An interview with Brandon Rosenbluth, Booking Agent at LittleBig Agency.
What advice would you give to alternative artists looking to build a profile through live performances? What process do you go through when planning an emerging artist’s live campaign?
Make a strong impression. Invest time in preparing a live set that differs from your recordings. Amplify your personality and artistic vision so that it stands out from the crowd. Engage the audience.
I work closely with the record labels and managers to plan the key shows around new releases with promoters and ensure everything is done to maximise ticket sales and boost the artist’s profile. That includes picking the appropriate venue, promoters and line-ups for the artist and keeping tabs on the billing, artwork, promotion, ticket sales, etc.
Any tips for artists or promoters looking to build an engaging presence across social media platforms in the run up to live shows?
Most promotion has shifted focus to the artist’s own fans and profiles, so just be as active as possible on social media posting relevant content that connects with your audience.
Pairing an artist with the right live promoter can help build an alternative artist’s profile across the board. What is it you look for when dealing with live promotion companies?
A strong track record working with similar artists and a good reputation as business people. Being involved in promoting bigger events and festivals in their territory is also a key aspect when considering a local partner.
At what stage do you feel an emerging artist would be in a position to approach you as a booking agent? Any tips to artists wanting to gain an agent’s attention?
I’m at the point in my career where I tend to work with established artists who are looking for a more hands on, tailored approach, or with emerging artists who are on the rise and may have just signed for an album with an established label and want to ramp up their game.
New artists I am excited to work with are often friends with, or at least appreciated by, artists I already work with my roster feels like a family and I curate it based on my personal taste and affiliations.
You’ve worked with large international acts and smaller underground artists. Any specific tips or traits you’ve witnessed from alternative artists building their own successful DIY PR campaigns?
PR is key to building a buzz for live bookings and then you have to deliver on the live shows to grow that buzz into something sustainable. If fans are posting videos and pictures of your shows on Instagram, repost the good ones, if not also your own with personal messages. Create tour flyers so your fans and promoters see all of your upcoming dates in one place – this can make a strong impression. It can be useful to align yourself with certain labels or scenes that have, or are building a momentum and carve out a specific niche. The beauty of the music industry is that it is a communal effort, so be active in your community and become friends with other artists who will be happy to create opportunities for you and reciprocate in turn. More and more often I see artists maintaining relevance and defining their image by curating their own events and aligning with other exciting, fresh artists.
A range of alternative acts from previous generations did their best to appear faceless, that can be said of a number of acts on the LittleBig roster. Do you feel as though there is still a place for anonymity in today’s social and digital landscape?
Whether you perform in total darkness, wear a mask on stage, or are just yourself, what matters most is creating a story and identity which your audience connects with. Beware of gimmicks and pigeonholing yourself. The music has to be strong and speak for itself!
What kind of profile are you looking for as a booking agent when approaching an artist to join the LittleBig agency?
An artist who either has a tried and true manager and/or label behind them, a phenomenal live reputation, or is just making music like nothing else I’ve heard excites me. It has to be apparent that their music will be able to develop and reach a wider audience while maintaining their artistic integrity, rather than remain fixed to a niche scene. I like to work with artists who blur genre boundaries, break rules, and have something different and potent to say.
What is your opinion on the importance of music videos and an overall artistic/visual presence in 2019/2020? Is this something you look for in an artist’s overall make-up?
An artist with a clear and consistent vision and strong visual component and/or partnerships will better be able to tell a story that stands out and builds a dedicated audience.
Brandon Rosenbluth
Booking Agent, LittleBig
