Before The Show Begins

What happens before the lights go down and the first Go cue is called?

Before the Show Begins explores the unseen side of todays live music industry: concert production, touring, artists, promoters, technical crews, ticketing, rights, finance, safety, and technology.

Drawing on real-world professional situations, international case studies, and his own experience in live events, Aleks Braylon takes readers behind the scenes of the industry. Why is a good rider more than just a list of equipment? How can a single mistake during preparation turn into a crisis at the venue? Why doesnt a sold-out show always mean a profit? What happens when a system fails? And in the age of streaming and artificial intelligence, why do people still buy tickets and come to concerts?

This is not a book about technology itself. It is about the people, decisions, and systems that make a few hours of live performance possible in the first place.