Wow, I feel a little weird reading that about PR people. I will not bring friends to a show if I didn't think they'd like it. I'll take a beer, but don't expect me to bring my posse.
If you read what I posted with a bit more detail, you will realize what I meant is to recruit a bunch of people that are frequent show attenders and offer them rewards, as possibilities allow, progressively. How do you know your friends won't like the show? Why not try? That's pretty low confidence.
Doesn't seem like PR people down here work the same way as you, because you seem to be doing press work also, which is not something a PR does here (that's what the press agent is for). Besides getting press exposure, what else it is your task? PR people here are in charge of inviting people to the show. That simple. And that was what I suggested, I think the best people who can invite and express the apreciation for a show are those who already love the show.
OK a good read on Wikipedia notes the sociological difference here:
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the communication between an organization and its publics.[1] Public relations gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that provide a third-party endorsement[2]
That's what we call here a "Press Agent", not a PR.
What would you call what I described? A host?