Entertainment Attorneys are a Band’s Best Asset

Music festivals are becoming huge moneymakers over single concerts. Rolling Stone reports that festivals are booming because fans are willing to pay $250 to $500 to see 130 artists versus watching only a solo show.

Big music acts and up-and-coming stars can rake in quite a bit of income playing at festivals such as the upcoming Coachella Music Festival in southern California. Especially when backed by ample marketing budgets and social media, it is no wonder the festival sold out one week after the lineup was announced this year. Now it remains to be seen if the 2011 festival tops last year’s numbers of 225,000 fans and $21.7 million gross revenues.

Behind the scenes, one of the most important players for musicians and bands is an entertainment lawyer. With big festivals and large venues, bands will want to be prepared to sign performance agreements and oftentimes need an experienced entertainment attorney to ensure they understand the agreement and that their rights are being upheld. An attorney can be vital to negotiating the payment terms, merchandising agreements, cancelation clauses, permissible video and audio recording equipment, and ensure the band will not be liable for any and all damages that could occur while performing in the venue.

Most musicians might not love this side of the business, so that is why getting legal counsel early on can leave the business of entertainment to the attorney and the band can continue focusing on its creative output. Legal counsel shows everyone a band deals with that they are professionals and are serious about what they do. Attorneys are great at looking over the necessary agreements and any side contracts for loopholes and further enforcing contract terms when other parties decide not to meet the stipulations agreed to beforehand.

Beyond big festivals and concerts, entertainment attorneys can provide guidance on management agreements, recording contracts, copyright and trademark matters, licensing and royalty agreements, and endorsements and partnership contracts, just to name a few. Some entertainment attorneys can also give clients business planning and career advice. The music business is full of horror stories about bad promoters, shoddy venues, and broken promises, so a good entertainment lawyer can help a band through the complex music industry.

A hands-on entertainment lawyer is a key part of a band’s success. It takes a team approach to make it big in the music industry, so having a lawyer who will be proactive with all the other team players – agents, booking agents, record labels, and other key contacts – will only increase a band’s buzzworthiness and chances of financial success.

In California, Los Angeles entertainment lawyer Anthony Spotora has many years of experience with bands, musicians, songwriters, record companies, and music publishers. The Law Offices of Spotora & Associates has extensive music industry contacts and a reputation for individualized attention and dedication to helping creative individuals thrive in the music business.

Anthony Spotora is a Los Angeles entertainment lawyer and Los Angeles business attorney. To learn more, visit Spotoralaw.com.

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