The completion of an album, whether your first or tenth, is an amazing accomplishment. You have put an enormous amount of time and effort into making the music just perfect. You have practiced over and over and recorded it numerous times. The producer and background artists have played their magic and it is done. It deserves a great launch!
An album release party is a special time to tell your story. The story about the band, the inspiration, the ideas, how you came up with the theme, who helped you plan and produce it, what it means to you... you get it. The party is meant to establish a personal and emotional connection with the audience and to do that they need to know you and your group and the meaning the album holds for all of you. One key element of an album release party is the venue. You have to pick just the right place.
Venues vary in a number of ways. Some have the feeling of a Walmart; you know, overhead florescent lights, plain colors, no texture. Others have small rooms or rooms broken up by lots of pillars that interfere with seeing the stage. Still others have a much more vibrant feel.
Match the Music! The venue also should match the type of music or at least not clash. A heavy metal album is poorly served by having the party in the community room of a church! Of course, some venues can be made to match virtually any genre, but that may cost lots in term of decorating and lighting costs. So, if the venue is a plain Jane type place, plan for appropriate decorations, but do not over do it!
Parking: The venue needs to have plenty of free parking, easy to get to and did I say free parking? Nothing is a bigger turn off to potential attendees than having to drive around a block numerous times. Make sure the parking is close by, free and in abundant supply... and did I say free?
Lighting is a key element to any party and an album release party is no different. Dis the overhead lights for up-lights, pin spots and floods. Use color! Consider using lights that beat with the music. Have someone really plan out the layout of the lights. If lights are available at the venue, you can save a bunch of money on rental fees!
Food: You should have at least finger food at an album release party. Some venues require you to use their caterer. This may be OK, but it may not be affordable. Look at the requirements prior to booking any venue.
Day of week/Time of day: Most venues charge more for Friday and Saturday nights as compared to weekdays. If it is not within your budget, look at other days! Also, some venues have a discounted rate for a very late night on Saturday, especially if they can book an afternoon wedding and have the late evening free. Inquire about this and see what you can work out!
Alcohol: Alcohol is almost a mandate for an album release party. But, an open bar at your expense is not something you are going to be satisfied with! It will be very expensive and some people will abuse it! Consider a token system if you are wishing to offer free alcohol. Hand out the tokens and after that the people can purchase drinks on their own. Another alternative is to just offer beer or wine. These two choices are considerably less expensive than a full bar and can add just the touch! As a side note: Most venues have alcohol licenses. In most states, that license comes along with a requirement that all alcohol be purchased from the venue; NO BYOB is allowed. This may not be the wish of the venue, but it is the law so please do not ask for the venue to knowingly break the law, they may loose their license!
Size: The whole idea of an album release party is to invite tons of people. You want several hundred if you can. And obviously you need a venue to hold that many. Most local bands will find a venue that can hold 200-350 a perfect space. But, many venues are not capable of handling 300 plus people. Make sure you do your homework and ask around about how many people will turn out. Talk to your agent, talk to other bands and plan accordingly.
Cost: Of course, venues would love to charge you for the use of the space. And of course, you would love to get it for free. Well, maybe you two can come together and make a deal! If you expect 200 people, on a weekday, the venue can probably make enough on the alcohol sales to make it worthwhile if it is not booked. But, remember that the venue has some significant costs associated with setting up and cleaning up. They may also have the costs of security and an attendant. I would suggest you offer a minimum bar tab with you making up the difference to ensure they are not left in a negative zone. The event may also want to make sure you pay a clean up fee... some concerts tend to get a bit wild!
As a co-owner of an event venue in Birmingham AL that hosts album release parties, I must suggest one thing...Negotiate! But be flexible. The venue will typically know what they can offer and still be profitable and you are sure to get the best venue you can possibly have for your album release!
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