ADVANCING THE SHOW

To "Advance" a show simply means you will connect with the tour contact person a few weeks prior to the performance to go over the needs of the performer and confirm load in times etc. An advance is critical to both parties knowing exactly what should be expected of each other on the day of the show and a good advance will make for a smooth stress-free presenting experience. OSAC bookings in general do not require much to advance. The main items you will want to cover are:

• load in time
• start time
• number of helpers needed to set up
• and any technical and hospitality requirements an artist may have.

Tech and Hospitality riders from artist make this process easy but I would always caution presenters from just getting everything on the rider. I would strongly urge presenters to confirm any items that are an out-of-pocket expense to be sure you are not spending money unnecessarily.

No Riders provided

As many OSAC tours call on the artist to provide tech, there is not usually much to discuss there. However, it is always a good idea to confirm with the artist what they might need for hospitality or if there are any dietary restrictions. Serving the artist tea, coffee, water and a fruit/veggie or sandwich platter is never a bad idea.

Very specific or exorbitant riders

If the hospitality rider is very specific in terms of the items they ask for I would suggest again confirming with the artists if the items are required. If it is a dietary concern, I may suggest agreeing to provide a buyout so the artist can determine what items they want to have. This can be a wise move if there is a severe allergy or some other dietary restriction or if you think the items may be difficult to provide in your community. Please let the artist know if this is the case so they may make plans to try and shop in one of the larger centers while on tour.

In the case where an artist is asking for what seems like an exorbitant amount of hospitality, please confirm these items with the artist. If they can provide solid reasons for providing then perhaps you can provide, but if it seems very wasteful don't be afraid to ask them to remove some items r ask what they really need.

Local knowledge

Its always a good idea to provide touring artist with a bit of local knowledge. Is the hotel they booked ok? Is there a really good restaurant in town? Will they need to get gas before 5:00 PM? What will be the best roads to take to get to the next performance?

All these items help to strengthen the OSAC reputation in the touring world. Artist have long raved about the hospitality and kindness of OSAC presenters. It is some of these details that make touring with OSAC a highly sought-after endeavor for artists.

You can use the word file below as a checklist for advancing.