Dear Promoter...

As someone who has been in The Atlanta Caribbean Scene for many years, I've experienced quite a lot (well except the mas, I've never played mas in Atlanta).

I was no stranger to partying at Panyard, 426 and Aquarium - wow this brought back memories.

Those were some good times for sure. Back then, I didn't really care about being in a sweat box on Memorial Drive. As long as the drinks were cheap and they were playing soca, this was enough.

Fast forward a few years (well far more than a few, but I'll keep you guessing) - this is no longer enough for me.

Don't get me wrong, I still quite enjoy a nice no frills, low key "backyard" soca party. It's not always about the bouge. However, if this is what I sign up for, it better be worth it, because my personal time is more valuable to me now than it ever was before. That's not a threat by the way. It simply means fool me once only.

What does "worth it" mean to me now? It means everything else about it (the no frills event) should surpass my expectations - music, food, drinks, amenities, execution, experience - yes, experience.

Believe that! I will stay right here on my couch if I don't think it's worth it - gone are the days of going out just because I have hot foot.

I'm human. I react based on my past experience.

Having been a patron to many events, old and new, in Atlanta, I believe I can now gauge whether or not an event is worth my time. I observe who is promoting it, the concept and the DJ line up.

The Promoter

It's about trust and reputation. If I know that you consistently produce quality events that are well executed and worth the investment of my time and/or money then it's an easy decision for me. This is a powerful and unique place to be as a promoter.

What many of them fail to realize is, the concept still matters to some degree, depending on the audience.

This could be a promoter I've known for years. I trust their execution but I've outgrown their event or maybe they no longer cater to me - their audience has changed. That's okay as well, but it's not going to be worth my time.

New promoters are always welcome - it's refreshing. Especially when there is an unmet need. My transaction then relies heavily on the concept since I don't know what you are capable of. If you can sell me on the concept, I'll try it for sure.

The Concept

By no means does this need to be extravagant and over the top. The concept can be simple. There are simple ways to capture my attention - location, music, food, drink, experience - yes, experience.

I now prefer to go to a niche event with my expectations in hand, than to go to an event for the masses with my expectations in my back pocket - I'm not allowed to have an opinion at those.

More and more of our Caribbean promoters are going the masses route, I get that. Who's doing this for fun when everyone else seems to be making money going the other way?

The DJ Line Up

This is another area of serious contention. I can't tell you the number of conversations I've had around this topic. This is again, unfortunately about track record and many times, popularity.

More times than not, this could be the most frustrating part of the experience for me as a patron and I know as a DJ, they could say the same. It seems as though we are always at war with each other and it shouldn't be that way.

Perhaps we go back to the promoters on this one, but ouch - it's a touchy subject!

The promoters don't want to tell the DJs what to play;

The patrons feel duped and want to hear certain things;

The DJs tell the patrons they have specific instructions from the promoter OR

They give them false hope but just end up playing for "the crowd";

It's a never ending cycle and we certainly won't solve it here. That's a discussion for another day.

Even with an amazing concept, the DJ lineup could potentially turn me off. I'm more open to an event with a DJ I don't know at this point, than to go to an event with a DJ who plays the same set every time I hear them.

Of course, this depends on if the music is a priority for me in this event. If it's soca - it usually is a priority for me.

The point of all of this is, I am still here, living in Atlanta.

My life may look different now. There are many versions of me.

I may have kids or I may prioritize certain experiences - yes, experiences, over the usual weekend event, especially if it's much of the same. I will attend an event outside of the state, even if I have to pay more to get there.

I am not likely to come out every weekend, even if the event is a great one, but I'll come when I can. I'll tell everybody about it and recommend it.

If I'm not worth it to you, then so be it. We both have a choice here. I'll be worth it to somebody.

When I find the events that are for me, I'll be sure to spread the word.

Just remember - "once a trini reach in yuh fete is niceness."