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Promoter not promoting rant...

#21
Post gig report.
60 people through the door.
Promoter is going backwards at least a couple of thousand bucks in paying the headline act and other costs for the night. The headliner's bar tab was quite expensive. We didn't get paid and no drink cards. Out of town acts got some money for petrol.

Upsides:
-Played like mad bastards, killed our set and people loved it.
-Sold close to $100 in merch
-Got to see some great live bands
-Caught up with some mates haven't seen in a while
-Not doing gigs again with that "promoter"
-Valuable lesson learnt.
 
#23
Moloch666 said:
-Valuable lesson learnt.
Click to expand...

Well, you made the most of it - which is cool. So it wasn't a total wash. But the big question is: Was it really worthwhile? :hmm:

Let's review:

You were promised semi-exclusive booking, with a relatively high profile at the event. You were promised that you would benefit from extensive promotion that you wouldn't have to do yourselves. And it was implied that audience turnout at the event would therefore be very good, or at least better than typical.

What you received was a commitment to play at no pay, at an event where your exposure would be diluted due to additional bands having been invited to play, about which were not consulted - bands that had been invited to use your gear without your knowledge, and without your advance permission. Promotion for the event was done, but only at a very bare minimum level - resulting in an audience turnout that was very mediocre, or even sub-par.

Strictly speaking, if this thing had been done in a professional manner, there would have been a contract drawn up, with numerous escape clauses available to you and your band if the promoter failed to deliver on his promises - and/or if he subsequently began to alter the terms of the agreement unilaterally, i.e. adding additional bands to the bill without your advance knowledge or agreement, inviting other bands to use your gear, etc.

Frankly, were I in your shoes I might have coped with most aspects of the promoter's failure - with the exception of those two last things: inviting additional bands to play, and inviting them to use my band's gear - both without advance permission. That kind of underhanded weasel tactic pisses me off to no end, and I would likely have bailed out of this event entirely, had he tried to pull it on me. :mad:

Just wondering: What exactly have you learned from this? :hmm:

MM
 
#24
Might have missed it but didn't realize that their gear would be used by other bands. I certainly wouldn't have allowed it. Heck, I'd have played and bailed considering I wasn't being paid, and any money I spent was going to another band who had just about an equal right as I did to be paid. Either way, the promoter got paid "first" I guess.

About the dilution with other bands, question to OP. Of the 60 through the door, was any of them high profile? or did you get BS'ed in that?
 
#26
This is probably the biggest thing I've learned from the whole thing.

lfmn16 said:
How do you know that a promoter / manager / club owner is lying? Their lips are moving.
Click to expand...

We've done gigs for the only other venue in town that does metal gigs and never had an issue with BS like we did for this gig. Always gets flyers up within walking distance of the pub, word of mouth and last year he even paid for a TV ad for the big gig that our guitarist ran. (Metalfest, 12 hours, 10 bands, HUGE!)

The gear borrowing wouldn't have been an issue if d***head promoter hadn't have just told the other bands they could use our gear. We know all the other guys personally and it was a surprise when they called us, but they asked anyway and didn't expect to be loaned gear. They've borrowed our gear in the past anyway.

There isn't a lot of big gigs in our neck of the woods, but if we're asked to do another one I'll be making sure there's something agreed upon in advance in regards to pay/free tickets/drinks and who is responsible for what. Our standard agreement with the usual place we do gigs is a few free drinks for the band, free ticket for our photographer(/good mate/vocallist's sister) and fair share of the door money with the other bands (that we usualy organise ourselves). Written contracts are a good idea, will have to see how we go on that one.

Of the 60 in through the door it was the usual fare - our 4 or 5 regulars and a bunch of locals coming out for the show. We had a few mates from out of town show up to check everything out. And the headliners caught part of our set. We saw them in the crowd while we were playing.

The headline act was Hobb's Angel of Death for those who were wondering.
 
#27
Hey now, don't go lumping everyone into one pot. As you said, you've worked with other venues that were fine. Some promoters are slimy, for sure, but certainly not all of them and I'd even go as far as to say not most of them. And as someone who has seen it from both sides, I can tell you that there are just as many bands who make a promoters life hell as there are promoters who try to rip you off.
 
#29
It is a bit of a generalisation, but it's more of a "don't take anything for granted" thing. The lesson has been learnt!

Not sure if they played Wacken that year, but Hobbs has done a lot of international gigs over the years. Not sure if they would ahve played Metal For The Brain up Canberra way either!
 

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