Business questions for solo performers:

[Christhee68]

Business questions for solo performers:

 

Do you have to have a business license were you work? I’m sure every place is different, but can you just show up and play (wedding, restaurant, bar) get paid and leave? I’m sure if you work somewhere long enough, they may want to give you a 1099 so they can write off the expense of paying you.

 

Do you do a Schedule C for your expenses (gear, mileage, etc.)? I haven’t made enough money playing out yet to worry about any of this; I’m just curious what you guys do. I work a regular job and play for fun (and occasionally money), so music is not (and never will be) my sole source of income.

[sventvkg]

Business questions for solo performers: Do you have to have a business license were you work? I’m sure every place is different, but can you just show up and play (wedding, restaurant, bar) get paid and leave? I’m sure if you work somewhere long enough, they may want to give you a 1099 so they can write off the expense of paying you. Do you do a Schedule C for your expenses (gear, mileage, etc.)? I haven’t made enough money playing out yet to worry about any of this; I’m just curious what you guys do. I work a regular job and play for fun (and occasionally money), so music is not (and never will be) my sole source of income.

 

 

Most people I know never had a business license. As far as taxes go, when I pay them, I do 1099's for band members and yes, I've had to file the whole Schedule C, expense stuff that's associated with a business owner. It sucked Avoid it all if you can.

[herbie d]

Well... your suposed to have a buisness license for each city or local you play in. There's not a great way for them to tell you don't have one, but I have been busted for it. I played a festival in a city on the East Coast, and my name was listed by a news paper's on line news report, of the festival. Someone from the city saw it on-line, then traked me down. Jeeze!

I said,"I didn't know!" and got out of fines, but had to get the buisness license. all together cost me, 30 bucks, and a few hours in that city's court house.

Since then, i think I have 9 buisness licenses, and report income shown on 1099's, to Fed and State. I never meet the min for local tax, I think its, 250,000 and over, or you pay a small flat rate. The lies come in when they want you to pay buisness property tax. (% of the value of your equipments price as puchaced new. What-ever!

[darreno27]

Wow, I've never thought about this before. My band has been together for 17 years and I don't think my drummer (guy who takes care of the business stuff) ever got one. We play at some higher paying weddings and we charge $1800 for those, but mostly bars - $600 for them. I'll have to look into that.

[BlueStrat]

 

Well... your suposed to have a buisness license for each city or local you play in.

I smell bull{censored}.

 

In 40 years of doing this, I have never heard of such a thing. Ever. And if anyone here tried to pass such a law, they'd be tarred and feathered and hanged from a bridge.

 

It is generally up to the venue to procure any licenses UNLESS you plan on busking in public spaces, where you might have to obtain a permit, and that's being challenged across the land as being unconstitutional. Other than that, you don't need a license to perform anywhwere unless you're setting up shop as a music teacher, etc. I spent 3 years on the road full time playing six nights a week (and several more locally) and never even heard of a performance license, let alone anyone ever being asked to show they had one.

[peanutroad]

I haven't come across this (yet) in the music biz but in my 'other' life I do art shows, mostly those weekend outdoor affairs, and in the last few years all the venues have started requiring a local business license for each exhibitor. It's sometimes included in the fee, sometimes not. This was not true in the past -- I did shows for thirty years before it ever came up. Maybe local government is just so strapped for money they're looking for any source available?