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How Much Do Bands Make at Regional Festivals

bluesbass99

bluesbass99

Jun 14, 2006
262
35
Atlanta, GA
www.rumblefishband.com
#1
Just a quick question. At the risk of sounding like I'm beating my chest (believe me, I'm not) I'm lucky enough to have assembled a very good band. Our music is primarily Blues / R&B / Funk. I've played in some lousy bands before, but this band is truly a cut or two above the average bar band.

We've played the local clubs and bars, but would like to venture out to start playing blues festivals in the southeast next year. The question I have is how much do bands make that play in these regional festivals? I want to broaden our base and start playing in other markets than where we live. I just had a promoter ask me how much we would charge to play in a festival close to where we live. I want the exposure, but I don't want to do it for little or nothing, either.

What should I be asking for, in your opinion? Personally, I would do it on the low side. However, we have a couple of players who depend largely upon gig money to live on. I don't, so we have differing motivations. How much should I ask for? I expect we would be driving to the festivals, so an overnight stay would be required.

Thanks in advance.
 
#2
I'm from a completely different part of the country. Our town is very small (under 400 people), but we have a festival in our town every year and have a big street dance as a part of it. We pay between $2,500 to $5,000 for the band, 9-1 a.m.

But here's the deal. The band has to have a following. Draw factor is everything.

If we've never heard of you, or we think that not many people around our area have heard of you, it won't happen.
 
#4
It really depends on the type of festival and how it's run.

My band played a high profile blues fest this past summer. Big grounds, big tent, big stage, big sound, big lighting and big crowd. Tickets were $50.00 a pop.

There were two national headlines and 4 local bands.

We were paid our minimum fee $400.00 for an hour. The headliners get the big money.

Blue
 
#6
Played a 20 band classic rock and reggae fest last year with a local promoter and no bands ended up getting paid. Local promoter scheduled the event the same weekend as the local county fair when folks could see touring acts like Joan Jett, Beach Boys and REO Speedwagon for the price of fair admission. Was still fun to play but promoter lost his shirt on the deal.
 
#11
Here's how we have always been able to make the exposure to pay ratio work out for festivals. Insist on a daytime slot at the festival. Sometime late afternoon will get you seen by the most people. Old people turn in before 9 and young people don't frequent festivals as much any more in my experience. Then you can go play a local club that night. And booking the gig is no trouble at all. You can just tell the club owner that you will be advertising at the festival. The festival set should be pretty short so the band won't be too worn out to play a club that night.

The pay is usually good for two gigs in a day and you can expose yourself to the festival crowd AND the club crowd in less than 24 hours.

By the way, about a grand to $1200 and something to eat and some bottled water is what we usually get in NC, SC, or VA.
 
#12
two fingers said:
Here's how we have always been able to make the exposure to pay ratio work out for festivals. Insist on a daytime slot at the festival. Sometime late afternoon will get you seen by the most people. Old people turn in before 9 and young people don't frequent festivals as much any more in my experience.
Click to expand...

It depends on the festival and what you want to get out of it.

Take Milwaukee's SummerFest, the worlds largest music festival. All the locals want to play the big headlining stages.

Mainly for the exposure and it's really fun to play and they ( other than the pay) treat you nice. Your gear is transported and set up for you, your band escorted in a nice van to and from the stage and you get to se how a professional stage is run.

Now,thing is you really want a 6:00PM or 8:00PM slot, thats where you get the exposure. It will be a huge crowd. The people coming to see say a "Jeff Beck" or other major act know to get a good seat you have to be there by 6:00. The 3:00 slots are not going to be huge.

With other festivals it might be different.

blue
 
#13
Small town festivals are not going to pay much. There is usually no admission. You do it for exposure.
The last one we did paid $100 for the band for 45 min set which just went into the general band fund.
 
#14
klokker said:
I'm from a completely different part of the country. Our town is very small (under 400 people), but we have a festival in our town every year and have a big street dance as a part of it. We pay between $2,500 to $5,000 for the band, 9-1 a.m.

But here's the deal. The band has to have a following. Draw factor is everything.

If we've never heard of you, or we think that not many people around our area have heard of you, it won't happen.
Click to expand...

@klokker - check your PM plz when you get a chance. Thx.
 
#15
Festivals used to be where my originals band made decent money $500-600 a pop. Now allot of them want bands to play for free at all kinds of crazy time slots. The best two festivals in my area were not even put on this year due to budget..suks around here.
 
#16
My band plays for numerous festivals every year as well as I book bands for festivals of varying sizes and budgets. Regionally, most of the bands get anywhere from $300 - $1,200 for the lower to mid level and sometimes, headlining acts. Larger well known and national acts can get between $1,500 - $6,000. My band is usually in the $600 - $1,000 range depending on travel distance, if sound is provided, and how many hours we perform.

Many festivals have been hurting financially due to many economic reasons and losing business sponsors and donations. Many of them cut the entertainment budget first. I always tell them that entertainment and advertising are the two things you never want to cut because without good entertainment, people won't come.

Event, concert, and festival management are part of my normal business and I am involved in organizing many of them every year.

Some advice - never play for free at a festival.
 

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