What does it take to get you there.......

Graphicsmoker · #1 08-24-2011, 05:23 PM

Ok so it's about what all you dirty old men, and women, are thinking...

I have looked, to some extent, to see if there is a topic that covers this info and haven't found one. But I am a musician, so it wasn't all THAT much effort. Haha.

I was curious how much money does it take to get you to play a gig?

I know that can depend upon the venue, the gig and the band. But I'm putting a band together again for the first time in 20 years, and I am wondering, if i needed you to play a fairly low end cover band fill-in gig, what is the minimum it would take to get you to show up and play for a couple sets of well known songs?

For myself, i could get off my a** and play a gig for whatever it takes in gas to get there and back, feed me dinner at the show (if it isn't free), and a few drinks (if they aren't free either) plus $20 or so. I wouldn't make it a career at that. But if I wasn't doing anything else at the time, i'd show up for about that.

How about you?

Additionally, what is the most miraculous story of unbelievable money you made for the least effort playing?

Eric Moesle · #2 08-25-2011, 08:33 AM

I don't peel my ass off the couch unless I can net a minimum of $100 for a bar gig.

Wedding and corporate gigs are, comparatively, no fun . . . but I once got $1800 per man years ago. It was like winning the lottery.

agreatheight · #3 08-25-2011, 08:48 AM

Cover band at a bar gig - $75 if I like the bar and booze and food are comped, $100 if not (assuming 4 45 minute sets)
Cover band at a wedding / corporate gig - $250 (assuming 4 hours of music total)
Original band gig - I'll play for free / the door / whatever is offered usually (assuming it's less than 2 hrs music total)

MatticusMania · #4 08-25-2011, 09:11 AM

All I need is a good stage and a few brews.

stingraysvt · #5 08-25-2011, 09:14 AM

$200

Half of that for an hour set at a festival

1.5 to well over 3 times that for wedding/corporate gigs,

Most I've ever made at a gig was $600, and should have made twice that!!! lol! we wound up getting stuck in a smokey bar during a football game, we sat there from 12pm until after 8 pm, finally got to leave and go shower and change and be back at 10 to hit the stage. We knew what the gig was paying so it was the only thing that kept us from coming unraveled....

I was physically beat from sitting in a smokey bar just "hangin" and not being able to go anywhere...

That being said, I play for free every weekend at church. I guess we really get compensated for our time and setting up, we'd probably all play for free when it came down to it.

Edit: I take that back we took home $1000 each one new years party, I can relate on the "winning the lottery" feeling because that's what we all felt like!

Waffles and Scotch · #6 08-25-2011, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

All I need is a good stage and a few brews.

+1. The stage is negotiable, though...

Jim Nazium · #7 08-25-2011, 10:32 AM

As I think about this, it's funny, but the best paying gigs I've had have been the ones I enjoyed the most and would have done for free. They were in a nice venue with an appreciateive audience, playing good music with good musicians. The reverse is also true: the shows that have paid the least (as in, put out the tip jar and hope) have been the ones that sucked - empty restaurant, bad neighborhood, crappy band.

So I think I'm going to start asking for a minimum of $50, not because it makes much difference in my monthly budget, but because it ensures that it's a "real" gig.

Phalex · #8 08-25-2011, 10:39 AM

I don't like the words "Low end", but starting off, with an unknown band of undetermined skill and or quality, I'd say $70.00 a man.

A new band sometimes needs to make concessions to show what they can do. If it turns out to be a gigging band, $100.00 per man per night will get me to push the dog out of my lap and schlep gear.

HeadyVan Halen · #9 08-25-2011, 10:46 AM

How much time are you asking of them?
Time is money.
Show up and play gig:$75-95
Rehearse and play gig: $100+

When your younger (18-25) it's easier to get people to do it for the 'love'..
once you get around 28+, it's hard to get grown men away from home after a 40+ hour week for free...

MatticusMania · #10 08-25-2011, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TF Ghost

+1. The stage is negotiable, though...

Absolutely. Id prefer a stage, but enough room to set up our gear and a power outlet within 50 ft. of that space is all thats required.

HolmeBass · #11 08-25-2011, 12:02 PM

I'm cheap. I regularly play original music, as far as 2 hr drive one-way, for $50. We rehearse but not all that often, but we do gig a lot.

I'd prefer to make more, or play in town. Best pay-day ever for me was $750 for two 1.5 hr sets of cover tunes, but I had to take a day off work and drive in the van for 6 hours, each way, and we didn't stay over- we drove home after the gig. That was a bit of a beating.

turbo chicken · #12 08-25-2011, 12:09 PM

a place to play and 3 brewskies ... one for after setting up, one for set break, one for afterwards as this is also part of what i do in practice oh and all the water I can drink.

I'm now shooting for at least expenses being covered ... like gas, and my snack for the ride home. But at least a bar tab.

BassGreaser · #13 08-25-2011, 12:16 PM

good topic.. I had a group ask me to do a gig just out side of NY (I'm in Philly) for $75. They played at 10pm which isn't late.. but I thought $75 was way too low for close to 6 hours of round trip driving and me having to work at 6am the next morning. I asked for more $... they haven't called back