getting paid at the end of the night

Deedubs · #1 11-06-2012, 07:52 PM

so i played a gig this last weekend (3 bands) and the first band didn't stick around to get paid at the end of the night...nor did they set anything up for anyone to hold their money....so my band and the other remaining band split the money evenly between our two bands.

now one of the guys from the first band who split early wants his money.

for the record their band was very unprofessional. their drummer was almost an hour late. they took forever to set up, and once they finally set up they took over a 20 min break.

my gut is to tell this guy to kick rocks, and take this as a lesson learned.

thoughts?

fdeck · #2 11-06-2012, 07:57 PM

If they did the work, they are owed the money that was agreed to. Ask them who you can send a check to, for them to distribute amongst one another.

If you thought they acted unprofessionally, that's a separate matter to take up with them. But you don't screw around with peoples money.

two fingers · #3 11-06-2012, 07:57 PM

Well, you don't have all of the money. It's not your decision to make (alone). The only thing you can do is ask everyone who got the money. If anyone who got money gives it up, you can give the other band that amount. If nobody does, then there's not a lot you can do about it at this point. And you can tell the guy it was not up to you.

geoff_in_nc · #4 11-06-2012, 08:01 PM

Assuming the venue paid you and the 2nd band (and should have paid the 1st band), you had no business taking the first band's money if you weren't planning to hold it for them. If the venue thought the band was unprofessional and wasted everyone's time, they should take it up with that band.

I'd say its at least as unprofessional to take someone elses pay - whether they deserve it or not - than to dork around and waste time as the opening band.

Give the money back. This one's a no-brainer. It was never yours and you don't need the bad karma from taking someone else's money.

Meyatch · #5 11-06-2012, 08:09 PM

If the opening band expects to get paid, they should be there at the end of the night. Not having to stay all night is their share of the pay.

fenderslaper · #6 11-06-2012, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyatch

If the opening band expects to get paid, they should be there at the end of the night. Not having to stay all night is their share of the pay.

Did the 1st band know that they should stay to get paid, or did they assume they could pick the money up the next day? I think it's pretty lame to think you may have earned their money because thay didn't stay around to listen to your band.

**RaginRog** · #7 11-06-2012, 08:16 PM

Pay them, and next time either don't put the first band on the bill, or make them play last.

**mjac28** · #8 11-06-2012, 08:21 PM

I don't Umderstand the venue giving their money away in the first place ? If you decide to keep the money make sure you are always on time and don't leave early ever.

plankspanker13 · #9 11-06-2012, 08:22 PM

NOBODY, thus far, has seen fit to ask, "what's in the contract," so I will. What was in writing, specifically about bands getting paid? The answer to that question dictates what you should do.

4001 · #10 11-06-2012, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

you don't screw around with peoples money.

+1

Deedubs · #11 11-06-2012, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plankspanker13

NOBODY, thus far, has seen fit to ask, "what's in the contract," so I will. What was in writing, specifically about bands getting paid? The answer to that question dictates what you should do.

no contract. the bar gave us half the door, and gave the other band there to collect the other half.

plankspanker13 · #12 11-06-2012, 08:36 PM

There you have it; it is a clear-cut case of "you snooze, you lose."

...not that there is nothing to the karmic argument, however. Tough call. At least you are one of 2 bands that did get paid, so you do not have all of the blame on you.

Deedubs · #13 11-06-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plankspanker13

There you have it; it is a clear-cut case of "you snooze, you lose."

...not that there is nothing to the karmic argument, however. Tough call. At least you are one of 2 bands that did get paid, so you do not have all of the blame on you.

thats how i feel. i mean it was the bars call not my bandleaders. my personal feeling is karma bit those dudes in the ass.

bassbully · #14 11-06-2012, 08:44 PM

So the other band was unprofessional and expected to bolt and still get paid? Were you there to collect their money? IMO if you are dumb enough to leave any gig without pay you deserve to get nothing...tuff stuff.

Deedubs · #15 11-06-2012, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbully

So the other band was unprofessional and expected to bolt and still get paid? Were you there to collect their money? IMO if you are dumb enough to leave any gig without pay you deserve to get nothing...tuff stuff.

yes.

no we were not there to collect their money.

if we were handed 1/3 of the door we would have taken it, but we were handed half so.....tuff stuff is how i feel too.

HolmeBass · #16 11-06-2012, 08:54 PM

I am definitely on the side that says you pay them. Give them the 1/2 of their money you took, and tell them to collect the rest from the other band. You don't want a reputation of being shady with money. They were the opener, were they really supposed to get a 1/3 of the door? Whatever, you pay them 1/2 of what was agreed upon and send them to the other band for the other half. Or contact the other band yourself if you want to make sure they also pay their share of what is owed the first band. The idea that you have to stick around to the end of the night to get paid is ridiculous- what if you have another gig? Now it was unprofessional of them to not make arrangements with the club to hold their money, but that's not a reason to screw them over.

Deedubs · #17 11-06-2012, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenderslaper

Did the 1st band know that they should stay to get paid, or did they assume they could pick the money up the next day? I think it's pretty lame to think you may have earned their money because thay didn't stay around to listen to your band.

the bar made the call to pay who was there to collect. i don't think that they needed to stay and listen to our band, but a least one of them should have stayed to get paid.

two fingers · #18 11-06-2012, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plankspanker13

NOBODY, thus far, has seen fit to ask, "what's in the contract," so I will. What was in writing, specifically about bands getting paid? The answer to that question dictates what you should do.

You would be amazed how many shows get played in this business with NO contract whatsoever. I have gotten in the habit of doing my own contracts with whatever band I am playing with so I get paid either way.

fdeck · #19 11-06-2012, 09:03 PM

The last thing you want is to get the reputation of stiffing musicians. That will come back to you. You could personally take the high ground and offer to give back 1/3 of your pay, which is probably just a few bucks.

fdeck · #20 11-06-2012, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by two fingers

You would be amazed how many shows get played in this business with NO contract whatsoever. I have gotten in the habit of doing my own contracts with whatever band I am playing with so I get paid either way.

+1. I rarely have a contract, though the bands that hire me have contracts if they are doing society or corporate gigs. Club gigs? Never.

I've left without getting paid, if the bandleader understood that I needed to be somewhere, and hadn't gotten paid himself. I always get paid.