Booking a gig settles whether you will play. Advancing it settles how the day will work. The difference is usually a string of details nobody owned: the wrong load-in door, an old stage plot, a missing DI, a different set length, or a payment term remembered differently by each side.
This checklist is for the band leader or manager who is coordinating with a venue after the date is confirmed. It is a working document, not a contract or a claim that every venue uses the same schedule. One real venue example: Berklee's Red Room asks bands to advance the show two to three weeks ahead and submit a stage plot and input list. Your venue may set a different deadline; ask the person running your show.
1. Confirm who can answer what
Put the date, venue, band name and show title at the top of one shared advance sheet. Name a band lead and separate venue contacts for booking, production/sound and day-of operations if they are different people. Record preferred contact methods and a day-of phone number. A booking agent can confirm the fee but may not know where the stage box is; send each question to its owner.
2. Lock the timeline
Ask for the exact local time and location of load-in, parking, soundcheck or line check, doors, first note, set breaks, curfew and load-out. Confirm whether the times are hard deadlines or targets. If there are multiple acts, establish the changeover order and the amount of shared backline. Send this schedule to every player and substitute; do not leave the final version only in a private email thread.
An example line is: “Load-in 4:30 p.m. at alley door; band line check 5:15; doors 6:00; first set 7:00–7:45; second set 8:15–9:00; load-out by 10:00.” These are illustrative times, not a default schedule for your show.
3. Reconcile production against the room
Send a current stage plot and numbered input list. List vocal mics, DIs, backline, monitor mixes, power, playback/click, risers and any special cabling. Mark which items the band brings and which the venue must supply. Ask the sound contact to flag conflicts with the room's channel count, stage dimensions and changeover time.
If your lineup changes, do not merely replace a name on the setlist. Check whether the substitute uses a different instrument, input, monitor mix, power supply or position. Revise the handoff and tell production what changed. BandSlate's signed-in Stage Plots workspace can hold the visual layout and export a PDF, but the owner still needs to confirm its accuracy for this show.
4. Confirm the show itself
- Set format: number and length of sets, start times, break length, encore or overtime rules.
- Program: any client requests, songs the venue cannot accommodate, announcements or MC duties.
- Public listing: correct artist name, photo, ticket link, age restrictions and event description.
- Merch and guest list: where they go, who manages them, and any agreed limits or settlement terms.
- Accessibility and logistics: stage access, parking/loading path, stairs, lifts and any performer needs that affect setup.
Keep agreements specific. “We usually play two hours” is ambiguous; “two 45-minute sets with a 30-minute break” is testable. If a wedding or private client is involved, confirm who can authorize music requests or timeline changes on the day.
5. Confirm settlement and documents
Read the signed agreement or written booking confirmation. Verify the fee, deposit already received, what triggers any balance, who pays it, when payment happens, and whether travel, parking, production or overtime are included. If a percentage of ticket or door revenue is involved, confirm how the count and settlement will be reported. Do not substitute an email checklist for the actual contract.
For an offer still being negotiated, the free gig quote calculator can compare the proposed fee with musician pay targets and expenses. For a confirmed show, ensure every band member understands the agreed schedule and compensation. Keep private payment and personal details out of a public stage-plot PDF.
6. Send one final version and ask for a reply
Package the essentials in one clearly named file or message: contact sheet, schedule, production handoff, set format and open questions. Include a version date and say what changed from the prior copy. Ask the venue to confirm the open points explicitly. A “received” reply is useful, but it is not an answer to an unresolved monitor, backline or payment question.
On show day, nominate one band contact to handle changes. If the stage or schedule differs from the advance, agree on the revision with the venue lead and relay it to the players. After the gig, note what surprised either side; those notes make the next advance faster.
Copyable final check
- [ ] Band lead, booking contact, production contact and day-of phone confirmed.
- [ ] Load-in address/door, parking and full timeline confirmed.
- [ ] Current lineup, stage plot, input list, monitors and backline acknowledged.
- [ ] Set lengths, breaks, event listing, ticketing and guest list confirmed.
- [ ] Fee, deposit, settlement, extras and responsible payer match the agreement.
- [ ] Open questions have owners and answers; final version reached every player.
If you are still at the booking stage, our guide to booking more gigs covers the venue search and first inquiry. This advance checklist begins after a date is confirmed.