Your worst justification for playing a gig for free

[phillybass101]

True story. I got stiffed by the BL. He was paid by check, and never paid me. I even put him on blast on social media. Dude still didn't pay me. Very Bold on his part yet I am the one who has to take the High Road.

 

[pigpen1]

If you're a new band that enjoys playing out. As long as you're not traveling too far

This is where I"m at. As long as it doesn't cost me too much, I just wanna play to have fun. Have a good day job and that way myself and one other member are already on the record saying that we'd use our share (if any) to pay for sound. Just wanna play and have fun.

 

[leegreenman]

I have time at work today to disagree with people, so I will .

But first I’ll say, if it’s a cover band I agree 100%. I’d never do a free show, playing covers, for exposure. That pure BS and all it will do is affirm that your band isn’t worth paying.

Playing original music is an entirely different story. New original bands invest way more money in their band than they’re likely to even come close to getting back in the first year. If you gave me the choice of playing to 50 people where each band memeber might make $20 to $50, or to play in front of 350 people for free, I’ll take the 350 every time. I think that anyone letting their pride get in the way of that is making a very unwise business and marketing choice.

I learned that through experience, being that pride filled guy. Playing in front of 50 paying friends does less than zero for your band. It often hurts it, in fact, because it uses up favors ya might one day really need. Throw those 50 people in a club packed with 350, and they’re much more likely to come back next time. 50 friends in a big crowd also gives that crowd permission to love what you’re doing, but that’s a whole nuther topic...

As a fellow New Yorker, who has always played I original bands, I couldn't agree more. It sucks, but playing for next to nothing is an unfortunate reality for non established, all original rock bands. Maybe this isn't true everywhere, but it is in this city.
If your "following" is 40 or 50 friends, you have no following.

 

[Aqualung60]

I played a gig once when three songs into our set I realized my fly was down, does that count as playing for exposure? Well, at least the breeze felt nice.

 

[jaymelewis]

Before I was sober, as long as I could drink for free I was in.

 

[DirtDog]

Rolling Stones aside, playing a free gig to keep your arse out of jail! Or perhaps that's the best excuse?

 

[Benny the Finger]

We played a gala fundraiser for local YMCA...full backline, soundtechs, sound and lights provided...plug and play gig in the truest sense...ate like kings..open bar...not a dime made...ended up getting 5 great paying gigs as a result of our freebie...
Win win win

 

[Chicory Blue]

“Seen carrying an instrument and physically dragged onto the stage despite not being booked or remotely prepared.”

--^@

 

[bobcruz]

Playing for "Exposure." It simply doesn't work that way any more (if it ever did). This is an urban legend that should die a dusty death.

Sure it works...it exposes your band as one that will play for free!

 

[Pirate Captain]

It's a fashion show, and there will be models there, and I can meet some of the models, and models have big egos, so I'll finally be able to have a conversation with someone I can relate to!

I worked on a fashion show once (as a PA)...all the models were about 15 and acted exactly like 15 year old girls would act (including having mock lightsaber battles with glow sticks). It was, probably, the most non-sexy thing I have ever witnessed.

 

[Ant Illington]

Our band would play a few benefits per year for free, we're glad to help out. The only gig we did for free was opening for Black Oak Arkansas 5 years ago, was just an hour set and we had fun with it. They were decent folks.

Did somebody even pay Black Oak Arkansas?

I'd play for free if the band is good. I offer the guy I sub for to take a day off AND take the money while I play for free. It doesn't work, I think he'd play for free because he enjoys it. So that makes two of us- we'd play for free because it's better than staying home. Playing for models is hardly a worse reason!

 

[LBS-bass]

I tend to agree with Joe Nerve, more or less. You can die from exposure. Anyone who's got a crowd big enough that exposure would even be of value is also making enough money from that crowd to toss something my way.

BUT there is a big difference between playing originals and covers, and it's not fair to compare the two. Covers you do for the money. There's no other reason to be in that band, except maybe that it's fun.

Originals you do because you enjoy creating the music and there's a much bigger investment of heart in that sort of thing, at least for me. No one is going to come out to hear a band that's playing original music unless they know you and your music. The very first hurdle to cross in getting strangers to come hear your band is the low bar of "we don't suck." The next bar is "it's going to be worth my time." It's surprising how hard it is to get people over those two bars.

Clubs that book original acts are a different breed altogether. You can't put an original act in front of a party crowd at a big event because people at that event are expecting to hear hits. So the only way an original band is going to get an audience is to go out and find one, and that happens over time, as you get a few people here and there at each show to come back for seconds.

Very few originals bands will ever develop a large following in this day and age. So when you're playing for the door or for tips, it's a crap shoot.

 

[SactoBass]

Ummmm.. how about -

I actually enjoy doing this??

Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig +1

I realize there may be some folks who rely on band income to survive, and so I therefore "get" why some folks refuse to play music unless they get paid. That's cool. I wish them success! For me, I don't care about band money. I have a very healthy six figure income as a civil engineer. That allows me to play music simply for the enjoyment of playing music without caring AT ALL about band money. Whenever I strap on my bass, flick on the amp switch, and start playing, it gives me a big smile, and I love every second of it! And that's all that matters to me!

 

[pklima]

I worked on a fashion show once (as a PA)...all the models were about 15 and acted exactly like 15 year old girls would act (including having mock lightsaber battles with glow sticks). It was, probably, the most non-sexy thing I have ever witnessed.

Haha, well, this is actually part of a big university festival. I don't know the details, but I wouldn't be surprised if the fashion on show was class projects from some kind of a design class, and the models were whatever friends they could talk into modeling for free, and not "real models". We'll see in a couple of months.

 

[Bijoux]

Some people think that laying for free will lead them to paid gigs. Or the that playing for very little money will lead them to playing better gigs and charging more.
Although this could be true for some I think for the most part it doesn't really work that way.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Our band would play a few benefits per year for free, we're glad to help out. The only gig we did for free was opening for Black Oak Arkansas 5 years ago, was just an hour set and we had fun with it. They were decent folks.

I also did an opening gig with them a little over a year ago (2 gigsvactually). Those guys are awesome, funny, great players, and insane -IMO- all rolled into one . Living what used to be the definition of rock and roll to me. God bless those guys. And girl.

 

[ThudThudThud]

It's a fashion show, and there will be models there, and I can meet some of the models, and models have big egos, so I'll finally be able to have a conversation with someone I can relate to!

Yeah, as noted you're a bass player. Unless you had a Fender Bass VI and kind of looked like you were playing guitar you really were invisible...

 

[Son of Wobble]

I play for food
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Brother, I just read of your heart troubles on another thread.
So you might just wanna put that down.

 

[AcadianBassman]

Playing for "Exposure." It simply doesn't work that way any more (if it ever did). This is an urban legend that should die a dusty death.

People DIE of exposure lol

 

[gustobassman]

Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig +1

I realize there may be some folks who rely on band income to survive, and so I therefore "get" why some folks refuse to play music unless they get paid. That's cool. I wish them success! For me, I don't care about band money. I have a very healthy six figure income as a civil engineer. That allows me to play music simply for the enjoyment of playing music without caring AT ALL about band money. Whenever I strap on my bass, flick on the amp switch, and start playing, it gives me a big smile, and I love every second of it! And that's all that matters to me!

While Im nowhere near that six-figure mark, lol, the rest is spot on.

5 or 5000 people, I give them the same show. They all took time out of their lives to come see what I do. That alone makes it all worth it.