Side Door allows Hosts to discover and directly communicate with Artists, plan the details of a show, and manage ticketing if they choose.
There are two main ways to find Artists as a Host:
a) Discover an Artist’s Show Call in the Connect tab
b) Create your own Show Call and let Artists discover you
*Plain and simple, a Show Call is a request for a show – either a Host seeking Artists or an Artist seeking Hosts (more on Show Calls here).
Discover Artists in the Connect tab
1. To message Artists you will need to make sure you have created a Host profile, and have logged into Side Door. (Haven’t done that before? Click here).
2. After logging in for the first time you will land in your Connect tab. Additionally you can access the Connect tab from the three horizontal bars in the top right of your screen, or the globe icon at the bottom of your mobile device (see image below). Here you can find Show Calls from Artists looking for shows.
*Currently Artists cannot message Artists without a Host Profile and Hosts cannot message Hosts without an Artist Profile, but this is in
the works!
3. Make sure the circular arrow icon is blue and says “Artists seeking Hosts” beside it. If it is yellow and says “Hosts seeking Artists,” click the circular arrow icon to toggle it to “Artists seeking Hosts.”
4. Browse Artist’s Show Calls by entering a location into the search bar to see Show Calls in other regions. Click the grey slider icon to the right of the search bar to filter your search based on Upcoming Dates, Newest Show Calls, or whether a PA system is required. More search parameters are on the way!
5. If you’re interested in an Artist, click on their Show Call. Here you can check out their profile and Show Call details, or send them a message.
6. After sending them a message, a Show Call Thread will open in the Messages tab. This can be found by clicking the speech bubble icon at the bottom of your mobile device (see image below), or on the left sidebar of a computer’s browser. Any responses will appear here. After the Artist responds, the ability to begin booking a show will appear directly in the chat. You can delete a Show Call Thread or review the Artist’s Show Call at any time by clicking on the three little dots in the top right of a chat and selecting the corresponding option. You may also take another look at the Artist’s profile by clicking on their name at the top of the chat.
Create Your Own Show Call
Have a specific show you’d like to plan, but need Artists? Create your own Show Call and let Artists find you. By creating a Show Call, you’ll appear in an Artist’s search results when they’re looking for Hosts in your location, and they will also receive an email notifying them of recent Show Calls. This will allow Artists to message you directly and initiate the show booking process. For full details on how to create a Show Call, please see the article here.