Glossary
What is a gig advance?
A gig advance is the process of confirming all the logistics of a show with the venue before the date — load-in and soundcheck times, set lengths, backline, hospitality, payment, bios, photos, and guest list.
Advancing is normally handled by email or phone in the week or two before a show. The venue's production or booking contact and someone from the band work through a checklist so nobody is improvising on show day.
A weak advance is the root cause of most show-day friction: a band arriving with more inputs than the room has channels, a set time nobody agreed to, or a guest list the door has never seen.
- Load-in, soundcheck, doors, and set times
- Set length and running order across the bill
- Backline provided by the venue versus brought by the band
- Stage plot and input list
- Guest list allocation
- Payment terms and who settles with whom