STEVE O’Neal was only 17 when he first became a radio DJ. In the 1970s, he was also known as Charlie Tuna, Deep Throat, Bionic Man and Silvester, among other sobriquets. But he says he likes Steve O’Neal most because that’s also the name of his concert production

outfit. For the past two years, Steve has been very busy as a concert promoter. He was responsible for bringing in most of the foreign pop and rock groups that have recently performed in Manila.

In this chat with One Philippines, Steve gets down to the business of concert promotion.

How and why did you get into concert promotion?

I got into concerts because I felt most promoters back then, in 2003, were concentrating on young pop artists, hip hop, etc. No one wanted to cater to the baby boomer crowd so I thought of bringing in artists from the ‘50s ‘60s and ‘70s. My original plan was to hold the concerts in small clubs and auditoriums because I wanted an intimate atmosphere. Besides, I wasn’t sure how the market would take it. A lot of my friends said I was crazy and just wasting time, but I had a good gut feel.

For a concert to be successful, what are the most important things that a promoter must attend to?

There are a million things to do to try to make the concert a success. But then again, there is no guarantee that it will make money. You can promote the artist to high heavens and still lose big time. I follow certain parameters when choosing the artist, and so far I have had a good batting average.

My parameters as follows:

(1) the artist must have had at least 6 certified hits in the Philippines;

(2) their latest live video which I ask in advance must be at concert performance level;

(3) they must be willing to sing their hits in the Philippines (a very tricky problem since their hits in the Philippines are not necessarily their hits abroad);

(4) they must be willing to make promotional spots on TV; and

(5) they must be willing to interact with the fans, sign autographs and pose for pictures. I would also like to add that I have strategic partnerships and alliances with Solar Entertainment Corporation, Sesame Seed Productions, Hard Rock Cafe and RJ100 FM. They have all been very material in the success of my ventures.

Why are you bringing in mostly oldies concert acts?

Because they are the artists I know and whose music I understand. I was a DJ from the late 60s to the 80s and know their music, hits, history and background. When you know the artist, you are in a position to promote and market them with efficacy.

Tell us about difficult artists who gave you a hard time with their demands.

Fortunately I haven’t had any difficult artists so far. They’ve all been nice, accommodating and cooperative, save for the occasional outburst or tantrum. The only difficulty I could remember that gave me some sleepless nights was the demand of Peter Asher’s management for me to post a $5 million liability insurance. Had they forced the issue, it would have cost me over one million pesos just for the premium.

How about those who were so kind and accommodating?

I could outright say that most of the artists I’ve brought in have been kind and very accommodating. It’s no joke for a singer to wake up at 4 am, saddled with jet lag and perform at 6 am on a TV program.

What are some of your productions that have made money? And those that have flopped?

So far, my best and biggest concert hit is still the Cascades whom I’ll be bringing back in June. I also manage the Cascades now and book them beyond Philippine shores. Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Chad & Jeremy, Pat Upton’s 2004 Valentines gig were some of my sellout gigs. The Friends of Distinction, who has been my one of my personal favorites, were one of my few flops.

Aside from the prospect of financial returns, what drives you to keep on promoting concerts?

Of course, financial gain is a factor behind my concert promotion. But I would like to make it clear that it goes beyond that aspect. There is the fulfillment factor. I love the idea of bringing my musical heroes and sharing the experience with the public. If I pay a low talent fee to the artist, I pass on the savings to the concert-going crowd. I always make sure ticket prices are within the reach of all demographic levels. I have shows that charge only Php100 for a ticket.

What kind of competition exists in concert promotion? Do you keep your negotiations with artists secret?

Back in 2003, I had the baby boomer market all to myself. Three years later, most of my fellow promoters are now in my market. Competition is getting tough, so you need to be very creative with presentations. There are no secrets in negotiations with the artists since you will most likely deal with agents. Agents are known to start bidding wars with promoters. As a rule of thumb, I drop out of negotiations when I find out there is bidding.

How expensive is it to promote concerts especially at the Araneta Coliseum?

Araneta Coliseum is one of the most expensive venues, but then again it’s the only venue that can accommodate the most number of people. Concert promotion is not as simple as it seems. You need to prepare months ahead. There’s a ton of permits to secure, a battery of people to employ, radio, TV and newspapers to promote at, rehearse the artist, fix the itinerary, etc.

You need a capital fund of at least Php3 million to promote a concert. Some shows require humongous amounts of capital. For example, the Eagles require at least $1 million just for their talent fees and that doesn’t include the cost for plane tickets, board and lodging and freight. There is no way in the world that you could recover that kind of talent fee in the Philippines.

Who are the top three concert acts that you wish you could bring to the Philippines?

Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand and Abba. To dream the impossible dream!•

Steve O’Neal’s radio program is accessible on the net: www.rjplanet.com