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What bands really make on tour.

#41
I believe the numbers. I would just question the "mid-level" band description. They seem pretty bottom rung to me, no dis-respect to them intended. Is mid-level an economic scale, a popularity scale or a venue scale?

I consider Iron Maiden, U2, AC/DC to be top level bands - bands that can fill an arena or stadium with little or no support acts. I personally consider bands like Godsmack, Avenged 7 Fold, Disturbed to be mid-level bands - bands that can draw 2000 to 5000 people on their own or maybe 8-10,000 people if there is a multiple bill thing happening i.e. Uproar Festival. As much as a band like Mastadon gets a ton of respect, the last time they were in our city they drew less than 1,000 people. Bands like that I would consider low/bottom level bands. I have based my opinions entirely on what the bands draw in my neck of the woods.

Below that are bands that play small/large clubs, not concert venues.

Or as soon as you are out of the clubs are you considered mid-level? I don't know.....
 
#42
Yeah no different than the 1980's touring with my hairband cost us more than we were making only thing we did was all tap into our bank accounts before hitting the highway because we had inside info not to go out against it empty handed great article about how it really was and still is! It was fun and I would do it again if I had to do it over again but, when that curtain comes down and the reality hits touring is not away for a mid-level band to make $. So take it for what is it worth getting your music out to your fans and picking up new fans along the way that are willing to spend the .99 to hear you on their IPOD 'cause without them you truly are just some guy banging on 4 strings!
PS we were signed and had label support but the money, not like you would have dreamed it would have been signing with a major label , just enough to keep you hungry and out there making them money!
 
#44
TRichardsbass said:
jp58, I hope you don't mind but I copied and pasted your original post to my "How to Succeed" page, giving you the props for it. Thanks for this post, as you will help soooo many more then you could ever know.

tom richards.
Click to expand...

I don't mind, but the credit does not belong to me. A bandmate/roommate/friend of mine showed it to me, and a friend through his father showed it to him. I'm not sure where it originally came from aside from being a facebook blog, but I figured it would be a good read for all of those getting ready to try to tour for the first time.
 
#45
Geddyfleaharris said:
I believe the numbers. I would just question the "mid-level" band description. They seem pretty bottom rung to me, no dis-respect to them intended. Is mid-level an economic scale, a popularity scale or a venue scale?

I consider Iron Maiden, U2, AC/DC to be top level bands - bands that can fill an arena or stadium with little or no support acts. I personally consider bands like Godsmack, Avenged 7 Fold, Disturbed to be mid-level bands - bands that can draw 2000 to 5000 people on their own or maybe 8-10,000 people if there is a multiple bill thing happening i.e. Uproar Festival. As much as a band like Mastadon gets a ton of respect, the last time they were in our city they drew less than 1,000 people. Bands like that I would consider low/bottom level bands. I have based my opinions entirely on what the bands draw in my neck of the woods.

Below that are bands that play small/large clubs, not concert venues.

Or as soon as you are out of the clubs are you considered mid-level? I don't know.....
Click to expand...

I think the problem is that people are trying to say there are low/mid/high tiers to bands monetary success, and thats way too simple.

You have your headliners, like the bands you mentioned, who are multi millionaires, sell out massive arenas, and are basically in a category of their own.

But I think the bands you mentioned as "mid level" really form a second tier, bands who have had/currently have major label deals, some form of radio/mtv/whatever success. These guys are making a good living. They aren't multi millionaires, but I guarantee you the members of Disturbed and Godsmack (maybe we can get TB'er Jonny from Staind, a contemporary of these bands to weigh in?) are not struggling to feed themselves or their families. They are living comfortably, if not extravagantly.

Then you have what I consider the true mid level bands, which would be a touring band with small national/strong regional recognition, making a strong salary, probably in the $100k range. Not insanely wealthy, but enough to fuel a vintage guitar habit the size of Brent and Bill from Mastodon. These bands tour incessantly to make above average levels of money.

Then you have your regional bands who are making just enough to get by.

And then those in the red.

That's my take.
 
#46
Best money I ever made on the road was in the late 80s, on Pleasure Island, at Disney World. We paid our own way there from L.A., bought our own food & lodging (a fleabag motel in Kissimmee) and still made more than we would have playing the clubs at home. Mousebucks are some fine bucks indeed! Or they were back then...

Other than that, I never made much profit on the road. But it sure was fun! I wouldn't trade those memories for any amount of dollars.
 
#49
BKBassDude said:
I think the problem is that people are trying to say there are low/mid/high tiers to bands monetary success, and thats way too simple.

You have your headliners, like the bands you mentioned, who are multi millionaires, sell out massive arenas, and are basically in a category of their own.

But I think the bands you mentioned as "mid level" really form a second tier, bands who have had/currently have major label deals, some form of radio/mtv/whatever success. These guys are making a good living. They aren't multi millionaires, but I guarantee you the members of Disturbed and Godsmack (maybe we can get TB'er Jonny from Staind, a contemporary of these bands to weigh in?) are not struggling to feed themselves or their families. They are living comfortably, if not extravagantly.

Then you have what I consider the true mid level bands, which would be a touring band with small national/strong regional recognition, making a strong salary, probably in the $100k range. Not insanely wealthy, but enough to fuel a vintage guitar habit the size of Brent and Bill from Mastodon. These bands tour incessantly to make above average levels of money.

Then you have your regional bands who are making just enough to get by.

And then those in the red.

That's my take.
Click to expand...

I think we are close to saying the same thing. That would mean that the OP's band example is barely even a regional band if they are playing for $300 per night plus merch. By the post they are not even making enough money to get by.
 
#52
mophead said:
Cannot imagine why anyone would sign up for that. Simple addition and subtraction says don't do it.
Flip burgers and play locally for much more money.
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If you don't sign up for that you can forget about ever playing stadiums :hmm:

The only way to make money in the music business is to get higher guarantees. The expenses tend to scale as you get bigger, so for a SWAG that $13 a day for $300 guarantee and $300 merch turns into $130 a day if it's $3000/3000, etc.

This is true even in your local club scene. Some clubs that paid $150 for a band in 1980 still pay $150 for a band. So you need to work your way into clubs that pay $300, then $600, then $1200, etc.

As far as why these guys were touring for $300 guarantees, notice they mentioned they were in a tour with 3 other bands. So the clubs they were playing were paying out $1200. This is one reason I hate doing multiband bills. I'd just as soon play all four sets and get 4x the money!
 
#53
Am i the only one who reads this article and thinks: lose the manager, book your own shows, dont play at places that charge a fee to sell merch, use the internet and stay at fans houses after shows, or if driving afterwards before the next show, many fans will even cook you a meal, $15 for a tshirt is a rip, make it 10, sell albums for cheaper at shows, etc. DIY is the way to go.
 
#55
Nigel Rahmshard said:
Am i the only one who reads this article and thinks: lose the manager, book your own shows, dont play at places that charge a fee to sell merch, use the internet and stay at fans houses after shows, or if driving afterwards before the next show, many fans will even cook you a meal, $15 for a tshirt is a rip, make it 10, sell albums for cheaper at shows, etc. DIY is the way to go.
Click to expand...

Nice! Great solution to this situation.

Since I've never been on a tour with a big-name band, does anybody know what the pay is like if you get the bass gig with an artist on the charts - any style - pop or country - Taylor Swift or others....not that I'm a TS fan, just that she's quite busy these days and I'm sure the band is making some decent bread...
 
#56
The Dokken thing does not surprise me about 80's band members making that little a week when you are in super debt. It all depends on your deal...but the thing most deals where like that.

Til'Tuesday back in the late 80's where only making $250 a piece on tour, no joke (5-6 nights a week) They could have made more money pumping gas.

The question is do you do it for the experience?

Find your nitch, because they are nitches out there.
 
#60
I've seen/opened for a lot of mid-level bands. They usually tour alone or with one other group and have a local band open for little or no money.

Four bands all with a $300 guarantee is ridiculous in this economy and a good portion of the reason that this band isn't making any money. I agree it's tough out there, but these guys are making it tougher than it needs to be.
 

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