How Much Do Festival Gigs Pay???

FriscoBassAce · #1 02-23-2007, 11:03 PM

Hey guys...

Some of you may have read my posts about the crazy success of my Bon Jovi Tribute band. Aside from the club gig offers we've received, we just got a gig offer to play at a local festival that is in it's 15th year. It's a wine festival that will play to the mainstream family crowds, mostly folks who are into wine and have money to spend.

It's been a LONG time since I played anything like this. This is in Texas...how much should we charge for potentially playing a one-hour set during the afternoon?

Would also appreciate any advice that others can give.

Thanks!

markjazzbassist · #2 02-24-2007, 12:12 AM

how many people are in your band?

IMO minimum is usually $100 per band member. If you think it's going to be a cash cow and be a big hit with lots of people, see if you can get $150 or 200 a head. If you're a small trio or quartet, then take in more.

FriscoBassAce · #3 02-24-2007, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

how many people are in your band?

IMO minimum is usually $100 per band member. If you think it's going to be a cash cow and be a big hit with lots of people, see if you can get $150 or 200 a head. If you're a small trio or quartet, then take in more.

Currently we're a 4-piece using sequencers for keyboards. Hopefully we'll have our 5th member by then. I was thinking in the $500 range, which basically is what you're saying I think. This is the lesser-known of two large festivals that the city holds each year. I'm going to find out more from the organizer tomorrow about crowd expectations, number of bands on the bill, etc.

This is the kind of stuff I'm looking for....keep 'em coming!

Spoiled Grape · #4 02-24-2007, 02:53 AM

$500.00 sounds reasonable.

markjazzbassist · #5 02-24-2007, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FriscoBassAce

Currently we're a 4-piece using sequencers for keyboards. Hopefully we'll have our 5th member by then. I was thinking in the $500 range, which basically is what you're saying I think. This is the lesser-known of two large festivals that the city holds each year. I'm going to find out more from the organizer tomorrow about crowd expectations, number of bands on the bill, etc.

This is the kind of stuff I'm looking for....keep 'em coming!

$500 min. sounds good. See if you guys get free food & water too. Sometimes the little perks nice too.

WJGreer · #6 02-24-2007, 10:44 AM

Interesting. My observation has been that the festival gigs pay less than the bar gigs. At the festivals you can achieve exposure to a broader audience, which the festival organizers seem to feel is compensation.

Blake Bass · #7 02-24-2007, 10:46 AM

$500 min. sounds good. See if you guys get free food & water too. Sometimes the little perks nice too.
And Free Wine!!

roger winkler · #8 02-24-2007, 07:00 PM

Our band has 6 members and we've played lots of festivals. We base our fee on several things. How long we play, how far we have to travel, how much gear we have to bring, and the time of day we'll be playing. Our next festival gig is in June and I think we're charging $900.00 for 2 hours. We gave them a discount if we could play an extra hour, so they wouldn't have to hire another band and fork out more money.

justabass · #9 02-25-2007, 02:34 AM

Try to get them to offer first...May surprise you.

Jezz8me · #10 02-25-2007, 03:04 AM

umm i dont knoiw about texas but in aus especialy melbourne the music fesival is a highly celebrated thing and if you manage to get into one you have made it and you get + 1000 to your cool factor, also if u suck ppl r in such a good mood they dont care

oh and ez way to get pot

Steve · #11 02-25-2007, 07:41 AM

Don't sell yourself short and don't start cheap. I can tell you from much past experience that it's WAY easier to bring the price down than it is to get the price up

That sort of band is a 'sho 'nuff cash cow.

If you guys are any good at all those high profile gigs should be starting at 2 grand.

If you're not any good they should pay a grand.

You tell them that you do the tour show. Thats a 90 minute set with a 15 min. encore and the price is _____
You don't do 1 hour shows or if you do, the price is the price.

They, came to you. That's an entirely different bargaining position that you need to get your mind around.

I've never done a Bon Jovi thing but I have done Elvis and CCR acts and the money is there.

invader3k · #12 02-25-2007, 08:11 AM

Eh...usually festivals pay more than bar gigs, unless this is one of those things where they have two dozen acts playing.

If you're going to be one of the main attractions, I wouldn't say shooting for closer to 1000 bucks is unreasonable.

WJGreer · #13 02-25-2007, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader3k

Eh...usually festivals pay more than bar gigs

Not here.

lonote · #14 02-25-2007, 02:24 PM

That's a tough question. Most festival gigs I've done had hotel rooms, food and beverages included in the package. I've found that smaller festivals (where we are closer to the top of the performer list) generally pay better and offer better perks. Have them make an offer to you and procede from there. If you have to make the first offer, start high and negotiate. They know what price range they can afford to pay and you know what you need to make. If we're traveling to the festival, we usually try to pick up club gigs on the way to and from the festival; that can make for a profitable trip.

Phalex · #15 02-27-2007, 07:50 AM

Back when I was in a band that did a LOT of festivals in the summer, we were getting $1,200 for an hour set. That was a seven piece band.

Bayou_Brawler · #16 02-27-2007, 08:27 AM

my band typically makes $300 - $2,000 at a festival

as you know there are a million degrees of a festival. how long has the festival been going on? how many people in attendance? it is home-grown or corporate sponsored? do they take a cut of your merch?

we're playing a homegrown festival in june (around 600 in attendnce) and making $200

we're playing a bigger regional festival in july (around 8,000 in attendance) and making around $600. we're playing a very prestigious traditional local festival later in july (around 3,000 in attendance) and making around $1,200.

so it really depends on the festival....and where the leverage lies...

example the 8,000 attendance festival we are playing..it's our first time there..and well frankly WE WOULD PAY $600 to play in front of 8,000 hardcore "jam band" fans....

the 3,000 person attendance festival....we were actually paid $600 last year there...came in and tore the place apart...they have the budget...so now we are being paid $1,200...

for a band like yours that is just starting out $500 is a decent place to start. i wouldn't be suprised if it was as low as $300 depending on the pockets of the festival. once you get bigger on the scene and feel out the market a bit you can ask for more.

FriscoBassAce · #17 02-27-2007, 08:32 AM

You guys are giving some great information. I'm going to talk to the event coordinator today and negotiate our fee. I'll let you know how it goes.

Spoiled Grape · #18 02-27-2007, 11:05 AM

Goodluck.

Make sure to bring lots of merch, that's where the real money is in festivals. Even as a cover band, you'll rake it in!

jeffreyhamby · #19 02-27-2007, 04:40 PM

FWIW, I've not done any festivals in Texas for less than $1500.