Members Pat'sStrat Posted March 11, 2017 Members Share Posted March 11, 2017 So back in 2003, my band played a summer festival in a university town. They hold it in the city park every summer, and we played just before John Hammond, who then at the end of his set (he was solo) asked the band to come up and back him for a couple of songs. We were thrilled of course. The promoters said they loved the band and my material, and would have us back in a coupl of years. We folded up the next year, so it didn't happen. Fast forward to today. I had my agent (same guy as back then) approach the festival (same owners) and ask them if they'd be interested in rebooking me. "Oh, we have an exciting new process for hiring bands," he was told. Apparently, what they do is decide on the headliners for the three days of the festival, and then open a competition for the openers for the headliners. They ask you to submit your press kit, and their committee narrows it down to six bands. Then they hold an audition night, wherein each band is expected to travel to their town and play a 6 song set. The best three, based on audience response and the panel of judges, will be the three openers. Each band gets paid a whopping 150 dollars for their time and travel expenses for the audition. This town is 90 miles away. And there are actually bands doing it, traveling as much as 300 miles for the gig. I'm like "WTF? Seriously?" Please, God, tell me this isn't a new trend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted March 11, 2017 Members Share Posted March 11, 2017 How much does the actual gig pay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted March 11, 2017 Members Share Posted March 11, 2017 That gig is over for you Pat. They'll be some Avett Brod. Clone 22 year olds band that is than happy to go through the process and older guys won't deal with it anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted March 12, 2017 Members Share Posted March 12, 2017 Algebra has been around for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pat'sStrat Posted March 12, 2017 Author Members Share Posted March 12, 2017 last time I did it, they paid 1200 and food for a 90 minute set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted March 12, 2017 Members Share Posted March 12, 2017 $1200 & food is worth the hassle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AJ6stringsting Posted March 12, 2017 Members Share Posted March 12, 2017 That's degrading to us musicians , I swear I hate promoters, to the hilt.They act like they are the center of the Universe and are arrogant beyond description.It's as if they arrogantly stick their feet out after their foot dipped in to a pile of crap, they ask us to lick the crap off their feet and if we do the dirty deed .... They kick us in the face, declaring, " Aren't you going to thank me for me, letting you do the dirty deed !!!! ".I just subbed for a band tonight and delt with local promoter .... The guy was really a real sad piece of humanity..... You can tell the guy was a real snake !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AJ6stringsting Posted March 12, 2017 Members Share Posted March 12, 2017 Not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 12, 2017 Members Share Posted March 12, 2017 I could almost, I say almost understand this process if it was before video, YouTube and so on. Even then though, the festival bookers went to the bands NOT the other way around. The whole thing sounds ridiculous in this day and age. I can say personally that in in addition to other small festivals over the years, in 2015 and 2016 I played at a local mid level blues festival. In 2016 it was with the Billy Dixon Band, and nothing crazy happened in that booking process (or in the previous year with another band). http://www.burnabybluesfestival.com/2016-lineup/ In my experience, promo, word of mouth and a possible visit by organizers to see the band, is the way they (and I hope most) other festivals book their acts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted March 12, 2017 Members Share Posted March 12, 2017 I would agree with your comment about audio and video technology, but I'm surprised at how few bands bother to go beyond content right out of camera phones. Maybe it's because they're afraid that once you use a signal off the board, you're going to be compared to multi-track studio quality. . . . but that's not live, is it? If I was a promoter I'd ask for content from a Zoom H4N recorder or the equivalent, and/or audio/video from a decent late model digital camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigboy78 Posted March 13, 2017 Members Share Posted March 13, 2017 There's a few festivals around here that hold "Busking Competitions" costs rang from $50-$150 "registration fee" to enter, and the grand prize is to play some side-stage at the festival, for free. Getting paid $150 to audition, then getting $1200 for the gig is a good deal in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted March 15, 2017 Members Share Posted March 15, 2017 No PA or lights to set up, walk in with your axe, plug it in and play a few songs for a chance to get a good paying, highly visible slot? There's worse deals IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pat'sStrat Posted March 15, 2017 Author Members Share Posted March 15, 2017 I can give you their contact info if you like! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 15, 2017 Moderators Share Posted March 15, 2017 If it was not a two hour drive each way in order to get paid below minimum wage for a chance to maybe make a decent gig rate...I'm with you Pat, pass on it. I don't see why you couldn't submit a 'live' video. I can make more playing a 'corporate' less than an hour from home, though...but yeah, that means haul our own PA, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted March 21, 2017 Members Share Posted March 21, 2017 [uSER=29454]Pat[/uSER], still thinking about it. Let me check my frequent flyer miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kramerguy Posted March 28, 2017 Members Share Posted March 28, 2017 I remember back 2009-2012 when I was in an originals band - pay to play was the usual, no matter how big the festival or show. In fact, we had to do similar contests to get into the bigger shows, which required the same BS entry fees and whatnot. Swore off free gigging, screw that noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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