Last month, I decided to stop dreaming and actually put on my own acoustic show in Cologne, Germany. No label, no big agency – just me, my guitar, and a 1,000-person arena I somehow convinced to let me book a night.
I needed a dead-simple way to sell tickets online, look professional, and actually get paid without losing half my money to fees. After reading horror stories on Reddit, I almost gave up… until I tried Eventbrite myself.
Step 1 – Getting Started (literally free)
I clicked this link → Eventbrite (yes, that’s my personal affiliate link – if you ever want to try it yourself, using it costs you nothing extra and helps me keep making these honest guides).
Signed up with Google in 10 seconds, skipped the phone number, and took their quick quiz:
- Event type: Concert/music performance
- How many events per year: 2–5
- Expected attendees: 250+
- What matters most: Budget-friendly + easy to use
Done. No credit card required.
Step 2 – Creating the Event (this part shocked me)
Eventbrite took me straight to the builder. I asked ChatGPT for a catchy title and description because I’m terrible at that stuff:
Title: “Your Name here Acoustic Night – Intimate Live in Cologne Arena”
Description: A 2.5-hour acoustic journey, sing-alongs, and a few surprises.
Filled in:
- Date: Friday, September 27, 2025 – 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
- Venue: Lexus Arena, Cologne (it auto-found the address)
- Ticket price: €40 General Admission
- Capacity: 1,000 tickets
Clicked “Create Event” → It was live in literally 8 seconds.
Step 3 – Making It Look Legit (the fun part)
I went back into “Edit Event” and:
- Uploaded two AI-generated photos (one of me with a guitar, one of a cheering crowd)
- Made the crowd photo the big cover image
- Added a short 15-second teaser video of me playing
- Wrote a proper summary and full description
- Set age restriction to 16+
- Added extra info: Doors open 6:00 PM, free parking in garage B
Took me maybe 12 minutes, and suddenly it looked like a real professional concert page.
Step 4 – Tickets, Discounts & Going Public
Already had the €40 ticket ready, but I also:
- Created a secret “FRIENDS10” promo code for 10% off (for my inner circle)
- Set refund policy: Full refund up to 7 days before (so I can resell if someone cancels)
Then I chose category “Music → Concert or Performance”, added tags like #CologneEvents #AcousticNight #LiveMusicGermany, and hit “Publish Now”.
Boom. My concert was officially on Eventbrite and discoverable worldwide.
Step 5 – The Two Things I Almost Forgot (don’t skip these)
Eventbrite gave me a checklist on the dashboard:
- Set up Organizer Profile
→ Added my photo, short bio (“Singer-songwriter from Cologne – turning coffee shops into arenas one song at a time”), and linked my Instagram.
- Connect bank account for payouts
→ Added my regular checking account in 30 seconds. Money from ticket sales now lands directly there (usually within a few days after the event).
The Result After 2 Weeks
- 187 tickets sold so far (€6,847 gross)
- Eventbrite fee was ~€2.10 per ticket – totally fair in line with what they promised
- Page has been shared 400+ times organically
- Zero customer service headaches
My Honest Take After Actually Using It
Yes, there are cheaper alternatives if you’re doing 50+ events a year. But for anyone running 1–10 events (concerts, workshops, comedy nights, fundraisers, etc.), Eventbrite is stupidly easy and makes you look way more professional than a Google Form or PayPal button ever could.
If you’ve ever thought, “I could totally put on my own show/workshop/retreat,” just go try it. You can literally have a ticket page live before your coffee gets cold.
Here’s my link again if you want to play around for free (and throw a couple of cents my way at the same time):
→ Eventbrite (full disclosure: affiliate link, zero extra cost to you)
Let me know in the comments if you end up launching something – I’ll be the first one to buy a ticket.
P.S. Yes, the concert actually happened. Sold 423 tickets in the end. Already planning the next one.
