When we took a look at the prospects for live music in 2021, creators were just beginning to deliver their audiences the live entertainment they were craving. A year later, the music events scene is thriving again but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lingering effects of the pandemic to keep in mind. Attendees who were once content to buy tickets months in advance are more hesitant now, and different regions have different safety considerations to account for.

Last year, we profiled a few creators who were adapting to the new music event landscape. This year, we checked back in with the creators of the Beanstalk Music Festival to see how they’re planning concerts in 2022.

What’s changed?

Beanstalk was the first festival in North America to make the pivot to a drive-in format in 2020, and it was a huge success thanks to its focus on safety. Last year, the creators of Beanstalk told us “the June 2020 drive-in event was met with some uncertainty because we were still very much spiking in the pandemic. But we had a good safety plan and it still sold out in hours.” The 2021 festival, which was a socially distanced camping event, sold out in under a minute.

This year, Beanstalk Music Festival Co-Owner and Festival Director Ryan Noel is excited to expand the size of their events again. “We are able to double our capacity from the limited capacity event last year.” Limited capacity meant that a lot of fans had to miss out on the event. “It’s nice to know that we will be able to serve all of our fans this year,” he says. The venue is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this summer with a full capacity event.

“What I’ve noticed most since the pandemic,” says Noel, “is the hesitancy from fans to purchase tickets in advance [due to] the uncertainty [around whether] the event will happen and how long it would take to get refunds.” This hesitation leads to stress when promoting an event because there isn’t as much urgency to buy tickets in advance. “We put on a two-day event in February that was set to lose about $5,000 heading into the first day. We walked up 300% of the advance ticket sales both days and ended up doing great but that just goes to show what’s going on in the minds of ticket buyers.”

Now more than ever, venues and promoters have to give attendees a good reason to show up on the day of the show. It’s also important to be sure that your refund and cancellation policies are clearly communicated on your event page so guests experience less uncertainty.

A step-by-step guide to music event planning

When planning a concert or other music event, there are a lot of details to keep in mind. Stay organized with our checklist, which will guide you through how to plan a music event in 2022.

Establish your goals

Whether you’re organizing an annual festival or a one-off event, or if you’re a venue looking to book artists for upcoming dates, you need to have clear-cut goals before the process of planning a music event can even begin. Every festival needs a great theme that potential attendees will respond to, and venues need to book artists who will appeal to local concert-goers. Determine whether your goal is to create an intimate event for an artist’s die-hard fans or a large outdoor festival. Then you can set expectations and shape your event.

Create a realistic budget

When it comes to creating a budget, you can’t just estimate how many people you think will attend and multiply that by the ticket price especially when so many attendees are waiting until the last minute to get their tickets. Think about what you need to make this event happen and what that will cost, and make sure to keep 10–30% of your funds unallocated in case of unexpected expenses or contingencies.

Find the right artists

The musicians performing at your event are the biggest draw for your audience. Learn about your local music scene and the musical genres and artists most likely to attract potential attendees who have the easiest access to your venue. When planning a festival, ensure that the artists you book make sense with your chosen theme, and that all of the artists are tied together somehow, either by the genre they play or the issues they’re interested in.

Organize your equipment

The most important part of a concert, whether it’s live or livestreamed, is sound quality. Bare-bones equipment rarely offers a full range of sound. If your event is at a venue that already has sound equipment, take advantage of their tools. Hire a professional sound engineer if there isn’t one in-house. Even if your artists are bringing their own equipment, consider having some backups of key pieces such as microphones, stands, cables, power strips, or amplifiers in case someone forgets something.

Find a venue that works for you

Consider how many people your concert space will hold, but don’t forget that a venue is more than just an event site—it also provides ambiance. Think about how the setting will influence the mood of your attendees.

When choosing an outdoor venue for festivals or larger concerts, determine the type of weather your event might be dealing with and have a backup plan in case of extreme weather conditions. Consider having covered areas no matter what the forecast. Find out the location and number of available electrical outlets so you can power your equipment.

Price your tickets right

Setting ticket prices is a crucial part of planning a live music event. The cost of attendance will determine how attractive the event is to potential audiences and is an important factor in turning a profit. Pricing can be tricky when it comes to hybrid or virtual events make sure the ticket cost is commensurate with the experience you’re offering attendees. You’ll probably want to sell virtual tickets at a lower price point than in-person tickets. The average music ticket price on Eventbrite’s platform in 2021 was $46. Consider offering exclusive perks to virtual ticket-buyers, such as merch or behind-the-scenes access, so that the virtual experience is just as valuable as the in-person one.

Reach a larger audience with marketing and promotion

Once you’ve booked the artists and venue and ironed out all of the details, it’s time to start generating interest for your event. Email marketing will help you reach out to contacts you already have, and social media marketing will spread the word to previous and new attendees. Eventbrite can help you create a beautiful event page, and you can use Eventbrite Boost to manage your social media posts.

Key music event planning trends for 2022

Some of the trends that creators observed in 2021 are here to stay, and others are still evolving in 2022. We’ve rounded up some of the top music event planning themes and trends to keep in mind for the year ahead.

Hybrid events are here to stay

In 2021, the creators of the AFROPUNK festival predicted that streaming wasn’t going away anytime soon: “What 2020 has shown us is that virtual events are here to stay and we have adapted our model to be a hybrid of IRL and digital with broadcast being a part of a mainstay to our events you just reach more people and there is a beauty in that.”

Hybrid events allow you to attract two different audiences: local fans who are comfortable attending in-person events and fans who may not be able to travel to the venue or aren’t ready to be around large groups of people but still would like to see the show. Keep in mind that ticket prices should reflect the type of experience the attendees are paying for. You may want to include extras or add-ons for virtual attendees. The virtual component of a hybrid event should be given just as much consideration as the live component. Otherwise, you run the risk of disappointing your virtual fans.

Technology is key

High-quality video and sound are essential to a successful livestream concert. Since online events will continue to be a large part of how people can experience live music in 2022, it may be time to invest in better tools.

At the minimum, you need a powerful Internet connection to avoid interruptions during your livestream. You’ll also need the software to stream your video many different free and paid options are available. While you can stream many events right from your smartphone, great live music streams require somewhat heavier-duty tech. Consider a remote-controlled Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera to take your hybrid event to the next level. There are also cameras made specifically for streaming to Facebook Live, such as the Mevo.

Keep things small

Even though Beanstalk is looking forward to increasing the capacity of their events this year, Noel points out that they’re still relatively “small and tight-knit.” Intimate events have grown in popularity since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a smaller crowd, it’s easier to implement safety restrictions and procedures, and it also makes anyone who attends feel a little bit like a VIP.

Consider planning multiple small events rather than a single large one. Attendees might be more eager to grab a ticket for an event when they know that the supply is limited, and they’ll have the opportunity to get closer to their favorite artists.

Focus on sustainability

Events can generate a lot of waste, especially those where food and beverages are sold. Consumers have begun to care more and more about the environmental impact of the events they attend. Consider making changes such as swapping out disposable plastic dishes and cups for biodegradable options to decrease your event’s footprint and demonstrate to your attendees that sustainability is something you care about. Look into creative ways to create and sell merch made from recycled materials.

Keep your values in mind

Partnering with artists, brands, or influencers is a great way to promote your venue or a specific event, but it’s not something you should do lightly. The people and brands you work and advertise with will reflect back on your brand, so it’s important to work with companies and individuals whose values mirror your own. Event attendees will notice if you’re claiming to promote sustainability but you’re sponsored by a company that’s known for wasteful practices. They’ll also be quick to point it out if an influencer you work with makes public statements that are in conflict with your principles. Do your research first to best avoid partnerships that appear to compromise your values.

Ready to promote your next music event?

Sign up for Eventbrite today and create an event page. You can connect your page to Facebook and allow your attendees to purchase tickets without ever having to leave the site.