Band to Business with Jen Kellogg: Recap

Band to Business is a series hosted by Ernie Ball and industry friend, Jen Kellogg that features workshop topics around building your band into a business. First, let’s get to know Jen…

Jen Kellogg has spent over 25 adventurous years in the concert industry as a roadie, talent buyer, educator and entrepreneur. During her quarantine, she’s hosting a virtual workshop series called “Concert Business Basics” to help those starting their career in the concert industry, and established professionals interested in expanding beyond their existing areas of expertise. She crunched numbers as the tour accountant for the Vans Warped Tour from 2009-2017. During that time she co-founded The Entertainment Institute and brought the fan’s unique backstage workshops with artists on the tour. Prior to that, as a talent buyer at Jam Productions, she booked theaters and arenas, and specialized in minor league baseball parks. Her first full tour was with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson and it sparked her love of the road life. Jen teaches Producing and Touring Live Entertainment at Columbia College Chicago and has spoken at highly respected industry conferences including SXSW and Pollstar.

There are so many quirky details about the concert business that I didn’t know when I got my start… little things like what a “drop count” is and big things like what “settlement” is or the difference between a “Manager” and a “Tour Manager”. We aren’t born knowing everything… I had to ask a lot of questions, and my goal is to proactively answer yours in my workshops.  

Jen Kellogg

Below are the first 4 episodes of the Band to Business series, including ‘How An Idea Becomes A Tour’, ‘Deals’, ‘Routing’, and ‘Tour Budgets’.

How An Idea Becomes A Tour

We all love an adventure, and when artists can get back on the road safely, here are some of the things to think about when planning any tour. 

Deals

Talking about money feels uncomfortable for everybody. But you should know what the financial deal is before you agree to play, and feel confident asking to get paid for a show.

Routing

Routing a tour is more than just geography and getting from point A to point B. If your band is ready to get on the road, and you’ve already decided it’s financially feasible, here are a few things to consider when you route your tour.

Tour Budgets

We all dream of traveling like a rockstar with a fancy tour bus, nice hotels and endless food and drink. But, to make a band into a business, it’s important to really look at all of the expenses and make sure the revenue will not only cover those costs, but also leave some money in the bank after the tour is over.

Venues

Understanding different venue characteristics will help you play in the atmosphere that best fits your music, and makes the most financial sense.

Check out the full workshops and more Concert Business Basics on Jen Kellogg’s website.

Band to Business was created to help in the business of artistic endeavors, and shed some insight into the behind-the-scenes jobs that make it all happen. See you next time!