A hold is a diary entry, not a promise. It costs nothing and it can vanish. Agents run several at once while a tour route takes shape.
How the ranking works
- First hold: the promoter with the strongest claim, usually whoever asked first
- Second hold: next in line if the first drops the date
- Third hold and below: increasingly theoretical
Only the first hold can turn into a booking without anyone else being asked.
How long they last
There is no standard. Two to four weeks is common in Europe, and holds around festival season stretch to months. An agent who keeps a date on hold for six weeks without an offer will be pushed to release it.
Moving up the list
If a second hold wants the date, the agent runs a Challenge: the first hold gets a deadline, often 24 or 48 hours, to confirm the show or let the date go.