Mastering Event Booking: From Big Names to Tribute Bands

Festival Soup

In this episode of Festival Soup, host Mike Baxter interviews Glenda Black from TSE Entertainment. Glenda shares her journey from a high school teacher to managing a successful talent booking agency and offers insider advice on booking top talent for fairs, festivals, and rodeos. They dive into the decision-making process, the role of an agency, contract nuances, and the rising popularity of tribute bands. This episode is a must-listen for event organizers looking to elevate their talent booking game and ensure smooth, successful shows.

Key Points:

- [0:42] Glenda Black’s Journey from Teaching to Entertainment

Glenda discusses her background and how she took over her father’s business, rebranding it as TSE Entertainment in 2018.

- [3:01] Why Hire a Booking Agency?

Glenda explains the benefits of working with a professional agency like TSE to save time, leverage industry relationships, and secure better pricing.

- [6:15] Budgeting and Audience Considerations

A key part of booking talent is understanding your audience and working within a budget, considering the type of event and target demographic.

- [8:05] The Offer Process and Booking National Acts

Glenda breaks down the official offer process, emphasizing the importance of booking headliners first and using an expiration date for offers.

- [9:45] Navigating Contracts and Riders

Contracts often come with non-negotiable clauses like bad weather policies and stage requirements, but many other elements of the rider can be discussed or modified.

- [16:15] Advancing the Show: Essential Communication

Glenda explains the importance of clear communication between event organizers and artists to ensure logistics like ground transportation, meal plans, and meet-and-greets run smoothly.

- [22:12] The Growing Popularity of Tribute Bands

Tribute bands are a budget-friendly and popular option for events, allowing attendees to enjoy familiar songs and iconic performances from acts like The Beatles and Taylor Swift.

Quotable Moments:

- [2:36] "I left teaching and didn’t know the first thing about booking, but I grew up in the music world. It was a great fit, and I haven’t looked back." – Glenda Black

- [9:03] "Always put an expiration date on offers; it keeps the process moving and avoids limbo." – Glenda Black

- [21:23] "If the artists are fed well, they will remember that more than anything else." – Glenda Black

Links Mentioned:

• TSE Entertainment: https://tseentertainment.com/
• Texas Festival and Tourism Consulting: https://texasfestivalandtourismconsulting.com/

Thanks for listening to Festival Soup! If you're new to booking or looking for ways to streamline the process, make sure to visit TSE Entertainment's website for more tips and insights. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for more expert interviews, and leave us a review on your favorite platform!