As your career grows and bookings increase, organization becomes absolutely essential. When your booking is confirmed and signed by both parties, you want to keep a comprehensive record of everything necessary to ensure a smooth and professional performance. This is called a Booking Advance Sheet—a master checklist that serves as your complete guide for each show.
A Booking Advance Sheet should contain all the critical information about the event: travels, accommodation, schedule, venue details, merchandise arrangements, promoter contacts, agreement terms, marketing requirements, ticket information and links, and essential details about your performance. This comprehensive guide helps you navigate every aspect of your booking, from the moment you confirm the show until you've completed your performance and settled all post-show matters.
Why is this so important? Without proper organization, you risk missing crucial details like soundcheck times, load-in schedules, or contact information for key personnel. This can lead to stress, confusion, and unprofessional situations that damage your reputation. A well-maintained Booking Advance Sheet ensures you arrive prepared, know exactly who to contact for what, and can handle any situation that arises with confidence.
When your performance is done, we strongly recommend writing detailed notes about the show. How was the atmosphere? How did the staff treat you? Was the sound system adequate? Were there any issues with load-in or parking? Did the promoter follow through on their commitments? This information becomes invaluable when considering whether to return to this venue in the future, negotiating future deals, or sharing experiences with other artists. It also helps you build a database of reliable venues and promoters you can trust.
Make sure you save all these files—your Booking Advance Sheets, riders, agreements, and post-show notes—in a well-organized folder on your computer. Create a system that works for you, whether it's organized by date, venue name, or city. This documentation will serve as your professional archive and can be referenced for years to come.
Basic Information
- Stage
- Capacity
- Event Website
- Ticket Link
- Navigation Street
- Building Number
- Postalcode
- City
- Country
- Parking Notes
- Load In Notes
- Route Notes
- Distance Parking To Stage
Contacts
- Artist Handler Name, Phone Number and Email
- Stage Manager Name, Phone Number and Email
- Production Manager Name, Phone Number and Email
- Technical Director Name, Phone Number and Email
- Audio FOH Name, Phone Number and Email
- Light FOH Name, Phone Number and Email
- Tourmanager Name, Phone Number and Email
- Promotor Name, Phone Number and Email
- Supplier Light Name, Phone Number and Email
- Supplier Audio Name, Phone Number and Email
- Supplier Video Name, Phone Number and Email
- Supplier Backline Name, Phone Number and Email
- Contact Monitor Stage Name, Phone Number and Email
- Contact Video Name, Phone Number and Email
- Contact Marketing Name, Phone Number and Email
- Contact Driver Name, Phone Number and Email
Documents
- Parking Permit: Not Received / Received in Mail / Email
- Rider: Rider Sent / Rider Return / Rider Confirmed
- Hospitality Rider: Hospitality Rider Sent / Hospitality Rider Return / Hospitality Rider Confirmed
- Backline
Time Schedule
- Title
- Departure
- Load In
- Sound Check
- Doors Open
- Change Over
- Start Set
- End Set
Setlist
- 1. Artist - Song Title
Additional Information
- Timetable
- Remarks
- Catering
- Technical Information
- Dressing Room
- Audio
- Dresscode
- Light
- Merchandise
- Video
- Visa
- Backline
- Invoice Info
- SFX
- Press
- Set Recording
- Covid-19 Protocol
- Security