J-Rock touring North America - the other side....
There's lots of comments floating around about GACKT and the possible 2nd European Tour and the (possible) snub North American fans are feeling. Yes it takes a lot of money to do a North American tour, however here's a bit of info many of you may not know and having worked security and for several different promoters I'm privy to some information the public isn't.....
US promoters are CRAP! They don't give a rats ass about any performer who starts their career outside of the US. It is a FACT.
When the J-rock community tours Canada (usually just Vancouver and Toronto) the US promoter subcontracts a Canadian promoter, gives them a pathetic amount to promote the band and pay for security just so the US promoter can keep more of the income. The Canadian promoter can't even post a single poster or ad without the US promoter's approval - which is rarely given because it means they need to spend more money.
Some of you know this already, and this is for those that don't, when Miyavi was playing Toronto the security team and Canadian promoter were begging me to work because they were so understaffed. The only payment they could offer was to refund my ticket (which the promoter did out of his own pocket) and a chance to meet Miyavi. Yes I worked. No, I didn't work for the chance to meet Miyavi, I worked so that he'd (hopefully) have a good experience and come back to Toronto in the future.
Of the 10 of us working that night only 2 were paid staff - that is how little budget the US promoter provided. Not even Miyavi knows, we're not about to tell him, or any other J-Rock band that comes. We do it out of love for the music and so that fans have the opportunity to see them without having to travel long distances. As soon as one of us hears someone may be touring we have already decided who is going to be paid and who is going to volunteer - it's something we worked out after Miyavi's show since there was no budget from the US promoter for D'espa's show to pay anyone - the Canadian promoter was going to pay out of his own pocket.
The promoting is so poorly done from the US promoter it takes the security team (which is usually fans like myself) making up posters on our own and paying for them out of our own pocket and taking the time to plaster the city with them to drive up ticket sales and to let the public know bands like Miyavi, D'espa, Dir en grey are here - the only band we didn't have to promote was X Japan.
What's really sad is when MuchMusic (Canada's version of MTV) doesn't even know when these bands are in town - and they'll promote them AT NO CHARGE. They don't promote them because the US promoter will not give permission to the Canadian promoter to let them know the band is coming. The few times they have done it is when we've let them know. Thankfully I know people at Much and they'll check out the bands website go "oh crap they're playing XYZ night, why didn't we know??" and start running ads every few hours to boost sales and try and arrange an interview if they can.
If the North American fans really want GACKT, or any J-Rock band, to tour here you need to start with the promoters - they're the ones that invest the money and they're the one's who are responsible for (lack of) promoting the bands touring. Don't blame the performer, the blame is solely on the promoters shoulders for being money-grubbing bastards.
US promoters are CRAP! They don't give a rats ass about any performer who starts their career outside of the US. It is a FACT.
When the J-rock community tours Canada (usually just Vancouver and Toronto) the US promoter subcontracts a Canadian promoter, gives them a pathetic amount to promote the band and pay for security just so the US promoter can keep more of the income. The Canadian promoter can't even post a single poster or ad without the US promoter's approval - which is rarely given because it means they need to spend more money.
Some of you know this already, and this is for those that don't, when Miyavi was playing Toronto the security team and Canadian promoter were begging me to work because they were so understaffed. The only payment they could offer was to refund my ticket (which the promoter did out of his own pocket) and a chance to meet Miyavi. Yes I worked. No, I didn't work for the chance to meet Miyavi, I worked so that he'd (hopefully) have a good experience and come back to Toronto in the future.
Of the 10 of us working that night only 2 were paid staff - that is how little budget the US promoter provided. Not even Miyavi knows, we're not about to tell him, or any other J-Rock band that comes. We do it out of love for the music and so that fans have the opportunity to see them without having to travel long distances. As soon as one of us hears someone may be touring we have already decided who is going to be paid and who is going to volunteer - it's something we worked out after Miyavi's show since there was no budget from the US promoter for D'espa's show to pay anyone - the Canadian promoter was going to pay out of his own pocket.
The promoting is so poorly done from the US promoter it takes the security team (which is usually fans like myself) making up posters on our own and paying for them out of our own pocket and taking the time to plaster the city with them to drive up ticket sales and to let the public know bands like Miyavi, D'espa, Dir en grey are here - the only band we didn't have to promote was X Japan.
What's really sad is when MuchMusic (Canada's version of MTV) doesn't even know when these bands are in town - and they'll promote them AT NO CHARGE. They don't promote them because the US promoter will not give permission to the Canadian promoter to let them know the band is coming. The few times they have done it is when we've let them know. Thankfully I know people at Much and they'll check out the bands website go "oh crap they're playing XYZ night, why didn't we know??" and start running ads every few hours to boost sales and try and arrange an interview if they can.
If the North American fans really want GACKT, or any J-Rock band, to tour here you need to start with the promoters - they're the ones that invest the money and they're the one's who are responsible for (lack of) promoting the bands touring. Don't blame the performer, the blame is solely on the promoters shoulders for being money-grubbing bastards.