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What the going rate in your region?
- Thread starter Paulabass
- Start date
I need to move to MD. In DE we are making $100 per person for a 3 hour gig
Central Connecticut: Lotta bands with five members playing three sets for $300. I blame it on low self-esteem. And cargo shorts.
We are also five members, including our sound guy. We get more than twice that for clubs, three or more times that for town festivals/special events. Weddings $900 plus transportation. We take the music seriously, and more to the point, we take entertaining seriously. And our BL is a booking machine. That helps a lot!
We are also five members, including our sound guy. We get more than twice that for clubs, three or more times that for town festivals/special events. Weddings $900 plus transportation. We take the music seriously, and more to the point, we take entertaining seriously. And our BL is a booking machine. That helps a lot!
I will say, most bands in our area don't make the money we do. We've been around 12 years, typically have a strong draw, and our crowd PARTIES.
A lot of hate playing weddings, conventions/corporate, golf tournaments etc. because of the waiting around, being treated worse that the caterers, being creatively straightjacketed, and having to play the bride's horrid 'favorite song' (right now it's always Old Town Road
) But man, when we get $500 a man, plus support, it's all worth while.
) But man, when we get $500 a man, plus support, it's all worth while.
I used to play in a party band where we often got asked to play for free. (We did a few freebies for worthy charities every year.)
We would reply that we always played for free, it was equipment rental, hauling and our time that they were paying for. If they provided the PA, backline, lights, food and a few beers (and our transport so we could drink them) then we had a deal.
No-one ever took us up on it.
We would reply that we always played for free, it was equipment rental, hauling and our time that they were paying for. If they provided the PA, backline, lights, food and a few beers (and our transport so we could drink them) then we had a deal.
No-one ever took us up on it.
Yea, thats kinda what I mean. I feel like it's better to just do it all yourself. Even popular places don't always get full anymore and if you're playing with 4 other bands you don't know/like it seems like it would be rough. I doubt they let you keep much if any of the bar.
It would be better to just curate the bands you want and host it at an event space or a warehouse somewhere.
that makes ALL the difference in pay right there. drawing a crowd that spends money means more money for the band. my last party band was paid very well, and it was because most of our regulars that followed us around typically had tabs in the hundreds of dollars each at the end of the night. we're not getting hired to play music, we're getting hired to sell booze.
I've thought down that path before, and the big stumbling blocks are always use permitting, insurance, no adult beverages, and no BMI/ASCAP performance licensing. Most of those have workarounds, at some cost. You could possibly host a BYOB but watch that insurance...
I think the best bet is a renting out a venue that isn't too hot, that way you can negotiate a good deal and your success will depend on how well you can promote yourself and the crowd you bring. The problem with the more established venues is because of the name they give you crappy deals. on top of that even big venues are losing audiences so a lot of the time there's not a big built in crowd.
When we're talking real underground/diy it's gonna be illegal in some way lol. It would be hard to make money if you're worried about permits, insurance and licensing. Unless you're throwing massive parties on the reg, those three are low risk imo, but obviously this depends on your point of view.
The real tricky thing is the bar. Serving alcohol can make an event but it's a much bigger risk.
My bass/guitar duo two part harmony "band" plays this year 80+ gigs from February to the end of October here in Brunswick Co NC with a handful of gigs in SC. One hundred to $150 per man before tips which range from $10- $100 per man. Best part... nothing more than a half hour from home and usually 6-9pm. Home by 10pm. 
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Oh 100%! I tell people all the time I'm just an alcohol salesman that plays an instrument.
I think it is time to give up tush and move.
I came back to playing a few years ago. It was depressing when I discovered the average pay was $60-$100/ person which is what I earned in 1985 in the Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, PA area (about an 1 1/2 hours north of Philly and 2 hrs west of NYC.
Hampton Roads, VA. 9pc Top40 horn band. Avg. $100-$150. Some gigs have paid way more. We play good gigs but remember, we're a 9pc.
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I'm friends with a handful of dudes in PA bands who make the same as we do. You gotta play modern music that chicks wanna dance and sing along to. That's where the money is.
jdthebassman
play to live live to play
I play in two bands:
Band A - classic rock/blues - scene is currently drying up quickly. Not due to the music per se, but very inflexible band in terms of adding any new material. We play for $100/person. 4 hr gig, 5 person band. We supply PA and lighting. I mix this band from stage.
Band B - country/rock/pop. Classic to current country ( current as in 'this is the #1 song on the country chart as of today), wide range of 80's-90's-00's etc rock. Current pop that includes Maroon 5/ Cardi B. Dynamic set list. Many songs called on the fly, etc. This band - averages $160/person after the pro sound / lights cut. Municipal music series gigs - which we have several - will pay about $200/person for a 2-3 hr gig with pro sound provided.
Know your market. Play to your market.
Band A - classic rock/blues - scene is currently drying up quickly. Not due to the music per se, but very inflexible band in terms of adding any new material. We play for $100/person. 4 hr gig, 5 person band. We supply PA and lighting. I mix this band from stage.
Band B - country/rock/pop. Classic to current country ( current as in 'this is the #1 song on the country chart as of today), wide range of 80's-90's-00's etc rock. Current pop that includes Maroon 5/ Cardi B. Dynamic set list. Many songs called on the fly, etc. This band - averages $160/person after the pro sound / lights cut. Municipal music series gigs - which we have several - will pay about $200/person for a 2-3 hr gig with pro sound provided.
Know your market. Play to your market.
North Dakota here. We play in the tri-state area, and have our own large, high quality PA and lighting. 6 piece band (5 piece band plus sound tech). In the summer, for street dances/outdoor shows, we average $350-$500 per person, after my expenses and fees to our booking agency. Weddings/other private or corporate events are in the same ballpark. Bar gigs, which keep us going in the "off season" here in the arctic, pay ranges between $200-$300 per member, again, after expenses.
We're fortunate to have a great booking agency working with us, although we do book a few shows outside of the agency here and there. I don't take out much extra for owning the PA, lighting, trailer, and pickup to pull the trailer, but all expenses and repairs to equipment/maintenance on equipment are paid by the band.
We're fortunate to have a great booking agency working with us, although we do book a few shows outside of the agency here and there. I don't take out much extra for owning the PA, lighting, trailer, and pickup to pull the trailer, but all expenses and repairs to equipment/maintenance on equipment are paid by the band.
$100 per man. Same pay as 30 years ago.
Sometimes a couple of drinks.
God we play for poopie.
Sometimes a couple of drinks.
God we play for poopie.
