Average Pay For Gigs

[Digo]

My band hasnt actually got paid for any gigs but when we start doing proper gigs, how much on average do YOU get paid to do a gig/tour???

[Pacman]

Somewhere just north of $50K a year, with benefits.

[SuperDuck]

Geez... that's like asking "I'm about to buy a car. How much will it cost me?"

There are a lot of variables at work here, the biggest being: are you a cover band or a band that plays original material? When you're first starting out, the latter probably won't get paid, but the former will. It's hard for an all-original band to cover their costs, especially when they're just starting out. Cover bands, however, can rake in the money.

What kind of music are you playing?
What kind of places are you playing at?
Can you guarantee that you'll draw people?
How long is your set?
Are you playing "marketable" music? (Blues/pop/rock will get you a lot more scratch than noise rock or "experimental" music.)
Are you playing at places where people will already be (bars, weddings, etc.) or places where people have to come to you? (venues, clubs.)

Throw out some more information about the group you're playing with, and where you're expecting to play. Also, the relative size of the shows, and how many people you anticipate being there.

[canadian bass]

We play covers at bars or at special function held at various community centers. Our rate is $550 a night. $ 50 dollars is for the rental of the 2 big Yorkville Elite speakers we have been renting and $500 goes to the band so we each make $125 a night.

[Eric Moesle]

Four piece Top40/Classic Rock cover band in Columbus, OH, we get a between $700 and $900 a night for three one-hour sets. Corporate gigs start at $2500 a night.

However, there are cover bands in the area that play for $300 a night. They usually aren't very good, or they sell themselves WAY short.

[Eric Perry]

I make anywhere from 200-300 a night. Summers are more lucrative and definitely busier than wintertime. Average 3-5 shows a week in the spring/summer, and anywhere from 1-3 a week in the fall/wintertime. AND, I'm just a hired gun. I know the "heads" of the band are making more than that. I can't complain. I like the $$$, and the road crew handles all (PA and stage gear) loading in/out and setting up/sound checking. I only have to carry my basses.

And, as Eric said, the corporate stuff is always well paying.

[bmc]

Between $400-600 a guy. Corporate/Weddings $1,000.

[pierce]

i play underground rock music. i make like $6/annum.

[pklima]

Here's a perspective from Kraków, Poland. I'm giving rates in the local currency but adjusted for cost of living it's roughly equal to dollars.

"Underground" originals gigs usually net zero to 100 for the whole band. For more mainstream stuff, the cheaper bars will pay 250 zł per band for a two-hour set. The better bars will pay the better cover bands about twice that. Civic festivals etc. are usually around 500 zł per band. Corporate parties are around 100 per hour per person. Weddings are in the range of 1000-5000 for the whole band (the lower end would be one-man band or duo) but you have to play for about ten hours the day of the wedding and possibly some more the next evening.

Funny how in a vastly different economy the originals < covers < corporate < wedding thing still holds true.

[ADbassman]

My band has been payed anywhere from several hundred dollars to 2 dollars, a pen and a rock.

[Akami]

One of my first paying gigs we got $26 from the door to split three ways!

I'm usually making $100 to $200 a night, and for years when I was playing full time it was usually $175 a night.

How do you guys get the corporate gigs?

[clockworkwar]

I have a variable rate of fee, so it can range from £20-200.

[InstantGroove]

In England the average in my experience is -

Pubs £150-250
Clubs £350-500
Functions £800-1500

[bassicinstinct]

Originally Posted by InstantGroove

In England the average in my experience is -

Pubs £150-250
Clubs £350-500
Functions £800-1500

Agreed.

If you happen to have established yourself on the fairly healthy UK "tribute" club circuit, however, £1000 per night for a single set of about 2 hours including encore/s is, in my experience, easily attainable on a regular basis.

[velvetkevorkian]

IME in Scotland, for local gigs nothing unless you've sold tickets, in which case you'll get a cut of that money. IE theres a promoter in Glasgow who generally gives a band 50 tickets to sell, and ask them for £100 of that. So if the band sells all 50 at £4 each, they get £100 profit. Sell 'em for a fiver, make £150. If you sell less, you make less. If you bring a lot of people in the door, you may get an extra cut of that as well. If you're a travelling band, probably about £100 plus petrol, depending on the take at the door.

[bassicinstinct]

Yikes!!

Note to self: Don't travel "north of the border".

[Eric Moesle]

Originally Posted by Akami

How do you guys get the corporate gigs?

They find us, we don't find them. Rarely do they approach us at a bar or club gig. They usually call or e-mail to the band's website with "we saw your band perform at _______ bar, and we'd like to know if you are available on ______ date for our company's ____________ party."

[markjazzbassist]

if its a gig that i practice for or get hired i usually try to make $100 a night and all expenses paid for (hotel, food, travel, gas money). That is my minimum, i usually do a lot better.