In a career spanning 45+ years as a concert promoter, Danny Zelisko estimates that he’s put on about 12,000 shows around the country. But the average entertainment consumer likely doesn’t know what a “concert promoter” does any more than what the tasks of a “recording engineer” or “key grip” are in other arts.
But the basic description runs something like this: Contract with a performer to do a show, rent a venue, advertise it, sell tickets, make sure the show happens, and hope when the last light is turned off and the band’s truck is on the road to the next gig, you’ve made more money than you’ve spent.