A concert makes a great charity event for your business, but to pull one off, you'll need the service of concert producers. There's a lot of concert production information the producers can help provide you with, as well as putting together a wonderful charity event for your business. Many of these companies can do all of the guesswork for you, and even put the entire event together for you. There are some basic concert production services you'll want to know about to put together your charity event.

You'll need to find companies that can provide concert production products and concert production specialists to help put together small charity concerts. For large charity concert events, you'll want to find concert production companies that can put your entire charity concert event together for you. Consider these options to get you started:

1. Find concert production products.

2. Find concert production specialists.

3. Find concert production companies.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for companies that provide concert production products

You'll need to find a concert production product company that can supply you with sound systems, staging, lighting and other equipment your benefit concert will need. If you're planning an outdoor event, you'll also want to find companies that can provide you with shelter and seating.

I recommend: Concert Concepts Production Services can provide you with most of the equipment you'll need for your charity concert. You can rent many of these pieces from the company. Rainbow Production Services offers sound, lighting and rigging equipment.

Work with companies that provide concert production specialists

You'll need more than just special equipment to put together your charity concert. You'll also need concert production specialists who know how to set up the stage, the sound equipment and lighting, the seating and shelter for outdoor events and many other services you'll need to provide when putting together such an event.

I recommend: Got You Covered can put your entire charity event together, and even help you secure the talent you'll need for your concert. Rhino offers full service in putting together your charity concert.

Use a concert production company to put the event together for you

If you're planning a large charity concert event, a full-service concert production company can provide the solutions to all of your problems. These companies can take all of the guesswork and labor of putting together a large charity concert out of your hands. From setting up the stage and equipment, to hiring the bands, advertising your event and handling ticket sales, these full-service companies will become your new best friend.

I recommend: American Entertainment Productions can put together your charity concert from start to finish. They even work with first-timers. Leg Productions specializes in putting together everything you need for a live concert.

A concert production service is just what it sound like: a service that puts together a concert or other live event, including organizing or creating the stage and designing lighting and audio. Concert production specialists find all the experts necessary to produce a quality concert. Freeing artists or venue owners of this huge task, they find talented techies, keep everyone on schedule and pay the staff, among other tasks. Sometimes concert production companies even venture into show promotion and general management.

Whether you're a musician or you own a music venue, the success of your concert will hinge greatly on who provides concert production for your shows. A quality concert production resource will be a tremendous asset to your business, making the process smooth for you and the performers and creating an outstanding look to the show. On the other hand, poor concert production can ruin an otherwise excellent show. This guide will help you find:

1. Concert production services in the East,

2. Concert production resources in the West,

3. And concert production companies in the North and South of the United States.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Discover concert producers on the East Coast

Not surprisingly, most concert production companies on the East Coast are located around bigger cities like New York and Boston. Many travel, however, so don't be afraid to ask a company if they are willing to come to your location.

I recommend: Pro-Stage of New York provides a variety of concert production services, including audio, lighting, roofs, stages, security, event management and much more. Indigo Productions of New York offers sound, lighting, stage, roof and backline services. Matrix 1 of Massachusetts specializes in audio production for events and concerts. Concert Sound & Lighting, also of Massachusetts, provides full event production, plus rentals of concert production products.

Locate concert production specialists on the West Coast

Concert production service is somewhat easier to find in the West. Although you might think most production companies do business in obvious cities like Los Angeles, you'll also find experts in states like Washington and Nevada.

I recommend: Harris Technical Services, also of Washington, provides quality concert production. American Entertainment of Nevada is a full-service concert production company specializing in concert tours, trade shows and corporate events. Kinetic Lighting of California focuses on concert and event lighting with the latest technology.

Contact concert producers in the North and South

Although it's more difficult to find concert production information in middle America, there are still plenty of production companies around. Most specialize in corporate events, but many are also quite capable of handling more commercial events.

I recommend: ICP Atlanta of Georgia offers stages, lighting and audio services for concerts. In Concert Productions of Illinois offers producing for small and large concerts and events. Master Sound Productions of Florida offers sound, lighting and video equipment services, plus rentals and sales of concert production products. Got You Covered of Arizona provides full concert production services; their executives have worked with artists such as Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sting and Garth Brooks.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Seemingly small details make a big difference in concert production. For example, experts suggest all concerts be performed on a stage--preferably at least 4 feet high. This makes the experience more enjoyable for patrons in the back.

When it's time to get all of the support that is needed for turning an empty stadium or venue into a sound-scape of live music, concert production services come to the rescue of sponsors and businesses that profit from these events. Concert production company shops provide things like sound checks and EQs, as well as advanced technology for acoustics and amplification management and lots more.

Businesses looking to partner with these kinds of operational support shops can find concert production services news and trends online to see how this kind of collaboration generally happens within the industry. There's a lot at the fingertips of those who are "plugged into" the music and concert production community through the web, for:

1. Planning the first stages of a contract to execute a successful event, whether in a huge stadium or a smaller indoor facility, where concert production resources are very necessary.

2. Looking at the general practices of concert production experts to figure out what might be needed for outfitting a stage.

3. Finding out about some of the elements that would be included in an ongoing contract or for starting up some kind of corresponding service for using concert production products and methods to guarantee good audio.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for concert production services news from online industry magazines

Some of the best sites on concert producers are derived from the idea of having print magazines from the music field 'migrate' online. Seek out the prominent music news pubs that publish on the web and see what they are saying about concert production services and the rest of what goes into an event.

I recommend: Get the scoop on how concert production services help put on quality shows, as well as much more info on industry standards and changes, at FOH (Front of House) Magazine online. Learn about what kinds of things concert production services have to deliver for a successful show at Total Production Magazine's online site.

Get more info on concert production services from production sites

Some of the companies online helping to set up concerts also offer concert production information on what collaborative offices are doing these days. Take a careful look to consider what kind of work goes into the concert production services that sponsors sometimes take for granted.

I recommend: Look to sites like ArtistsHouse Music for video and interactive news in what planners do to prepare for concerts and the kinds of concert production services and products that assist them. Or get up-to-date news from specific companies like Rainbow Production Services at proprietary websites.

Look at news networks for concert production advice on the latest trends

Web users can also find more resources on concert production services at sites that get a lot of 'musical pairs of eyes.'

I recommend: Get tips on concert production resource options, news on concert planning, and more from NowPublic's "How to Produce a Successful Music Concert."

When it's time to brainstorm a really big show for a really big act, concert production services can help. These firms help those hosting large shows in venues to coordinate all of the necessary aspects of a show, from physical setup to a lot of other related activities and functions needed to pull off the big event. Knowing about some of the main terms for dealing with a large concert in a venue will help managers and concert production services staff or those contracting for an event to understand what is needed and what production services can offer.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Sound reinforcement

Sound reinforcement includes several ways of providing support to concert sound by amplifying or promoting the audio that is coming off of the stage. Sound reinforcement is often part of what concert production services offer.

I recommend: See more on sound reinforcement and similar aspects of concert production at QSC.

Public address system

A P.A. or public address system is a setup for amplifying sound to reach a large audience. These installations are common, not just in concert halls, but in a wide range of facilities.

I recommend: Get more on PA systems from Night Heron Consulting.

Production manager

Someone in a concert production service may assume the role of production manager. The production manager is someone who manages a large variety of aspects of a show, often according to a detailed and specified contract.

I recommend: See more on what a production manager does, as well as details for a variety of other roles that a concert production service might provide, at this Google Books page.

Backline crew

When it comes to big concert events, the backline crew is another very important part of the process. A backline crew is a group of people who take care of setting up instruments and related gear for a band or artist. A large event may have a sizeable backline crew.

I recommend: See more on what backline crews do at this page from Roadie Jobs.

Concert programming

Concert production services may also help by arranging concert programming, or accommodating that programming in various ways. A concert program is a list of what is goes on in the show. This is a blueprint for all of the jobs that concert production support staff may undertake.

I recommend: Read up on concert programming for classical events at this New York Times story. Hear more on concert programming and the role that is plays from this Artists House Music page.

Concert promotions

When it comes to a full range of concert production services, there's another thing, beyond all of the physical tasks and considerations, that the production company should be mindful of, and that's concert promotion. Concert promotion is getting the word out about a particular show, and concert promoters should work closely with a concert production company to see that the needs of the crowd will be met, and that the concert promotion matches up well with the concert.

I recommend: See more on concert promotion at Creative Concert Promoters.