SHR6E037P~002 Portfolio: Event Evaluation
Event Evaluation
Event Evidence Video
Event Atmosphere
My role during the event was to facilitate changeovers, supporting audience engagement by monitoring crowd response, flow and the overall progression of the night. At the beginning of the event, particularly for the first band performance, the audience attendance was notably low, as can be seen in Figure 1, where there is minimal crowd presence. The result of this meant there was low audience participation and minimal atmosphere upon opening.
However, as the event progressed, there were notable increases in audience attendance and audience participation, especially in the latter half of sets/ performances, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. This contributed to more energetic movement and audience participation, as shown in the final performance in Figure 4.
Despite this improvement, the venue ceased to hit full capacity, which restricted the atmosphere’s potential. This highlights that we were reliant on the latter acts to bring engagement and energy as opposed to aiming for consistency throughout the night. While this was effective in this context, in the future, we could implement strategies such as bringing in stronger opening acts/ incentives to bring in an audience from the start, rather than halfway through the event.
The bands generally complemented each other as there was a diverse set of music across the night; the running order could have been structured with more thought to ensure that each band interlinks with another, rather than jumping from style to style. In terms of the venue capabilities and the services that they offered were not as great as planned. Therefore, for future events, I would look for a venue with every amenity within proximity/ same level to keep audience members in the same room.
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Box Office
In conjunction with my role, I was back and forth from the box office, supporting both departments throughout the night. As seen in Figure 5, you can see our station at the top of the stairs, where we were signing people in. Followed by a filming notice attached to the box office table, seen in Figure 6. Although the entry system remained functional throughout the night, initial attendance was low. This was likely due to pre-show ticket conversion rates with our 2-for-1 early bird ticket offer gaining less traction as planned.
Although we had a smooth entry point, there were signs of low audience engagement in the earlier stages, as mentioned before. However, later in the event, we began picking up some traction, as seen in Figure 7, where we were seeing some audience engagement. Although we could’ve had a better system to separate those on the guestlist, artists and the audience.
Although the initial entry system worked for this event, we could upgrade our entry/ ticketing system by hiring a venue with a separate box office to manage customer entry more effectively, as opposed to a table and a chair. We could’ve also begun promoting the event from an earlier date to gain more traction, therefore bringing in a larger audience.
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Security
Security for the event focused on maintaining a safe space for both artists and audience members throughout the night. Security focused on a combination of surveillance, controlled access and emergency systems. As seen in Figure 8, the green room offered a safe space for artists to prepare and store their belongings securely. This is important for ensuring the artist’s safety and reducing the risk of unauthorised access.
There were external surveillance systems throughout the building, as seen in Figure 9, which were monitoring entry and exit points primarily at the back of the venue. The presence of active surveillance acted as a deterrent and a platform for identifying potential issues. This contributed towards the safety and security of the event. In Figure 10, we can see the use of an emergency alarm system, which demonstrates that security measures were in place around the venue. This also demonstrates that they were prepared for potential incidents.
While these systems were in place, we heavily relied on the use of passive security rather than physical. Additionally, for future events, we should seek to provide physically visible trained security as opposed to relying on passive security.
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Health and Safety
Health and safety measurements were implemented in line with the group’s risk assessment, as seen in Figure 11. These included maintaining fire exits were clear both indoors and outdoors, as seen in Figures 12 and 13, demonstrating adherence to safety guidelines. However, although there were safety measures in place, there was minimal active monitoring throughout the event, which showed that we were reliant on the planning as opposed to real-time monitoring.
However, although there were no incidents during the event, this highlights an area for improvement in active risk management. As a reflective point, we could assign health and safety roles throughout the team to ensure that we are continuously evaluating possible health and safety concerns and acting upon them instantly. If the event was to get busier, we could’ve also implemented a cap to prevent overcrowding as well as maintain breathable spaces throughout the audience. Additionally, if the event got busier, we could’ve implemented a barrier or line to separate the audience from getting too close to the stage.
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Production
Production’s primary focus was to deliver consistent sound and enhance visuals throughout lighting. This can be seen in Figure 14, where the stage is equipped with various equipment such as amps, monitors, drum kit, microphones and stands. This shows that our infrastructure facilitates the needs for multiple bands. This suggests that the event had the necessary baseline to run effectively.
In Figure 15, we can see the use of lighting and smoke to create an immersive/ cohesive environment. This was intentional to create a dynamic atmosphere. However, throughout the performances, the lighting remained static in colour with minimal changes/ movement, reducing the overall impact.
Furthermore, Figure 16 shows the stage in use, highlighting consistency throughout performances due to shared backline. Although production was efficient, it lacked technical refinement. For future performances, we should focus on implementing a structured sound check and start earlier to ensure that the sound check runs as smoothly as possible. Additionally, pre-programming lighting scenes and smoke cues would drastically improve future performances by improving the audience experience.
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Artist Liaison
Artist liaison involved communicating and facilitating needs for the performers and ensuring clarity on the information provided. As shown in Figure 17, communication with the first opening band lead member demonstrates my direct involvement with resolving logistical issues regarding travel and hotels on the day of the event. This included offering to help with hotel costs on the day to ensure the band could attend. This therefore demonstrates a flexible and proactive approach to artist liaison, where decisions were made on the day to ensure bands could attend.
Figure 18 shows the first band performing during the event despite earlier logistical difficulties on the day. In conjunction with Figure 17, this demonstrates that effective communication on the day of the event meant that the artist was able to attend and perform successfully. This underlines the importance of effective artist liaison, especially when managing unforeseen circumstances during the event. Additionally, Figure 19 shows a signposted designated green room space restricted for the use of artists. This shows how the artists were managed on the day by providing them a space to prepare and relax that was excluded from the audience. Alongside figures 17 and 18, this demonstrates clear processes of coordination on the day.
Although communication was effective, we utilised informal methods to communicate agreements and event details with the artists; therefore, for future events, we should adopt a professional tone and communicate via email or other professional forms of communication. In addition to this, we could have had greater consideration for artist hospitality and provide them with refreshments and snacks while in the green room to make their stay more comfortable.
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Stage Management
Stage management was focused on the coordination of performances to ensure consistency. Figure 20 shows the pre-configured stage setup we were using, which was shared backline. This included a central drum kit, amps, monitors and microphones, except for breakables and pedals, which bands supplied. This highlights organisation as it prevented full setup changes between bands.
Additionally, Figure 21 displays the running order that was displayed backstage, so artists knew when they were on stage and off stage to prevent slipovers. Figure 22 displays the stage in use, which highlights the minimal changes that happened between sets, which enforces the effective use of the shared backline.
However, despite previous planning, the flow of events was restricted at times. Therefore, the suggestion is that changeovers could have been stricter. This was due to being unaware of disability requirements with one of the bands performing, which meant that they needed an additional 10 minutes on top of their 15 minutes to set up due to this. This meant that bands went over schedule, leading to shorter sets. For future performances, we should ensure we are notified of any requirements beforehand so we can accommodate and give more time if needed.
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Online Marketing
Online marketing focused on promoting the event through artist-led and external channels. In Figures 23, 24 and 25, we can see that band-led posts were used to promote the event. This was effective, as we leveraged the bands’ existing fan bases to draw attention. Additionally, in Figure 26, we utilised the venue’s page to promote the event, which contributed to the event’s credibility and enabled us to be featured in their weekly newsletter.
In Figures 27 and 28, our event was listed on our ticket page and featured on the Leeds Gig Guide, which put our event on another frequently viewed platform and on a ticket site where members of the public could discover it.
Although we used various platforms to promote the event, the conversion rate was low, suggesting a limited overall impact. For future events, we could implement a stronger, targeted marketing campaign to focus on target demographics. This would utilise scheduled countdown posts and short-form videos (including artist introductions and rehearsal videos), which would greatly improve engagement and ticket conversion.
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Promotion
Promotion involved the creation and distribution of physical promotion materials such as flyers and posters to gain attraction and awareness. Figure 29 shows this in effect within the university campus, as we were targeting a student demographic, and our event was primarily targeted towards students. Although this was effective, it may have been limited in reaching more students. Figure 30 shows an event poster situated on the entrance to the venue as a form of on-the-day marketing to attract passersby. Figures 31 and 32 then show us utilising the same on-the-day promotion but across the box office and the bar area to attract those currently in the bar, but also to the audience from the other event situated in the same building.
Although we utilised different areas for promotion, our overall reach was limited. For future events, we would broaden our reach and target different universities and accommodation (where applicable), which would improve effectiveness. Additionally, we could target student hotspots around the city to further improve our reach and potential engagement. Furthermore, promotion could be developed even further through creation, such as artist spotlights, as well as by writing to the local press and seeking to be featured on different radio stations, which would increase visibility across multiple platforms and reach a wider audience.
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Financial Outcomes
The financial outcome is determined through the settlement. Figure 33 shows us that income was primarily sourced from door ticket sales, followed closely by advance tickets. Despite this, the income was limited. This was evident through a capped audience and low conversion rates within promotions, which led us to struggle to fill half the venue space. This shows a direct struggle between audience attendance and financial outcome. Figure 33 also shows that we had little to no additional costs associated with the night aside from artist fees and venue hire, which meant we had more room for a profitable night, but this was limited due to our conversion rate.
Overall, the financial outcome was impacted heavily due to our decision to increase artist payouts crossed with the venue hire fee. In future, we would look to include a popular band as an opener to facilitate early entry, which would convert to a higher profit. In addition to this, we could operate a tiered ticketed system in conjunction with early bird incentives to boost earlier engagement and improve cash flow before the event. Finally, improving marketing strategies and utilising alternative revenue streams such as early incentives would improve future profitability.
