Sell-through is the number promoters and agents watch through the on-sale weeks. It answers one question: was this the right size room.
How it is read
- Under 50 percent: the room was too big, or the marketing missed
- 70 to 85 percent: healthy, and the room feels full on the night
- Above 95 percent: the next show goes to a bigger room, or takes two nights
When it is measured
Weekly during the on-sale, then daily in the final fortnight. Many shows sell a third in week one, sit flat for a month, and take the rest in the last ten days. A quiet middle is normal. A quiet final week is not, and that is when a promoter adds spend.
What it hides
Walk-up is not in the figure until the doors open. A well-known club in the Netherlands or Germany can add 10 to 20 percent on the night, while an out-of-town show adds close to nothing.