait until revenue justifies it.
- Ongoing: Professional development through industry conferences, networking events, and continuing education. Budget $500-1,500 annually once you’re established.
New vs Used Equipment
For computer equipment and software, buy new. You need reliability, warranty protection, and current technology. Used laptops may have unknown issues or hardware degradation that creates frustration and lost productivity. Computers are your primary business tool—treat them as such.
For audio equipment, used gear is reasonable if you’re buying from reputable sources. A used Shure SM58 microphone works as well as a new one and costs $20-40 less. Used powered speakers from established brands like QSC, JBL, or Behringer hold up well if they’ve been maintained. Buy used through Reverb, eBay, or local musicians who know the equipment history. Avoid mystery speakers from unknown sources—you need reliability during shows.
Never buy used headphones or earbuds. Sound quality degrades with use, and you can’t verify hygiene. Headphones cost $50-200 new—reasonable insurance against ear issues and poor equipment performance.
Where to Buy
- Amazon: Fast shipping, good return policy, and broad selection. Competitive prices on most items.
- B&H Photo Video: Excellent for audio and computer equipment. Knowledgeable staff and reliable shipping. No sales tax to some states.
- Sweetwater: Specializes in audio and music equipment. Exceptional customer service and easy returns. Often price-matches competitors.
- Reverb.com: Marketplace for new and used musical instruments and audio gear. Good for vintage or specialty equipment and finding used audio gear.
- Local audio/music shops: Support local businesses. They often know your venue needs and can recommend equipment suited to your specific market.
- Direct from manufacturers: Shure, JBL, QSC, and others sell directly and sometimes offer better pricing than retailers for larger orders.
- Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist: Local used equipment, often at lower prices. Inspect in person and test before buying.