Pallaso has opened up about how he approaches the business side of organising concerts, revealing that his biggest focus is not necessarily the ordinary gate crowd but the VIP tables.
Speaking to Crysto Panda, the self-styled King of the East explained that while the UGX20,000 commonly charged for ordinary-section entry is important, he primarily relies on table sales to drive his concert earnings.
Pallaso said the money collected from the ordinary section helps him handle some of the immediate costs that come with staging a concert.
“I use the ordinary section gate collections at concerts to pay for service providers, KCCA, and other small bills,” Pallaso said.
For him, however, the bigger financial opportunity comes from the tables, which he said can cost around UGX5 million each.
Pallaso explained that selling 10 tables alone can bring in UGX50 million before factoring in sponsorship money.
“My main focus is usually on the collections from the tables. Your social network is your social net worth. The tables are usually Ugx5m, if you sell 10 tables, you are already guaranteed Ugx50m. Then add money from sponsors.”
His comments highlight the different revenue streams involved in putting together a major concert, with ordinary ticket sales helping cover operational expenses while VIP tables can generate significantly larger returns.
Pallaso also used the opportunity to encourage artists to build strong business relationships, arguing that a solid social network can translate directly into support for their events.
For the singer, filling VIP tables is therefore a major part of the concert equation — while the UGX20,000 collected at the ordinary section still has an important job to do.