TAKEAWAYS

• Geosteady says Shs20K and Shs30K concerts can be profitable despite the stress involved in organizing them.
• He says artists benefit from the exposure, bookings and opportunities that often come after a successful concert.
• Geosteady believes promoters should determine ticket prices while artists have a responsibility to ensure promoters also make money.

Singer Geosteady has weighed in on the debate surrounding concerts with low entrance fees, disagreeing with claims that shows charging Shs20,000 or Shs30,000 at the gate are not profitable.

According to Geosteady, while organizing concerts can be stressful and demanding, they ultimately bring returns for the different parties involved.

“Concerts can be stressful and will make you restless, but they make returns at the end of it all,” he said.

He explained that promoters handle most of the business side of the concerts, including determining the entrance fee and evaluating whether the show will be financially viable. For artists, he says, the benefit goes beyond the money earned on the actual concert night.

Geosteady noted that he particularly values the bookings and other opportunities that often come after a successful concert, especially because the exposure can open doors for more work.

“For me, what I value most are the bookings after the concert and other opportunities that come through after the exposure,” he explained.

He added that although it is the promoter’s responsibility to assess the finances of a concert and set an appropriate ticket price, artists also have a role to play in ensuring that the promoter makes money.

According to Geosteady, a successful concert should benefit both the artist and promoter, rather than one party walking away with all the gains.

His comments come after fellow musician Bebe Cool argued that concerts charging Shs20,000 or Shs30,000 are not necessarily profitable, sparking debate among Ugandans about the actual business behind music concerts.