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

[Gustopher]

Absolutely not. We got paid 3-4x (minimum) normal pay for NYE events and most big holidays. I wouldn't walk out the door for less on a big day... UNLESS I was in an originals band and just wanted people to hear my songs. As a cover band, hell no.

 

[Mark_70]

We just turned down a NYE gig.. 2000usd, need to bring PA and lights, it's about 1.5 hrs away (rooms included). It's a private party.
I think if it was in one of the local watering holes and it was open to the public (our friends) we'd do it, but a private party 1.5 hrs away.. I don't think anyone in the band was particularly excited about that one - at least not for that kind of pay.. Would take more to leave family and friends behind on NYE..

Regards
Mark

 

[Kevorargh]

NYE and St. Patty's Day are almost as much and a PITA and weddings. No for regular bar pay.

 

[Gustopher]

What is scale these days? Just curious ...

Around my parts (VA/TN) it's about $400-600 to the band for a 2-3 hour show. Usually around $100 per person depending on the size of the band obviously.

 

[azureblue]

No - at best, base rate plus cut of the door. And put your own guy by the door to count heads..

 

[Johnny Crab]

NYE is the highest paying night of the year. It's also the most work. It also poses the most risk given everyone else on the road when the band is driving home is plastered. It's your time: decide.

Me and band? Nope. We know one great guitarist who was hit by a "plastered" driver on his way home from a NYE gig and had his chording hand ruined. Driving in H-Town race tracks is an insane crap shoot on normal weekends IMO. Pass.

Ah hellll no.
Theres 2 nights a year that even the worst bands get a premium.
Halloween....and New years eve
ESPECIALLY new years eve.
No way would I do it for regular Saturday night money.

Agreed.

 

[rtslinger]

No if I am going to spend my NYE with someone other than family you need to pay me well before I would even consider.

 

[DanTheMan2112]

No.

 

[iiipopes]

The bands I have been in have always at least doubled NYE quote.

 

[Fynn]

We have had an offer for two gigs at a place we used to play a few years ago. It's a restaurant/bar that used to have bands every week but stopped for a few years for various reasons. We know and like the owner. One of the dates is New Years Eve but he, supposedly, according to the BL, can't pay typical or even elevated, but normal for NYE, pay. So, play NYE for regular bar rates? Take the gig or No?

Who cares about pay. If you want to spend new years eve playing music and have no other gig possibilty then do it. If you don't like the idea of playing music on that day particularly then don't.

 

[51PRI]

+1. There's something fundamentally wrong with the bar owner's business model.

Well, I kinda agree. In general IMO if a bar owner can't afford a band then he shouldn't try to pay cheap, and shouldn't have a band at all.

...I used to gig with a band that got hired for the month (every Friday and Saturday). If it was December and NYE fell on a weekend, we played for regular pay. The owner usually gave us a couple hundred extra if the night was good for him.

Same here. I played in a house band 6 nights a week for 6 years. On NYE we didn't get anything extra. When Daylight Savings Time came in we had to play an extra set and didn't get any extra money.

Around my parts (VA/TN) it's about $400-600 to the band for a 2-3 hour show. Usually around $100 per person depending on the size of the band obviously.

Oh, I thought you were talking about Musician's Union scale.

 

[smogg]

We have had an offer for two gigs at a place we used to play a few years ago. It's a restaurant/bar that used to have bands every week but stopped for a few years for various reasons. We know and like the owner. One of the dates is New Years Eve but he, supposedly, according to the BL, can't pay typical or even elevated, but normal for NYE, pay. So, play NYE for regular bar rates? Take the gig or No?

Nope

 

[Kael]

No. Don't undercut your value. The fact that you like the guy is not relevant. This is business. Him asking you to play for less than would be customary on NYE is the same as you asking for a massive discount on a tab there on NYE.

 

[Andy Marshman]

The world has changed in many ways and I usually adapt or adjust. However, I'm old school and that means that NYE is a special performance and should never pay less than a premium rate.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Wow. Tough crowd. I’m in a rather small minority here in TB as money doesn’t equate to my love of playing music with people who wanna play music with other people, but I’d take the gig assuming the rest of the band was cool with it and no one had a better paying gig lined up.

I'm in your minority. We just played last NYE at a place we play often for normal pay. Oh, the principle of it all.

 

[Gustopher]

Well, I kinda agree. In general IMO if a bar owner can't afford a band then he shouldn't try to pay cheap, and shouldn't have a band at all.


Same here. I played in a house band 6 nights a week for 6 years. On NYE we didn't get anything extra. When Daylight Savings Time came in we had to play an extra set and didn't get any extra money.


Oh, I thought you were talking about Musician's Union scale.

I have no idea about that, I have only worked the bar scene and never even knew there was a union.

 

[turf3]

Me and band? Nope. We know one great guitarist who was hit by a "plastered" driver on his way home from a NYE gig and had his chording hand ruined. Driving in H-Town race tracks is an insane crap shoot on normal weekends IMO. Pass.

Agreed.

The time I was coming home at 3 am or so on NYE and had to avoid a driver going the wrong way on an interstate highway, really secured for me that combat pay is required.

 

[mrcbass]

If it's not keeping me from taking a more lucrative gig, why not?

For a venue that I had a connection with, I would do it. I've only played one NYE gig and it was for the venues normal rate. It was one of the funnest gigs ever. People are out to let loose and have fun and that makes for a a fun gig.

I don't normally do anything special for NYE, so a gig gets me out of the house.

Things not in my life that would color my decision if they were:
- If I had personal options for the night, I'd be more picky.
- If I haven't had NYE off for the last several years, I'd be more picky.
- What do my bandmates want to do?

 

[Jefenator]

I wouldn't feel good about playing a NYE gig for the regular Saturday rate.
One of my very best friends is a bar owner; he would never ask me to do that.

 

[sean_on_bass]

Hell naw. If the owner expects a special level of business that night he/she should share that with the band.