Key points:
- Always select the best PA hire option possible
- Ensure and arrange for the PA company to arrive before the artist and leave them to it
- Ensure the PA guys feel part of the project team
A good, polished professional sound is crucial. Calm, cool sound engineering experts who understand the ethos of the project and the precise sound servicing of the room will stand you in excellent stead. An excellent PA hire service will exceed the expectations of the artist, his tour manager and everyone else involved with the show from the act's point of view. Employ a sound that is far better than most regular venues, and your reputation will soar. Word will soon travel around the music business and increase the number of acts happy to play your library.
Skimping on quality here will only ensure your hot act sounds poor. They won't like it, and neither will your hot new crowd. It's unlikely either will return. So think ahead and make enquiries.
An excellent PA system hire, including the services of an engineer, plus staging and lights, will be priced at around £450-£500.This shouldn't let you down. Anything below £300, unless you are being dealt a wonderful deal, should be avoided - the more expensive kit will afford you four times the quality, so it is just false economy. Hire the very best PA services you can and negotiate staging and lighting to be included in the price.
The Yellow Pages/Thomson is as good a place as any to start, but check trusted local knowledge and ask other venues in the area for recommendations. Ask around and get three quotes at least. Check out who comes fully approved. As well as a quality PA rig, you want someone capable, expert and courteous to help support you with your show.
Setting up
PA Arrival is often 12.30pm-3.30pm dependent on individual requests of the artist, introduce your engineer and make them feel part of the library team. If possible allow one or two members of staff to be on site at the right time to meet the PA hire people and help unload - if parking is a problem at your library, this will help speed the process and avoid parking tickets.
Setting up a gig can take the best part of four hours. It also takes a good hour to dismantle and rearrange the library afterwards so do allow time for this, and ensure enough staff are made available to help speed this process.
Leave the technical side to the guys who will in most cases have years of experience in far bigger venues. It's wasted energy to worry about the technical side on the day as they really will have all angles covered.
Impress on them the keen need for observing Health and Safety (wires taped down etc, equipment clear and unobtrusive to fire exits) principles, but remember that their expertise is in fact one less thing for you to worry about.
It may be worth staging your show on a day when you have fewer public library users to clear the building i.e. half days or early closing. If the library is not open on a Sunday it is a great day to stage shows.
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Photo credit: Frances Ross