Festivals that don't pay bands, but charge $80+ per

[behemecoytl]

It's festival season and my band is scheduled to play a few of them this summer. Last summer we fell victim to the "sell tickets" scam and were stuck with buying $300 worth of tickets in order to play a rather shoddy "festival"...

fast forward to this Spring and we're playing a local festival that's charging $85 per person (for the whole weekend-- no single day tickets, which seems like a wrong choice to me, but...)

so here's the deal: the 30 or so bands scheduled to play are not going to be paid because "the money raised will go to [Charity]"

this "Charity" is not well known or well established, but has a Facebook page and a simple website.

i'm not trying to jump to conclusions so i'm keeping the names out of this... but my spidey sense tells me something is wrong here. I don't mind playing for free for a legit cause, but I DO mind playing for free so that a promoter can make a profit... even though a portion of it Might make it to Charity.

and i'm wondering what others experiences have been with this sort of thing, and if there are any steps i can take to ensure that this is legit and that we're not just being used.

[CapnSev]

I would contact the charity first, plying the part of some random person, and ask a bunch of questions.

Next I would find out if the rest of the festival staff was being paid to do what they do (food, drinks, ticket sales, security, etc.). If the rest of the workers were paid and I wasn't, I'd walk.

[Phalex]

There's gotta be a way you can write this off on your taxes as a charitable donation. It could come in pretty handy in the future....

[behemecoytl]

Originally Posted by Phalex

There's gotta be a way you can write this off on your taxes as a charitable donation. It could come in pretty handy in the future....

this is a good point i didn't think of...

but here's the thing about the Charity- It is not mentioned on the Posters or the Brochures or the Festival Website. Nothing in any of the festival promotion materials mentions the charity. The ad on the radio for the festival says that "money raised will go to..." but other than that, there is Zip about it. I didn't know it was even For charity until i heard the ad... and I happen to work at the radio station that played the ad, so I know that the festival is getting the radio ads for free b/c it's "charity"...

[Richland123]

You already answered your own questions. When in doubt, don't do it. Definitely don't play for free and I never heard of a festival requiring the bands to sell tickets. You can bet other people are not giving away their services. I book bands for numerous festivals and everybody gets paid and treated well and nobody has to sell anything.

[bassteban]

To paraphrase Mr Krabs, I smell a smelly smell that smells smelly.

[Rockmusician]

I have seen some festivals that require bands to sell tickets and some that charge bands. They are generally not worth doing.

[g&lplayer]

You guys ever heard of festivals charging money to submit your band for consideration into the festival? I've come across a couple that charge 5 or $10 just to submit your press kit. Think its worth trying a few?

[oldrockerdude]

That aint on Festival i ever played....hehe. having said that maybe in writing a charitable donation for the $800 you should have been paid to use for write off..

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by oldrockerdude

That aint on Festival i ever played....hehe. having said that maybe in writing a charitable donation for the $800 you should have been paid to use for write off..

Do I hear $1,200??

[guy n. cognito]

Wonder if the food and drink vendors are going to work for free, too?

[behemecoytl]

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

Wonder if the food and drink vendors are going to work for free, too?

a great question...

we're in this thing now, and probably not pulling out, so I intend to ask

[HolmeBass]

I find this is common. We played a pretty big regional festival in VA for years for free, until we won a contest as best unsigned band. Now we make $1000, and we're playing a bunch, but opening stages early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. It's still fun, and *most* of the bands playing at this festival won't make any money except what merch they can sell- and the festival takes 15% of that, IIRC. At least 10%. The headliners make most of the money by far. The food and drink vendors work their butts off for what they earn. AND the organizer isn't exactly living in a mansion and driving a Benz (Mercedes, not Genz). As far as I can tell that 'just the way that it is'.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by HolmeBass

As far as I can tell that 'just the way that it is'.

Only because we, as musicians, are willing to give away our work and effort for free. No other trade working these types of festivals are that stupid.

[bassbrad]

My jazz group has been playing for charitable fund raisers, for that we get $50 per man for car fare and a receipt from the charity for a $1500 donation for services for taxes.

[Kenner]

"Bassbrad" is right on...

To the OP....sell merch

[chuck norriss]

if it's a 501 3 c they can & gladly will issue you a tax cert that declares the value of your service, for your write off. i put art/music charity shows together twice a year & i offer this to everyone who participates.

i would ask for transparency from teh festival. sounds like someone's making money, just not you. as others mentioned, talk w the charity. my dead grandmother can make a fakebook page & tumbler site.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by Kenner

"Bassbrad" is right on...

To the OP....sell merch

....and then donate the profits to charity. Hey, it's for the children (or some chick named Charity.)

[CapnSev]

As a side note, how many people are going to show up to this thing at $80 a head? Like, two maybe?

[Zooberwerx]

What's the charity? We'll do a little research and post our findings. Gotta love the internet!

Riis