A festival promoter receives hundreds of pitches every season. Most are discarded in under two minutes. Not because the music is bad — because the materials don’t let them picture the artist on their stage.

An EPK for musicians isn’t a CV. It’s a passive sales tool that has to answer three questions without the promoter having to call you: Who are you? What do you sound like? Can you play here?

What a musician’s EPK needs (that a generic EPK doesn’t include)

Live audio and video

Studio video is useful. Live video is what sells. A promoter needs to see how the audience responds, what space the proposal occupies on stage, whether the sound is powerful or intimate.

Format: streaming video (YouTube, Vimeo), not downloadable. Maximum 3 minutes. Start with your best song — not credits or a title card.

Technical rider (downloadable PDF)

The rider is the document that specifies exactly what you need to perform: backline instruments, monitor setup, number of channels, load-in and load-out times.

A clear rider reduces risk for the promoter. An artist without a rider signals they’ve never played in a professional context.

Format: one or two-page PDF. Updated to your current lineup.

Set length and available formats

Not all promoters need the same thing: an afternoon festival wants 45 minutes, a late-night venue might want 75, a private event wants 20 minutes of ambient sound.

State clearly: short set (X min), standard set (X min), whether you offer acoustic or reduced-lineup versions.

Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp: where your music can be heard right now, with no download required.

Don’t bury these links at the bottom. They need to be visible from the first moment.

Concert and festival history

A clean list: venue or festival name, year, whether you headlined or supported. No need to describe each show.

If you’ve played at venues the promoter you’re targeting will recognise, that’s your strongest endorsement. If not: a history still shows activity and professionalism.

The mistake musicians specifically make

Listing the full discography but not including the rider. For a promoter, the album list is secondary. The rider is the document that decides whether booking you is even viable.

Bio for musicians: the important nuance

The bio must identify your genre and sound in the first two sentences. Not “a project that fuses diverse influences” — that says nothing. Yes to “contemporary jazz with electronic elements, four musicians based in Barcelona.”

A promoter needs to be able to say to their team “listen to this, it’s X” in ten words.

To understand the basics first, read What is an EPK and what is it for.

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