The Alternative Music Collective is a student group at Hampshire College. We are responsible for upholding our mission statement, which outlines our goals, priorities, and limitations as a funded group. We book according to a group's popularity, audience, style/genre, and principles (i.e. DIY or "independent" groups are preferred). Please read the following points before you contact the AMC signers about booking a show for your band at Hampshire College.
Getting BookedContact the AMC and CMC (Creative Music Collective) signers via email. We do not accept unsolicited promotional material like demos, one-sheets, etc.
Our email addresses are: Will Bangs, Todd Lerew, Steve D'agostino.
Please include a link to your music (streaming sources, like Myspace, preferred), the date you want, your guarantee (if applicable), and anything you think we should know about your band. We are happy to deal with booking agents.
Getting PaidThe Alternative Music Collective operates within a moderate budget. Though we strive to pay all performers fairly, we cannot always pay generously. We do not offer luxuries like hotel rooms. We do not pay for alcohol. Riders will be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Payment is tendered via a check from the Hampshire College Business Office. The check is sent to a provided legal address after the show. Payment is not tendered before, or the night of, your show. When we charge at the door, we can work out a cash agreement with your agent or your band directly. The cash amount will be deducted from the total amount of the check, unless we work out another agreement.
Date & Venue InformationMost AMC shows are booked on weekends (Fri, Sat) only. We sometimes make exceptions depending on the promoter and the band. Weeknight shows typically do not draw as well as weekend shows, so we try only to book high-drawing bands on weekdays.
The AMC books three venues on campus. We will choose which venue we think is suitable for your show [The Prescott Tavern. 50 ppl capacity. The Red Barn. 200 ppl capacity. Music & Dance Building, Main Recital Hall. 49 ppl capacity].
Drinking and smoking are not permitted inside any Hampshire College venue. If you drink or smoke inside, we reserve the authority to have you removed.
Sound/PA SystemThe AMC sometimes hires Hampshire College Media Services to work sound for our shows. Media Services technicians are usually not professionals. We advise you to be flexible, helpful, and proactive in mixing your own sound.
If you require a professional sound technician at your show, we cannot guarantee that we will provide one. Our resources are limited. We rarely hire off-campus professionals to run sound for our shows.
In most cases, we set up a pair of Mackie SRM450 powered speakers and a Mackie 1402-VLZ Pro mixing board. We can provide up to five SM58 unidirectional microphones and five SM57 omnidirectional microphones. We can supply up to two DI boxes and all necessary XLR microphone cables. This system is usually powerful enough for an audience between 40 and 80 people.
PromotionWe require that all bands do their share of promotion. We ask that you, your label, your PR representative, or your booking agent promote extensively for your show at Hampshire College. If you commit to a fair amount of promotion, we will commit to the same. If possible, send us posters after we've confirmed your show.
General GuidelinesWe do not book bands who aggressively email AMC signers. No one likes this. Never do it. One email is enough. If we are interested in booking your band, we will contact you. Do not call AMC signers, find them on Facebook, message them on Myspace, etc. This will result in immediate rejection.