Taking the risk

One of the interesting things about working on the shows at the Pavilions is that no two are the same. Tonight we have US rap star Flo Rida here, and it's a perfect example of how each show is unique. For example, the majority of the big rock and pop concerts that come to Plymouth are organised by a small handful of companies, called Promoters. They are usually based in London, and can be huge organisations. Promoters are the people that pull all the bits together. They book the artist, hire the venue, organise the sound systems, the lighting, the promotion of the event, and all the logistical stuff that goes on behind the scenes, like transport, accommodation and catering. They also take the financial risk: if a show doesn't sell as well as they'd envisaged, they've still got the same bills to pay!

Those big Promoters are sometimes even more heavily involved. Some of them actually run the venues the shows tour around. Some of them also act as the artists Management. Some of them sell tickets to shows themselves. It takes an incredible amount to put a singer on a stage these days. And that's why it's incredible that Flo Rida is here today. Because tonight's show is promoted by Alex Goss, a twenty-something guy from Torpoint, who wants to make a go of it as a Promoter. We first spoke to Alex about his idea at the start of the year. At that time, it was just another enquiry, of which we get several a day. As I've outlined above, it takes an incredible amount to pull a show off, and for that reason most enquiries never get past the first phone call, as it quickly becomes clear whether or not there's any legs in it. I'll happily admit that with that backdrop in mind, I was sceptical about Alex's approach at first. But we all stuck with it, and here we are, more than 6 months later, and an international star has flown across the Atlantic overnight to play Plymouth tonight. The last time he did that was to appear on The X-Factor!

The fact that Alex is based locally has also meant that he's been able to add some unique elements to tonight's show. For instance, support comes from local dance group Beat Breakers – good luck guys – as well as DJ Jonezy, and hip hop gurus Sway and Bashy. Should be a great night.

Alex has beaten all the odds to reach this day. Hat's off to you.

There are many more reasons why tonight's gig is out of the ordinary. More about that next time..