Would you play a gig for twenty-five cents?

[Downunderwonder]

I was once offered a bag of sand to provide PA. That's $1000.

 

[12BitSlab]

A lot must have happened between 1982 and 1986 when I started playing out. I was 15 but the rest of the band were in their 30s. We played classic rock in small town bars and I rarely made less than $150.

These days, unless it's a charity event or church, I'm not putting my bass in the truck for less than $100. I'm practicing songs as we speak for a little bar band that has never played together and we already have shows on the books for over $150 a head five pieces and a sound guy with provided FOH. Of course, this is just a fun side gig for all of us and we won't be doing 8 gigs a month with it. Maybe 10 weekends a year altogether. But still...

I made roughly $40 per night aftertax doing clubs 5 nights per week. That was $200 per week to finish a PhD.

Remember, different cities paid different rates.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

I have played 'pass-the-hat' gigs where some jerk-weasel put hard change in...

 

[mstillman]

I'd play a gig for free as long as the music is loud and I can hear my tone. Couldn't care less about money.

I suppose at some point, everyone is part of a problem. Looks like it's your turn.

Apologies if you play only benefits or worship gigs.

 

[FuzzFacetious]

Depends how much you love performing.

 

[Kmonk]

I've never heard that dollars referred as cents. I would never consider a playing a gig where the pay is that low unless it was a benefit for a good cause.

 

[bassstrangler]

I remember when a dime bag cost a dime

 

[RustyAxe]

I suppose 25 cents is better than pay-to-play ...

 

[el murdoque]

I did, in fact play for about 25 cents a night. I was a hired gun for a singer/sonwriter babe.
She was a travelling hippie girl and played the gig to gather money for gas to get her RV to the next destination.
I enjoyed the gig greatly. Part of the payment was that a hat was passed around and some joker put a foreign coin in there. After the gig I told here that, as much as i like, as a matter of pronciple, i never play for free.
So i took the foreign coin and left the rest for her. I googled what it is worth, which is about 40 cents.

 

[bassliner50]

$.35=pack of cigarettes back then. Oh boy!

 

[HertzWhenIPlay]

I would pay $.025 from my own piggy-bank to play on a stage

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Have been there.

 

[Rabidhamster]

Id haggle for some used batteries instead

 

[Paul M]

I'll play for nickels and dimes, but not 25¢. I'm no two-bit musician.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I have my set minimum for gigging (no, it isn't $.25). I will play for free for a benefit, but other than that...

 

[Bass Viking]

I was once offered a bag of sand to provide PA. That's $1000.

Drug reference?

 

[jamro217]

Maybe it was a part of your interview. "Is this cat cool enough to share the stage with?"

 

[DavC]

maybe 25 cents a minute .. ?

 

[alaskaleftybass]

One of my first gigs when I was 19 was in a topless bar here ins Sitka (yeah, can you believe it???). There were three of us and we were paid $60 a night and played three nights a week. On our first weekend we were so excited-- the bartender (a lady who also happened to be the owner) opened us each a "Tab."

Well all three of us being kids, we drew on it, drank on it, tipped the dancers on it, and ate on it. I came away with about $2.00 and the winner was the drummer. He came away owing $5.00!

My gut reaction is if he was an older jazz cat he certainly could have been referring to $25-35. In the early 70's I hung around some old jazz cats who went to the church I was playing at. They taught me a lot of valuable bass lessons and used slang like that.

 

[Tony In Philly]

But after I'd pay the booking agent I'd only have 20 cents left!