Advice on setting up 'Bonzo Bash' style event in UK

[BFrench501]

Hi guys,

I have just started up a new Led Zeppelin tribute in Leicester, England. We are called 'Hammer of the Gods' at the moment.

I am looking at all a manner of ways to get our name about and one I've fought of is trying to do a Bonzo Bash type event where I can get some of the counties best drummers to come together to celebrate John Bonham.

I was wondering if any of you have any practical advice for this sort of thing or if you have done something similar before?

This won't be involving any celebrity drummers like the NAMM events. Got doubts if such a thing will work because most drummers will want payment, which is annoying but there we go. I'd love for such an event to work well and grow year on year, so I could potentially invite well known players along.

Sorry for long post, hoping I can get some advice out of my ramblings. You can tell I'm not an organizer of events can't you?



Baz

 

[BFrench501]

Can one of the admin delete this please? If nobody can be bothered to reply or offer any help what is the point of leaving it up.

So frustrating!

 

[Pocket-full-of-gold]

Can one of the admin delete this please? If nobody can be bothered to reply or offer any help what is the point of leaving it up.

So frustrating!

You don't think that someone would help you if they thought they could offer any insight?

Come on mate. It's not like you're being blatantly ignored here is it. It's a pretty unique request that requires a pretty specific insight to offer anything meaningful for you, no? I wouldn't have a clue as to how to go about it and I can only guess that no one has either. I have no doubt it's frustrating, but there doesn't seem much point getting shitty because of it IMHO.

 

[Andy]

I have just started up a new Led Zeppelin tribute in Leicester, England. We are called 'Hammer of the Gods' at the moment.

I am looking at all a manner of ways to get our name about and one I've fought of is trying to do a Bonzo Bash type event where I can get some of the counties best drummers to come together to celebrate John Bonham.

I didn't see this thread until now.

if your primary motivation is to garner exposure for your band, that's almost certainly the wrong approach to organising a successful event. The focus has to be the event, not the default promotion of your band.

ok, some stuff. Most of the UK's top drummers are actually fairly predisposed to supporting drum events on a low cost / expenses basis, but there has to be something that draws them. This means putting some serious effort (& money) into venue, promotion, staging (show), & overall fan experience. Not least of all, top drummers will require a shit hot backing band, & so will a paying audience. Ask yourself seriously, is your band world class?

Once you have the basics covered, consult with the drumming media, & I mean every form of media. You need a great website too, & ticket portal, & don't forget all the permissions you'll require. Organising any event, but especially one with enough critical mass to progress, it a very big job, & not without considerable risk for the promoter.

 

[BFrench501]

You don't think that someone would help you if they thought they could offer any insight?

Come on mate. It's not like you're being blatantly ignored here is it. It's a pretty unique request that requires a pretty specific insight to offer anything meaningful for you, no? I wouldn't have a clue as to how to go about it and I can only guess that no one has either. I have no doubt it's frustrating, but there doesn't seem much point getting shitty because of it IMHO.

Probably not and I apologise for being perhaps a little impatient. There seems to be so many experts here I wrongly assumed someone would have something to say.

I didn't see this thread until now.

if your primary motivation is to garner exposure for your band, that's almost certainly the wrong approach to organising a successful event. The focus has to be the event, not the default promotion of your band.

ok, some stuff. Most of the UK's top drummers are actually fairly predisposed to supporting drum events on a low cost / expenses basis, but there has to be something that draws them. This means putting some serious effort (& money) into venue, promotion, staging (show), & overall fan experience. Not least of all, top drummers will require a shit hot backing band, & so will a paying audience. Ask yourself seriously, is your band world class?

Once you have the basics covered, consult with the drumming media, & I mean every form of media. You need a great website too, & ticket portal, & don't forget all the permissions you'll require. Organising any event, but especially one with enough critical mass to progress, it a very big job, & not without considerable risk for the promoter.

The more I reflect upon things, I don't believe promotion is the primary aim. The idea was born of trying to get the band to be more active and to gig at better venues.

I don't want to set this up as an event involving the likes of Gavin Harrison, Karl Brazil, Ian Paice, Bill Ward etc. I want this to be an event for the local drummers in Leicestershire who are well respected. Names that spring to mind are Tim Brown (Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash), Damon Clarridge, Dougie Wright, Lee Allerton and people like that who are very liked around Leicestershire.

Our band aren't world class, not a bunch of Sheehan/Gilbert/McAlpine types but they are decent enough players who are well rehearsed, but play with the passion that is lost on so many Led Zep tributes that play note for note and relatively static.

We just want to get a local-ish type event going at a popular club/bar/music venue. Not necessarily charge anything, but secure a small pot to pay expenses. Hoping that by attracting the big names in Leicester that people would come to watch them and we could have a fun night playing Zeppelin tunes.

I guess this kind of thing probably only works because it's done at NAMM, and because the pros are already there. Maybe it's not worth the headache as I'm not a promoter type but I want to try new things...