DIY or Die
JOHN
DOE!
Venue booker + band manager · Glasgow · 14 years in the pit
Mail: bella@example.com
Phone: 0141 555 0192
Web: ratcellar.example.com
Turf: Glasgow, all of it
The Pitch
I book rooms and manage bands. 1,100 shows over 14 years, from 40-cap back rooms to festival main stages, and I've taken 3 bands from pub gigs to festival slots. At my current venue I grew capacity 4x by knocking through a wall and filling the calendar. I still do my own flyering.
Shows Worked
The Rat Cellar
Head Booker + Venue Manager
2017–present
- Grew capacity from 110 to 450 across two phased build-outs, licence upgrades cleared both times on first application.
- Book roughly 210 shows a year across 2 rooms, average 78% of capacity sold through 2025.
- Cut door-staff turnover from 60% to 15% a year by paying above rate and writing an actual rota.
Bin Fire Management
Founder + Band Manager (side operation)
2015–present
- Took 3 bands from pub circuits to festival bookings: The Grievance (2 festival main stages, 2024), Council Skem (12-date EU tour), Wet Cement (support slot tour, 18 dates).
- Negotiated fees up an average of 3x per band within 2 years of signing.
- Run merch, routing, and settlements for all 3 acts, 0 missed settlements in 9 years.
Clyde Static Promotions
Talent Buyer
2012–2017
- Booked 400+ shows across 6 rented rooms, built the all-dayer series that ran to 800 tickets by year 3.
- Kept average show loss under 4% while booking first-time touring acts.
The Split Lip (pub venue)
Stagehand, then Booker by accident
2010–2012
- Started loading amps, ended up booking the Tuesday slot: 90 shows in 2 years.
Setlist (Skills)
Booking + routing
Contract + fee negotiation
Settlement maths
Licensing + capacity compliance
Tour management
Sound + stage logistics
Merch operations
Flyering, still
Crowd + security planning
Numbers
- 1,100 shows booked since 2012
counted, not rounded up
- 4x capacity growth at The Rat Cellar
- 3 bands, pub to festival
- 2 rooms, 210 shows a year
Paper Trail
- Personal Licence Holder (Scotland), 2018
renewed 2028
- SIA Door Supervision awareness cert, 2019
- First Aid at Work, current
- HNC Events Management, Clydebank College, 2011