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Small Town… Small Bar…
- Thread starter Bonecat
- Start date
I'm not an attorney, so I'm not sure whether that is true. According to nolo.com, it depends on what state one is discussing:
Contracts 101: Make a Legally Valid Contract
Seems like a hypothetical headache, glad we don't run into this sort of stuff.
Maybe it's good to be a small time band that plays small time venues for small time cash. Never deal with contracts, almost always a verbal agreement. Our gig on Friday was a good night for venue and band and we were paid $100 over the verbally agreed amount.
Maybe it's good to be a small time band that plays small time venues for small time cash. Never deal with contracts, almost always a verbal agreement. Our gig on Friday was a good night for venue and band and we were paid $100 over the verbally agreed amount.
A decade ago my trio played a few dates at one of the wineries that are close to us.
The winery owner was an alcoholic among other things - He took out his ire on me one afternoon as he claimed our break was too long.
He was getting loud in his own venue - a couple who had just purchased a case of wine witnessed him berating me - said 'this band is great - what is wrong with you?" to him and returned their wine to the counter for a refund.
Knowing he was a rich kid I really didn't mind if he took a swing at me - if he did 1 800-LAWYERS + a payday was just a call away.
So he stiffed us - I let it go - He drove into a telephone pole that winter and abruptly ended his sad existence..
The winery owner was an alcoholic among other things - He took out his ire on me one afternoon as he claimed our break was too long.
He was getting loud in his own venue - a couple who had just purchased a case of wine witnessed him berating me - said 'this band is great - what is wrong with you?" to him and returned their wine to the counter for a refund.
Knowing he was a rich kid I really didn't mind if he took a swing at me - if he did 1 800-LAWYERS + a payday was just a call away.
So he stiffed us - I let it go - He drove into a telephone pole that winter and abruptly ended his sad existence..
Ive had this happen -bar managers are something else sometimes!
Hypothetically i would call goat
Hypothetically i would call goat
You who insist on contracts, where are you playing?
I play in bars where it's all done by verbal agreement. Someone screws a band over, word gets out and they lose their ability to hire decent drawing bands.
The example I mentioned earlier where the bar tried to reneg at the end of the night, social networking has since lit a fire around the place. 30 years ago, word of mouth would've caught up with 'em.
Or they'd of had to spend $400 on a locksmith the next day after someone mysteriously super-glued all their locks.
I play in bars where it's all done by verbal agreement. Someone screws a band over, word gets out and they lose their ability to hire decent drawing bands.
The example I mentioned earlier where the bar tried to reneg at the end of the night, social networking has since lit a fire around the place. 30 years ago, word of mouth would've caught up with 'em.
Or they'd of had to spend $400 on a locksmith the next day after someone mysteriously super-glued all their locks.
There was one place my band played once or twice a month for 3 years that would underpay us if they had a bad night. Sometimes we would have to stop playing if it rained and then maybe start again. Other nights they would give us a little extra if the place was packed or we made bank on tips if the people from the wedding hall a block away would come streaming in after a reception. We just went with the flow.
In my years of gigging, I've seen written contracts for concerts and good nightclub gigs, but NEVER for bar gigs. They've always been oral agreements.
I agree 95% of my bar gigs have been no contract. Bar or club bookings at higher rates that have come thru agents though always have had contracts.
I don’t recall ever being stiffed but I have had a bar try to renegotiate if weather was bad or crowd was extremely small.
I never wanted the bar to lose money so if they typically treat me good I will work with them when it seems reasonable. Take a pay cut and leave early for example. It has happened.
