Concert producers handle the backstage work that goes on before and during a concert to ensure the show goes off smoothly and efficiently. He focuses on managing the technical and staffing aspects of the show, while the promoter takes care of getting people to buy tickets. To do his job properly, a concert producer must be organized and able to manage all aspects of the production, including acts, crew, sound, lighting and other technology.

Managing a Concert

Maintain a schedule. Concert preparations often start months before the actual show ever takes place. Keep a running list of all contacts for the show, including performers, crew and security. Next, keep a list of everything that needs to be done, and when, and log this information into a calendar. This lets you know the order of different tasks and their deadlines. The day of the concert you should have a schedule that lists all of the day's events, including when the band's equipment arrives for setup, what time transportation needs to pick up musicians, when the sound check should be conducted, what time the doors open and when each act performs.

Meet with each of the acts to go over the technical aspects of their shows. The producer must advise the act if the venue is safe for certain kinds of pyrotechnics, what the limits of the lighting and sound systems are, and how many dressing rooms are made available for use.

Prepare to meet the demands of the musical acts. Bands typically provide details about what types of drinks and food they want, how dressing rooms should be set up, and how many bottles of water need to be on the stage for the performers. The producer has to make arrangements to meet all of these demands, including hiring a caterer and sending a stage hand out for coffee if necessary. If you are unsure about what type of hospitality the performer expects upon arrival, don't be afraid to reach out to her management team.

Organize the crew. On the day of the show you will probably have dozens of people working to ensure everything is ready by the time the doors open. Make sure everyone is given a backstage pass and an assignment. Keep track of who is doing what. Check to make sure that all of the band's equipment is set up properly, the stage is completed, lighting rigs are working and sound is ready before sound check begins.

Attend to any last-minute changes. For example, if a performer arrives with an additional 20 people in her entourage, the concert producer should know the seating capacity of the venue and how many tickets were sold so he can find somewhere for them to watch the show.