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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:35 am
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IM4Tone wrote:
This year has seen a significant decline in the number of places with frequent live bands. For reasons of cost and the declining attendance for DUIs, the trend is moving to DJs, Karaoke, and one-man (sometimes two) bands. BUT, I've seen this cycle before...

Several years ago, I convinced a club owner to allow us to play earlier in the evening than their bands would usually play...I guaranteed a crowd of a particular size and told her that she would probably keep some of her "happy hour" regulars longer than average. We played from 7:00 to 10:30, and the bar was never empty...even after we played, her regular "bar closers" (who would have been there whether there was music or not) had a few extra companions who stayed til closing time.

She agreed that my idea--a lot of people, especially older folks who can't stay out all night and younger folks who have kids and things to do the next day--was good...yet she never booked another band (except us) during those hours.

There's a local gourmet grocery store chain (Texas Guitar Slinger/The Divine Ms. Laird probably knows about Central Market) that has live music on their outdoor patio; they serve beer, wine and fancy burgers, or people can go buy what they want to eat from the deli inside and bring it out. It's all ages, the shows go from 6:00 to 9:00 in the evening and IT'S ALWAYS PACKED (even when the band sucks)...and the crowd is what any bar owner would want--a mix of professionals and blue collar people, young and old and all spending money.

The bands love it because we can either be home before midnight or even go play a late night gig elsewhere (I've done both)...and there's very little drunken jackassery to deal with.

If bar owners would get it through their thick skulls that many/most people don't want to/can't stay out until 3:00AM, they'd make a lot more money AND help create/contribute to a local music scene.

As far as pay, we shoot for $75 to $100 per person, and usually ask for a meal (if they serve food) or a couple of free drinks (which does teetotalling me no good, but I'll give them to my wife or a friend), along with free non-alcoholic drinks all night.

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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 6:00 am
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Screamin Armadillo wrote:
....If bar owners would get it through their thick skulls that many/most people don't want to/can't stay out until 3:00AM, they'd make a lot more money AND help create/contribute to a local music scene...........

Couldn't agree more with that. Years back, here, the common performance was 10:00 'til 2:00 (mandated closing time by law); then it changed to 9:00 'til 1:00; now many book bands fm 8:00 'til 12:00, and some venues will do a Sunday afternoon or Sunday 6:00 'til 10:00. Maybe not the preference for the very young crowd, but neither is our group's music (60's/70's R&R).

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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 6:11 am
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Rock Star
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I do only the occasional fill-in gig right now. depending where we play, we get 250-300 for 3- 45 minute sets. the guys I play with are all 60 plus, so we do this for fun, and the money buys us new gear.


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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:13 am
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IM4Tone wrote:
Years back, here, the common performance was 10:00 'til 2:00 (mandated closing time by law); then it changed to 9:00 'til 1:00; now many book bands fm 8:00 'til 12:00, and some venues will do a Sunday afternoon or Sunday 6:00 'til 10:00. Maybe not the preference for the very young crowd, but neither is our group's music (60's/70's R&R).

I think it's the other way around - young people don't have the stamina that we had, and don't stay up pogueing until the wee hours, so the closing times have crept backwards for everyone.

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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:16 pm
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Obviously the "rate" tends to vary with your location...here in Northern Ohio for example, a new/unheard of band can expect $250 - $325 depending on how much of a crowd they can draw. Other cities and other markets will certainly vary, but most of the time it comes down to how much of a crowd you can bring in. Ultimately that's usually the deciding factor...whether or not you can pack the place (and keep people there and drinking all night). The thing to remember is simply that bar/club owners are business folk - they're trying to make a living. You can be the most sensational performer in the world and put on a -perfect- show, however if no one's there to see it...or if you're friends/family/followers just aren't drinkers, then the bar owner just isn't making any money - and thus, you won't either.

One piece of advice I would offer is that once you have a gig scheduled, make sure you invite every single person you know...I mean PACK the place and make sure you invite other bar owners to that show. If other local bar owners come to the show and see you're playing to a packed room, you'll have a better chance of getting future gigs (and better paying gigs).

Just my $.02...good luck!


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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:16 am
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Thanks for all the advice.
Do you recommend having a contract for the gig or just do it casual and wait until they pay at the end of the night?
We've just been offered an out of town gig, 2 hours away, for much more money than we have mentioned here.
We need to supply everything, and will have to rent lighting, so I think the budget factors into that.

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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:44 am
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yodacaster wrote:
Do you recommend having a contract for the gig or just do it casual and wait until they pay at the end of the night?
.


Essential even if they're "friends" or afree benefit - saves arguments.
Supplement your gigs with merch, T shirts CD's ,buttons etc.
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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 8:36 am
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I am in agreement with the general consensus of $400 for a standard four piece ensemble.

My rule of thumb is as follows:
I'll play for free. It's the lugging of gear into the van and into the gig, travel time and gas to and from, set-up, soundcheck and tear-down that costs money. I need to see $100 in my own jeans for that to happen.

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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 9:02 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I'll play for free. It's the lugging of gear into the van and into the gig, travel time and gas to and from, set-up, soundcheck and tear-down that costs money.


+1000!

That's the real work.

:wink:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2016 7:36 am
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dunedindragon wrote:
Around here I'd say the going rate tends to be $375 - $400 for 4 sets on new bands. But this is a very competitive area with more bands than clubs. The elite established bands with a good following demand as much as $700 for 4 sets. Of course for special events like New Years, birthdays, weddings, etc. you can ask for double. You might not get it, but you'll get considerably more than standard rate.

As far as the bands doing all originals, if it's at all like it is here they're lucky to be getting a portion of the door charge. Most of the time they don't even make enough to cover their gas to and from the gig.


A lot depends on the venue, the event, the season, etc.

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Post subject: Re: How much to charge for a gig?
Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2016 8:35 am
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Rock Star
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Retroverbial wrote:
yodacaster wrote:
Its strange to get money for playing guitar.


That's the realm of a professional musician, YC.

Welcome to the club!

8)

Arjay

IMO, a "professional musician" makes their living by playing music. At $100 per gig, that's probably not many of us here.

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