Phil Jones - Talk: How to get a gig
A talk on the role of the agent by Phil Jones.
11:30 am – 12:30pm
How do you get an agent? What makes and artist attractive to an agent? How should a live gig operate? What are door splits? What are legitimate costs a promoter can charge?
The talk is free but places are limited. You can pick up a ticket from Music Mania for a deposit of £1.00 which is returnable of the day, or go to www.upstartstoke.co.uk
All those attending on the day can win a copy of the Unsigned Guide (worth £35) and £100 of free rehearsal time at Tremolo Rehearsal Studios.
No demos will be accepted on the day, but if you would like to submit a track for the official UpStart A&R demo either drop in your track to Music Mania or go to www.Upstartstoke.com and upload your track there.
Phil Jones started promoting concerts in the late 70s punk era of Manchester and established a reputation as someone who delivers. He organised New Orders first advertised UK gig in early 1980 and has never looked back. Learning his trade in the night clubs of Thatcher’s Manchester, bands such as Depeche Mode, Bauhaus and the Psychedelic Furs were all early clients. After being passed over as deputy manager of the new super-club the Hacienda, he decamped to London where, from a tiny office in Tin Pan Alley ,as an agent he revitaliesd the live careers of American artists as diverse as Curtis Mayfireld, Dean Freidman and Gil Scott Heron.
Headhunted by The Greenwich Festival in 1984 he had a portfolio to revitalize music in South East London. Soon programming funky nights at The cutting edge Albany Empire, he found himself at the forefront of the new jazz and soul movements featuring Courtney Pine, Gilles Peterson and many other, now household, names.
He was offered the part time job as arts Festival Director back home in Manchester and simultaneously worked as director of London’s and the UK’s leading promoters, JLP whose portfolio of artists included the Pogues, Chris Rea and Siousxe and The Banshees, as well as managing the Fall, John Martyn and many others. In 1989 he organised the legendary Alexandra Palace gig for the Stone Roses and then a year later the 32,000 capacity, Spike Island gig for them, in Widnes.
His career as festival director led to a unique partnership between Manchester City Council and Granada TV, creating The Boddingtons Manchester Festival of Arts and TV, a massive annual event. Many gigs took place in this time including all the UK’s leading comedians( Jack Dee, Lee Evans, Jo Brand etc ) as well as legends such as Crosby Stills and Nash and kd Lang. In 1995 he led a consortium that founded Kiss 102 Radio in Manchester and 105 in Yorkshire. He left the festival to set up Phil Jones Presents in 1997. Promotions have since been mainly USA artists such as Steve Earle, James Taylor and Crosby and Nash, although he is still the only promoter used by the Buzzcocks In Manchester.
He founded and still directs the Manchester food and drink festival in 1998, which has led to a new career as food festival organiser nationally. He is founding director of SWAP festival for songwriters In Manchester. He still programmes non Classical music @ the Bridgewater Hall, and now promotes concerts by new artistes such as Rodrigo Y Gabriella, Bellowhead and Martha Wainwright as well as the good old names!
This is an essential talk for anyone serious about progressing their live career.
Saturday 26 April, Forum Theatre, 11:30am, Seminar
Tickets: free!
