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What do you typically get paid per gig?

#103
Axtman said:
I typically get around $50 per gig. Sometimes a free drink included and sometimes 1/2 off a meal.

I've played gigs where I got nothing and paid for my drink and meal thus a negative and I have played gigs where I got $200 plus free drinks and free meal.
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Back in 1968, I was making $45-$50 a gig in a polka band. I usually clear about $50 a gig these days mostly, with a few in the $100-$150 range of which are either concert varieties, or private events.
 
#104
About 15 years ago I decided to just quit nibbling at the bottom rung of professional music making - let's face it, the day gig was always going to make me many times more money. Since I took up bluegrass double-bass, I have made tens of dollars in that genre. I'm not sure if I've cracked $100 yet (not per gig, I mean total).

Basically the whole concept of a cadre of professional musicians who make a semi-decent living from playing gigs was an anomaly that lasted from roughly 1900-1990 and now it's over. I've accepted it and I've moved on.
 
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#106
turf3 said:
About 15 years ago I decided to just quit nibbling at the bottom rung of professional music making - let's face it, the day gig was always going to make me many times more money. Since I took up bluegrass double-bass, I have made tens of dollars in that genre. I'm not sure if I've cracked $100 yet (not per gig, I mean total).

Basically the whole concept of a cadre of professional musicians who make a semi-decent living from playing gigs was an anomaly that lasted from roughly 1900-1990 and now it's over. I've accepted it and I've moved on.
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I'm not sure where I heard this, but someone, somewhere, once said that "hundreds of dollars have been made playing folk music."

I think you have an excellent point.
 
#107
Back in '88 I played 4 nights a week for ~$450 plus free drinks.

Last year i was paid with plenty of these:
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#112
Eric Lester said:
This is interesting. Obviously a lot of bands don't get paid very well. The Seattle Musician's Union has a lot to say about all of this, how musicians should be paid better--but what they don't seem to realize is that there is less demand for live music every month, at least in the Puget Sound area.

The bands I play in are small and relatively unknown, and I have played for nothing, $50, and I think $100. These are classic rock cover bands. For every gig there seems to be a few dozen bands. Better venues, like casinos, are pretty much unapproachable for us. We look for festivals and events in warm weather, and advertise for private parties on Craigslist.

Slim pickins.
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Where are you at? I’m in Kitsap County (Port Orchard, Silverdale, Bremerton) and we play pretty much every weekend. There’s tons of places to play over this way and they usually pay a hundred bucks per guy for a four man band.
 
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#113
Typically $100 a gig, like most people here, sometimes a bit more, say $125-150. I may have gotten $200 once. There have been times I got $20 and a sandwich.

I don't gig for the money, but it is important to me that the band be fairly paid. We don't do this to pay our bills, but to me it's a measure of respect, a sign that we do what we do well enough to be worth something on the market.
 
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#114
68Goldfish said:
Where are you at? I’m in Kitsap County (Port Orchard, Silverdale, Bremerton) and we play pretty much every weekend. There’s tons of places to play over this way and they usually pay a hundred bucks per guy for a four man band.
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Pierce County. Near Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner. That's interesting. It doesn't seem that way here, but I'm not all that experienced in this stuff, kind of depend on the more seasoned bandmates to deal with finding gigs, promoting the band, etc. The bands I play in are Classic Rock cover bands, and I suspect that could limit venues, but I don't know. What genre are you playing?
 
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#116
Eric Lester said:
Pierce County. Near Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner. That's interesting. It doesn't seem that way here, but I'm not all that experienced in this stuff, kind of depend on the more seasoned bandmates to deal with finding gigs, promoting the band, etc. The bands I play in are Classic Rock cover bands, and I suspect that could limit venues, but I don't know. What genre are you playing?
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Interesting. We play a pretty large variety. Motown, classic country, a little funk and 70’s soul sprinkled in.
 
#118
Not a full-time band or doing it for a living, but a pretty regular 1-set opening act locally in good-sized venues. In the last year, the most I've made on a gig is $75 for 2 hours. They usually offer a band bar tab, but since I don't drink anything at all except water before/during gigs or when I have to drive, the savings there is negligible. When I did the dive bar circuit, it was $40/each for an 8-hour day of travel, set-up our own PA, 4-hour show, tear down and travel home. The dishwashers made triple what we did. Sadly, in lots of places in LA who do pay-to-play, making zero is still being ahead compared to owing the venue money play. We don't do Dive Bars or pay-to-play.
 
#120
LBS-bass said:
Most bands around here say they won't work for less than $100 per person but the reality is that, with few venues, most of us end up working for less than that. I made far better money doing this in the 1980's than I do now. The dollar amounts literally haven't changed.
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Actually, they have. $100 in 1980 → 2020 | Inflation Calculator
$100 in 1980 → $311.86 in 2020
Accoustic duo here. Two hours no break $100 each plus tips that have ranged from $5 to $200+. Three hours one break $250 total, four hours $300 total. Best part... 5 or 6PM to 8-9PM and farthest having to travel... 15 miles. Played 100 shows 2019.
 

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