+1
That is probably the single most important reason why they weren't making money. IMO/IME anytime you play multiband shows, you're shooting yourself in the foot financially.
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What bands really make on tour.
- Thread starter jp58
- Start date
+1
That is probably the single most important reason why they weren't making money. IMO/IME anytime you play multiband shows, you're shooting yourself in the foot financially.
Touring definatally takes dedication. But for national acts, thats where they make money. Since music is downloaded illegally, bands don't make as much money from CD sales as they used to, its all about the shows. A good venue where I live is about 1000 to rent, if you get rent the sound guy, its probably less if your bring your own. A band with fame could probably sell most tickets or sell it out, lets say 500 people at about $15 ($15 for the band per ticket, venue will take like a percentage off, maybe tix were origionally $18), thats 7500-1000 for rent, thats 6500 between the bands, which is usually around 3-4. Thats 1625 for a band, which is split up between the band members, roadies, sound guy, lights guy, driver etc. Averages around 50-300 a person(depending on what they do) a show night.
So if anyone wanted to know about a national act, there's a small breakdown.
I'm sure acts that play to 5000 people or make make a lot more, even though the rent for the venue is high.
So if anyone wanted to know about a national act, there's a small breakdown.
I'm sure acts that play to 5000 people or make make a lot more, even though the rent for the venue is high.
This. There are plenty of bands who do fine without the trappings of a bloated entourage.
My thoughts exactly. Unless you're a major international act making tens or hundreds of thousands (or more) and really need an infrastructure of staff, avoid taking on as much of it as you can. A friend of mine tours with her band twice a year in the U.S. and Canada on a shoestring, staying at friends' places when possible (they have built up quite a network of willing friends and fans and since they are way cool folks, they're always asked back), avoiding bad deals at gigs and maximizing the good ones, making some of her own merch, giving deals on CDs, avoiding restaurants/fast food and making their own food or having someone cook for them. It's all about everyone coming home with as much money as possible. They're starting to do quite well, actually. It's a hell of a lot of work, but soooooo much better than watching all your earnings going into someone else's pocket.
No, Nigel, you aren't. But I do believe the numbers that the OP posted. A friend of mine's band won a battle of the bands in Winkler, Manitoba, and got offered a contract to be signed to a production company, manager and all. The contract was a complete rip off. I was gonna be filling in on drums, as they were getting rid of the drummer, I was gonna record the EP they won, and go on tour, but the numbers just didn't add up. Me being the youngest of the band (17), I would've been leaving highschool in grade 12 (I had plans to go back after the tour, because I wouldn't get to write my final exams), but the contract is just crazy. They were gonna take more then half of our money we make, leaving us to struggle on the road.
I'm gonna try to get a copy of the contract and type it up in this thread and see what you guys think. But wow, to actually think I was gonna leave school behind to live the 'dream'. My band plans on hitting the studio within the next 3 months, recording a demo, and playing local for a while, making as much money as we can, doing everything ourselves.
Then we'll have nobody to pay, and we keep the money. When we're ready to go on the road, we may find a booking agent to make things easier on ourselves, but if you know the right people, I don't see why one is needed.
You also make a good point about staying with people who go to the shows. I know at my age, I don't think I'd have much trouble finding a place to stay. I always talk to as many people as I can at my shows, even at random local shows I'm not playing at, I don't think finding a place to crash for a night would be too bad.
Many of us feel your pain. We are starving artist after all. After a summer rip we made -12.00 per man. Thanks to two venues in North Carolina that lost their A/C during a hellasious heatwave. We played away to hardly nobody in those saunas. Its futile brothers and sisters of the road.
One of the guitarists in TS's band is a former student of my friend. My friend tells me his former student is on salary (not a bad one either) plus get big bonus $ for shows like Letterman, etc.
This is just like any entrepreneurship, honestly. You have to lose money before you make money, be the underdog before you're the top dog, etc.
Oh, Sleeper is a terrible band to use for this example, of course a band of their size isn't going to make anything. However, the breakdowns are a very good read and I'm not disputing anything they are saying. I agree with whoever said it above, they are sort of posing themselves to be bigger than they are.
The problem is, too many bands get stuck in the "old smokey bars" scene. You have to play music venues, festivals, and gigs that really matter.
Oh, Sleeper is a terrible band to use for this example, of course a band of their size isn't going to make anything. However, the breakdowns are a very good read and I'm not disputing anything they are saying. I agree with whoever said it above, they are sort of posing themselves to be bigger than they are.
The problem is, too many bands get stuck in the "old smokey bars" scene. You have to play music venues, festivals, and gigs that really matter.
didn't know venues charged merch rates. that's rough.
'mid-level' is just a phrase, and support slots might be good but they don't equate to 'making it' or getting paid.
if you DIY it you can cut costs, in my experience, as has been said.
a friend/former bandmate of mine just started playing guitar in a well-known UK act (well-known as in top 40, stadium-headlining) - he's doing alright, not rich by any standards, yet.
'mid-level' is just a phrase, and support slots might be good but they don't equate to 'making it' or getting paid.
if you DIY it you can cut costs, in my experience, as has been said.
a friend/former bandmate of mine just started playing guitar in a well-known UK act (well-known as in top 40, stadium-headlining) - he's doing alright, not rich by any standards, yet.
