Day-of contact

On the day, the promoter is usually busy with the door, the bar and the rest of the line-up. The day-of contact is someone who isn’t tied up with any of that, knows the plan and picks up when the artist calls. The artist side names a day-of contact too, usually the agent or tour manager, so the promoter knows whom to call when a flight is late.

Example

The flight lands 50 minutes late. On landing, the artist messages: “Landed, at the baggage belt.” The day-of contact already knew about the delay from the driver, who follows the flight number, and has moved dinner back an hour. At the venue, the same person meets [Artist A] at the artist entrance at 00:30, takes them to the booth for a check during the changeover and sorts the ride back at 03:30.

What to watch for

• One person, by name, with a mobile number that works on messaging apps. “The promoter” or the club’s landline doesn’t count.
• Reachable from the landing until the artist is back at the hotel.
• Speaks a language the artist speaks.
• Knows the guest list, the hospitality and the payment arrangements for the night, so the artist doesn’t need a second person for those.
• If the day-of contact changes, the day sheet changes.