Local event producers/sound guys locking up venues

[rangefinder]

So a new phenomenon has been happening around here over the past year or so... some local event producers/sound guys have been signing exclusive contracts with some venues, and then you HAVE to book through them and HAVE to use their services, like it or not.

 

Personally I'm not thrilled with this development, mostly because some of them pretty much suck at what they do.

 

Anyone got any experiences with this sort of thing, and the hazards/pitfalls to avoid?

[Kramerguy]

Been going on for a while down this way. Usually doesn't last long because it always ends up with all the bands complaining to the venue, or customers complaining when the same 'preferred' bands play and not others.. These guys seem to play favorites and seem to expect some kind of bribing or something to get bands in... I don't know... this seems to be a bigger problem in the A-clubs than local bars, but yes.. I have seen a few slobs- bottom feeders - wrap up a local bar and wreck the entertainment side of things.

[Vito Corleone]

That's pretty much how it was back in "the day". Didn't involve sound guys, but the top agents had control of the top rooms. You wanted to play those clubs, you had to work through those agents. Either you were signed with them, or your agent and the clubs agents cut a deal.

 

But how it's being done now? I dunno. Doesn't sound good from the way you guys describe it. Just something else that seems to have deteriorated greatly in the last 20+ years.

[rangefinder]

That's pretty much how it was back in "the day". Didn't involve sound guys' date=' but the top agents had control of the top rooms. You wanted to play those clubs, you had to work through those agents. Either you were signed with them, or your agent and the clubs agents cut a deal. [/quote']

 

That I think I could live with... but the sound guy could be a real hassle because he should be working for you, but if you tell him in no uncertain terms that his mix sucks and to get it together, now you risk future gigs with the clubs he has locked up. I went to a show the other day where the sound was just brutal, but even as a person in the crowd I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to get a reputation as a complainer. I didn't even say anything to the band, who are the ones who should REALLY know. I just left.

[SpaceNorman]

 

...if you tell him in no uncertain terms that his mix sucks and to get it together' date=' now you risk future gigs with the clubs he has locked up.[/quote']

 

In most of the work scenarios I've been in (music and otherwise) - telling somebody that their work sucks in "no uncertain terms" rarely does anything to enhance the working relationship. This is especially the case when the guy doing the "telling" is essentially a contractor in the first place. Does telling somebody their work sucks usually work for you?

 

[rangefinder]

 

 

In most of the work scenarios I've been in (music and otherwise) - telling somebody that their work sucks in "no uncertain terms" rarely does anything to enhance the working relationship. This is especially the case when the guy doing the "telling" is essentially a contractor in the first place. Does telling somebody their work sucks usually work for you?

 

C'mon dude, I wasn't quoting exactly.

 

In this case (as just one part of the sound sucking) I watched the singer tell the sound guy that his monitor wasn't working, and the sound guy basically shrug it off. If the sound guy works for me, I tell him to get my {censored}ing monitor working, and I probably WOULD use those exact terms. If I work for the sound guy, what am I supposed to do?