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Would You Drive 6+ hours for $300?!
- Thread starter GearHeadBassMan
- Start date
12 hours driving + 1 hour set. So you are talking AT LEAST 13 hours of work to make $300. Let's say gas, food and tolls eat you 53 dollars. You are making $19 an hour.
It is your call.
It is your call.
- Oct 30, 2007
- 802
- 11
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- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Fender Musical Instruments, SIT strings
just looking at your myspace page, you're not career musicians (yet), so don't make decisions as if you are. play the gig, pay for your gas, and collectively put $200 away for a new van. do this twice a weekend, for a couple years, pay for good recordings, buy a new van, then you can start to consider turning down gigs for "not enough money". and don't quit your day job (yet)
also, it's foolish think of this as 13 hours of work. it's a whole day of hanging out with your friends and possibly making some new ones.
also, it's foolish think of this as 13 hours of work. it's a whole day of hanging out with your friends and possibly making some new ones.
+12 hours driving. Let's just use 10, as an hour to and from work is reasonable. The other 5 there and 5 back would be considered pay. So the breakdown of income would more likely be $14.21 per hour after fuel but not including food, which would account to a minimum of two meals in this time. $20 on food is reasonable so now it looks more like $12.50 p/h...
I'm saying all this in preparation for a 6 hour drive where the band gets $300 total. But it was going to be great fun, until we found the venue double booked and didn't consult with the booking agent of the band we're supporting. We were told we could still play for a shorter set and no pay (LOL), but we declined (naturally).
Still have 3 other gigs MUCH closer to home with said band, so it's no stress really.
If I had a reliable vehicle, and gigging were not my only source of income, I'd drive just about any distance for as little as covering the cost of gas and food.
But I enjoy driving long distances and playing music a whole lot, so it'd just be a load of fun for me.
But I enjoy driving long distances and playing music a whole lot, so it'd just be a load of fun for me.
id do it just because ive never done anyhting like that before, and it could open up doors for us.
The band im currently with is trying to get a tour going, and we have a few places around new england. Thats about it for the summer.
The band im currently with is trying to get a tour going, and we have a few places around new england. Thats about it for the summer.
One thing i'd like to add is the exhaustion factor in relation to playing shows. Something that, when we're on tour, shouldn't matter. What I mean is, if all we're doing is playing shows, then the drive is worth the time and would be fun. But, I'd have to cut my last few classes on friday to even have a hope of making it on time, then get back in time to grab some sleep before our saturday gig, and then try to sleep it off sunday to head to class on monday.
I should add we're all around 21 years old, some younger, some older. we don't have any problems booking shows (we're booked through april every weekend) but a gig got cancelled and this came up. for me, from my experience about how the band spends money (which is poorly) we wouldn't get back with any of the money. it would all go to gas or food or some such garbage (we don't do drugs or drink much, so thats not a problem)
I just feel that sometimes the rest of the guys can act without thinking realistically (not realizing the drive, the hours, and then doing a show)
I love playing bass with this band more than anything, but it's not like this is an all weekend festival (which i would say definetly yes), it's a little college show on a saturday night 320 miles away.
thanks to everyone who posted, this is my first thread that the oldies didn't rag on me for, i guess i'm learnin!
I should add we're all around 21 years old, some younger, some older. we don't have any problems booking shows (we're booked through april every weekend) but a gig got cancelled and this came up. for me, from my experience about how the band spends money (which is poorly) we wouldn't get back with any of the money. it would all go to gas or food or some such garbage (we don't do drugs or drink much, so thats not a problem)
I just feel that sometimes the rest of the guys can act without thinking realistically (not realizing the drive, the hours, and then doing a show)
I love playing bass with this band more than anything, but it's not like this is an all weekend festival (which i would say definetly yes), it's a little college show on a saturday night 320 miles away.
thanks to everyone who posted, this is my first thread that the oldies didn't rag on me for, i guess i'm learnin!
yeah weezer, you can relate since you're around these parts. we're apparently supposed to do potsdam college (right near montreal in New York state) on friday and then get to Waterbury saturday night.
What band you with? we're always looking for show trades!
300 bucks is about twice what I make in a week, and even if we earn 1 fan they will tell our freinds about us. Hell yeah I'd do it. Actually, I do it all the time.
But I'm also in a real band, not some bullsh*t cover band. That might change my response.
But I'm also in a real band, not some bullsh*t cover band. That might change my response.
- Dec 21, 2007
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- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
EXACTLY, not to mention that they were driving in an illegal van. what happens if/when it gets pulled over? some people go to jail, the van gets impounded along with your gear, and if you are lucky, and the POS gas leak van even gets there, without a break down, or a cop stop, 300.00 for the whole band NO WAY...
Gee My bullsh*t cover band is making $1500.00 Friday night. I have to drive 30 minutes round trip,play for 400-500 people and be done by midnight. My cut $337.50 for the night. Get back to me if you EVER get in a real band.
I guess I should moderate my response a bit by adding that if the benefits (REAL exposure, fun, etc.) to your band outweigh the financial aspect, then, although I personally wouldn't do it in my musical situation, by all means go for it. It's not totally about the money.... Usually...
And at least it looks like you're not gonna be paying to play.
And at least it looks like you're not gonna be paying to play.
If that's true, kudos on your nobility. In the meantime I'll take the local cover gig paying $300 for far less of my time.
Eventually many people figure out that they have a finite time on this planet and that time is precious. While I won't say categorically no, I'd never do this type of road trip, it would have to have a hell of a lot more going for it than the pay, which is a joke for a band travelling that far.
