Promotional Visit to New Venue

[Howie22]

Last year I played once or twice a month at a small, quaint little bar about 45 minutes or so from my house. It wasn't my best paying venue, and the drive was a bit much for the money I was making. However, I liked the venue, and a lot my friends in the area came out to see me play there. Furthermore, I got to know some of the regulars and staff, and it was always good to play in that familiar kind of place. Plus, the staff and regulars said I was the best musician they had playing there.

 

The place briefly closed and then reopened under new ownership. The new owners have done a great job making some improvements. However, I've never chased them down about playing there since then.

 

Anyway, some friends from that area have been asking if I've talked to the new owner about playing there. So, I emailed the venue about it. They basically said we could talk about it. Well, last week I was in the area late afternoon and dropped in. I talked with the owner.

 

I could tell he wasn't eager to talk about live music. I gave him a quote that was a bit more than what the previous owners paid me. Basically, my regular bar rate plus a tad more because it's kind of far away. Reasonable, though. He balked a bit at that.

 

Anyway, he said he has paid for live music "a few times" since opening, and he didn't see where his nightly sales directly increased as a result of the music being there. He mentioned bringing in a DJ once a month, and that he basically breaks even, but the patrons liked it (the amount he told me he was paying the DJ was quite a bit more than what I asked, BTW). Then he says, "Besides, I have a duo that plays here for free, and they are good"

 

You can't blame the guy for watching his numbers closely. However, I don't think you can expect booking live music a few times on an irregular basis to all of a sudden drive your sales up?? Furthermore, you have to wonder what kind of quality you are getting from a free act?

 

To wrap the story up, he said he'd consider bringing me in sometime this fall. I'm not holding my breath, nor do I want to come in to a situation that HE is already expecting to be a failure.

[Telecruiser]

If you too worked for free you would be real busy.

[nchangin]

There is a law of supply and demand. If your friends create the demand then he should supply the service. The positive benefit is that you are at a price point you are more comfortable with. Can you compete with the free duo? No. However, maybe possible he's bluffing?

 

Sometimes it goes the other way, I found out an orchestra band that was before my DJ show was twice as much as me and only played an hour vs DJ played 4 hours.

[doezer]

hi

 

you could just be unlucky in that the bar happens to have a duo who live really close by and like to use his bar for mid-week practices or something.

 

or is he getting these guys for free on a friday or saturday nite??! if so then, wow, you really are unlucky.

but it does happen, could be just two guys who maybe have full on day jobs but like to go out and play at the weekend, and they bring friends too...

+ they mightnt necessarily be all as good as the barman says, once he sees their friends getting into the gig he is bound to think theyre just amazing!

[daddymack]

have your local friends check out the free duo, and if they aren't very good, have them express that fact to the management. Free entertainment that costs you patrons is no longer free...