I've got issues ( rave )

Downunderwonder · #1 01-27-2011, 09:38 AM

Dear Aunt Sally,

Tonight I went to a new open mic jam session. Great venue, heaps of potential. This session is run by the same guys who do another session which packs out another bar on a Tuesday night. They are two acoustic guitars and a djembe.

I have been taking bass along to the Tuesday session most weeks, having a good time and play most of the night. Lately I have just been plugging my u-bass into the vocal PA and not minding too much the lack of boomf.

Tonight's session they had some heavy duty Mackies and I got an invite so I took along full bass rig and my e-drums to go thru the PA. We had a huge jam. Now what would it have been if I hadn't showed? Two guys with guitars and a djembe, switch artists.

I put it to the bar manager that I had brought X000 bucks worth of gear and rocked the house. I can turn up with gear every week but I'm needing paying. He comes back with "talk to the guys". Now the guys have the attutide if I show up, great, if not the show goes on.

So I put it back to the manager that I love playing and all but what would this show have been with drumset and bass? He gets it.

For sure there is no money in the kitty for paying me until the town gets to know the only place to be is where we're at. At which point they can get away with the same as Tuesday but on a Thursday.

I'm a little fed up with being taken for granted. If I don't show everyone misses out, including me, but why should the bar get an impromptu rock band for free?

How do I play this? btw I can up the ante adding electric guitar. I would really love to be on the payroll for this session. No way the guys will take a pay cut so I have to convince management top cough more dough myself.

Being in a band of my own is a little bit of a pipe dream at the moment due to my regular job. Having said that we are looking at a jazz combo and the other guys are into regular scheduled gigs so I can drop shifts if that works out.

And tonight I met this hot chick singer who wants me to be her bass player. I am not worthy. She is an awesome frontperson, great voice yada yada. She plays ok rhythm gat, no lead playing but man, what a voice. I told her about the other thing but I haven't gone into detail.

All of this comes from playing out at the open mic's on my nights off.

Yours etc
Luv's bass

sobie18 · #2 01-27-2011, 02:28 PM

Well, you aren't a "member" of the open mic host band. That's the only reason I can see. You support it, you compliment it, but you aren't officially the core of it.

I show up to a weekly open mic ran by this acoustic guitarist and we rock the house. I learned all of his originals and still get stuff thrown at me to learn on the spot and I rarely play with other jammers, unless I am asked. Sometimes I even stay until 0100 and finish the show with him. I do it because I like to play and I enjoy working with this guy. I do NOT receive any money but I do it for the love & passion.

Burlington · #3 01-27-2011, 02:33 PM

People get paid for open mics?

Deathblade Eric · #4 01-27-2011, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burlington

People get paid for open mics?

Not unknown for the House Band to get a few sovs.

Passinwind · #5 01-27-2011, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

Now the guys have the attitude if I show up, great, if not the show goes on.

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me, from their standpoint. Considered running your own open mike if you want to get paid? As you already said, otherwise it's up to you to show the management that your presence consistently means a stronger bottom line.

ShredderMaximus · #6 01-27-2011, 04:30 PM

I dunno, you could consider payment being new relationships with new people/musicians, notoriety as a class "A" bassist with people lookin for you to fill their bass needs, and just getting a chance to get out there and play consistently to people that enjoy your music. Doesn't sound too bad to me. How much were you expecting to get paid anyway? Sorry if this sounds preachy or something, not my intent, but sometimes you gotta take a step back and look at what you got to appreciate it

Downunderwonder · #7 01-28-2011, 10:55 AM

Yes, counting blessings is an underated pastime.

I had my own session for a few months last year. Lots of reasons it didn't fire up but it wasn't the music.

I should have hit up this new venue myself, they are much more onto it. The owner even owes me a solid after I rescued his near comatose but still standing backside from getting a beating.

MatticusMania · #8 01-28-2011, 11:26 AM

As said above, Id consider hosting my own open mic night somewhere else. Inform everyone you know (especially musicians) bring a good head count to the venue, and inquire about getting paid to do so.

Ubersheist · #9 01-29-2011, 07:48 PM

It comes back to the dollars that the bar brings in. If they pay you, for example, $50 for the night, would your contribution bring in at a very, very minimum $50 to the bar? Usually, it has to be more then that, btw, because you have to add in the slight hassle that the owners have of getting you paid, accomodating you, and if they're legitimately putting you on the payroll, the added administrative work of holding taxes, etc. If you're not legitimately on the payroll, then that brings up other potential headaches/liabilities for them, too.

If you really have a value that you can add, and they're not seeing it, then move on. Good musicians and people to run open mics are hard to come by, and ones that can make a draw so that where the establishment can make more money with them there then without are even harder to come by. You can get your worth elsewhere.

fingerbun · #10 01-29-2011, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubersheist

... the slight hassle that the owners have of getting you paid, accomodating you, and if they're legitimately putting you on the payroll, the added administrative work of holding taxes, etc. If you're not legitimately on the payroll, then that brings up other potential headaches/liabilities for them, too.

in Australia you give an invoice and they write a check or credit your account. The tax and paperwork are mostly your problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubersheist

If you really have a value that you can add, and they're not seeing it, then move on.

Or stay, help build it, then bail until they pay you. If you are right the crowds will drop and you have proved your value and established your negotiating position.

OleJohnnyMac · #11 01-29-2011, 08:10 PM

I've never been paid at an open mic night, and I never expected to be. I've always thought of them as a place for new acts to get exposure and for casual musicians to do some playing and networking while entertaining the limited bar clientele on off-nights.

If you have fun going, then keep going. If you don't want to drag your gear there, then leave it at home. If everyone misses your gear, then either they'll offer you compensation to bring it next time or someone else will bring drums and a bass amp and you'll get to play a full-out jam session without the inconvenience of unloading and loading all your stuff. Either way, you have fun, get your face out there, and meet a bunch of other players. This could possibly lead to paying gigs, but you have a job anyway, right?