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IME: Afton is a POS!

Discussion in 'Band Management [BG]' started by El Slap, Apr 13, 2012.

  1. Apr 13, 2012 #1
    El Slap

    El Slap

    Oct 8, 2011
    East Bay, CA
    I've booked with a couple of different agencies with generally good results. You figure that a group of people that do this for a living would have a clue what they're doing.

    Apparently not the folks at Afton. My last show with my metal band was a disaster in every respect except (except for the music) because of the incompetent and unprofessional people at Afton.

    First, we were supposed to sell tickets for the gig, but we didn't get tickets, we got "vouchers". Basically paper printouts that our people had to use to register online blah blah blah contrived BS method of attending a show. And they didn't even work, so our fans/friends had to pay the door price.

    Second, they booked 10 bands that night (none of them metal, except us), and they ALL showed up. So, of course, after a 6pm load-in to play at 10:30pm, we get pushed back to 12:30am.

    Third, we only had time to play half our set before getting rushed out by the staff so the place could close.

    Moral of the story, IME, Afton is a piece of garbage booking agency and I would highly discourage anyone from booking shows with them.

    Just thought I'd share.

    Cheers,
    El

    P.S. On the flip side, I've played several shows with Contorted Records, and every one of them has been awesome, and we plan on continuing to book with them.
     
  2. Apr 13, 2012 #2
    modulusman

    modulusman Inactive

    Jan 18, 2004
    montana
    I'm not sure if it was on talkbass or another forum but a few years ago there were threads about what a bunch of douchenozzles Afton was.
     
  3. Apr 13, 2012 #3
    N.F.A.

    N.F.A.

    Jun 25, 2009
    In a blue funk
    Yeah, it was here on TB. Do a search for Afton and you will find 3 or 4 threads very quickly.
     
  4. Apr 14, 2012 #4
    El Slap

    El Slap

    Oct 8, 2011
    East Bay, CA
    Yeah, I saw some; but I figured I'd throw my two cents in while the wounds are still fresh.
     
  5. Apr 14, 2012 #5
    steveksux

    steveksux

    Mar 23, 2005
    Detroit area, Troy, MI
    Afton runs pay to play, don't they? Is that technically even considered a "gig"? :D

    Randy
     
  6. Apr 15, 2012 #6
    invader3k

    invader3k

    Feb 12, 2004
    Fort Atkinson, WI
    Yeah, they're more of a pay to play outfit than real booking "agency", at least from what I've heard.
     
  7. Apr 15, 2012 #7
    runmikeyrun

    runmikeyrun

    Jan 10, 2001
    northeast Ohio
    Never, EVER sell tickets to play. Ever. This is almost always what happens- no set time til you show up, play with a bunch of bands unlike you (which does nothing to build your fan base or sell merch) and oh yeah, you get paid basically nothing.