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"Compensation based on draw"
- Thread starter fdeck
- Start date
Yep, yep, yep! I laugh at these "national" touring bands that need the local and regional bands to pull people in the door. We have a local promoter here who books D-list, never-was bands and expects the local opening bands to bring people in the door. Newsflash: If you book a headliner and need the local talent to bring in the bodies, you need to reconsider why you booked the headliner in the first place.
P.s. Checked out the band from the ad. They are very good, but that doesn't excuse such a cheesy move as this.
Most places we play are like this. They pay the sound guy with the door money & the bands split whatever's left. We've made nothing and we've made $160 but we've never had to pay anything. If you don't really care about making money then take the gig. Might as well, right? Playing shows is fun. Just make sure that you make it perfectly clear that you're not coming out of pocket for anything other than getting there.
Actually, in these cases the line forms in YOUR rear, cause you are getting screwed for sure...
Randy
This sounds about right. If people don't come out of the woodwork, and it's a paying gig, you might as well take it.
What you should not take will be anything where there is the chance that you won't get paid, and you especially shouldn't take a "pay-to-play."
Around here, Rivers and Spires (and outdoor music festival) is coming up, so bands are springing up all over the place with people trying to make it into the line-up for the festival. A lot of places are having to turn everyone away and are getting away with bad deals because of the amount of bands trying to play. So we just decided to take a hiatus from gigs and will probably pick up playing again a month or so after the festival.
Dear Venue Owners,
If you think that musicians ARE your marketing plan, you have no business being in business. If you think that bands are supposed to bring your clientele FOR you, you have no business being in business. If your establishment is empty aside from the people that came to see the band, you have no business being in business. If your establishment has no clientele on its own merits, your business should be allowed to fail and die just like every other horribly run business. If your business cannot attract people based on the business itself, what is your point of being in business?
Musicians are employees. Could you get away with telling your bartender, waitstaff, cook, etc. that THEY have to bring their friends to give money to your business, otherwise they won't get paid for their work? Of course not, silly billy. Musicians are not only employees, they are employees for a reason. Because they are human, and need to pay bills, eat, put a roof over their heads, etc., just like you and everyone else. When is the last time you volunteered to provide your services for free to people that you don't know, knowing that the only one who benefits from this is the unknown hard ass that is demanding it of you?
If your business is lacking in patrons, you need to rethink your business plan and understand why nobody is there. Offer something that people WANT, do the proper advertising, and people will come. ie: Make good food, have a great selection of beer, have a warm and welcoming atmosphere, have employees that make patrons feel welcome, etc. However, if you're reading this for advice, I suspect your business is probably in greater need of help than you imagine. I also suspect that if you identify with what this article describes, you are probably not the type of person who cares to put in the time to make a successful business. Live music can add to your business's overall appeal, but only if your business is already established and has regular patrons.
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Copyright © 2011 craigslist, inc.terms of useprivacy policyfeedback forum
If you think that musicians ARE your marketing plan, you have no business being in business. If you think that bands are supposed to bring your clientele FOR you, you have no business being in business. If your establishment is empty aside from the people that came to see the band, you have no business being in business. If your establishment has no clientele on its own merits, your business should be allowed to fail and die just like every other horribly run business. If your business cannot attract people based on the business itself, what is your point of being in business?
Musicians are employees. Could you get away with telling your bartender, waitstaff, cook, etc. that THEY have to bring their friends to give money to your business, otherwise they won't get paid for their work? Of course not, silly billy. Musicians are not only employees, they are employees for a reason. Because they are human, and need to pay bills, eat, put a roof over their heads, etc., just like you and everyone else. When is the last time you volunteered to provide your services for free to people that you don't know, knowing that the only one who benefits from this is the unknown hard ass that is demanding it of you?
If your business is lacking in patrons, you need to rethink your business plan and understand why nobody is there. Offer something that people WANT, do the proper advertising, and people will come. ie: Make good food, have a great selection of beer, have a warm and welcoming atmosphere, have employees that make patrons feel welcome, etc. However, if you're reading this for advice, I suspect your business is probably in greater need of help than you imagine. I also suspect that if you identify with what this article describes, you are probably not the type of person who cares to put in the time to make a successful business. Live music can add to your business's overall appeal, but only if your business is already established and has regular patrons.
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Copyright © 2011 craigslist, inc.terms of useprivacy policyfeedback forum
- Apr 1, 2000
- 17,406
- 9,859
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Roscoe Guitars, DR Strings, Aguilar Amplification
When I was playing jazz functions and getting good money for a 1-3 hr gig, there were contracts and all that, but most all of the rock clubs around Boston are "pay based on draw." All this talk of "don't do the gig," "you're getting screwed," "find another gig," is rather ridiculous to me, as this is the business. Been there for 30 years.
It can be a tough road to hoe, but if you want to get out there, you gotta play the game. I mean, pay to play is absurd, but since I don't do this as a full-time job, I can take gigs I want to take and I'm glad not to have to even think about the crap that goes on.
It can be a tough road to hoe, but if you want to get out there, you gotta play the game. I mean, pay to play is absurd, but since I don't do this as a full-time job, I can take gigs I want to take and I'm glad not to have to even think about the crap that goes on.
- Jun 3, 2009
- 3,330
- 398
- Disclosures
- Bassgearu, Music Industry Consulting and Sales. Tech 21, NBE Corp, Sonosphere.
Best way to ensure head counts match is to station someone you trust at the door with the club guy. Everyone who comes in and says they are there to see you you make a note. At the end of the night you should have a count. If the club owner or other club guy has a different count, then dispute it, noting that you placed a person at the door.
I always tell the club owner, when I'm playing for door, that a condition of that is I get to have someone right there with the dude taking the cover charge so that I have an accurate count. If they say no, I tell them sorry, not playing. If they won't allow you to put someone at the door with their person, they are screwing all the artists.
I always tell the club owner, when I'm playing for door, that a condition of that is I get to have someone right there with the dude taking the cover charge so that I have an accurate count. If they say no, I tell them sorry, not playing. If they won't allow you to put someone at the door with their person, they are screwing all the artists.
I love this! Some of these venues are expecting a band to pack the place monthly with family and friends, rock the place and make a few hundred bucks for the 3-4 hour sets. If they get enough bands to do this monthly they dont have to worry about running ads, having decent beers, drinks etc...the band will pay the bills
Most clubs like this dont last are are closed or go to DJ's etc within a year.We have some of the bigger venues in my area who use the local bands to sell tickets so that the national band will get paid. The locals play for free or might get $100 for the night although the locals raised most the money to pay the national band who gets all the attention.
I just listened to their MySpace page. They are a good band, kinda like a poppy Dishwalla type of band.
Looks like they are an original unsigned band just trying to sell some shirts and CD's on the road.
This isn't a club, if you are a local band and can't bring people to the show, they don't eat. That's why they want a good turnout.
If it were a club pulling this stunt I wouldn't book the show. But if I were an original band I would probably do it in a heartbeat. These guys are pretty good.
Looks like they are an original unsigned band just trying to sell some shirts and CD's on the road.
This isn't a club, if you are a local band and can't bring people to the show, they don't eat. That's why they want a good turnout.
If it were a club pulling this stunt I wouldn't book the show. But if I were an original band I would probably do it in a heartbeat. These guys are pretty good.
They might be pretty good but they are still unknown. You and your band will be paying them and you might get the scraps at the end of the night. This is what happens when you get an unknown bands who think national touring without label support, a fan base etc makes them hip and cool.
Allot of these band leech off locals to get around. I'm not saying its all bad if you agree before hand and have a split figured in. I wouldnt want to pack a club with a bunch of my bands friends,fans and family to feed and support an unknown national group.
- Apr 1, 2000
- 17,406
- 9,859
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Roscoe Guitars, DR Strings, Aguilar Amplification
Well, for instance, in the above letter it states "musicians are employees". No they're not, they're contractors - contracted in order to provide a service to the bar. It may seem at first glance the service they provide is to play music, but that's actually not the case. Playing music doesn't help the bar owner. However, if they make people dance and have a great time, they encourage people to buy alcohol, and *that* makes the bar money. Only in that case (increasing the bar's bottom line) are they providing an actual service to the bar. If they fail to do that, they're worthless to the club owner.
Then the letter says this:
Again, misguided at best. Music is very much part of a business plan - and can be as integral to success as beer. If I want to open a bar where people can come, dance to a live band and have a great time, and the band I hire doesn't get it done, they're gone. But to say it can only add to the overall appeal is shortsighted, and probably written by someone who doesn't understand what the role of a great live band is in the overall scheme.
True, selling drinks and increasing revenue is the raison d'etre for a bar band. So, you have no problem playing for the door?
