By George Pirounakis
I’ve been to more than a handful of festivals lately where the so-called “concession” was basically a dumping ground for clueless, underpaid volunteers who had no idea what they were doing. No training, no system, no clue — just thrown behind a table to “handle it.” That’s not a concession. That’s a hot potato hand-off, hoping the damn thing doesn’t explode.
The real purpose of a concession is simple: centralize all the band merch in one selling point so the chaos is contained, sales are consistent, and the whole thing runs like a shop.
If every band’s merch manager set up individually at a big festival or arena, it would be a war zone — space gone, queues tangled, stock everywhere, and a hundred different payment setups. You also need it because in a lot of countries and big venues, you can’t just set up shop without a local, tax-liable seller who can take legal responsibility for the transactions. That’s part of the gig.
When it’s done right, concessions are great. The bands save time and manpower. Fans know exactly where to buy. Everything is counted, taxed, and handled. Everyone walks away happy.
But what I’ve been seeing? Pure opportunism. Charging 15–20 per cent for “selling” while offering nothing. No proper till. No card payments. Just a cash box and vibes. Sometimes they’ll stick a local next to the actual merch seller to look legal if the inspector swings by — but that person doesn’t actually do anything. Still takes a cut. That’s not a service. That’s extortion with a lanyard.
Real concessions work like pros. They count in, count out, display properly, actually talk to customers, take every payment method under the sun, keep the lines moving, and have enough staff to handle the rush. They don’t just sit there like they’re on break from life — they move product.
When you half-ass concessions, you hurt everyone. Fans leave frustrated because the line is endless or they can’t pay. Bands lose sales. The festival looks like it’s being run out of someone’s garage. When you run them properly, everyone wins. Sales go up. Fans are happy. Bands get paid.
So here’s the rule: if you’re going to run concessions, run them like pros. If you’re just there to take a percentage for existing, you’re not a concession — you’re a toll booth. And no one likes paying to drive on a road full of potholes.
If you run a festival, let me know if you need a real crew to run your gig. I know some people.