Promoting a concert has been likened to gambling. You agree to pay the bands and the venue, you produce publicity, and you gamble on people buying tickets. The fact that people are often reluctant to buy tickets in advance makes it even harder, but there is a great thrill in seeing a room full of people enjoying bands that you have brought in to play. All of these things were true of this concert, which I promoted. I am still fairly new to the town, so while I had the support of local youth group leaders, and financial backing, it was very nerve-racking trying to predict attendance. 

We needed to sell 80 tickets to break even, and we sold exactly that number, which was a huge relief for me and an answer to many prayers. The venue was a fairly well known club, a standard part of the tour circuit for up-and-coming indie bands in the UK, and has played host to Radiohead, Oasis, and Green Day, amongst others. It used to be a public toilet, so is slightly strangely shaped, but is well equipped for concerts, lacking only an impressive lighting rig. 

If Only was first up, and they played well. The crowd took quite a while to warm up, not knowing any of the band's material, but a couple of covers (the Cranberries' "Zombie" and Radiohead's "The Bends") plus singing "Happy  Birthday" to Split Level's bass player helped draw the crowd in, and by the end they seemed to be enjoying themselves. I think I have heard If Only play better, but they were a solid support act. 

Split Level was every inch the established band. They took the stage with a solid dose of their melodic rock, and were soon encouraging the crowd to clap with their hands in the air - which the crowd did - showing how they've managed to stay around for the past 11 years. Their set was tight and intense, with a number of tracks from glo.bal (including their cover of the Undertones' "You Got My Number") and a couple of older numbers, plus a new song. 

The band was called back for an encore, and after an amazing display of the musical bond between the three members (stretching out the ending to one song for several minutes - maybe this doesn't sound anything special, but you really had to be there), they played the wonderful "Circles" - leaving the crowd tired, but looking for more. 

In retrospect, it would be good to have had some lights, and If Only's vocals were a little low in the mix, but it was a good night. The club's 'bouncer' told me that he'd really enjoyed the show, and the atmosphere and lack of fighting had made his job easier.  Both he and the sound engineer invited me to promote more concerts. I'll take them up on that.