2 Promoters, 1 Pod

There's few things in the live music business quite like the circus of a band's contractual agreement with a festival. From sloppy copy and paste jobs to being told to sign off technical specs you haven't received and a shopping list of reasons why a band can cancel to a litany of clauses to say why a promoter can't, it's all a bit of a clown show which would be laughed at...

After a couple of weekends on tour, social media threw a wobbler to welcome Gav and James back with a bump as well as Brand New, Dragged Into Sunlight and poor old Clutch under the bus.  We wade through the murky waters of cancel culture, questionable decision making and an unwillingness to be straight with ticket buyers before lightening the mood with some Burzum banter. Laughs galore. We go agai...

Gav and James hit the road for their first ever tour. From mad for it Manchester to Village Wembley, gifts to guests and hot sauces to hecklers… here’s how it panned out. We go again, every Thursday morning.

The first leg of the debut tour is over but there’s no time to unwind as Malevolence drop a bomb on Damnation and there’s ArcTanGent bands to announce.  Oh, and it’s Glasgow tomorrow… We go again, every Thursday morning.

We’re in Bristol for the opening night of the first 2 Promoters, 1 Tour but don’t fret, we’re here for you, every Thursday, come rain, shine or super stardom. James’ favourite music documentaries, top albums of 2025 so far and Gav’s difficulties with post rock fans.  Synthwave, Slamdunk clashes and stupid band fees… We go again, every Thursday morning.

One last rummage through the big bag of questions before Gav and James hit the road for their first tour. Do support bands get a taste of the 80/20 Vs deal cash? Our thoughts on the return of Ghostfest. Will Damnation remain a two-day event following this year's ticket sales? And what bands have we missed out on down the years we kick ourselves about? Also on our minds; the return of Slayer,...

*TRIGGER WARNING* Do NOT consume with food. The infamous "Stinky Pete", who provides toilets for 2000trees and and ArcTanGent, joins the pod - by demand - and does not hold back on the details of what it takes to be the top loo man in town.  You may never look at a plastic festival bog the same way again. And shout out to the heroes at Outbreak.  We go again, every Thursday morning.

Happy birthday to us.  Cheers to every last one of you for the support. Now let's get stuck into what you want to know about, from Bloodstock's winter bash to the worst thing about rock and metal fans. We go again, every Thursday morning.

It's exactly one month until Gav and James hit the road for their maiden live tour which puts them in the unfamiliar shoes of the artist for the first time. But what exactly goes into planning a tour? Why is a tour manager important? Who is doing the driving and in what? How do you know how much merch to order? And please explain that 80/20 Vs deal again... In usual 2 Promoters, 1 Pod fashion...

The greatest metal line-up of all time is heading to Birmingham as the world says its final, final, final farewell to Ozzy Osbourne as a live performer. Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Alice In Chains, Gojira, Mastodon and the drummer from Sleep Token are all on the poster but what exactly is going on? Is it a day of Sabbath classics? Are the bands playing 25 minute sets? And why did no one invite the...

There are few things as important as your breakfast, lunch and dinner to soak up the beer and cider during your stay on a festival site for the weekend. But how do those delightful vendors get through a boggy farm in their ill-equipped cars, vans and trucks? How much do they pay? Who decides what they can and can't sell and why are the meals so bloody expensive? Luckily James is a man with mo...

You're not confused, it is Tuesday. But the ArcTanGent line up reveal waits for no man, woman or child so we go again, for a rare bonus pod, before the news breaks for the rest of the world. The exclusive ATG special announcement has two headliners, including a Wednesday "debut" so big, the festival's rulebook had to be scrapped to accommodate the booking. James shares the post...

Today was the day we were all promised the big ATG reveal but James' "wild week of booking" quickly descended into a fortnight of madness and as the big man says himself "we work to the bands' schedule, they don't work to ours". So instead Gav and James tear through a bumper Q&A tackling venue upgrades, the challenges of booking band "packages, submissio...

The role of a booking agent can be tricky and demanding at the best of times but when your latest 'client' is a podcast featuring two promoters who routinely bash you and your colleagues, it's a whole different ball game. So why did Mr Haydn Britland, the man who secure deals and routes tours for the likes of Cult of Luna, Enslaved, Leprous, The Ocean and Envy, fancy a crack at 2 Pr...

Booking headliners has become a real issue for festivals of all sizes but is tying up bands TWO years in advance the answer or a very dangerous gamble? Gav and James respond to the latest drama to hit promoters and how it impacts their festivals.  There’s also a cheesy fest line-up which James is a tad too comfortable putting together and why wasn’t Gav more upset that Bleeding Through didn’t play...

It’s a new year but there’s no time for hugs and handshakes. Let’s get back to business. Why don’t Gav and James throw bands who are having a tough time on tour a few extra quid? Is Spotify really the devil of the music industry? And how the hell did Karnivool end up on Brutal Assault if they were booked as a Euro exclusive for ATG? After those pleasantries are exchanged there’s the small matter o...

We made it! The milestone pod, Episode 52. But is this the end for 2 Promoters, 1 Pod or just the beginning? Gav and James pop the bubbly, beers and ciders and get merry to mark the occasion. Merry Christmas. We go again, every Thursday morning.

Exactly what it says on the tin.  We go again, every Thursday morning.

It's back to the bottomless mailbag to tackle another batch of your probing questions. How much of a band do we listen to before deciding to book them? When will Damnation day ticket be on sale? Will the live shows be recorded? And what's the difference between headlining, co-headlining and are the costs the same or is it all just in the name?  Gav and James get stuck in.  We go again, e...

A staggering 72 UK festivals have cancelled, postponed or called time so far in 2024 - double the number from 2023, and more than 200 have gone since 2019. Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) CEO, John Rostron, joins the pod to discuss the bleak landscape and what can be done to stop more events following suit. But before the misery hammer drops, Gav and James celebrate the latest Damnation...

For the fan enjoying their favourite band at a headline tour date or festival there might be a different setlist but for the promoters, it’s a different journey nailing the booking. The approach, the availability, the fee, the rider and conditions can all be a very different landscape depending on if you’re promoting a gig or festival.  And what on earth is a “versus 80/20 deal”?  James and a Covi...

Gav and James dive bag into the mail bag to tackle this week’s most pressing issues including the Sleep Token backlash from Download fans and why our two promoters will never, ever work together… unless there’s a Butlins to hire. We go again, every Thursday morning. Lou's Brews, use the code POD15 for 15% off your order - https://www.lousbrews.co.uk Meliora Software, Elevate your fans event e...

The Download line-up is out and Gav and James avoid all spoilers to react to it in real time.  The highs (Green Day), the lows (Steel Panther) and the billing stunners (Sikth) are all the topics of the night.  But what’s that hardcore din in the background determined to gatecrash the UK’s biggest rock and metal party? Oh, just Outbreak not giving a single f#@k over the same weekend.  Let’s go!  We...

Damnation ‘24 is in the bag and we’re still rattling in disbelief days later but there’s no time to feel sorry for our souls because there’s an event to pick over.  Thankfully, Damnation’s Irish general, Paul Farrington, joins the pod to tackle the PTSD of two days' aural abuse in a Manchester industrial estate.  From LLNN to Dragged Into Sunlight via Nails, we open up about it all… and why d...

It's here...Damnation is tomorrow, Gav is stressed and James is ready to go big.  Gav chats us through some of next year’s Damnation plans, and boots off about  lanyards and car number plates. Whilst James gets stuck into some questions and talks about whether he is mid feud with Bloodstock or not. We go again, every Thursday morning. We go again, every Thursday morning.