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Acklen Acoustic Songwriter Showcase Info:

 

Acklen Acoustic Songwriter Showcases are a brand of concerts focused on an artist’s songwriting in an intimate setting with high-end sound quality. Artists from every genre are encouraged to perform with us. As long as you have great songs, and understand the brand of our showcase, we want you to perform. We’re focused on creating an overall experience for our listening room audience that “wows” them, and a production experience for our artists that allows them to perform freely through our sound.

 

Down to business: 

 

The ticket profit split is 65% (artists) / 35% (production/promotions/staff). Of the artists’ 65%, the headliner earns 38% and the support artist earns 27%, unless acts agree on something different ahead of time. There are 50 in-person tickets for sale and an unlimited number of streaming tickets. Ticket price is negotiable between headlining artist and promoter. Currently, that minimum is looking like $15 in person and $10 streaming. Artists keep 100% of their merch.

 

Tickets

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We are using Ticketleap for all of our ticket purchases. Whether people show up in person w/o tickets, or buy tickets in advance, they will go through Ticketleap so we can remain cashless and transparent in our accounting. Ticket leap will take fees, so our advertised ticket price will reflect the fees included. This way, our audience can avoid surprise fees. For example, an advertised $15 ticket generates $13.25 to go towards the show split after fees are taken internally. Please ask for more clarity if you need it.

 

Show Run Down

 

Our songwriter showcases are not only an in person event, they are also a live streamed broadcast. This means structure. Shows will start on time at 8PM and end before 9:30PM. Our support act will be introduced at 8:00PM and will play for 25 minutes. Then there will be a ten minute intermission, followed by the introduction of the headlining act who will play 35 minutes. We want you to play your best 6-8 songs, put your best foot forward, give yourself the best chance at gaining fans, and leave your audience wanting more. This is a showcase, not a gig. Plus, your hourly pay should be much better than an all night bar gig if you promote your showcase well. We’re going to value art as a part of the Acklen Acoustic brand. 

 

A quick note: Support acts are not allowed to have more production than the headliner. It must be equal or less. We will coordinate this. Shows should grow in production as the evening goes on, not shrink. It affects the energy of the evening. 

 

Extras

 

Barring a random failure out of our control, we will have a video recording of your performance that we will deliver to you within 48 hours of your performance. You may do with it what you please. Please understand that by playing our showcase, you agree to allow us to post clips and photos of your performance to our socials to further promote you and our showcase. When available, we may have photographs of your show that we will share with you as well. Feel free to bring your own photographer as well.

 

Our Stage and Gear:

 

Our small elevated stage could possibly fit up to 3 people standing, depending on comfort levels. Keep this in mind as you plan how to showcase your songs in our setting. This is a two monitors, two mains, and two subs set up. If you can function with one monitor that means more space for you on stage. Also, we can accommodate in-ear monitors if you have your own in-ear monitor system. Using in-ear monitors, instead of stage monitors, will greatly improve the sound quality due to less reflections in our small space, and that also gives you the whole stage to perform on. We most likely have the mics, stands, and DI Boxes to accommodate anything you can fit on our stage.

 

Quality Control:

 

Part of the Acklen Acoustic brand is next level sound quality. Although the sound of the show will be a collaboration between the engineer and the artist, the engineer has final say on equalization and volume, including volume and equalization of guitar amps. We will mic your amp, and add it to the monitor mix if needed. However, in small spaces, the stage volume is a part of the main mix. Too much monitor level means a muddy main mix with no clarity in our sound scenario. If you need to play a loud show, or are unable to play with appropriate dynamics to fit the room, then we’re unable to book you for Acklen Acoustic showcases. It’s nothing personal, and we're happy to help you with recommendations for more appropriate venues. Loud and harsh is not going to be a part of our brand. Full, warm, clear, studio quality sound in a live setting, is going to be our brand.

 

That said, there are some instruments that will adversely affect artist showcases in our current venue. Here is a list of instruments we recommend, and a list of instruments we will not allow:

 

Instruments Recommended
 

  1. Any acoustic stringed instrument (guitar, cello, violin, etc.)

  2. Any keyboard, or synthesizer, with a quarter inch output including MPC’s and turntables

  3. Cajon, or other percussion that does not contain loud overtones in the mid range

  4. Shakers, Foot tambourine, Stomp box, etc.

  5. Upright Bass or Electric Bass (with appropriate amp size for space)

  6. Accordion or any wind based instruments (flute, clarinet, etc.)

  7. Electronic Drums

  8. Laptop tracks, although something must be played live, we will need to discuss

 

Instruments/Speakers Not Allowed

 

  1. Drum Kit

  2. Conga/Djembe, or any percussion that has a high volume and strong mid overtones

  3. Keyboard Amp

  4. Hand played tambourine

  5. Megaphone, or anything without volume control that would be too harsh for small spaces

  6. Leslie Cabinet and similar

 

Anything not listed here needs to be discussed with, and approved by, the promoter.


 

What we need from you!

 

  1. Required: Artist photos that we will use for email blasts, adverts, social posts, and the live stream broadcast

  2. Suggested: Music videos or live performance videos we can share on our socials, emails, and advertisements to promote your showcase

  3. Suggested: Any promotional content you’d like to create specifically promoting your showcase - perhaps a show announcement, or simply saying hello and telling our audience to buy tickets to your showcase and what to expect at it. Anything that could help our audience begin to get to know you and make them want to know more! 

  4. Required: You’re responsible for bringing your own instrument cables to your showcase 

  5. Suggested: Our radius clause - We’d appreciate that you not book a show within 15 days before, or 9 days after, your date with us within a 10 mile radius around the venue (currently Otherlands Coffee Bar 641 S. Cooper St. Memphis, TN 38104). There are always exceptions, but playing constantly in a small town hurts your draw and would not be a good risk for us to invest in a showcase with you. Part of a great experience for the audience, the artists, and our staff, is a full room. 

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