Venue Double Booked WWYD

[SethD]

In early January my band booked two Friday evening gigs at a relatively new local brewery, for April and May 2022. We were told by a co-owner to look at their calendar and choose open dates, which we did. The co-owner confirmed. However, earlier today he emailed that the brewery had double booked and those dates are no longer available for us. Now their calendar shows the same solo singer songwriter on most, if not all, Friday evenings for the next six months.

The co-owner was apologetic and offered to book us as far out as we want to book, even set up bi-weekly spot (he wants us to help him build a Grateful Dead scene, and that's what we do). For additional context, the pay is low but the brewery is generous with food and beer, both of which are reportedly quite good. Also our first performance there is this coming Thursday, and I'm guessing the owner might ask us what we want to do.

Curious to know TBer's thoughts about all this and how folks here have handled similar situations. Would you even consider booking at a venue that reneged on two gigs?

 

[Oddly]

Mix-ups happen.
It sounds like the owner is trying to make things right.
I'd be inclined to give them the chance.

 

[SoCal80s]

It happens. Sounds like you could build a good following there so it would be worthwhile to give them a chance. I would only blacklist a place IF the place does nothing for building our brand, but I don't think that's the case for you here.

 

[LBS-bass]

Just work with them. Mistakes happen and newer places haven't always got it all figured out yet. If it happens a few times, I'd just cross them off the list, but once is just growing pains and inexperience on their part.

 

[DWBass]

I have a problem with the low pay and being generous with food and beer. If your band is ok with this arrangement, have at it. The double booked thing seems like BS to me. But that's just me.

 

[Jeff Hughes]

Well if you book there again and get a better offer, drop the brewery for a better paying gig.

This must be a brewery thing. In my area I have heard of breweries paying hardly anything but giving food and drink. Which when you consider they manufacture the drink onsite is not really a loss for the venue.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Who knows why? May have been a mistake, may have been a financial decision (songwriter over full band), may have been a disagreement between owners.

As has been brought up, sounds lovely me they are trying to make it up with you, could turn into a regular gig. Is low pay and free food/beverage the kind of deal you want?

 

[51PRI]

I have a problem with the low pay and being generous with food and beer. If your band is ok with this arrangement, have at it. The double booked thing seems like BS to me. But that's just me.

It's me, too. The venue obviously wants this particular singer as their Friday night entertainment. If you picked nights from a clean calendar and they "double booked" it's because they wanted him.

If your band is okay with being booked over and playing for food and drinks then go for it.

 

[lfmn16]

I have a problem with the low pay and being generous with food and beer. If your band is ok with this arrangement, have at it. The double booked thing seems like BS to me. But that's just me.

I agree 100%. They give you $100 worth of food and drink that cost them $10 and act like they've done you a big fat favor.

I also agree that the double booked thing sounds like BS. But, that's the music business. I wouldn't turn down a bi-weekly spot that I wanted just because I was but hurt.

I've actually showed up to play gigs twice when there was another band there. One gig, we went home, the other gig, the other band went home. About 30 years apart and different cubs, that's just how it turned out.

 

[Bonecat]

We had a similar experience last summer. Bar/restaurant with outdoor space they book bands for. Booked a repeat date after our first time there amid gushing compliments. Later the next week get a call from the manager - “I promised my buddy that his band could have that date.” Turns out he already told them it wouldn’t work and they pushed back. So he asked us to move, saying we’d be doing him a solid and that he “owed us”. We could, so we did. Still not sure how or if that’ll pay off, but it’s usually best to be professional and accommodating if just to maintain a positive reputation. These folks talk to each other….

 

[two fingers]

It simply depends on the goals of your band. This seems like a very "causal arrangement". Schedule changes simply due to preference, low pay, food for pay, etc.

Ask your band.


But, make no mistake, they didn't make a simple innocent error in booking. They simply chose to go with that other guy every Friday night and bumped you.

 

[truand85]

I'd take the bi weekly spot with a smile and look for something better in the meantime. The second I find it, I would politely inform the first venue and move on.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Things happen with scheduling and at least you found out about it that far in advance. The only thing you can do is play there or not in future gigs and that’s fully up to you and the band.

 

[lfmn16]

We had a similar experience last summer. Bar/restaurant with outdoor space they book bands for. Booked a repeat date after our first time there amid gushing compliments. Later the next week get a call from the manager - “I promised my buddy that his band could have that date.” Turns out he already told them it wouldn’t work and they pushed back. So he asked us to move, saying we’d be doing him a solid and that he “owed us”. We could, so we did. Still not sure how or if that’ll pay off, but it’s usually best to be professional and accommodating if just to maintain a positive reputation. These folks talk to each other….

You might not know what will happen if you are accommodating, but you absolutely know what will happen if you aren't accommodating.

 

[levis76]

It’s not a good idea to start a new business partnership by allowing the other party to walk all over you, esp when that other party is a bar owner looking to only use you to maximize his own profit. How long before you get bumped again for something else, suppose the songwriter decides they like Saturday because it’s busier, and that’s your night? Guess what, you’re getting moved because there’s already been a precedent set, and you guys are a “novelty cover band”, in their eyes, no offense meant, I’m sure you guys can rock a house down.

Honestly, I’d find another venue, it already sounds like your band has taken a back seat to the obviously much preferred Friday night singer. If the beer and food are good, go there Friday and have some and enjoy the live singer. Your talents are worth more than a plate of dinner and a couple beers.

 

[MIMike]

My guess is that the double booking is not BS, but probably something that the solo act brokered when offered a few dates. They probably said ”if you book me EVERY Friday, I’ll do it for this much”. The bar cut a good deal for themselves and the solo act got a regular gig. Now the bar wants you to accommodate and offered you something that sounds pretty good. I would take their offer, maybe on a Thursday night, and try to find a better paying gig at another place on Fridays.

 

[Kelly robinson]

Being out in Deerfield - as I recall from some years ago - you are kinda out in the sticks so to speak with a pretty limited amount of venues around there so I’d say give the newbies a chance - see how it goes and go from there . Good food and beer is fine as payment as long as you are ok with that arrangement . A start up business probably isn’t flush with cash and if you guys can help them build it up - that’s cool and something they should remember down the road …. Kelly

 

[JRA]

Would you even consider booking at a venue that reneged on two gigs?

sure, in this case (with this newbie). if i wanted the gig, i'd figure out a way to work with the folks while they're going through their 'growing pains'.

one band (mine) books the whole year at one club, then things come up (for either party) and it ends up being a rescheduling issue...but never a problem, just SOP when you're living the dream.

you cats with so many gigs that you can turn down dates based on your perception of 'disrespect' are in an enviable position!

 

[gln1955]

Yeah, that was no mistake. They opted to go with the solo for whatever reason. That may not fly for too long if there are regulars at the brewery who get tired of the same guy every week. Whether you should work with them to play there depends on how easy it is to get gigs where your area. Playing for food and beer is kinda lame, but it may be a choice between that and sitting at home. No offense, but a Grateful Dead type band doesn't sound like a big moneymaker.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

This only happened once to me. We showed up in Greenville, NC, for a week long show on a Sunday afternoon. Sunday's were travel day back in the "Holiday Inn Circuit", so we were surprised to see another band's gear on stage. The other band was The Ink Spots. The manager came out and we asked when they planned to load out. He said he had accidently double booked, but we would get our pay, rooms, meals, and drinks per the union contract. It was the only paid vacation I ever had in the music business.