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Playing at famous venues

Would you play a famous joint just for bragging rights?

  • Do it. You only live once.

    Votes: 84 60.0%

  • Not worth it. Save yourself a headache.

    Votes: 45 32.1%

  • CARROTS

    Votes: 11 7.9%
  • Total voters
    140
#42
cornfarmer said:
What would you do?
Click to expand...
I've done it in years (way) past. Why not now? I'm older and wiser, don't give a crap about promotion and publicity. I've played the old Village Gaslight, The Bitter End, the National Underground in NYC. All were hot spots in their day, but now are just sad and seedy dives. Now, that said, I'll be doing a show in Bethelehem PA in June in a place that's been promoting live "folk" music since the late 70's. Nothing will come of it other than a good time with old friends.
 
#44
When I lived in Asheville, this was sort of a business model: You'd book your band a tour of out-of-town venues. You'd play for nothing, in front of nobody, but you'd have a video of yourselves and some publicity shots from all these different places. Then you'd come back to Asheville and presumably get cred with local venues because you were now a Regional Act. Now, I never tried this myself, so I have no idea whether this ever really paid off for anybody. To me it sounds expensive to do, and while it might be clever, it sure doesn't sound like much fun. But WTFDIK?
 
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#45
All of this discussion really is pointless without knowing the venue...one's idea of famous is not the same as another's. As stated, if it's Madison Square Garden, that's a no brainer. If it's some club with only regional notoriety the whole concept turns sketchy.

So, where is the gig?
 
#49
cornfarmer said:
Some booking drone has asked one of my bands to play a pretty famous club. (they contacted somebody else in the band, not me directly)

On the plus side:
  • It's a venue where a lot of big names played and/or got their start.
  • It would be kinda cool to play on that very same stage, kind of bucket-list-ish.

On the negative side:
  • It's a long, long, long drive away. More than 5 hours one way. We would have to spend the night locally.
  • It's pay to play. I can guarantee that we wouldn't sell any tickets.
  • The gig is on a Mon or Tues night, sharing the bill with who knows how many other bands.
  • The club's current bookings all look kinda 'blah' -- as in it looks like a bunch of other generic 'bands-that-like-the-idea-of-playing-on-the-famous-stage-to-say-they-did-so' -- i.e. no real 'name' acts.

Part of me thinks the booking person is either really scraping the bottom of the barrel in that town or doesn't realize that we aren't in the same city (?)....but again, it's one of those opportunities that you might look back at years later and say, '@#$^$?!? I shoulda played that club when they asked us!'

What would you do?
Click to expand...

Here's the deal:
My band has played a club in Los Angeles that is as notorious among musicians as it is famous among fans. In its own way, the location is capitalism at its finest: any band can play there any night they want as long as they can pay for it. If you want a good time slot on a weekend you better be able to sell about 50 tickets at $10 a pop, or cough up the difference. You get 30 minutes to play, and there must be 6-7 bands, even if you are setting up the show.
So why put yourself through it? Well, it is one of the most famous stages in the US, that has had some of the biggest names in rock on it. The sound is good, the stage is big enough to allow you to move a step or two in a direction, the holding cell-like green rooms at least exist, there is actually somewhere to put your equipment, and if you do well you will be lavished with a cup of a nameless domestic beer. Compared to some other well known LA clubs, this is practically the lap of luxury.
You are also guaranteed an audience of more than just the people you brought in. I can't speak for other regions, but in LA, for the most part, you are going to be playing to the people you brought in and possibly the other bands that hung around. At smaller venues, crowds don't hang around for the other bands, and tend to bail after "there band." A big place like I'm talking about still has locals and tourists that come in just to see who is playing. That's exposure you won't get anywhere else. It is also one of the few venues still around that will handle an audience big enough for an "event show"; meaning something special beyond a random assortment of bands.

If any of that is appealing to you, do it. We only get one spin on this marry-go-round and when I'm an old coot I can tell my nurse I played so-and-so club. Its what you might call a loss leader; it is going to cost you, but it may help you in the long run. You know your band and you know your audience. People that hear my band generally like us, we aren't going out of our ways to "challenge" the audience. That means we just need to find the ears. If you band is niche, or part of a specific area scene, or a little inexperienced live, it may not be the best choice. Big stages and unsympathetic audiences can make or break a band.

Update: If you have NO connections in the area or existing fans, think twice. No one will buy them from you out in front of the venue, and at gigs like this, unless you can negotiate it, they will keep everything from the door and bar, not applying towards what you owe.
 
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#51
My experience with pay to play is that you have to be careful. The way it usually works is your band gets a slot and has to sell a certain number of tickets. If you show up with some money and bunch of tickets, you probably won't be invited back. So bands will pony up the money to cover the difference. Or just pay the venue and give away the tickets. Or some combination. Essentially what you are hoping to get for your money is a good gig opening for a draw and a chance for exposure to hundreds of potential fans, people who will probably like you b/c they like the headliner. The better the headliner, the easier it is to sell tickets. You can even make a little money sometimes. The only thing you really want to avoid is paying money and playing to an empty house. This can happen if you get a bad slot. My band has done pay to play, usually it has been worth it because we end up not paying much, selling some merch, and getting some fans. You get good crowd response, some facebook likes, and at your next show, lo and behold, people you don't know show up wearing your shirt. If you play it right, you can pay relatively little and pick up some fans. It is possible to get burned though if you are not careful (sometimes even if you are careful). And also, you should try to do it enough to pick up a fanbase but the idea is to get your own draw so you can get paid to play instead.
 
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#52
interp said:
A drummer I worked with was once in a band that was invited to open for the Beatles in St. Louis in 1966 (for no pay). Their manager had already booked a paying gig in Kansas City on that date and refused to cancel it. Even though that band was getting $500 per man per gig at the time, I think I would rather have the memory of sharing a bill with the Beatles than the 500 bucks (even in 1966 dollars).
Click to expand...
The Beatles played Busch Stadium in 1966, which was their only appearance in St. Louis.
Adjusted for inflation, $500 in 1966 equated to $3,692.01 in 2015. Who the heck was your friend? Charlie M.F. Watts?

I haven't paid to play. Wait, scratch that. I've played tons of shows where my bar tab exceeded what I earned, a la The Blues Brothers at Bob's Country Bunker. I'd pay to play the South Shore Country Club in Chicago if they magically imported the interior from the Hollywood Palladium.
 
#53
Here's a free tip for Pay-To-Play:
Ex. Your band has to sell 50 tickets; the venue says the tickets are $10. The door price is $15 to get in. Charge $12 for the tickets, keep the $100 bucks. If the door price is $20, charge $15 keep the $250.

Also, have merch to sell.
 
#54
Our band 'paid to play' one nite...it was a new venue (refurbished turn of century church, soft seat venue) and we we're excited to do so...we booked it, promoted it, and managed it ourselves...had 2 local opening acts and hoped for the best...
After expenses (we paid both opening acts, venue, sound tech, and a film student to shoot our set for video purposes) we were still in the hole a few hundred bucks...but man what a learning experience...it would have been nice to score some cash but the videos we got from it was certainly worth it to me...


it was our 1st (and not last) foray into putting on a show in non traditional venue...we lost our shirts...made new friends...and took a chance

Music certainly doesn't get measured by how much money I make...that's just the added bonus

If you want to go out on a limb and risk losing some money and have a new adventure...go for it...I would
 

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