Show of Hands would book the gigs in-house, turn up with their own PA and lighting system and even provide their own rider. They’d refuse a fee and instead take a percentage of the door. All the venue had to do was sell the tickets. In taking on the financial risk, Show of Hands avoided possibly antagonistic relationships with the venues and also empowered a host of music-loving amateur promoters, many of whom have built careers booking major artists in large concert venues.