Scouting the Venue

This article is part of the Succeeding in the Performing Arts series. These questions were contributed in Scouting the Venue — a discussion on the Bose® Pro Portable PA Community

Questions to Ask When Scouting the Venue

General Questions

Most of these have been incorporated into the Who, What, When... model below.

• What volume is acceptable in this place?
• What external noise factors are there?
• Does the type of crowd change throughout the night? How quickly?
• Are there sound issues you weren't aware of?
• How far ahead of time can I set up? Is the stage area being used for something else before I play?
• I have my own PA.
  • Am I allowed to use it, or
  • do you insist on my using the one you have set up?
  • Is there a house sound-man?
• Which entrance do you prefer I bring my equipment through, and how far is it to the stage?
• If you won't be at the venue when I'm playing, who is my contact person, for pay and instructions?
• And of course:
  • How big is the stage?
  • IS there a stage?
  • Is it raised at all?
  • Do you have lighting of any kind?
  • How far away is the power?

Topical Break Down

You might use a different model based on a time line through the event, or centered around the physical layout. This is far from complete, but food for thought.

Who

• Who is in the audience?
  • Does the type of crowd change throughout the night? How quickly?
• Who do we talk to if there are issues?
• Who do we talk to to get paid?
• Who is running the sound system?
• Who else will need to access the stage?
  • Special events may have talkers, announcements, auctions, guest performers.

What

• What volume is acceptable in this place?
• What external noise factors are there?
• What kind of music are you expecting?
• What kind of sound system do you have?
• What kind of music do you play in the background?
• What kind of stage do you have?
  • How big is it?
  • Where is it?
  • Is it elevated?
• What is the dress code?
• What is your policy about food and drink for the performers?
• What is your policy about having non-paid performers on the stage?
• What is your policy about original music?
  • Are you paying a Performing Rights Organization to allow us to play copyrighted material? See: Why are they pickin' on us little guy venues?

When

• When can we gain access to the premises?
• When can we access the stage area?
• When will the audience arrive?

This can be important if this is a special event.

• When do we start playing?
• When do we take breaks?
• When will the announcements, events or speeches happen? (Special Events)
• When do we shut down?
  • Are encores okay?

Where

• Where do we park?
  • Is there a loading zone or loading bay?
• Where do we load in?
• Where do we store gear, bags, cases, anything that should not be visible on the stage?
• Where do you want us to go during the breaks? (the bar, the lounge, a "band" table).
• Where is the stage?
• Where are the electrical outlets?
  • What else is on the same circuits?
  • Are there any outlets that we should not use?
• Where does the sound have to be heard?
  • Is there any place where the sound will not be reachable from the stage? (outside, separate rooms, balconies)

Why

• Why does this venue have live music?
• Why are the people in the audience there?
• Why are you holding this event? (Wedding, Funeral, Concert, Party, ...)
  • Will there be photographers, video, recording?

How

• How big is the room?
• How big is the stage?
• How do we get paid?
• How do you want us to handle requests? (Happy Birthday?)
• How is the stage lit?
• How do you want us to access the stage?
  • Is there a set route through the venue.

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