What is better 10 gigs @ $300 each or 4 @ $400 each

[troy mcclure]

No, I can do math but here is the deal. The cover band I am currently in has a little bit of a dilema. 2 bars in the same town wants to book us.

The better bar has a all equipment provided, still a hole in the wall, but is a bit more respected as a place to gig. The owner will not book you if you play the other bar in this town, pays $400 a gig and will give us 4 weekends a year. He also is a stickler about break time and how many people we draw.

The crappy bar, we bring our own gear will give us 10 weekends a year for $300 a gig and never hassles anyone. They hire every band that walks in the door but is kind of a joke to play.

I kinda see see it either way. We never take $300 gigs so this kinda makes us perceived as a cheaper band. We also have some income loss due to being booked when a highing paying gig might arise (this is obviously not the only town we play and are booked 40 weekends so far this year). On the other hand it is a stress free gig and that gives us 20 dates we don't have to hustle gigs for....


So which seems better?

[Joe Nerve]

I'd take the $400 gig without a 2nd thought. If your band isn't drawing people chances are either bar will drop you anyhow. If you do well it's better to do well in the better bar than the crappier bar. you'll also probably expose yourself to more people in the better bar, develop a better reputation, etc.

Also easier to drag all your friends to 4 shows than 10.

[troy mcclure]

We played the better bar this weekend and were offered the gig after he saw how many people we brought on Sat..fri was a bit slow and there is the rub..can you get all your fans to every gig no....

As I said in the original post the crappy bar never drops you...

[Craig_S]

I'd tell the club owner who says you can't play the other bar if you play his, to go blow. We don't play that game, at all. If you're good, you don't have to put up with that.

Play the cheaper club and try to build a following. You have 10 chances to show people you're a good band and , maybe, you'll help turn around the reputation of the other club. If you draw well, talk to the owner and get the money up.

Edit: I didn't tell you we play nearly all the better rooms around town.

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Better pay, equipment provided = better gig. Even being a stickler for break times; not a big deal.

[Steve]

I'd tell the "good" bar to match the dollar amount of work or go scratch. Then I'd probably tell him to go scratch anyway because I really hate that, "If you play there, you can't play here" BS.

I'd go play there and try my best to steal his crowd then see what he has to say.

[rockdoc11]

I like to play. The $ is secondary to getting to play.

I'd take the more gigs place.

[bassbully]

I would choose the 10 for $300ea..why? More $...less hassles (owner of other club sounds like a jerk) Less pressure,more exposure and it fills your schedule. I was always told early on to always rebook as many gigs at the same club since people will remember your name and keep seeing it when they get around etc. Try to develop a following at the cheaper club...owners will notice and maybe you will make more $ down the line or get better gigs latter. Which ever you choose you have a good problem.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by bassbully

I would choose the 10 for $300ea..why? More $...less hassles (owner of other club sounds like a jerk) Less pressure,more exposure and it fills your schedule. I was always told early on to always rebook as many gigs at the same club since people will remember your name and keep seeing it when they get around etc. Try to develop a following at the cheaper club...owners will notice and maybe you will make more $ down the line or get better gigs latter. Which ever you choose you have a good problem.

+1

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by rockdoc11

I like to play. The $ is secondary to getting to play.

I'd take the more gigs place.

+1

, but I'd still take the 'better' place.

Think ahead.

1. You'll get bored playing in the same club almost every month
2. There are other towns with bars, so spread your wings
3. Work on your band's resume/biography, getting to play in ever better places


Make specific arrangments on break times and stick to them. For the club owner, it's a business transaction. Wether you like it or not, you will have to more or less look at it the same way.

[Stumbo]

The $3000 from the crappy bar will be reduced by the number of higher paying gigs you'll turn down during the year. I'd play the "better" place.

Hey, you can always play the "better" place and play the other place later. Slavery went out a long time ago.

Tell the "better" place you want $500 a gig because you'll be turning down other gigs to play there.

[ehque]

Better paying gig gives you 6 free weekends a year to look for even better paying gigs. It doesn't seem like you guys are in need of filling your schedule anyway, so go quality, not quantity.

[MNAirHead]

better bar.. sounds like they're treating you like pros.

I'll do just about anything to dork with PA gear.

[sikamikanico]

pick the one you would choose if money wasn't involved

[Kirk Bryant]

+1 to the above but............ I personally would just change the name of the band and book both gigs...LOL ...I'm just sayin'...i hate small town politics

peace Capt Kirk

[Phalex]

Tell the cheap bar you're making more money gigging at the other place and if he wants your band to play there, he better at least make it worth your while.

We've been slowly jacking up our prices for the past few years. This spring a regular gig of ours got all "take it or leave it" with the guy that does our booking. We left it and replaced the gigs at that one place with three other bars that pay better. Guess who wants us for NYE?

Take the $400.00 and don't play for less.

[pnut166]

Take the cheap one, and start putting flyers under the windshields of cars @ the other one. Get as many people as you can to go to the cheap bar for your first gig, including the regulars at the other one. Really hype your first gig there; flyers, set up a Myspace, whatever. Even offer to take a pay cut / free on that first one if the owner will offer a drink special or free cover, and let you put that on your flyers. Be well rehearsed, and put on the show of your life @ that first one. If everybody has a good time @ that first one, they`ll come back. If all goes well, the other guy will see a significant change in patrons on the nights you guys are playing across town. Pull that off, and then make HIM meet YOUR terms. Get the higher-paying gig, then make the other guy up his pay to match or you`re walking. If you`re putting butts in seats, he`ll agree. Play these fools against each other, rather than let them play you. You`ll end up with both gigs. A situation with two competing club owners, if you`re really good, is actually ideal.

[Bassman18]

Play both venues, just change the band name for the cheaper venue and if he asks, its your friends band who you are 'subbing' in. Hundreds of musicians have done it in the past, look at john lee Hooker! he had a stack of names that he used to record with different record companies.

And, maybe make sure you get booked on different weekends. haha.

Cheers,

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by pnut166

Take the cheap one, and start putting flyers under the windshields of cars @ the other one. Get as many people as you can to go to the cheap bar for your first gig, including the regulars at the other one. Really hype your first gig there; flyers, set up a Myspace, whatever. Even offer to take a pay cut / free on that first one if the owner will offer a drink special or free cover, and let you put that on your flyers. Be well rehearsed, and put on the show of your life @ that first one. If everybody has a good time @ that first one, they`ll come back. If all goes well, the other guy will see a significant change in patrons on the nights you guys are playing across town. Pull that off, and then make HIM meet YOUR terms. Get the higher-paying gig, then make the other guy up his pay to match or you`re walking. If you`re putting butts in seats, he`ll agree. Play these fools against each other, rather than let them play you. You`ll end up with both gigs. A situation with two competing club owners, if you`re really good, is actually ideal.

This is what i was trying to say but pnut166 did it much better Make the other bar notice you are packin the crappy place and you might force him to change his being an ass way of doing biz with bands. Its $100 less per gig...yea I know but 6 more gigs so you recover the loss. To the posts saying you will lose the money doing 10 cheaper shows by being booked to much...how do you know that? What if the other places are not booking or pay the same $300...then what? You just lost money and gigs.In my neck of the woods you would kill for the offers the OP has both ways. Getting gigs is hard and you never no where you stand one gig the next. Take the for sure money and more dates and promote the shows. Why cant you add more gigs anyhow its only 10...spread them out. Who cares what the club is like you will play the same which ever bar you in ..right?

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by Craig_S

I'd tell the club owner who says you can't play the other bar if you play his, to go blow. We don't play that game, at all. If you're good, you don't have to put up with that.

That was my first impression too. Any time a venue tries to put an "exclusivity clause" on you it's a huge red flag. It's your right to play wherever you damn well please. Sounds like that owner is an a**hole and I'd stay away, take the multi $300 gigs and keep looking for other venues to play as well.