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Is it common in the USA to...

#41
In San Francisco any cover band would be groaned and boo'd off the stage faster than you can say "Mustang Sally," forget about getting paid for it (though there are some cool tribute acts kicking around).

But go 50 miles in any direction (besides West) and they become a lot more common, and I assume make good money doing it.
 
#42
Depends on where you are. Nobody here in NYC cares, let alone pays to see a cover band,and theres hardly any playing. Everybody plays originals. Theres maybe a few tributeacts, mostly for tourists/outoftowners. The moment you get to Long Island or New Jersey, it becomes coverbandland. Never seen any fee being charged at the door there (I was in a decent Long Island Santana cover act for a bit)
 
#46
NYC is still like that from time to time people come to town and ask us to go out last occasion it was jazz at the time Warner center at a swank jazz place $70 a head inc 1 drink, I bought a second round $30 a cocktail table I 5 not a happy camper, then they tried to rush us out for the next seating 3 or 4 a night.
The moral of the story is do t let out of town people book you in to anything I had a $60 burnt duck once ....
 
#47
Around here (Australia):

$xx for Original acts with airplay and national exposure.

$10-$15 to get into the nightclub to listen to some coked up bozo play recordings of other peoples songs.

$5-$10 for local originals. Usually DIY gigs with door split between the 5 bands on the bill, and the soundguy who gets the majority. Venue hopes to make a few $ on drinks.

Free Entry for bars with Coverbands.

No one really goes out to see a cover band and definitely wouldn’t pay for it. They go to the venues, and the venues have cover bands.
 
#48
It is not common to pay to see a cover band. They are usually booked to provide background music at a venue that is not necessarily a dedicated music venue, i.e. people don't pay money just to see the band; they are there for another reason (i.e. food, drinks, etc.). It is quite common for people to pay to see tribute bands, though, and they do usually play places that are dedicated music venues.
 
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#49
Here in Belgium, cover bands actually make some decent money. If the cover band is good, I would more than be obliged to pay some good tip money and recommend them.
 
#50
crguti said:
pay to see a cover band?
I live in Scandinavia, and unless you play in a tribute band, nobody give a damn about cover bands.
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I think you missed it a little. Cover bands are simply the bands in bars, clubs, weddings, bahmitzfahs, and other social events and such that are hired to play. They play cover songs from a wide variety of artists and genres. Think of cover bands as "party rock." Whenever a band is playing music for almost any event (that's not a straight concert), it's almost always a cover band. They get paid to play music. As opposed to having a DJ, or jukebox. It's really that simple.
 
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#51
crguti said:
pay to see a cover band?
I live in Scandinavia, and unless you play in a tribute band, nobody give a damn about cover bands.
Click to expand...

I don't know if it's common in the UK as although I've seen a small smattering of tribute bands I don't recall ever having gone to see a cover band, unless you call a band doing folk music including traditional stuff a cover band.
 
#52
JeezyMcNuggles said:
I think you missed it a little. Cover bands are simply the bands in bars, clubs, weddings, bahmitzfahs, and other social events and such that are hired to play. They play cover songs from a wide variety of artists and genres. Think of cover bands as "party rock." Whenever a band is playing music for almost any event (that's not a straight concert), it's almost always a cover band. They get paid to play music. As opposed to having a DJ, or jukebox. It's really that simple.
Click to expand...

I've never seen a cover band at a wedding I've been to in the UK. I've been a member of a band at a wedding more than once, but doing originals or trad. arr. the band.
 
#53
crguti said:
pay to see a cover band?
I live in Scandinavia, and unless you play in a tribute band, nobody give a damn about cover bands.
Click to expand...
Where I live people don’t pay a door fee to watch cover bands because cover bands are pretty much only playing restaurant patios and sports bars where the customers aren't accustomed to paying a door charge.

The cover band vs original band thing is very different depending on location. I’ve done both and they both have their ups and downs. Money is actually not really a factor in my area. The money difference between me playing an originals gig or a cover gig is only like a $10 difference if that. Because cover gigs are typically no door fee most cover gigs around my area don’t pay more than $200 for the entire band so a good drawing originals band with a little bit of backbone can easily make that.

But as others have pointed out. You can literally get in the car and drive for two hours down the road and it’s a very different story. For example i live less than two hours from the beach on the east cost. At the beach it’s much more of a cover band scene
 
#54
-Asdfgh- said:
I've never seen a cover band at a wedding I've been to in the UK. I've been a member of a band at a wedding more than once, but doing originals or trad. arr. the band.
Click to expand...
It's the opposite here, and I suspect a lot of other places.

Cover charges for covers bands used to be common when I was starting out. It fell right out of fashion by about 2000.

Tribute acts are uncommon. Now and then overseas acts tour and it get advertised like some big deal production with a fancy ticket price to play the local hall. I never went to one.
 
#56
AaronVonRock said:
Interesting to hear the different perspectives on this thread.

Guys that play in cover bands say that no one cares about seeing original bands.

Guys that play in original bands say cover bands are a joke and no one would pay to see them.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. There is an audience that wants to see original bands playing their own songs. There is also an audience that doesn't want to hear unfamiliar music in a live setting.
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It honestly makes sense to me. I’ve played both. But do more of one than the other these days. The original band scene and cover band scene are very isolated from each other now. With the exception Of a benefit show once a year or a big outdoor festival it’s very rare for the two scenes to interact with each other at all. Cover bands here can brag a little about slightly higher guaranteed pay, original bands can brag about actually having fans as most cover bands are essentially background music here. Take your pick
 
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#57
LowRick said:
Seeing what you pay for a beer in scandinavian bars, i would want free music with it. Covers, tributes, original, whatever :p
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As I understand it, there's no junk food in Norway which is why the Vikings took to the long boats. It wasn't a quest for new lands, just Doritos. Which brings up the question:

If you cover "The Immigrant Song", do the locals get all rowdy like the Americans do when hearing "Sweet Home Alabama"?

Riis
 
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#58
crguti said:
pay to see a cover band?
I live in Scandinavia, and unless you play in a tribute band, nobody give a damn about cover bands.
Click to expand...
Oddly, yes.
If you read TB enough you will noticed that a large number of the players here are in cover bands. Inexplicably, they are also getting paid regularly, where as original bands are playing for free or paying to play.
It defies all logic. Americans must be hung up on old stuff I guess.
Veneues will charge a cover to get to the location at a specific time, or have a drink minimum. Part of that goes to the band. Again, if you are an original band the venue does the same thing but pockets the money. It still makes no sense.
 
#59
I live in southeast Massachusetts so I also have easy access to Rhode Island. Most clubs have a cover charge. Some other venues such as restaurants that have bands on the weekends may or may not have a cover charge. It varies. Some of the restaurants only charge after a certain time so if you get there early enough, you don't have to pay.
 

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