That just makes it even better... I assume covers means no rehearsal. And if the band is prepared for a gig like this and still has the date open, it means they can play it with zero overhead.
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Why are local musicians turning down this gig?
- Thread starter esa372
- Start date
Here's my guess. The top bands are booked, or they can afford to wait it out and see if a higher paying gig comes along for the same date.
The beginner bands don't have more than 50 minutes of material, total, because they're coming up through the "showcase gig" and "pay to play" scene.
Maybe the in-between bands, that could handle this work but are not already booked, are few and far between.
The beginner bands don't have more than 50 minutes of material, total, because they're coming up through the "showcase gig" and "pay to play" scene.
Maybe the in-between bands, that could handle this work but are not already booked, are few and far between.
by comparison, I did a wedding last weekend that ran really late - so I sat round for nearly 5 hours before playing a whopping 45 minutes. For that I got $300. Had I known it would eat 6 or 7 hours of my time (1hr drive each way + load in/out) I would have asked for more... but sometimes that's how it goes. And that was $300 - not $50.
It's weird, this phenomena of Halloween. Trust me, it doesn't pay any sort of premium in this country.
It's starting to gain some traction here but is not a major holiday. I've been trying to book a halloween gig for the three years (drummers keep vanishing before that time of year comes around) as it is the most suitable holiday for the theme of my band. We have got a gig booked for this year but we will be lucky to get more than a couple of hundred for it if we attract a big crowd.
It's starting to gain some traction here but is not a major holiday. I've been trying to book a halloween gig for the three years (drummers keep vanishing before that time of year comes around) as it is the most suitable holiday for the theme of my band. We have got a gig booked for this year but we will be lucky to get more than a couple of hundred for it if we attract a big crowd.
That's at least $200 to $250 per guy where I live. I'd pass if asked
It may be a regional thing here. I don't think it's a huge deal in my locale. There's a large outdoor event, "Freak Fest," that is sponsored by the city, and hires bands. But it was invented by the city to provide crowd control in a neighborhood adjoining the university, where the unofficial Halloween celebrations used to create a lot of havoc.
you have a problem with $260 tips, or short on reading?
Pay is definitely on the low side, especially for Halloween. Good bands are already booked, smaller bands would rather do stuff with their kids or going to a party.
That's in West Hollywood right? Bummer my band split up last week or I would do that show just for the sake of doing a Halloween gig. You should find someone easy. I may know a few bands that would be down , what style are you searching for?
???? I rarely hear of a local band making $500 + in a night, I think this is a great wage, especially compared to the average from that one thread of just over $100..... I personally would jump on this if I were in the same location as the OP.
???? This is way more than I (or a band I have been in) have made in a gig, and with the tips and amount of people this has a potential to build a fan base and marketability.
I agree that the pay is too low for decent bands, and the other bands are freaked out that the police are going to be there, and what @RoadRanger said.
The way I read it
$500 for each band that plays a set, plus tips which could come to half that again if you're good. 3 or 4 bands each up for those amounts.
$500 for each band that plays a set, plus tips which could come to half that again if you're good. 3 or 4 bands each up for those amounts.
Agreed. Probably not a good place for this kind of debate, but bands here in the states place little or no value whatsoever on their craft. They are so desperate to play under lights in front of a crowd that they give their product away.
OP, I'm sure you'll find somebody for the gig.
For me its the cold. Outdoors performing for four hours when it might be forty degrees out? (Thats farenheit, but 40 celsius might be worse.)
We play all covers in my high paying band. That band gets $600 / night -- 5 person band plus soundman.
Course I haven't noticed the op's location. . . ? Maybe it's warm there.
We play all covers in my high paying band. That band gets $600 / night -- 5 person band plus soundman.
Course I haven't noticed the op's location. . . ? Maybe it's warm there.
I'd take it, and I'd take a three piece to play top 40, blues and country standards, and classic rock. Four sets is standard for this sort of gig in Denver, and 500/3 is pretty good for local guys around here. Now for originals acts playing the big venue circuit around here it might be low but for us small timers with day jobs 100$ for a night is good, 75$ is alright, and 50$ is only for church stuff. Some guys demand more, some less, but that's my approach
