Play New Year's Eve for regular Bar Pay, or No?

[pepj]

I guess the moral of the story is we should not assume, and tick off all points as gigs can take many forms in terms of what is required etc etc.
If he hasnt got one already, have a basic check list of things that 'we' need covered so we can avoid a disaster...even if we bodge it a little. As opposed to a trainwreck.

On the point of assumption, local club has a Martin P.A installed which on paper should be good, but no one is taking that at face value until we have tried it, which means our P A stays in the car, but just in case, whilst we test it. The next gig we can trust that the P.A is in house, but a quick message to make sure the previous band hasn't broken it just prior to us leaving for the date.

 

[Rayjay]

To OP's original question: No, and don't mess this up for the rest of us either.

 

[rockinrayduke]

Hell no.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Have a 6-9PM NYE gig at a local Bistro in the semi-tourist town where I reside. We do our regular fee & chances are a generous crowd / tip jar will make up any 'holiday" difference?

Not gouging folks who are repeat business / great places to play only reinforces our relationship and keeps our 1st call status. Also I'll be 62 then so the hours are appreciated!

Awesome that you had an early gig like that. Seems to be more common now and something I want to pursue for us in the future. Having sat out NYE this year due to some other commitments bandmembers made I can guarantee I would have taken a gig at regular fees. And I completely agree with you on the desire to keep our relationship with a repeat business venue is more important to us.

 

[pepj]

Interesting time slot and seemingly more popular.

 

[portpc]

Awesome that you had an early gig like that. Seems to be more common now and something I want to pursue for us in the future. Having sat out NYE this year due to some other commitments bandmembers made I can guarantee I would have taken a gig at regular fees. And I completely agree with you on the desire to keep our relationship with a repeat business venue is more important to us.

We had a church gig for (3) straight years awhile back that did a 7-10PM NYE bash. They constructed their own mini NY Eve ball and everything - therefore 10PM became midnight! Ever since Dick Clark went to the great DJ booth in the sky staying up till midnight is rough..

 

[WI Short Scaler]

We had a church gig for (3) straight years awhile back that did a 7-10PM NYE bash. They constructed their own mini NY Eve ball and everything - therefore 10PM became midnight! Ever since Dick Clark went to the great DJ booth in the sky staying up till midnight is rough..

I just noticed around here that many of the gigs and venues were having parties in the 6-9, 7-10 and even a few 4-8pm ranges. In fact, on NYE I walked about 1/4 mile from my house to hear a band at one local place that was advertised for 8:30-12:30. This was about 10 pm and I passed 2 other bars on the way that were both already closed.

And the band I heard was only good for about 4 songs and I was out. Young kids with expensive gear. They were way too loud and had too much gear for the space. They sounded much better from outside in the parking lot. About 20 people in there.

 

[portpc]

I just noticed around here that many of the gigs and venues were having parties in the 6-9, 7-10 and even a few 4-8pm ranges. In fact, on NYE I walked about 1/4 mile from my house to hear a band at one local place that was advertised for 8:30-12:30. This was about 10 pm and I passed 2 other bars on the way that were both already closed.

And the band I heard was only good for about 4 songs and I was out. Young kids with expensive gear. They were way too loud and had too much gear for the space. They sounded much better from outside in the parking lot. About 20 people in there.

I had a restaurant/brewery gig on NYE about 15 years ago that lasted a couple of years. Honestly 90% of the clientele were no one you'd take home for Sunday dinner & it generally was a pretty underwhelming gig. The early show is much better!

 

[SteveC]

We haven't played NYE for a couple years. I don't miss it at all. Even at double pay I like not doing it. It's always cold as hell. The drunks are drunker. The pain in the ass is pain in the assier.
If I were, I'd need to get at least 1.5 the normal rate.

 

[SteveC]

And the band I heard was only good for about 4 songs and I was out. Young kids with expensive gear. They were way too loud and had too much gear for the space. They sounded much better from outside in the parking lot. About 20 people in there.

Those 20 people were probably their friend/dates.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Those 20 people were probably their friend/dates.

A few of them were probably parents. My wife works at the local high school and she recognized a couple of the bandmembers as students. And if she recognizes them they are probably not the students running for valedictorian if you get my drift.

 

[SteveC]

A few of them were probably parents. My wife works at the local high school and she recognized a couple of the bandmembers as students. And if she recognizes them they are probably not the students running for valedictorian if you get my drift.

I do get your drift. I work at a HS as well.

 

[51PRI]

To OP's original question: No, and don't mess this up for the rest of us either.

UPDATE:For those who missed it the BL and the rest of the we perfectly happy to book NYE at regular bar rates. However, it turned out that the bar owned was only asking if we would be interested and didn't book us, saying that his staff didn't want to work that night. We fully thought we were booked until the BL checked with the venue about PA. About a week later the BL posted on Facebook that he has never played NYE because he charges too much! ***!?!

 

[Pocket Dave]

UPDATE:For those who missed it the BL and the rest of the we perfectly happy to book NYE at regular bar rates. However, it turned out that the bar owned was only asking if we would be interested and didn't book us, saying that his staff didn't want to work that night. We fully thought we were booked until the BL checked with the venue about PA. About a week later the BL posted on Facebook that he has never played NYE because he charges too much! ***!?!

Thanks for the update. On break at a gig reading this thinking how grateful I am to be not in "a band" any more

 

[pepj]

I'm not sure this BL has got the role down, tbh.
Sounds like a tough gig to contend with. He would probably drive me to distraction.

 

[Nunovsky]

Honestly? No.
In these special dates, if the pay isn't worth it, I prefer to spend it with my family.
We had a venue that proposed to pay us on NYE just a little bit above the regular fee we get on any other gigs. We refused and ended up getting another gig were each one of us got payed what the former proposed for the entire band.
So, unless I really need the money and was going through rough times, I wouldn't do the gig.

 

[turf3]

Having dealt with amateur drunks on the road at 3 am on NYE for many years, the pay AND the music had better be something special for me to take the risk. The ordinary professional drunks every other night generally manage not to do the very craziest stuff, but NYE brings out all the guys who get drunk on a beer and a half and proceed to tie one on. (Or at least it used to; for all I know millennial NYE consists of sitting home and watching TikTok, sipping soy lattes and ordering-in pizza.)