Backstage With the Band

[urca]

Bottom line: How many people did you bring when you played there? If the answer is "Not too many" you have no leverage with the owners. Did he handle it in an unprofessional way? Yup. He could've been more upfront with you: "Yeah, you guys don't draw well so we're not interested..." but again, it's his business and if you don't draw he'll find someone who will.

BTW +1 to those who are against communications via Facebook only.

[Blackbird 13]

When you let a guy tell you to call him at a certain time, not once, but twice, you have given up all leverage in the situation. At that point, he is likely to treat you like his bitch, which he did. I know how some people in the bar business treat musicians, and there are plenty of people like this jackoff who play the game that somehow they are way more important than you. Your job is to elevate your band, and your demeanor, to a level where you don't let pricks like this fool bend you over.

A thousand times yes... I totally agree. What I don't know is what I could have done any differently?

[dboomer]

So give the business 10 more years and unfortunately you'll probably run into something to top this.

[MartinC]

When he asked you to call him at 6:30 and you did, you could have just left a message and not called him three more times. When you did that, you gave up any leverage you had. In the message you tell him there is some confusion about the date, and you have another inquiry for the same date so you need to hear from him by X or you'll have to take the other gig. Whichever way it ends up, you have communicated to him that you have other options and aren't going to let him string you along.

A thousand times yes... I totally agree. What I don't know is what I could have done any differently?

[Kramerguy]

This strikes a very personal note with me, as I've been on the victim side of double bookings a couple of times in the last two years. I fail to understand exactly how someone can mis-manage a physical calendar. Do they make these same mistakes with booking beer reps on promotions? Do they make booking errors when 'shot-girls' are sent in from the alcohol vendors? I've never seen THOSE dates get screwed up or under-promoted. To share my own two rants (will keep it short): Have a gig booked at a place an hour and a half away. We FedEx'd the posters a little over two weeks in advance, as we did with any place not in the immediate vicinity. Arrive at the venue to set up, there's another band setting up. manager who books isn't there and isn't available. They basically told us they double booked, and to discuss it with the manager on Monday. No apology, no offer for dinner or anything for our wasted 3 hours of driving to and from the venue. We tried to take a professional approach and contact the manager on Monday, who dodged our calls and never called us back. Spineless coward. Never spoke with them again, by their choice. Another place, I booked several months in advance with the girl who said she did all the bookings. Go in to put up posters and they tell me that we aren't booked, aren't in the calendar, and that they booked a solo acoustic act. They tell me one of the managers will call me later. He did. Told me that the girl who booked us wasn't supposed to be booking bands, blah blah... So I tell him that we had been promoting it and a LOT of people had indicated they were coming.. and that we would bring a lot more people than an unknown solo act (which was true, it was a guy fresh out of the garage). I told him to do the right thing an honor the booking, as we made it well in advance and that it was too late for us to book elsewhere, so it's lost revenue. He said he talk to the general manager and call me back. He never called back. We cancelled the event and sent out facebook messages. This was on Tuesday before the gig. Come Saturday night, my bandmate gets a call at 9PM saying that we're on the marquee as the band that night. Then a few friends text us saying that they were there, where were we? Apparently they saw our name on the marquee earlier in the week and came out to see us (without checking our web site or FB page). We call the manager and he says he left me a message saying that we were booked. I never got a call, missed call, or message. what a mess. Now they won't book us cause they think we screwed them. Idiots can't realize that it was their own fault any of that happened. And more recently.. we played a place that offered us $350+the door. We hesitantly accepted the offer, but originally wanted $600, because it was an event- Well, the place was packed and we retained 90%+ of the crowd right up to 2am. We knew the guy working the door (and paid him by agreeing to buy his drinks .. $50 roughly), he told us they made over $300 at the door, yet- we only got $410 for the night. Got told to deal with it (don't remember the exact words, but that was the sentiment) when we questioned the fuzzy math. Told them next time we play there, it will be accompanied by a signed, enforceable contract. Probably won't ever play there again.

[nchangin]

And more recently.. we played a place that offered us $350+the door. We hesitantly accepted the offer, but originally wanted $600, because it was an event- Well, the place was packed and we retained 90%+ of the crowd right up to 2am. We knew the guy working the door (and paid him by agreeing to buy his drinks .. $50 roughly), he told us they made over $300 at the door, yet- we only got $410 for the night. Got told to deal with it (don't remember the exact words, but that was the sentiment) when we questioned the fuzzy math. Told them next time we play there, it will be accompanied by a signed, enforceable contract. Probably won't ever play there again.

Sorry to hear this, been my experience if they say you get part of the cover charge, might as well bend over, about all your going to get out of the deal. Signed contract is a different deal but every show I've done that promised that it never happened in my personal experience.

[tim_7string]

Have a gig booked at a place an hour and a half away. We FedEx'd the posters a little over two weeks in advance, as we did with any place not in the immediate vicinity. Arrive at the venue to set up, there's another band setting up. manager who books isn't there and isn't available. They basically told us they double booked, and to discuss it with the manager on Monday. No apology, no offer for dinner or anything for our wasted 3 hours of driving to and from the venue. We tried to take a professional approach and contact the manager on Monday, who dodged our calls and never called us back. Spineless coward. Never spoke with them again, by their choice.

I prevent this sort of thing by calling the place the day before the gig. When I call, I do it under the guise that I wanted to confirm what time we start at tomorrow night (9:00 or 9:30?) but I am really calling to see if they forgot we are booked or booked someone else by accident (or on purpose) so that my band and myself don't waste several hours of prep time and on-the-road travel time. If they forgot, sure, I'd be pissed, but at least I'm not pissed showing up at the gig and finding out another band is there (or worse, they weren't expecting us at all). So far, it's working out well. I haven't had a double booking happen yet (but there's always a first time).

[MikeyParent]

been my experience if they say you get part of the cover charge, might as well bend over

Unless it's your guy working the door... so if you were "paying" the guy working the door how did the money not go directly to you? Did I miss something?

[wesg]

Do you bring a band wife to your gigs? If so, and you are collecting from the door, sit her by the door guy with one of those clicker things. Assuming she has the temperament required for the task! http://www.amazon.com/GOGO-Counter-Handheld-Clicker-Mechanical/dp/B001KX1VW2

[caeman]

Lesson learned: When playing a bar, have everything in writing.

[MikeyParent]

Lesson learned: When playing a bar, have everything in writing.

In this case its not certain that would have helped...

[caeman]

True. There was no specific accounting at the door.

[modulusman]

Lesson learned: When playing a bar, have everything in writing.

Lesson learned, You obviously don't play many bar gigs.:confused:

[caeman]

I am primarily a gospel musician. Except for attending open mic night blues, I have never gotten paid to walk into a bar.

[wesg]

You get paid to attend open mics? Shit! I'm getting ripped off!

[caeman]

It's the hat. And I show up with a case of harmonicas. Plenty of guitarist show up, but never a harp player. And it has been a while since I attended my last one. Getting home at 1am on a work night was killing me.

[Ku'Yleh]

The worst Ive had was getting double booked, showing up to the other band setting up, but being offered to work in the bar/kitchen all night since half the staff had quit that day.

[cephus]

Texting, email and FB just facilitates passive aggressive behavior. When some weasel is screwing you over, we will just try to avoid being called out on it. I am a fossil and still try to do face to face booking and go as far as following up with a driveby sometimes. I try to build a relationship with management. You never know. maybe management is screwing over someone who booked a gig through facebook by having me come in to play since he knows me.

[SeniorBlues]

The worst Ive had was getting double booked, showing up to the other band setting up, but being offered to work in the bar/kitchen all night since half the staff had quit that day.

That one needs to be reposted . . . . . unreal!

[Kramerguy]

Unless it's your guy working the door... so if you were "paying" the guy working the door how did the money not go directly to you? Did I miss something?

Yeah I wish it were that simple- There's some details that even I'm not clear on about this door guy. The person on our side who handled the booking and everything was not entirely clear before the show and wanted nothing more than for us to just "let it go" when the pay issue revealed itself. I would have personally taken that road to the bitter end, but my bandmates preferred to just let it be and agree to not play there again. I think there was some shadyness on both sides, but can't prove it.