What You’ll Need To Put On A Big Student Rock Concert
Every student Rock Concert is a bit different when it comes to what you need for Equipment or “Back Line” (drums, amps, keyboards, etc.)
Our shows are pretty big. They are the most high end “recital” you can go to. We incorporate as many students as we can on stage for one song and there are 20 songs in the production.
With this in mind, I know for a fact we can sell out 860 seats with 200 students in the concert.
If we have over 300 students in the show, we would have to put on a matinee performance as well.
Let’s do a quick overview why we do these shows and their benefits first.
Benefits Of Putting On A Huge Student Rock Concert
A rock concert is the reason why many of us wanted to learn an instrument to begin with. Only when your first start performing, being on stage probably isn’t going to be what you envisioned in your head.
But if you think about it, it could be.
What kind of visual do you see in your head when you think about a big rock concert?
Putting on a Rock concert has all kinds of benefits too. From student retention and top of mind awareness to studio growth and community connections. Shows like what I’m talking about are a win-win-win-win.
Think about your competition.
If one music school provides the dream experience of being on stage for their student roster or the reason why students want to take lessons, and the another school only provides lessons, which one is going to get the business?
Which one is going to see their students come back year after year because they have a goal?
What A Student Rock Concert Can Do For Your Business
Student rock concerts can do more than just proved a cool experience for the students, they can also create:
- Marketing
- Top of mind awareness for your music school
- Music school growth
- Families doubling up on lessons and siblings being inspired to take lessons
- Community Connections
- Endless real world and word of mouth advertising
- Opportunities for Sponsors
- Stories that will be shared for years as a memory (referrals or repeat business)
What kind of visual do you see in your head when you think about a big rock concert?
Putting on a Rock concert has all kinds of benefits too. From student retention and top of mind awareness to studio growth and community connections. Shows like what I’m talking about are a win-win-win-win.
Think about your competition.
If one music school provides the dream experience of being on stage for their student roster or the reason why students want to take lessons, and the another school only provides lessons, which one is going to get the business?
Which one is going to see their students come back year after year because they have a goal?
How Do You Sell Out A Student Rock Concert?
Some of this comes down to marketing or advertising the show. (read more on that here)
But as strange as it might sound, the goal isn’t tickets sales, it’s getting as many people ON STAGE as possible.
On average you’re going to see 4 people in the audience for every student on stage (Mom, Dad, Siblings, Grand parents). But if you can provide an experience for your audience, within a few concerts you’re going to see A LOT more people in the seats.
Parents, students, families and friends will talk about it and spread the word to everyone they talk to. Talk about the ultimate street team!
Once people saw what we are doing, Parents started buying 4-25 seats at a time to come see our shows.
We also saw an increase of community members just wanting to come out to see a cheap concert. They didn’t even have kids in the concert!
By our 5th concert, we were selling out 856 seats and beginning to turn away people at the door (including parents). I’ll never forget the feeling of being told back stage and announcing “We’re SOLD OUT!” I was choked up.
I can’t imagine not doing these shows!
What Equipment Do You Need To Put On A Student Rock Concert?
When putting on professional, tour-like production, you’re going to need a lot of equipment.
Go Big!
Here’s an example of what we do for our equipment list:
2 – Electronic Drum Kits
2 – 30 Watts (or more) Guitar Amps with High Gain capabilities
1 – 30-50 Watts Acoustic Guitar Amp (with Built In DI)
1 – Bass Amp (100 watts or more) with Built in DI
3 – Keyboards, Stands and Amps (30 Watts or more)
2 – Wireless Mics (for Lead Vocals)
3 – Wired Shure SM58 Mics (or equivalent) for Back Up Vocals
3-5 mic stands
8 – Floor Monitors
16 – DI Boxes for Drums and Instruments
32 Channel Mixing board
32 channel snake
We add extra DI boxes for things like Ukulele. Extra Mics for percussion, Violins and and harmonica.
How To Design A Stage For A Rock Concert
Being on stage is not just about the stage and the Equipment. It’s about the aesthetics and visuals from the audiences perspective.
What would look cool to you?
Designing the stage or set for a student concert
It’s more than jus the equipment on stage!
Stage design is also fun! If you have a big theatre stage you can get really creative with 4X8 Stage platforms.
The first design is more traditional and can accommodate 14-50 people on stage at the same time.
The second looks cool from the audience but can only accommodate 2 keyboards on stands, is a bit cramped for Back up singers and is a pain for photographers to take pictures on stage discretely.
For design one and two, you will need:
10 – 4×8 Stage Panels (with 12-48” legs)
Stage skirting (to cover up cables/empty holes in the staging)
A full inventory of moving lights
A rear/front projector
For the projector, I paid for a subscription to Story Blocks
and did a search for different colourful animated backgrounds. There are A lot!
I highly recommend downloading the most colourful with the biggest movements. Download as many as you can for later use.
Pro Tip: Avoid video that have intense spinning, light flashes or strobes to avoid issues with people with Epilepsy or other conditions.
Stage Equipment Summary
Putting on a student concert is a lot of work but is an absolute blast! Not to mention the attention you’ll get and growth you’ll see for your music school by putting them on.
Use you imagination and watch other concerts for inspiration. Go as big as you can! Your marketing and student retention is going to get a huge boost from this!
Contact Noel Wentworth
Noel Wentworth is the former Vice President of Education of the multi award winning Wentworth Music Education and is available available for consultation. You can reach him below.
