Band Auditioning for a Bar Gig?

Texan · #1 05-25-2011, 02:18 PM

Has anyone ever been asked to have the band audition for a bar gig? This is not a big place by any means. It's almost 100 miles from our home base and we would have to drag the entire PA and full set up to do the audition. The offer if he likes us only $350+20% of the bar over $2000. If this was a larger, more well know venue I would have no hesitation to audition. We are going to counter the audition with $300+Tips, if you like us have us back.

jwbassman · #2 05-25-2011, 02:25 PM

Sounds like a good way for him to get some free entertainment for the night...

I wouldn't do it. It's one thing if the bar is down the street and they have an open mic night and you show up play 2 or 3 tunes. I've done that before as an "audition" with a new start up band. But I absolutely would not drive a 100 miles for that.

**butchblack** · #3 05-25-2011, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texan

Has anyone ever been asked to have the band audition for a bar gig? This is not a big place by any means. It's almost 100 miles from our home base and we would have to drag the entire PA and full set up to do the audition. The offer if he likes us only $350+20% of the bar over $2000. If this was a larger, more well know venue I would have no hesitation to audition. We are going to counter the audition with $300+Tips, if you like us have us back.

Where he was offering $350 + 20% I would counter with let us put out a tip jar on top of that and guarantee the $350. It's doubtful they're going to pull in over 2K in booze.

Texan · #4 05-25-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwbassman

Sounds like a good way for him to get some free entertainment for the night...

My exact thought...

scottbass · #5 05-25-2011, 02:38 PM

I would also recommend you get a guarantee, not an "if". I'm wondering how many bands he runs through there for a free performance because he doesn't like their "audition"?

Reach out to the music community and ask about this bar owner.

bassbully · #6 05-25-2011, 08:11 PM

No way the travel with gas prices today that pay is not enough.

mboogiemanusa · #7 05-25-2011, 09:06 PM

There comes a time when you have to ask ..."what's the point" ? Drive a hundred miles to audition for free???? E-mail the guy a few snippets of your best tunes and some good photos of the band in front of a large dancing crowd. Then ask for guaranteed money - if they won't bite then forget it. Lots of other places to play.

Billnc · #8 05-25-2011, 09:13 PM

Never ever ever do this.

CpTCrunch · #9 05-25-2011, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billnc

Never ever ever do this.

This^^^

Or just send the guy a Britney Spears cd.

Floyd Eye · #10 05-26-2011, 04:17 AM

Send them a CD or a link to your MS page.

There's only one way I would "Audition" for a bar gig. In fact we are doing exactly that on June 25th ( Anniversary of Little Bighorn ironically). We will be playing a 1/2 hour on their gear. We're just bringing our guitars.

Phalex · #11 05-26-2011, 06:37 AM

The only way that my band has ever "auditioned" for a club was to have the club in question send a representative or two to a gig we were playing already.

That way they can judge the band, the set list and more importantly the number of people you can draw.

Kenner · #12 05-26-2011, 06:46 AM

Have him send you dated pictures of the crowd the last 3 weeks...because you are also "auditioning" places to play and need to know whether it's worth the trip.

Seriously, get a guarantee on paper......or stay home.

lonote · #13 05-26-2011, 06:58 AM

I think it is unanimous...don't do it!

Texan · #14 05-26-2011, 07:48 AM

We are not going to do it. If this was a major venue, then it would be a different story, but not this little place. This guy has to just want a free band, he's got the promo pack and it was people that frequent our shows that gave him everything.

Oh well, he's missing out on a GREAT band because he's slimy. The funny thing is, we would have done the first show for $150 and tips. We just love to play.

jaywa · #15 05-26-2011, 08:10 AM

I can't believe there are bar owners out there stupid or unscrupulous enough to think they can still con bands into doing stuff like this.

Oh wait, yes I can.

scottbass · #16 05-26-2011, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

I can't believe there are bar owners out there stupid or unscrupulous enough to think they can still con bands into doing stuff like this.

Oh wait, yes I can.

And don't forget the flip side to that coin: I can't believe there are bands out there who are willing to do this because they think this is somehow creating "exposure".

Oh wait, yes I can.

jive1 · #17 05-26-2011, 09:07 AM

The only way to do an audition, IMO, is to do one set only. That should be enough to see if they want you. Doing an all-nighter isn't an audition, it's work done on spec.

The music business is a lot like this:
When I was in younger, there would be little kids who would run lemonade stands in the neighborhood. My friends and I would go there and tell them that I'd like to buy some lemonade, but I'd like to taste what they had first. They'd get excited, anticipating a sale, and they'd pour me a cup and I'd drink it. Then, I'd say, hmm, it could use a little sugar. Then, they'd pour me another cup with a little more sugar. And then I'd say, great, I'd love to buy some but I'm not thirsty anymore. But I thanked them and told them I'd come back later when I'm thirsty. But, I'd never go back to these kids, because there would be a new lemonade stand where we could pull the same scam. Once in a while, there would be a kid who fell for the same scam 2 or 3 times. The kids would sooner or later get sick of sitting out in the sun, getting scammed and making no cash, so they go play basketball instead. And when I actually had the money to buy a drink, I usually bought a Pepsi at the store.

Was it crummy? Certainly. I'd never do it again, and wouldn't teach my kids to do it. And if I saw those kids again, I'd definitely owe them a beer for scamming their lemonade.
But does it happen? Yes, it does. That's why you don't give enough to make them satisfied until they paid for that satisfaction.

Richland123 · #18 05-26-2011, 09:09 AM

Nope. Never did that. I send a live performance CD or DVD of my band playing that is not doctored up in a studio so they can hear and/or see my band exactly how we perform live. This works extremely well for venues far from where we live and the people are not familiar with us.

When we first put our band together 10 years ago, some of my friends who had bands would have us play during their 15 - 20 minute breaks at a couple local clubs a few miles from where we live and the owners booked us based on those performances since we were new.

Here is a novel thought. If you have never eaten or had a drink at his bar, would he be willing to drive 100 miles to serve you food and drinks to see if you like them and his service?

zachoff · #19 05-26-2011, 09:14 AM

I hate that crap. Also hate the "You have to play on a Tuesday if you want us to book you on a Friday" crap. I just ignore the venue when it gets to that point but I really want to say, "We play Fridays and Saturdays at tons of places around town, dude. If you don't want us to play here just say so but we're not playing a *&$@ing Tuesday."

drpepper · #20 05-26-2011, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texan

The funny thing is, we would have done the first show for $150 and tips. We just love to play.

I had a similar sentiment after a gig we did that had a stupid percentage deal set up. There was blame to go around, but the bar owner was definitely wrong.

We feel we've met our goal of being treated fairly at $100 each.

For a couple of reasons this bar had a great night. Some was due to us, some was just circumstance. When it came down to honoring the deal that ended up working out greatly to our favor...we figured they owed us $850-$900, they did all kinds of logical gymnastics to wiggle out. They ended up paying us something like $450. We had free drafts and half price food.

Had they just paid us that to begin with we would have been fine with it, but they had a full drawer and got greedy, so we parted ways badly under a dollar amount that would have been fine.