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What do you make on New Year's Eve?

#21
We played at a ski/snowmobile resort in Wisconsin.
The agent got about $300, and the band made $2000.
My take was $350. We got a free meal, and rooms.
We are a show band, so the attire was the usual, tuxedos.
There was a $90 cover per person for just the dinner/show,
or $160 per person for a two night stay, plus the dinner/show
package. They had about 100 people.
The best part was the load, straight in from the back door
across a hallway, and straight to the stage, easy.
They want us back for next year, but we're already booked.
 
#25
I dislike playing New Year's gigs. Something about looking out on the rest of the world partying, while you're having to set up and tear down and haul gear. These days we get a lot of money for those type gigs, or we don't play. The last one we did, two years ago, we got a grand apiece, take-home. That was a corporate thing. The year before that we did a private gig at a beach house in Malibu, that was actually a lot of fun but we still had to haul gear in and out, which was a royal pain. For that one we got 3500 split five ways, which after expenses turned out to be around 600 apiece. From where I stand, that wouldn't be enough anymore. Never again will I go through that much grief on New Year's Eve for a mere six hundred bucks. It'll be 500 just to haul gear and deal with all the craziness on New Years', and then whatever we get for actually playing music will have to be over and above that. Fortunately, we're good enough to get away with that attitude, and it's not like we're hurting for gigs. :)
 
#27
nonsqtr said:
I dislike playing New Year's gigs. Something about looking out on the rest of the world partying, while you're having to set up and tear down and haul gear. These days we get a lot of money for those type gigs, or we don't play. The last one we did, two years ago, we got a grand apiece, take-home. That was a corporate thing. The year before that we did a private gig at a beach house in Malibu, that was actually a lot of fun but we still had to haul gear in and out, which was a royal pain. For that one we got 3500 split five ways, which after expenses turned out to be around 600 apiece. From where I stand, that wouldn't be enough anymore. Never again will I go through that much grief on New Year's Eve for a mere six hundred bucks. It'll be 500 just to haul gear and deal with all the craziness on New Years', and then whatever we get for actually playing music will have to be over and above that. Fortunately, we're good enough to get away with that attitude, and it's not like we're hurting for gigs. :)
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+1

We hold out for $1000-$1500 per guy. This year it was $1,200 each. There are gigs out there that pay it.
 
#29
SmittyG said:
The guys in my band, who have lots of stage time in previous bands (while this is my first band), told me that two-four times normal pay is what to expect for NYE gigs. I had six venues try to book my band. All wanted to just pay us as they usually do. I turned down all six. All six got other bands to take the gigs at regular pay. So, in my neck of the woods, the bands have quite effectively joined together and devalued a NYE gig down to the same price point of a regular Saturday night.
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You did the right thing by not accepting those gigs. I don't believe in slitting your own throat just to play, and accepting a NYE gig at standard weekend play falls under the heading of "slitting your own throat", IMO.

That sucks about bands devaluing the gigs, though. My local music scene has a message board. Occasionally one of the bar owners will come on and complain about how he can't get any bands (it's normal to see him throw up a post asking for a band that Fri/Sat). The thing is though, he doesn't pay squat. "If you pay them, they will come."
 
#30
Hey Smitty,
Dallas is in the same shape. We ended up playing a packed house for our normal payday. The owner took No reservations and charged No cover!!
He did book us for New Years Night also... It was a paid rehearsal, 8 people in the house and we left 30 minutes early.
(Last year was so dead that most of the bands we see around literally were at home NYE with nowhere to play.)
 
#31
buffordbass said:
Hey Smitty,
Dallas is in the same shape. We ended up playing a packed house for our normal payday. The owner took No reservations and charged No cover!!
He did book us for New Years Night also... It was a paid rehearsal, 8 people in the house and we left 30 minutes early.
(Last year was so dead that most of the bands we see around literally were at home NYE with nowhere to play.)
Click to expand...

It seems that police presence is always increased ten-fold during the holidays. This obviously scares a lot of people away from the clubs.

Just this last 4th of July, we had to cancel a show because the police decided to put a DUI checkpoint a quarter mile down the road. They did it the night before and the owner took a huge hit, so he wasn't going to go in the hole by hiring a band. I believe in protecting people and keeping intoxicated people off the highway, but that's just bullying and screwing with the income of two legitimate businesses (the club and band).
 
#32
I got out and dropped in on two of the venues in question. They were both very dead; less than a dozen patrons each. I can understand now why they had no interest in paying top dollar for a band. My saxman took a gig in Mt. Pleasant (an hour up the road) and was given free room, free food, free drinks (for him and his wife), and $200 in hand. That was more like it should be.
 
#34
We had five venues wanting to book us, but we decided to give first options to the clubs that had given us regular work during the rest of the year.

During negotiation, one of the venues wanted to give us our normal rate plus free beer. I pointed out that since we were playing a 4 hour show with two twenty minute breaks, it wasn't much of a deal for us.

The other place doubled our normal rate and gave us free beer. You can guess which gig we took.

Anyway, it was a really good deal because the venue we played at has since given us another 6 months of shows.

One thing I believe in is that you can make good relationships with the venues that book you by treating them as your client.
 
#36
My band has a little different situation. For the last three years, we've played a NYE gig that starts at 6 PM and ends about 8:30PM. It's put on by the local parks department, and it's done in a local park and geared to young families. We play to people on beach chairs and to those who dance on the grass. Our kids come and have fun too. Oh yeah! We're in south Florida so it's usually 75- 80 degrees outside. We play til 7:00PM, then there are speaches, then we play patiotic music while they shoot off professional fire works behind us on a barge in the river. It's a realy fun gig- especially playing with the fire works going on in the back ground. By 9:00PM I'm driving home and done. It's also a real nice event for the local community. We have thought about doing a second gig that night, but would rather be home with families too.

We are a 7 piece band and two sound men. The band gets $150 each and the sound guys get $300 to share. They feed us in the VIP room, but no alcohol. It's about what we normally get per man per night, but it also ends by 8:30PM. We decided that we want $250 per man next year or we are going to pass on it. We'll see.
 

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