Members Pat'sStrat Posted March 4, 2017 Members Share Posted March 4, 2017 For years, I have booked myself and done quite well with it. I was playing 8 to 16 dates a month. Over the past couple years, since I play in a band now, I cut back on the solo gigs, and the few I have left are falling away because the places are discontinuing music or closing altogether. I have about 3 places left I play regularly. But the same goes for band gigs, so I decided I better get on the stick and make some phone calls. And guess what? Nearly every venue in town is now booking through one of two local headhunters- guys who call themselves ''agents" but are in fact working for the clubs, not the musicians. Yet it is the musicians, not the clubs, paying them 10% for making the club owners' and managers' jobs easier for them. I have always been opposed to this. That is, until I decided to accept some work from one. Turns out, places that had been paying a hundred a night are now paying 125 or 150, plus a meal, and whatever tips I can get. So even paying the vig, I still walk away with more than when I booked myself. I don;t have to make phone calls and my calendar is filling up again. I think I'm starting to like this. I guess you're never too old to adopt new ways. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 4, 2017 Moderators Share Posted March 4, 2017 10%? Down here it can run 15-20%... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members moogerfooger Posted March 5, 2017 Members Share Posted March 5, 2017 I hear ya. i was book in a club by my long time agent after the show that guy want to rebook and I said just call my agent. he wanted to pay me less to cut the agent out. I said I pay agent not you. why should I take less and save you money? he had booked me once and wanted a discount when my agent had booked me hundreds of times. he said he wouldn't book me again then. I said fine with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 5, 2017 Members Share Posted March 5, 2017 20% is the norm here. And the vast majority of agents have always worked for the venues, not the musicians. Still, we pay the fee. But I hate doing cold calls and pounding the pavement, so for me it's worth the 20% for my time. Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted March 5, 2017 Members Share Posted March 5, 2017 Variation on the theme . . . . The rooms I was working - past tense - both put a young, inexperienced person in charge of filling the calendar. I suppose I should be glad they didn't charge me, but I would have preferred to work directly with the owner. Perhaps the problems with poor scheduling methods, poor communication, poor use of charging a cover, etc. could have been avoided. Another issue is that the music tastes of a booker who has nothing in common with their clientele isn't going to work well. I worked with agents a long time ago and would be happy to do so now, provided they actually knew what they were doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pat'sStrat Posted March 6, 2017 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2017 Perhaps, but when I booked full time on the road 30 years ago the agency had a stable of bands and they negotiated all kinds of things on our behalf, dealt with any problems that arose, and generally earned their pay. Even 10 years ago, the agent I worked with got me room, meals, dedicated circuits on stage, paid during or before the performance, etc. Contrast that with the guy I played a casino gig for a few years ago. I signed the contract, and then asked him about the deal with motel rooms. Oh, no, he doesn't do that, I'd have to work something out with the motel manager. So we asked about meals, and got the same response, that it was up whatever I could work out with the restaurant manager. So, what exactly am I paying you 10% for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 6, 2017 Members Share Posted March 6, 2017 "Back in the day" when I was in a road band, the agent took care of everything. However, he was still loyal to the venue. Without the venue, he would have no place to book his bands. And bands are easier to come by than rooms. The agencies that book us today do less, they just get the gig and take 20% off the top. I even found one cheating us (don't worry, we'll get the check send the commission. And when the club handed us the check by mistake, I found the agent was getting 50% commission. But there are cheats in every profession. So what am I paying them for? Networking and telephone calls, so I don't have to do it. But around here, most work is done without agents, and fortunately well over 90% of our work is either repeat business or referrals. That's good, because I hate being the "band salesman" and so does my partner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 7, 2017 Moderators Share Posted March 7, 2017 young inexperienced person = a) unemployed nephewb) neighbor's kid who will work for nothing but commissionc) unemployed nephew who will work for nothing but commissiond) daughter's boyfriend who will work for nothing but commissione) dishwasher who claims he is a musician and who will do the booking for the commission...ad infinitum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted March 7, 2017 Members Share Posted March 7, 2017 How about:musician books bar books: mostly his pals andpeople who, in turn, will book him will not book:people who are too different from himnot his friendshave nothing to offer him in return Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted March 7, 2017 Members Share Posted March 7, 2017 if I'm not mistaken, a booking agency down here needs a license... I'm sure they are operating according to law? taxes to be filed... there are ways to apply pressure... but only if youre leaving them hanging when the dust settles.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 8, 2017 Moderators Share Posted March 8, 2017 we have a guy liketha tin one county...he spent ten years sewing up the major venues, and then booking only his bands... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted March 8, 2017 Members Share Posted March 8, 2017 Most bars and restaurants here are non agent. They are too fly by night, either with their music policy or with their actual viability, to be worth it for an agent. Way back when, there were lots of little agencies and maybe six main agencies in town. Now there are a couple of big ones that book people like Bryan Adams and Diana Krall, and then a few others that do local stuff. There is one major player in the local scene and they have all the hotels and casinos, most of the private and business clubs and so on. They book mainly solos and duos and some DJ's because these days, if anybody needs a band, they usually just hire a DJ. Fifteen percent is the norm here and twenty percent for some casuals. Of course there are many talent agencies for the movie and TV work, but that's a whole different story. When I book a date myself, I wind up charging double or triple what I get from an agency gig, because there is often one or two site visits, twenty or more emails, texts and phone calls, and a whole lot of hand holding and reassuring. In many cases, I would rather pay the fifteen percent. I have caught agents double dipping and/or taking more off the top, but I figure if they are smart enough to outsmart me, they can have it. It's not like the car industry, food manufacturers, banks, and everyone else isn't lying and cheating. I expect it. As long as I get the majority of the proceeds, they can have what's left over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted March 10, 2017 Members Share Posted March 10, 2017 Actually, I'd love it if there was an agency that could keep me working as much as I want for a fair price. I wouldn't mind paying the fee. I could then spend more time on making better music. Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted March 10, 2017 Members Share Posted March 10, 2017 For years, I have booked myself and done quite well with it. I was playing 8 to 16 dates a month. Over the past couple years, since I play in a band now, I cut back on the solo gigs, and the few I have left are falling away because the places are discontinuing music or closing altogether. I have about 3 places left I play regularly. But the same goes for band gigs, so I decided I better get on the stick and make some phone calls. And guess what? Nearly every venue in town is now booking through one of two local headhunters- guys who call themselves ''agents" but are in fact working for the clubs, not the musicians. Yet it is the musicians, not the clubs, paying them 10% for making the club owners' and managers' jobs easier for them. I have always been opposed to this. That is, until I decided to accept some work from one. Turns out, places that had been paying a hundred a night are now paying 125 or 150, plus a meal, and whatever tips I can get. So even paying the vig, I still walk away with more than when I booked myself. I don;t have to make phone calls and my calendar is filling up again. I think I'm starting to like this. I guess you're never too old to adopt new ways. LOL Almost every gig I play down here is run through an agent. I don't like it because I have no ability to develop a personal rapport with the management and therefore I'm just a cog in the wheel and I believe I get less work because of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pat'sStrat Posted March 11, 2017 Author Members Share Posted March 11, 2017 Well, I played my first gig for the guy last night. I actually liked it, did well, and the staff were very complimentary and said they got nothing but positive feedback from the clientele, and the tip jar was full, so I can't ask for more than that. He's got me booked into some breweries and tavern-like gigs, which I don't normally do, so we'll see if the restaurant schtick goes over there or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pat'sStrat Posted March 19, 2017 Author Members Share Posted March 19, 2017 UPDATE: The guy has me booked for 14 gigs up into October, most of them at least $150 and some for $200, plus tips plus dinner. He put me on his "A" list based on comments he received from the first place I played for him (and I've known him for a very long time too) and he has said he'll book me more as things come in. He is opening new venues to live music all the time. If this keeps up, it will easily be worth the 10% he's asking. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted March 19, 2017 Members Share Posted March 19, 2017 sounds like a mutually agreeable deal! well played! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted March 21, 2017 Moderators Share Posted March 21, 2017 ***packs bags, books flight to Idaho***Pat, what is this guy's number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pat'sStrat Posted March 21, 2017 Author Members Share Posted March 21, 2017 I could hook you up if you're serious. The solo market here is thriving., The agent just told me yesterday that he has a line on two new venues that are opening up. My band guys will be bummed, but hell, I practically have to beg venues to book the band for a 300 to 400 dollar gig, and at that we get in once every 3-4 months because of the number of bands. Ther is one place that books us once a month but that's it. I know when i book solo gigs I run the risk of ruining the band's chance at gigs, but I'm looking to retire in June and I will need that extra steady income i will not get in a band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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