The Exact Cost of our Festivals

Gav and James dust off their old budget sheets and company accounts and crunch the numbers of running festivals over the past two decades.
How is it possible that in 2024 James paid more for diesel than the ENTIRE bill for Damnation 2005?
And it costs how much to have bins emptied!?
We get in about the pounds and pence.

[@martinfrost2918]

Telling real facts online is so refreshing. All power to the two of ya

[@2promoters1pod]

Clearly this pod didn't drop on July 25, as we recorded an unplanned pod in Mexico, for anyone scratching their heads.
Clown Core also cancelled after this, James hasn't forgotten. :)
Hit the thumbs up button. Comment and give us some stars on Spotify: linktr.ee/2promoters1pod

[@icewolf250]

Another great one, some really interesting information!

[@2promoters1pod]

Thanks for tuning in.

[@YvonneSmith-y5c]

Heroes ❤

[@Rabant777]

Love the transparency.
Unless mistaken, the implication is that the total budget of any of the 3 festivals is approx 60-65% of what a fully sold out event would bring in (unless that gross doesn't account for the cost of the ticketing).
Also, that the band budget is around 40-45% of the total budget.
So if I was to promote an event with a potential sell out capacity of 1,000 people, and ticket gross for that would be £20,000, I should work on an expectation of selling 65% so set a Toal budget to not exceed £13,000, of which I should set aside £5,850 for band fees......... hmmm I still can't afford Gaahl or whoever Gav was talking about.

[@MaxGriffinJames]

If your promoting a brand new event I wouldn't be expecting 65% sales. Nor would I be expecting to make a profit year one. Established events are going to be different.
And then there are the other revenue streams like merch sales, bar take, proportion taken on food sales ect

[@MRAMAZRBALLZZ]

Clown core conversation is very funny in hindsight

[@shaunmcsweeney9764]

Gavs julie Christmas jumper thats gotta be a merch idea

[@Shredface2112]

The Hunter came out in 2011! I remember that show well and Mastodon walked on stage to a tape of the intro to This Mortal Soil then proceeded to play most of the rest of Blood Mountain, which was their new material Gav referred to 🤣 then finished off with a couple from Leviathan. Might have been one of the best support slots I've ever seen.
Anyway, who gives a shit. Lovely ep as always.

[@2promoters1pod]

Help Gav buy The Blackening on vinyl: ko-fi.com/2promoters1pod

[@shaunmcsweeney9764]

From what ive heard lightning bolt are the simplest band to set up my mate saw them everywhere at atp i think theyd work for all 3 festivals

[@bobbysbits2575]

Lightning Bolt played ATG last year/year before? The drummer even used a heavier voice to align to the festival tone a bit more. Such pro's ❤

[@tgrules565]

I stage crew the New Blood stage at Bloodstock. 13 bands a day with 15 minute changeovers. In 11 years we've only had about 4 bands go on a few minutes late. Record from last band finished to next band line checked and ready to go is at 4 minutes!
We do have a damn good crew though

[@2promoters1pod]

That's very impressive sir and I'm sure the crew is great but you'd agree that's an entirely different worlds from what we do, right?
Those bands will accept pretty much anything they are told as they are just happy to be there.

[@tgrules565]

Oh for sure! Doesn't stop them trying to bring ridiculous technical riders because 'its Bloodstock' though. Especially some of the European black metal bands. There's a lot of negotiation and slimming down of the bands requests to fit into the 15 minute turnarounds. ​@@2promoters1pod

[@qtrmstrs]

Mentioning Carpenter Brut made me think that it would be ace to have John Carpenter play in the Forest! You know it makes sense!

[@tobysfig]

If Sikth are at Damnation next year then I'm half way to a ticket already

[@ryanburton4175]

black midi & BCNR would be siiiiiiick (also Squid)

[@Underdose86]

The irony of drop outs chat 😂

[@hairychris444]

Haha, having played a bunch of all dayers & other gigs with 15min changeovers.... Shared drumkit (own snare/cymbals/pedals), shared bass rig, shared cabs (own heads), 5ish mins for previous band to get off, mad dash to set up, line check and go... followed by lob all your shit offstage the minute you finish!
Completely impossible for any show with full equipment changeover. It's usually a push in a fucking pub.
EDIT: Oh yeah, also "Worse Things Happen At Sea" played solo is my favourite Frank T song. Love the early albums from what I can remember of those years!

[@danielspam]

The hunter came out after Crack the Skye, and its a great album

[@andrejg1981]

The other person in Boygenius is Lucy Dacus 😊