MyGigNet grandly espouses the many uses of rating systems across its offerings. All ratings MGN employs are based mainly on objective rather than subjective values, and if a subjective value is part of a rating group, then the results are averages of several opinions. As covered in the Venue Reviews and Band Reviews section, there are two levels of ratings, one non-members and one for members. More subjective evaluations are done for the general public venue review area, and a more statistical-based and "B2B" approach is available to members.

VENUES

MGN rates the following kinds of venues:

• Club - Permanent address with consistent business hours, serves food and drink
• Festival - Periodic event with a philanthropic cause held at a consistent location
• Concert Hall - Ticketed indoor event location with no food or drink (concessions may be served)

MGN conspicuously promotes a value system of "Venue Best Practices," as partially laid out in In2une Music Services, under the "Live music venue checklist" and "Profitability checklist for live music."

If a venue consistently meets MGN's criteria for a "Real Live Music Venue," they are awarded certification annually, based on periodic inspections and/or artist, agent, or street team reports, averaged against accumulated Venue Ratings.

Advantages to certified venues could include advertising perks, promotional priority, vendor discounts, and media exposure.

A potential venue owner can embark on MGN's Certified Real Live Music Venue Creation Program, offering services at a discounted package rate, using vendor partnerships. Further, should an entreprenuer decide to build from scratch a performance venue, MGN can provide design options, construction blueprints, and complete permit and licensing information relevant to the proposed venue's location.

Having certification means that the following conditions are in place. Without certification, one point is assigned to each condition as follows:

• Stage
• Load-In Parking
• No neighborhood complaints
• High Quality Sound - Mains
• High Quality Sound - Monitors
• Sound sufficient for room size
• Lights
• No electrical ground problems in stage wiring
• Sound/Light Tech
• Non-smoking, or if smoking, sufficient air handling
• Promotes live music schedule in the local media
• Uses up-to-date mailing list of clientele
• No clientele complaints about performers
• No uncontrolled sound volume issues (customer leaving due to high sound levels)
• Meets performer fee guidelines
• Uses contracts with artists
• No official complaints from artists*
• Has featured live music for at least one year
• Wait staff not upset or stressed out because of the live music, musicians or bands
• Sufficient staff to provide snappy, friendly service (within 10 min. for drinks or 25 min. for food)
• Restrooms clean and well-stocked
• Security and emergency-handling protocols firmly in place with all staff
• No cover charge except with full house or ticket presales (See ARTICLE)
• Sufficient nearby parking for the person capacity of venue (within 2 blocks)
• Good relations with local law enforcement
• Sufficiently capitalized to operate in the red for at least one year
• Customer feedback forms

* An Official Complaint can only be made by an MGN member. It must be posted on the MGN site to count. MGN Member Venues have access to mediation and remediation services to avoid certification revocation.

Having MGN Certification represents 25 pts. Beyond Real Live Music Venue certification, a venue is rated using a point system that includes (but not limited to) the following (one point for each):

• Exclusively uses MGN booking and promotional services
• Offers coupons or discounts for MGN members
• Quick wait attendance (within 5 min.)
• Quick food service (within 15 min.)
• 5 or more positive customer feedback forms
• Health Dept. score of 90 or better
• Current fire marshall inspection pass
• Client mailing list (email or snail mail) is 200 or more
• Exceeds performance fees guidelines
• Offers gratis food and drink to performers*
• On-property parking lot or valet service
• Stage and Green Room are clean
• Performers are assigned wait staff
• Offers venue swag for sale
• Operated in the black for 6 consecutive months
• No police calls for the past 6 months
• An MGN Buzz Factor higher than other venues of the same size and type

* Hiring MGN-approved performers guarantees no issue with abusing this form of hospitality.

Total points are added up and the venue is graded using point ranges within a broader classification of "A" to "D". "A" venues represent the highest point totals. (Ranges are used to accommodate changes in criteria). This grade is included in the Venue Reviews module for the public, and creates incentive for the venues to improve their rating because each factor is easily controllable.

During MGN's Alpha and Beta phase, it will be building its venue database with each one of these values incorporated (see Data Acquisition) into the total venue data. Should a venue accept MGN's Venue Enhancement Program, these items will act as an initial evaluation checklist to create an action plan, and to predict time lines, and venue revenue projections.

ARTIST RATINGS

Because an artist's Buzz Factor could overshadow more practical concerns for venues, MGN is also interested in how the artist conducts business and in the level of professionalism shown on and off the stage. Here is a proposed list of criteria from which to draw a point total. That point total is the artist rating. The Buzz Factor probably should be a separate, comparative rating. For example, an artist may have a low rating, but a high buzz factor, so venues know there are risks associated with hiring the act. Conversely, high rating, but low buzz factor may indicate a new band, a narrow niche band, or a lazy band. In both of these cases, MGN offers performance coaching and promotions tutoring.

All complaints about MGN member artists received by MGN are immediately followed up with mediation and remediation to the satisfaction of all parties. MGN consider all complaints as opportunities to improve not only the quality of artist performance, but the quality and serviceability of the whole MGN system. On the other hand, positive feedback about an artist is immediately and automatically included in the artist's press releases, EPK's, and other promotional programs.

These items are evaluated after each performance and averaged across all performances.

• Honors contracts to the letter (including timeliness) (20 pts)
• Courteous and sociable to staff and clientele (10 pts)
• Demonstrates teamwork in helping the venue get the most out of the show (5 pts)
• Uses all MGN promotional modules available for the type of artist in the venue locality (30 pts)
• Has not been the cause of police activity at any venue (5 pts)
• No legal entanglements that could potentially cancel a performance (5 pts)
• No complaints of venue hospitality abuse (5 pts)
• No complaints from the venue for any other reason (5 pts)
• No excessive substance abuse leading to a loss of venue revenue, staff/clientele conflict, or show interruption (10 pts)
• Sensitive to any sound control issues (5 pts)
• Has received MGN performance coaching (15 pts)
• Respects and participates in venue security concerns (5 pts)
• Respects and participates in venue promotional programs (5 pts)
• Is available socially to the audience on breaks or after the show (5 pts)
• Respects and follows load-in and staging requirements of the venue (10 pts)
• General stage presence/showmanship grade provided by an approved MGN Performance Coach (50 pts max)
• Positive feedback reports from venue staff (2 pts for ea. report)
• Has mentored at least two other artists (20 pts)
• Does regular self-evals via recording playbacks (20 pts)

Total Maximum Points: 230 + PFR's (positive feedback reports)

MGN puts significant emphasis on venue reporting, and artist candidness. Following each show, post-performance surveys are collected from wait staff, bartenders, sound techs, clientele and managers, as well as from members of the band. These surveys include all the points above, as well as more subjective experiences by the artist and venue staff. The idea here is to flush out any issues that need to be addressed, or promotional positives that MGN may capitalize on for the venue and the artist.

As an artist proceeds on an itinerary of venues, the points add up and are averaged to get the overall Artist Rating. That rating is given alongside total points. Thus, a Rating of 240 over 10,000 points (240/10K) would probably be the world's most perfect band.

Performance coaching points are given more weight in the point spread, so artists would do well to maintain the priority of submitting show vids to approved coaches for evaluation, or get them to see a show personally, in order to maintain higher ratings.

If a band of artists disbands, all points accumulated go to each artist. This emphasizes the "brother's keeper" aspect of being a band member, whereas perhaps one member of the band is the source of all the loss of points, all members get stuck with that point total after leaving the band, or playing in an additional band. This ultimately puts social pressure on bad eggs who would end up as being unpopular to perform with because of the low ratings they bring to the table.

SUGGEST RESOURCE FOR THIS PAGE