03ÌýExpectations Doing PAs in London is kind of harsh.
"I see other A&Rs at a PA I'll usually leave the room. I don't like going to a place and seeing the same faces looking at the same talent." Ben Palmar
A&R
Polydor
The London scene is spoilt for choice when it comes to new artists and this can make doing any PA in the capital that extra bit difficult.
The time it takes and the extra expense of travelling to and from London can also make it that much more of a mission for artists from out of town.
If you aren't already in contact with A&R people or journalists who've said that they're coming to see you, then there may not be any there.
The reason for this is that A&R are so busy checking out the artists they need to see and are so spoilt for choice as regards new artists, they rarely have time to wander about on the off chance of bumping in to someone special.
Another point to note is to be careful not too invite too many A&R. You may feel like you're increasing your chances of getting signed by inviting as many as you can but that's not always the case.
The truth about PAs in London is that what you're really going to get is experience of playing in front of an audience of hardened strangers and seeing how your music goes down.
This can be an extremely useful experience for artists, so it can be worth it just for that.Ìý
Having said that, if you can get on the same bill as a 'hot' artist, who's known to have A&R interest, it may just be possible to outshine them and take some of their heat.
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