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Never Again!

#62
F*** those pay to play venues, they don’t support live music they are vampires making money off musicians blood...I never have or ever will play for establishments like that or bars that only want to pay your 5 piece band 300 or less, they don’t care or take into consideration the time you put in to be a band or the money you spend on gear, gas etc.
 
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#65
A few months ago a friend wrote to me about playing this "House Place" in LA. He conveniently forgot to tell me it was pay to play. As long as bands go along with this nonsense the venues will keep doing it. These days what good can possibly come from playing gigs like this? Especially if you don't sell enough tickets and you end up paying the venue.
 
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#66
Biggbass said:
Our BL received a call from a booking company in Ca inviting us to play a well known venue that has locations in most of the US top 10 markets. We accepted the invite and booked the gig, anticipating the opportunity to play the venue.

When the date got nearer we received the load in and stage time details, which indicated that we were on a bill with two other bands, and playing the 2nd set. They also sent us a batch of tickets to sell for the show and linked us to a ticket purchase site to encourage fans to pre purchase on line and save a couple of bucks. We were also told that we had to sell a certain number of tickets to "break even" on the show and that the 'house' and 'sound mixer' had to be paid from those ticket sales also. My question was how were they going to divide the money when 3 bands were selling tickets both in advance and at the door, (which was never answered).

Now, realizing this is a pay to play venue, I discussed it with the band and we decided to give it a chance just to see how it all panned out only because it is a high profile venue. So we played the gig. We'd sold all our tickets and the place was packed with familiar faces of our fans along with fans of the other bands. And despite the first band opening the show with a painfully loud set of death metal and nearly clearing the room, the crowd came back for our set of Americana and we had a good time playing for a very enthusiastic audience. The bar was as busy as it could handle.

After our set we quickly rolled our gear off stage so the next band could get started and I loaded out and headed home. All in all it felt like a very successful gig.

A few days later, after the dust had settled on the ticket sales, our BL told he us he had to pay up to settle the money, even though we had a full house and the bar obviously made good money that night. Turned out that the booking company also took 50% of the ticket sales along with the house and sound guy taking their cut. WTH?

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Pay to Play venues are in business to support themselves and not the musicians. For the bands it's a total BS deal. We hauled our gear there, loaded in, set up in a flash, played a great set to a full house, loaded out, and hauled it home covered with sweat, and someone made lots of money, but we had to pay them to settle the bottom line. Kinda makes me feel like I got taken in an internet scam. If these venues can't afford to pay the bands to play then why are they in the music presentation business to begin with? Oh I know...to sell lots of booze. Hard language inserted here.

Never Again.
Click to expand...


The question is - did you expose yourself, I mean get exposure?
 
#67
Jewce said:
Yeah, that's why I stopped playing at the whiskey a gogo, and a few others. Same thing. They demand 800-1200 up front, and hand you tickets to sell to make your cut back. And, your left trying to get some of your money back by busting your butt to fill their club. It's soooo stupid. "Play for the exposure" they say. Bull. "Play to make us money" is more like it. The only people ever really there are friends of the bands, and who you sold tickets to. And, they have 4 band shows every night. I'm in the wrong business...for real.
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Very sad to hear the Whiskey-A-Go-Go has gone that route. Used to be a great place back in the 60's and 70's. I guarantee you The Doors never paid to play there and they played the Whiskey a LOT back then when they were just getting started.
 
#70
Biggbass said:
Our BL received a call

has locations in most of the US top 10 markets

They also sent us a batch of tickets to sell

divide the money when 3 bands were selling tickets both in advance and at the door

the first band opening the show with a painfully loud set of death metal
Click to expand...

Each of these were a warning, that the band was not going to share in the profits, but being exploited. And a lot of bands are ok with that, especially death metal bands playing to empty rooms.
 
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#71
I,m 44 y.o. I like to play live but I'm not desperate to play live...

Musicians have a inner mixture of passion and excitement for playing live , and sometimes this leads to desperation..and some evnues and promoters take advantage of that.

Bar staff is paid , sound guy is paid , security staff is paid , drink suplliers are paid, backline suplpiers are paid (if the light system is rented)...bookers/promoters takes his percentage ... so everybody is paid except the bands..

So when someone asks me to play for exposure or selling tickets my point is clear : no, thanks.. I'm not desperate.
 
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