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

#82
I would say NO… But, it depends how close of a friend you are to the owner! if he gives you lots of work throughout the year then you may wanna do the gig!
covid has been crushing lots of bars & restaurants… so, there are many variables that come into making a decision! ⭐️
 
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#85
51PRI said:
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.
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Not only that, but here we are, some 12 weeks out from NYE, and the bar owner who "can't afford" to pay market rate for the band also apparently has no clue how to create/promote a special event at his establishment that would allow him to compensate a band at customary NYE rates. Some of the venues in my neck of the woods do a prix fixe-type of thing that includes live entertainment. They also work deals with local taxi/limo companies/Uber/Lyft so no one has to drive home if they don't have a designated driver. It's all hyped with prominent signage at the venues, plus via traditional and social media. If, as you say, the venue hasn't had live music in quite a while, then NYE should be the perfect excuse to celebrate the return of live music there by doing it right. And that includes paying market rate to the band.

Okay...I'll shut up now.
 
#87
51PRI said:
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?
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no no no. if he cant afford it too bad. its the biggest party holiday. its insane to even think about taking it
 
#89
Element Zero said:
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.
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I get where you're coming from, but playing cheap or for free, undercuts everyone else. At least take the low end of the going rate.
 
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#91
Think of it this way. You own a rental apartment and list it on VRBO. It happens to be in a college town with a popular D1/FBS football team. You normally charge $200 per night. Do you charge that same rate on the six game day weekends per year? Hells no. You charge $1000 a night with a two night minimum.

Premium dates get premium dollars.
 
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#93
Dega60 said:
Gave up New Years Eve gigs a long time ago - Rather stay home safe with the family then be on the roads on amateur night . . . When I *was* still playing those shows, $500 a man minimum to deal with the higher percentage of massively drunk idiots you have to deal with.
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In what way did the additional $$$ make you feel safer?

garp said:
... If, as you say, the venue hasn't had live music in quite a while, then NYE should be the perfect excuse to celebrate the return of live music there by doing it right.....
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Another factor in the equation...in the time period in which this venue hasn't had bands another venue, a MUCH nicer place, has opened up and is/has taken away quite a bit of his former thunder. And new places always have the crowds, at least for a while. I don't know how that will affect our crowd. One thing though...in my experience a venue can't just have a band every now and then and expect a good crowd.

kittywithabanjo said:
hard no, you will develop a bad reputation with other bands if you take lower rates.
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Yeah, if they know what our pay rate is.
 
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#94
No... the only way would be if you were a house band, and stayed set up there all the time anyway.

Might be worth it to keep your club owner happy... otherwise at least double but preferably 3 times or more. I'd still ask for more anyway to see if they'd do it.

Most places are charging a lot on cover that night, they can afford it more than a regular gig.
 
#97
57pbass said:
My position has always been to make as much money possible especially on NYE.
My reasoning is that since I’m a weekend warrior type of musician, if I/we go in at a low rate it’s just bad for the musicians who are full time or really need the extra income.
If they can hire us on the cheap everyone else gets screwed.
It’s a union mentality but that’s how I look at it.
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This. This is the answer right here. Everyone on a scene is responsible for raising the tide for all boats. If you take lowball pay, you hurt everyone, even if you're just a part time band/musician.
 
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#98
Marko 1 said:
Does anyone even know how large this bar is? Maybe the owner is stretching his budget just to show some love to his regular patrons.

The other band members know the guy and the venue, they know the deal, they weighed the conditions and accepted. Are we to assume they're all dumb?
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We all know the bar and the owner, having played there previously many times.
 
#99
51PRI said:
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?
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No.
 
#100
51PRI said:
We all know the bar and the owner, having played there previously many times.
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Well, lucky for you that TB has educated you...

your bandmates are obviously some clueless twits who don't know what they're doing,

and you'd be a fool to go along... because... well,

TB is full of bad-asses who don't take no shyte! :rollno:

Edit to add: Look at the responses, and if they include the word "I" in it more than a couple times...

disregard. :cigar:
 
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