There are basically three types of shows you can put on, depending on how large you would like the show to be.
venue shows
1. Venue shows are done at a pre-existing club. These tend to be easier because you have a built-in audience. Every club has regulars who will be there no matter who is playing. It is easier to get 100 or so people to show up on a random Friday night somewhere they have already been before than it is to lead them out to the middle of nowhere. In addition, a pre-existing club will already have a sound system, a sound guy (usually) and means of promoting artists.
note:
Remember to always have your own trustworthy friends work the door to ensure that all money goes where it is supposed to go. Unfortunately, 90% of club owners are shady and should not be dealt with lightly.
bad news:
The only problem with these types of shows is that the venue always wants some ridiculous percentage of the door profits, which usually leaves you and the bands high and dry. A way to avoid this is to stick to small venues where you know people like the booking agent (which, by the way, is your official title when dealing with these types of people, regardless of whether or not you know what you are doing) or the actual owner.
hall shows
2. Hall shows are held at a hall from your local Legion Hall or Guard Armory. These shows tend to be more profitable all around because you have complete control of the finances and promotion.
note:
Dealing with security can be difficult in itself, since security guards at shows are mostly on the lookout for moshing, drinking, smoking inside, and concealed weapons. Plus, your average meathead security guard likes to crack skulls for whatever little reason (but hey, if I had a crappy job and a stupid uniform, I might feel a bit disgruntled at functions where I was the heavy, too). The best way to get around this problem is to tell security to patrol outside to keep on the lookout for savages breaking into vans and stealing thousands of dollars worth of equipment, and to keep those pesky smokers in line. This gives security guards the sense of purpose they so desperately seek, and keeps the show goers feeling relaxed and unsupervised.
Sound can also be a problem at these types of places because half of them do not have PAs or monitors, so you have to supply your own, as well as your own sound guy.
tip:
If you ask around, there is always some random guy at a music store or downtown who talks on about mixing boards, obscure bands, levels and how many OHMs his speakers have. This is your sound guy. He will work for free, so don't be intimidated by his technical jargon. If worse comes to worse, the bands can always just level out their equipment, but that is not usually the sort of sound the audience is looking for.
bad news:
The downside to hall shows is that you are totally screwed if no one shows up. Also, a permit to orchestrate one of these shows can be difficult to get. But if you make a few polite phone calls to local halls and permit departments around town, people are usually halfway cordial.
Another hassle with putting on a show in a hall is the issue of security. Some halls will require you to hire licensed security (so your big brother or favorite buddy in a black t-shirt won't do), which can be expensive. Sometimes, if you luck out, the hall will include security in the initial price of hall rental for amplified music events.
house/space shows
3. House/space shows are the easiest shows to pull off, and coincidentally, the most fun. Rule of thumb #1 concerning these types of shows: NO PLACE IS TOO SMALL. I have seen shows in spaces the size of my bedroom, in backyards, pastures and in out-of-town parents' suburban living rooms. So don't stress about the size so much as you should stress about THE COPS. Remember, Johnny Law doesn't like kids congregating, drinking and being loud in general, so always end house/space shows around 11pm so that you don't violate local noise laws.
note:
These types of shows are minimal stress--usually everyone has a good time. No permits, no security, no clean-up deposit to worry about, no phoney baloney-just wild, reckless abandon and rocking out.
bad news:
As far as profit goes, you can kiss that goodbye, since all of the door profit should rightfully go to the out-of-towners (out-of-town bands who drove their beat-up vans just to play your stinkin' house party). If the band is just some cruddy (or not-so-cruddy) local band, they should be happy without money as long as you arrange to get them alcohol (if they're of legal age, of course).
