FAQs

What is the role of an "agent"?
What is the difference between having Cubed Squared as a booking resource and Cubed Squared as a manager?
What is the standard charge for booking services?
What is the day-to-day role of a Cubed Squared team member?
Is there something you can do to make yourself more 'attractive' to the C2 Agency?
Does Cubed Squared always look to sign new acts?

We here at Cubed Squared believe that we take a unique and very open / up front approach to how we conduct business with our clients. We form partnerships. We believe in honesty, trust and developing relationships. We do NOT believe in games. We are not about egos or attitudes and we pride ourselves on the amazing bonds we have formed and continue to form in the entertainment arena. We are different—we expect our acts to be different too.

We believe that educating, communicating and informing our acts is a big part of what makes ongoing relationships WORK. It is more than just putting you into a club or event and collecting our commission each week… its finding out what you want, where you want to go with this and being brutally honest with what we can and can’t do to help you get there. In order for that to be the result, we collectively have to establish some ground rules and boundaries / guidelines. As professionals in this industry, we often get asked many questions, or else find ourselves dealing with performers that have never thought about the roles and relationships that a resource like ours and acts establish at the onset of working together. Fly by night we’re not…. And so we’ve taken the time to research and obtain some Questions and Answers that might enlighten you, answer some concerns for you and help us move forward effectively and have a GREAT working relationship. We are ALL about communicating – so if you have more questions than what we have listed here or have issues and concerns that are not addressed here or in the contract, PLEASE feel free to ask us at any time!

What is the role of an "agent"?
A booking agent’s role is very different than that which we here at Cubed Squared do. We do NOT classify ourselves as booking "agents". Agents are responsible for pounding the pavement to find their acts work. We simply don't do that. We are opportunity driven. We pound the pavement finding opportunities for performers to acquire stage time -- then we simply match up the criteria of the opportunity with the criteria each act has supplied us with, to find an appropriate match!! For argument sake however, lets discuss the role of an agent still and learn where we fit in:
An agent's role can be artist based or account based. Artist based booking refers to filling the calendar of a specific artist. This can either be in an exclusive or non-exclusive role. Obviously, an exclusive agent bears more responsibility of satisfying an artist’s needs. Exclusive agents need to be in tune with the performance goals of the artist, and also work towards artist’s developmental goals. It is one thing to fill as many dates as possible, it is quite another to acquire dates that make sense in the development of an artist.

Account based booking is filling the needs of a particular account with whatever type or name of artist that they desire.

Unless noted, the answers to this questionnaire will be relating to artist based non-exclusive representation, however for the most part Cubed Squared engages in proportionately the same amount of Account based bookings at this time.

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What is the difference between having Cubed Squared as a booking resource and Cubed Squared as a manager?
That answer is simple. As a booking resource, we simply add your criteria to our database –define how often you want to be playing out, how much money you want to be earning and advise you on how reasonable all of your expectations are. We will work with your calendar and only call on you when something appropriate or suitable (based on YOUR answers) pops up for consideration. We can provide administrative and promotional support as well. As a manager however, we will get involved in helping you with your music. We have musicians and experienced vocalists and coaches that can work with your harmonies, advise you on lyrics (for original acts) and help choreograph your routines, help with your wardrobe, help with your set list and all the other nuances that go into being led by someone in the industry that knows how to help. THE most important thing that sets Cubed Squared aside is that we’re here to help you—not control you or own you or involve ourselves in things that don’t concern us. It’s simply about the act – the music and having fun. Ultimately if Cubed Squared is your manager, it inherently is your booking resource as well.

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What is the standard charge for booking services?
Any industry booking service will usually charge 15 percent. This is not the rule, however. Some will charge more if extra time or expense is required to obtain a date. Ironically, as a band becomes more popular, commissions can actually go up - sometimes up to 25%. This is not the norm, however, and as a developing band you should pay between 15 and 20 percent on the vast majority of your dates. The Cubed Squared standard rate for booking a show is 15 percent. If a particular gig, show or event falls into a different bracket, it will be discussed and agreed upon in writing before any commitment is made on your behalf.

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What is the day-to-day role of a Cubed Squared team member?
The daily role of any of the Cubed Squared representatives begins before the first phone call is even made. The most important thing in booking is communication. As an artist, it is your responsibility to define your parameters for us before we can begin to make great things happen with you. We will be able to discuss your goals and determine if they are reasonably attainable. We then enter your data into our database and should appropriate opportunities that match your criteria pass our desks -- you will be put on the call list ! In some situations, we have a feel for when certain customers look to book their calendar and we keep on top of it. In order for us to effectively do our job, we should be aware of the monetary requirements of an act, as well as travel restrictions. Ideally, we should have the autonomy to clear a date as soon as it is offered, but we give each and every act the right to decide per gig if the opportunity we are seeking to fill is right for them. This is important, despite the fact that certain buyers are very difficult to get in touch with on a regular basis. We still firmly believe that the act drives their own course -- not us. It is important to note that many dates are lost by trying to get the band to clear a date, then trying to get back in touch with a buyer to confirm. Usually by that time, the date has been given to someone else. But we tell our acts that up front and so it is a mutual responsibility to facilitate the process as quickly as we all can... together. We are in communication with our performing acts as much as possible. We want feedback especially on dates just played. This is extremely important since the best time to book a date is right after an act has done well. If the act blows the roof off a show, the buyer should be extremely agreeable to a book-back.

Our role does not end when the whistle blows, either. The best of the best in our business randomly attend shows where their bands play, as well as network within the industry to increase their bargaining power for their services and repertoire. You can count on seeing us once in a while, out in the audience smiling and singing along no doubt!

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Is there something you can do to make yourself more 'attractive' to the C2 Agency?
You want to make your product as attractive as possible. The better the marketing and collateral materials the easier it is to book your act. Essentially, you want to make it as easy as possible for Cubed Squared to sell you. Here are some suggestions:

• A nice promo package that can readily be sent out.
  • This should include recorded material (cd), A bio sheet on the band, the music and its members.
• Sample fliers and posters.
• A band photo.

Be persistent, but not a pest. We understand that booking you is important to you but please don't call us every day! When we send a package to a prospective client and we follow up. Chances are, if a client hears something they like, they will call us back immediately. If they don't listen to it or never return our calls, they either didn't like it or their plate is too full at the time. Be open to giving us your calendar. We recognize that any other typical 'agents' that have booked rooms that are being "rebooked" as a result of their efforts, will not fall into our scope of business with you - however, as our written agreement with all of our acts clearly states, the same is true for us. Going behind our backs or trying to book a room we put you in, on your own will only result in legal actions and that completely defeats the purpose of what we as a team are trying to accomplish here together!! Be very clear on what you can’t do. Get all travel restrictions, p.a. issues, etc. out in the open. We hate surprises. Don't be a bunch of jerks. Be professional, this is a paying gig!! Show up early, be friendly, stay sober and responsible and in control at all times -- and play as well as you would for 4 people as you would for 4000. Under NO circumstances will we tolerate rude acts, drug use of any kind or violence and/or damage to the club’s premises. We observe a ZERO Tolerance factor on all of the above.

Make sure your act has one person who will serve as the liaison between the rest of your act and our office. Make sure that this person can be easily reached to clear dates. Be willing to listen to our opinions. Finally, we expect to be paid all commissions due in a prompt manner within time lines specified in our agreement. This is our business and our livelihood. We take our acts seriously, we expect to be taken seriously in return. We reserve the right to drop entertainers for delayed payments. And last but note least…. have FUN!

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Does Cubed Squared always look to sign new acts?
Most any "agent" likes to keep their ear to the ground and stay ahead of the trend when new acts are concerned. Because we are opportunity driven and not artist driven, we are not compromised by adding as many quality acts to our repertoire as we possibly can. We charge nothing to be in that line up (we charge only when we find you work) and we never promise to find any work for any acts. We simply have a process and protocol that allows us to choose appropriate quality acts for opportunities as they are presented to our team. And that is what we are … a team! Be very cautious of a single agent who represents a large number of acts without a support staff. We here at Cubed Squared pride ourselves on the fact that there are several in the office and out in the field doing legwork and servicing acts and clients as a company -not a one person outfit. We all know that there are only so many hours to divide up in a day. Before you sign anything with anyone, make very clear where you would sit in their roster. It is a lot better to be on the roster of a team or a full-fledged agency than simply another "act" for a single agent flying solo in the field. A dead give-away is asking the agent if this is a full time gig for their "company" or a part time thing they do "on the side". We here at Cubed Squared are dedicated to our ideas and enjoy working for a legit company that specializes in this arena.

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