Power

If you're a "free agent" promoter, you're pretty much your own boss. Depending on your financial position and reputation, you may be able to command better pricing from your hired acts. If you're Irving Azoff (manager for Christina Aguilera, The Eagles, Van Halen, Aerosmith, and so on), for example, you can make a coat out of Dalmatians or completely change your career specialty without fear of consequences. For the rest of us, though, influence must be earned. With sweat, blood, and greenbacks.