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This article examines gender inequalities in pop music booking in the venues of Berlin and Paris. There are fewer female artists on stage than men, but why is this phenomenon more pronounced in the French capital? The article suggests that the inequalities between artists can be understood by looking at the professional arrangements among the intermediaries who book the acts to play. Inundated with an overwhelming number of artists to choose from, music bookers rely on recommendations from trusted intermediaries. These enable them to sift through the artists on offer and to stabilize the definition of musical value. In Paris, the high-level of professionalization of music bookers and their low turnover strengthens the homogeneity of their professional networks. However, these booking networks remain relatively shut off to female artists. In addition, the bookers disagree with taking the artists’ gender into account, considering it an illegitimate criterion for music selection. In Berlin, collective booking (several people in a single venue) diversifies the networks used to select artists, lowering the barriers to entry for female artists. The proximity between musical and activist scenes, favored by the lower level of professionalization of music work, also legitimizes gender as a criterion for music selection, including in renowned venues.