Concert Booking Agreement Template - Live Performance Contract
Concert Booking Agreement Template - Live Performance Contract
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Getting booked without a written agreement puts you one cancelled show away from losing your guarantee with no recourse. A concert booking agreement is the contract between an artist and a venue or promoter for a single live performance, setting the guarantee, the deposit, the schedule, the technical requirements, what happens if the show falls apart, and who is allowed to record it. This template covers all of that in a format venues and promoters recognize.
Written by Adam Freedman, a music attorney with more than 10 years of experience, admitted in New York.
Which business agreement do you need?
The short answer: it depends on what the other person is doing for you. Booking one show, running the career, splitting a song, or signing you to a label. The row highlighted below is this page.
| Agreement | The relationship | How the other side gets paid |
|---|---|---|
|
Concert Booking Agreement $20 (this page) |
One live performance, artist and venue or promoter | A guarantee, a deposit, and settlement at the show |
|
Artist Management Contract $49 |
Manager runs the career across every income stream | Commission on gross income, typically 15 to 20% |
|
Music Collaboration Agreement $20 |
Two creators as equal partners on a track | 50/50 of the master and the publishing |
|
Artist Recording Agreement $35 |
Label signs the artist and owns the masters | Artist takes a royalty, label takes ownership |
|
Complete Music Contract Vault $75 |
Every deal type in the shop | One purchase, all of it |
What's included
Deal points
- Artist guarantee: the confirmed fee the artist receives regardless of ticket sales
- Deposit terms: how much is due upfront and when the balance is paid
- Date, time, and venue: the specifics, documented and binding
- Set length and schedule: how long the artist plays, and any opening or closing requirements
Technical & logistical terms
- Technical rider reference: sound, lighting, and production requirements
- Hospitality: green room, meals, accommodation where applicable
- Load-in and soundcheck: the schedule both sides are agreeing to
- Travel and accommodation: who pays for what, and how
Cancellation & force majeure
- Cancellation by promoter: what the artist is owed when the show goes away
- Cancellation by artist: what happens if the artist pulls out, and by when
- Force majeure: how weather, emergencies, and genuinely unforeseeable events are handled
Intellectual property & recording
- Recording restrictions: whether the promoter may record or livestream the performance at all
- Merchandise rights: who controls merch sales at the venue and whether the house takes a cut
- Photo and video approval: the artist's rights over promotional content from the show
Common mistakes this template helps you avoid
No written guarantee: the promoter pays less than agreed and says that was never the deal. Without paper, that is just two people remembering differently.
No deposit: a show cancelled the day of, with nothing collected, is unpaid time you cannot get back.
Vague cancellation terms: if the agreement does not say who keeps the deposit, the person holding it decides.
No recording restriction: a livestreamed or recorded set becomes a recording somebody else may claim rights in.
Silence on merch: venues take a percentage of merch as a matter of routine. That number belongs in the contract, not in a conversation at load-in.
Who this is for
- Independent artists booking shows without a manager or agent.
- Event promoters who want one standard artist agreement for every show.
- Booking agents who need a clean template to customize per engagement.
- Festival and venue coordinators formalizing artist agreements.
Frequently asked questions
Does this cover a tour or just one show?
One performance. A tour runs on different terms: routing, cross-collateralized settlements, and cancellation across multiple dates, which is custom drafting rather than a template.
Should I require a deposit?
Yes. 50% upfront with the balance at or before the show is the common structure. The deposit provisions are editable to whatever you negotiate.
What if the promoter wants to livestream?
The template restricts recording and livestreaming by default. If you agree to allow it, ownership, revenue split, and exclusivity all need to be negotiated and added, because a livestream is a new recording of your performance.
What happens if either side cancels?
Both directions are covered, with editable notice periods and consequences.
Does my manager handle this, or do I?
Depends on your management agreement. Booking and management are different functions, and some states regulate who may procure employment for a performer, so the two roles are worth documenting separately. Here is how a music attorney fits into that.
What format is the file delivered in?
Microsoft Word (.docx), editable immediately in Word, Google Docs, or Pages.
What happens after purchase
Instant download: Word (.docx) file delivered immediately after checkout
Fully editable: customize deal points, payment terms, and every provision
Lifetime access: download anytime from your account
One-time payment: no subscription
Working through terms you don't recognize? A short call is usually enough to know where you stand. Set one up.
Need more than one template? The Complete Music Contract Vault bundles 27 music contract templates for $75.
*DISCLAIMER: These templates are for informational purposes only, and purchasing them doesn't make us your lawyer. It's impossible to make one version that fits every situation, so you should contact a lawyer to make sure it fits yours.
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