Our event was called Motown Evening held at Belgrave Music Hall. Our target audience was students from the Leeds area. The lineup featured multiple acts performing songs from the Motown era. Upon reflection, the event was a success. The crowd was engaged, the performances were , and the atmosphere reflected that. One of the acts was particularly well known in the Leeds area, and having them on the lineup played a significant role in attracting an audience and contributing to the event’s success.
This evaluation will cover all aspects of the event, both during the planning stages and on the day itself. It will explore what went well and identify areas where improvements could be made.
Event Evidence Video
Event Atmosphere
We set out to create a night built around nostalgia, offering an alternative to much of today’s music, which, in my opinion, can sometimes feel repetitive or lack emotional depth. From a personal perspective, this made the concept especially meaningful, as it created an opportunity to experience Motown music in a live setting. It was also nice to see how many others shared that appreciation. I didn’t think we would have such a strong turnout, particularly given that other events were taking place on the same day.
Audience engagement remained high throughout the event. Attendees were dancing and singing along, which showed they were enjoying the music. ‘Pockets’ divided the audience into two sections and encouraged a call and response, which felt like a friendly competition. This proved effective in maintaining energy levels across the room. There was also minimal movement in and out of the venue, suggesting that the audience stayed engaged and immersed in the experience. (Evidence Video)
Although we didn’t use additional decorations, it didn’t take anything away from the event. The venue regularly hosts Motown themed nights, so its existing aesthetic already complements the concept. In addition, we needed to be quick with load out, as another Motown event was scheduled immediately afterwards. While we did consider using some of the venue’s decorations, the organisers did not allow us.
One area for improvement was the delayed start. This was due to issues during the soundcheck, resulting in a 20-minute wait for guests upon arrival. While most attendees were understanding, one guest expressed frustration. I addressed this by speaking with them directly and managing expectations, which helped to resolve the situation and prevent further disruption.
Pictures 1A, B and C show the event atmosphere at the beginning of the show.
Box Office
On the night, our team rotated responsibilities at the box office. One person was responsible for scanning tickets and handling payments, while another distributed wristbands to guests. As shown in pictures 2A and B.
Picture 2C (me) I was responsible for managing a copy of the guest list, checking attendees in by verifying their ID and marking off their names on arrival. During the second half of the event, my role shifted to handling payments and giving wristbands to guests.
As the venue began to fill up, we decided to move the box office desk inside. This allowed us to continue managing entry while also being more present in the space and experience the event alongside the audience.
Security
In terms of security, the venue provided two security guards. One was positioned at the entrance, where he was responsible for checking IDs, bag searches, and monitoring entry and exit using a hand tally. He also checked wristbands as guests entered the venue to ensure only authorised individuals were allowed access. (3A)
The second security guard was inside the venue, on the left of the stage. His role was to maintain safety within the space, monitor the crowd, and check wristbands where necessary. He also ensured that only staff and artists could access backstage areas.
At the box office, we displayed a notice informing guests that filming and photography would be taking place. It also included a university contact, so anyone who felt uncomfortable or had concerns could raise them directly (3B)
Picture (3C) shows the group in discussion with the venue manager. Prior to the event, there had been some miscommunication, which resulted in an initial shortage of staff. However, this issue was resolved as additional staff were made available in time for the event.
During this meeting, we also confirmed the implementation of a wristband system consisting of three categories. Yellow wristbands were allocated to staff and artists, blue wristbands to general attendees, and orange and blue wristbands to guests under 18. The system worked really well, making it easy for both security and venue staff to quickly recognise who had access to what.
There were no incidents during the event. Guests were respectful, cooperative, and followed instructions from staff throughout the night. At the end of the event, clearing the venue was slightly challenging, as some guests were reluctant to leave. However, after being politely asked, they complied without issue. Overall, both the venue staff and security team were professional, cooperative, and easy to work with.
Health and Safety
Our risk assessment identified key hazards associated with a live music event and outlined control measures to minimise overall risk. Crowd congestion is managed through door staff, controlled entry, and clearly marked exits. Slips, trips, and falls are reduced through regular spill checks, cable covers as shown in (4A and 4B), and adequate lighting.
On the night, fire exits were clearly marked (4C) and communicated to guests at the start of the event. All instrument cases were stored in the green room to maintain clear backstage pathways, and all equipment was safely transported during load in and load out. Overall, these measures reduced both the likelihood and severity of incidents, ensuring a safe event environment.
Production
On the night, we had both a sound and lighting engineer to manage the technical aspects of the event. A soundcheck was carried out for each act to ensure levels were balanced, which was especially important given the variation in group sizes, ranging from a 4-piece to an ensemble of up to 20 performers. This helped maintain consistent sound quality throughout the night.
I think the sound was well managed, and I have no complaints. The band was not overpowering, and the vocals remained clear, demonstrating that the sound engineer handled the mix effectively. (5A and 5B)
In terms of lighting, we chose warm tones to complement the music and overall atmosphere (5C). Although there may not have been direct communication with the lighting technician beforehand, they executed the brief effectively. The house lights were turned off, with attention focused solely on the stage lighting. This enhanced the atmosphere and ensured that the audience’s focus remained on the performers.
There were no major technical issues. However, the soundcheck overran, which resulted in a delayed start. The sound engineer was apologetic, and despite this minor setback, the event ran smoothly overall.
Artist Liaison
Group members Alexy and Antonio were responsible for liaising with the artists prior to the event, agreeing on setlists and fees.
On the day, the event followed a structured schedule, including designated times for load-in, soundchecks, and performances. This helped maintain organisation and ensured each act had adequate preparation time before going on stage.
When the artists arrived, they were given a briefing and informed of the running order. During soundcheck, they were also asked if they required anything further to support their performance. Despite a minor issue where the lead singer of ‘Pockets’ was unwell, the backing vocalists stepped in effectively, and the performance was not negatively impacted.
Due to limited space, dressing room arrangements were adapted. The headline act, ‘Pockets’, was allocated one dressing room, while a second room was used to store instrument cases and equipment to keep backstage areas clear. While the artists were looked after and no complaints were received, it would have been beneficial to have a larger budget to provide snacks and light refreshments.
Pictures 6 B and C show group members commincating with the artists before the show. Cheaking if they were alright and explaining how the event would run. 6A is a picture from after the show, taylor was giving details about load out.
Stage Management
There was no designated stage manager on the day. However, responsibilities were informally shared. Antonio and Taylor communicated with the artists and ensured that soundchecks stayed on schedule. Antonio remained backstage for most of the event, coordinating cues and prompting acts when it was time to go on stage.
7A is a copy of the show running order that was backstage for the artists to see. So they would know when it was time to go on stage.
Due to the large size of the acts, additional stagehands were not required, as performers could manage their own instruments and equipment, including music stands. (7B and C)
Online Marketing
Instagram was the primary platform used to promote the event. As a team, we consistently shared and reposted the event poster on our individual stories to increase reach and visibility. To further boost engagement, we organised a giveaway in which a participant could win a vinyl, encouraging interaction and helping to spread awareness of the event, as show is 8A to C.
In addition to static posts, we shared video content of the performing artists so potential attendees could get a preview of what to expect, as show in 8D. This helped build excitement and gave the event more credibility.
Promotional Materials
As well as online promotion, we did some in person promotion with posters placed around the university campus to target students directly, as shown in 9A. We also hosted a promotional stand in the café bar, allowing us to engage with people face to face and answer any questions about the event, as show in 9B.
A significant portion of the promotion came through the headline act ‘Pockets’, whose Instagram page has the largest following among the artists. Leveraging their audience helped expand our reach beyond our immediate networks and contributed to overall engagement. (9E and F)
All in all, the combination of social media, live engagement, and artist-led promotion created an effective marketing strategy that successfully raised awareness of the event (9C and D)
Financial Outcomes
The event was financially successful we were able to generate a profit while covering all operational and artist costs. Ticketing for the event was split between online sales and on the door purchases. Early bird tickets were priced at £5, while general admission tickets were £8.68 (excluding fees). Tickets purchased on the door were priced at £10. As our target audience was primarily students, it was important to ensure that pricing remained affordable and accessible. At the same time, we needed to consider financial viability, ensuring we could at least break even while also paying the performers fairly.
In terms of improvements, I personally feel that I could have contributed more to promoting the event on my social media platforms. Increased promotion may have helped us reach a wider audience, potentially leading to a sell out. That said, I believe our ticket pricing strategy was effective. However, an additional final release ticket tier at around £15 could have been introduced to maximise revenue, particularly closer to the event date when demand was clearer.
Regarding expectations, I was confident that the event would be successful. The early bird tickets sold out quickly, indicating strong initial interest. Furthermore, one of the acts is well known within the Leeds area, and one of the band members was part of our group. He was confident that there would be strong attendance, which reassured the rest of the team. Even during discussions with our tutor, our ticket sales progress was positively received. In contrast, we were aware that other groups were struggling to sell tickets, which further reinforced our confidence in the event’s success.
