Gig pay.
- Thread starter Haunt
- Start date
When I started out we were making 300$ as a band, that same band worked itself up to making 600$ before we disbanded. The most I have ever made as a performer was my last band, we were a nationally touring band and I made from 300$ to 500$ per night.
I have been in bands for over 15 years.
I have played gigs from the smallest of bars to 25,000 plus biker rallies.
Rock to country.
I have been in bands for over 15 years.
I have played gigs from the smallest of bars to 25,000 plus biker rallies.
Rock to country.
1) $100 per person - usual pay is free food and beer and $50-$100
2) six months
3) Bars - Farmers market - Hotels - Casinos
4) We can play Classic Rock - Tejeno - 50s - R&B - Originals - basically anything
We occasionally get a guarantee, which can run anywhere from $100 to $500. Usually we play for the door, though, since we are an original band.
But who cares? You should be playing music because you love to, not for the money. If you're looking for money you will be sorely disappointed.
But who cares? You should be playing music because you love to, not for the money. If you're looking for money you will be sorely disappointed.
Truth.
I know people on the cusp of breaking out, who have less money than I do but have many albums released, airplay on the radio and tv, et cetera.
1.) Depends on the conditions. Is there a door split? How many bands on the bill? etc. We typically take what we can get, which isn't much, maybe a couple hundred. $150-500 range. If it's a festival or special event we ask for $1k+. We're a 7-piece when at full strength.
2.) Just over 2 years.
3.) Bars, clubs and festivals.
4.) Ska/Reggae/Rock.
When I played in a band(loong ago), we sometimes got a few hundred flat and sometimes got a dollar each person through the door if was a door fee event.
My best friend eventually played guitar for a country singer, John Berry, back around 1993-94. John had a #1 hit at the time and my friend got paid about $35k a year with insurance and expenses during that same time. They were on the road most of the year. The only thing he didn't do was the recording work. Those were all Nashville studio musicians.
My best friend eventually played guitar for a country singer, John Berry, back around 1993-94. John had a #1 hit at the time and my friend got paid about $35k a year with insurance and expenses during that same time. They were on the road most of the year. The only thing he didn't do was the recording work. Those were all Nashville studio musicians.
I love doing what I do (music education/performer/composer). But since it's my job, I need to get paid to pay the bills. I look to do what I love first and hope that what I'm doing is giving me the opportunity to live my normal life.
I didn't mean to offend you if I did. I completely agree with this.
Totally not offended, Bloodshot.
Gig pay update: We played Canton, OH on Friday and split the door with 3 other bands. $40, but the club owner was impressed and gave us an extra $15, total of $55.
No merch sales, either.
On Saturday we played Buffalo NY and made $50 on the door (split with 2 other bands) and sold probably $100 in merch. Good merch trick: Make your CD $10, and your shirts $10. When someone buys a CD or shirt and pays with a $20, ask them if they want change or the other item. 90% of the time, if one of our girls is selling, they'll get the other item
Gig pay update: We played Canton, OH on Friday and split the door with 3 other bands. $40, but the club owner was impressed and gave us an extra $15, total of $55.
No merch sales, either.On Saturday we played Buffalo NY and made $50 on the door (split with 2 other bands) and sold probably $100 in merch. Good merch trick: Make your CD $10, and your shirts $10. When someone buys a CD or shirt and pays with a $20, ask them if they want change or the other item. 90% of the time, if one of our girls is selling, they'll get the other item
Totally not offended, Bloodshot.
Gig pay update: We played Canton, OH on Friday and split the door with 3 other bands. $40, but the club owner was impressed and gave us an extra $15, total of $55.
On Saturday we played Buffalo NY and made $50 on the door (split with 2 other bands) and sold probably $100 in merch. Good merch trick: Make your CD $10, and your shirts $10. When someone buys a CD or shirt and pays with a $20, ask them if they want change or the other item. 90% of the time, if one of our girls is selling, they'll get the other item
it's groups like this that can screw over the people trying to actually make a living. i know it's a bad situation because people love making music and just want to play so they take what that get but it's dragging down the whole market. where i'm from you're lucky to get guaranteed what they were paying 20-25 years ago in bars/clubs.
The market is now saturated with what I guess are "indie" bands that "write" originals. They don't have the material for a full show even after being around for years so they group together with 2 or three other groups and they all split the door and make peanuts. the vast majority of them also suck terribly. at some point it became okay to suck. actually learning anything about music would corrupt their tight pantsed indie souls.
i would say that local bands scenes are one of the places where a union is still necessary except that it's not a skilled trade anymore. a bunch of teenagers can get some cheap gear and be playing in bars that used to actually pay because the culture of suck has become so accepted it's become revered. Meanwhile, venue owners are laughing all the way to the bank.
old skul, i don't think your group sucks which means you're getting taken advantage of by venues while also potentially undercutting other groups and you're traveling hundreds of miles to do it. i can see both sides of the argument here, but the fact is that quality local musicians earning a living just by playing are an endangered species. maybe it's just inevitable.
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It's a pretty bad scene out there. I am continually shocked by how bad some of the bands are that we play shows with. It's hard to put together a solid bill.
Shockingly, one of the bands we played with this weekend was pretty much terrible, but brought in the most people. So the problem is compounded by the fact that the only people that come out to see shows anymore are friends of the bands playing - it makes it impossible to get people out to shows, because who wants to go see a known terrible band, and some unknown band from out of town?
I feel like my band is on the cusp of transcending that shit. We have a solid album, a decent local following, and we're starting to play shows out of town and impressing venue owners. We'll see what it's like the next time we go through those towns and are on decent billings.
Shockingly, one of the bands we played with this weekend was pretty much terrible, but brought in the most people. So the problem is compounded by the fact that the only people that come out to see shows anymore are friends of the bands playing - it makes it impossible to get people out to shows, because who wants to go see a known terrible band, and some unknown band from out of town?
I feel like my band is on the cusp of transcending that shit. We have a solid album, a decent local following, and we're starting to play shows out of town and impressing venue owners. We'll see what it's like the next time we go through those towns and are on decent billings.
We just played at the Los Angeles County Fair.
(Bad Company...The Eagles...lots of top tiers acts play the Fair)
They moved the music pavilion to the way back area.
And then they upped the pay.
It came out to $100 per hour per person for a three hour commitment.
Then we did a Retirement Party at a local watering hole and got free food and beer - and $25 cash - 5 hours.
A lot depends on what audience you are targeting - hip bars in LA don't pay, they'll split the gate after a threshold has been met.
But the local FoE Lodge pays $50 per person for an hours work during 'Taco Night.'
We have also taken to handing out free cds - trying to build the buzz.
So the last Farmers Market we did we gave out maybe 100 cds.
At least three people at the Fair mentioned they had heard us before.
Do you guys merchandise at all?
I'm really considering free shit - rub on tattoos, buttons, et cetera.
This way people specifically come to see us.
Yeah, dude - there are some fucking terrible bands that get stage time.
(Bad Company...The Eagles...lots of top tiers acts play the Fair)
They moved the music pavilion to the way back area.
And then they upped the pay.
It came out to $100 per hour per person for a three hour commitment.
Then we did a Retirement Party at a local watering hole and got free food and beer - and $25 cash - 5 hours.
A lot depends on what audience you are targeting - hip bars in LA don't pay, they'll split the gate after a threshold has been met.
But the local FoE Lodge pays $50 per person for an hours work during 'Taco Night.'
We have also taken to handing out free cds - trying to build the buzz.
So the last Farmers Market we did we gave out maybe 100 cds.
At least three people at the Fair mentioned they had heard us before.
Do you guys merchandise at all?
I'm really considering free shit - rub on tattoos, buttons, et cetera.
This way people specifically come to see us.
Yeah, dude - there are some fucking terrible bands that get stage time.