Members netwerx1 Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 We don't like the tip jar idea, I personally don't like seeing it onstage when I see other cover bands. We played a gig last week, and after the first set I noticed that a tip jar had been placed at the front of the stage, and there was already money in it. Come to find out it was placed there by the venue, and it was attached to a plastic sign that said "BAND TIPS - Bands love to feel appreciated". I wasn't sure what to do, I didn't want people thinking we put it there...but I left it alone. See pic below: We had fun at this venue and they booked us again for September...but I was thinking of asking them to not put out the tip jar next time, although not wanting to insult them. What would you do? And what's your thoughts on tip jars in general? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 We never put out the tip jar, but when the venue puts it out, there's always money in it. You could ask them not to put it out without being a dick, but you won't necessarily talk to the right person--you ask the bartender not to put it out, but then a waitress notices there's no tip jar, and puts one up. That sort of thing. And asking them to put the tip jar away after it's already up there is harder to do without coming off as abrasive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 Obviously this venue believes band tips are part of the money THEY don't have to pay you in the same way they don't have to pay their waitresses. I would leave it. Since it obviously is something that is there for EVERY band at this venue, any regulars at the venue wouldn't attach it to the look of YOUR band anymore than they would that ladder sitting behind the fence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members netwerx1 Posted July 22, 2011 Author Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 ...any regulars at the venue wouldn't attach it to the look of YOUR band anymore than they would that ladder sitting behind the fence. Lol...actually it's a chair...yea this biker bar is full of "personality". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 WHY wouldn't you want free money??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chaff67 Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 ...any regulars at the venue wouldn't attach it to the look of YOUR band anymore than they would that ladder sitting behind the fence. I believe it's called "rustic decor" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members netwerx1 Posted July 22, 2011 Author Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 WHY wouldn't you want free money??? Love free money...but we're a 80's hard rock cover band, I guess I feel like it clashes with the "attitude" of what we're doing on stage. Maybe that's a dumb thought, I don't know, we're new . This was actually our first public gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 Love free money...but we're a 80's hard rock cover band, I guess I feel like it clashes with the "attitude" of what we're doing on stage. Maybe that's a dumb thought, I don't know, we're new . This was actually our first public gig. Take the money and run. Putting that jar up is the least the venue can do since I'm guessing they probably aren't paying you very much. Beats the hell out of the low-paying clubs I've played that WOULDN'T let us put a tip jar up.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crustee Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 Love free money...but we're a 80's hard rock cover band, I guess I feel like it clashes with the "attitude" of what we're doing on stage. Maybe that's a dumb thought, I don't know, we're new . This was actually our first public gig. I deliver LOTS of attitude onstage, and always remember to dance AROUND the tip jar, so as to not knock it over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 Tip jars at all the bar gigs ,, pvt functions ,, never. Hell we got a 40 dollar tip last week for playing a request for a garth song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted July 23, 2011 Members Share Posted July 23, 2011 I deliver LOTS of attitude onstage, and always remember to dance AROUND the tip jar, so as to not knock it over. Or, kick it over on purpose on the last song of the night to add to your '80's street cred. Just remember to kick it TOWARD the stage so you can pick the money up later... BTW have a good gig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MDLMUSIC Posted July 24, 2011 Members Share Posted July 24, 2011 I work with one band where the leader absolutely refuses to put out a tip jar and some audience members are visibly upset because they want to tip the band and there's no jar to put in their money. I always put a tip jar out at bar gigs. If it's more of an upscale club, I'll ask the manager first. I don't put out a tip jar at private parties, unless asked to do so by the person running the event. With my German band, I have a big glass beer stein for the tip jar with a sign on it that reads, "Ja, das ist mein tippen jar." But even with that I still get some of the ladies who insist on pushing the dollar bills down the front of my lederhosen. I wonder why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members richardmac Posted July 24, 2011 Members Share Posted July 24, 2011 With my German band, I have a big glass beer stein for the tip jar with a sign on it that reads, "Ja, das ist mein tippen jar." But even with that I still get some of the ladies who insist on pushing the dollar bills down the front of my lederhosen. I wonder why? Thanks a lot! Coffee just came out of my nose! LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MusicalSchizo Posted July 24, 2011 Members Share Posted July 24, 2011 That tip jar is tiny, and does nothing to harm the look of your band on stage. People who want to tip you have a place to put the money, and there's no downside to that. It's way more awkward when they want to tip you and have nowhere to put it. We've misplaced our tip jar from time to time (read: forgot to take it out of the trailer) and it's led to some weird moments with patrons who want to tip us... Let it be...and rock on, my friend!Brian V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kmart Posted July 24, 2011 Members Share Posted July 24, 2011 ...some audience members are visibly upset because they want to tip the band and there's no jar to put in their money. It never occurred to them that they could hand a tip to someone on stage between songs, toss the money onstage, buy a drink for someone on stage (or everyone) and leave the tip under the glass/cup, etc.? Funny, I've played MAYBE a dozen gigs in my life where there was a tip jar on stage, and the absence of one has never stopped people who wanted to leave the band something extra from doing so on hundreds of other occasions. The tip jar serves one purpose and one purpose alone for the audience: allows them to make an obvious show of their generosity. I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, but lack of a tip jar doesn't prevent someone from tipping at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members summit111 Posted July 24, 2011 Members Share Posted July 24, 2011 My Brothers, Several years ago, I had a guitar sub put out a tip jar at a private function. Total take was $120 and he didn't share it because it was "his tip jar!" Well I fired the prick on the spot and let everyone know what he did. Bad news travels fast, and he still can't get on any regular work because of his bad attitude. Great player, though, but a real dick to work with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted July 24, 2011 Members Share Posted July 24, 2011 I had a guy toss a $100 bill on stage recently for doing a single song request . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Howie22 Posted July 24, 2011 Members Share Posted July 24, 2011 I do the solo acoustic thing, so a tip jar is far more acceptable. I use a glass wine carafe, since it looks a little classier than a pitcher or bucket, particularly at wine bars. The one I use has the little chalkboard paint square on it, where I write "TIPS" Like others, only at public gigs. Never at a private function. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members samson3382 Posted July 25, 2011 Members Share Posted July 25, 2011 buy a drink for someone on stage (or everyone) and leave the tip under the glass/cup, etc.? Off topic but your post reminded me... Had this waitress, she must have been new, at this bar gig. Someone buys us a round of beers, and she brings them up, right as were starting a song, and stands there with this "wtf?" look on her face holding them up, as if to say "you gonna take these or what". We're just a 3 peice, so everyone's busy. She stood there awkwardly right in front of the stage with that look for the whole song until guitar player ended and took the plate. Weird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted July 25, 2011 Members Share Posted July 25, 2011 Off topic but your post reminded me...Had this waitress, she must have been new, at this bar gig. Someone buys us a round of beers, and she brings them up, right as were starting a song, and stands there with this "wtf?" look on her face holding them up, as if to say "you gonna take these or what". We're just a 3 peice, so everyone's busy. She stood there awkwardly right in front of the stage with that look for the whole song until guitar player ended and took the plate. Weirdcan't tell you how many times I've had waitresses do that same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted July 25, 2011 Members Share Posted July 25, 2011 We keep a hat on the stage for tips. People want to show their appreciation and a tip jar is another way to let them. If it's not there, many times they'll ask for it, and we've had venues provide it for us on occasion too. I agree that it could look cheesy, and begging for tips is uncool, but it seems something some people in the audience expect, and who are we to deny them. We usually bring in $50 - $100 a night in tips, which we put towards the bar tab if we have one, tipping the servers that take care of us and buying band supplies and things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kmart Posted July 25, 2011 Members Share Posted July 25, 2011 can't tell you how many times I've had waitresses do that same thing. Watched almost the exact thing Saturday night with the 4-piece I was filling in for; towards the end of our first break, waitress comes up and asks if she can get a drink order before we hit the stage again. We head up, start playing, midway through the first song, she walks up to the front man with her tray and stands dead in front of him, then thinks about it a second (I SWEAR I could smell the smoke), and takes a step to the side, then again pauses trying to figure out why he isn't taking the drink from her. Finally she sets his down at his feet, moves to the next guy down the line and repeats, etc. Her shift must have ended early: during the third set, her replacement came up to the rhythm guitarist between songs, asked him what everybody wanted, and then delivered a round (on her) in between songs a couple minutes later. She just walked across the playing area (no stage) and handed drinks to everyone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted July 25, 2011 Members Share Posted July 25, 2011 My Brothers,Several years ago, I had a guitar sub put out a tip jar at a private function. Total take was $120 and he didn't share it because it was "his tip jar!" Well I fired the prick on the spot and let everyone know what he did. Bad news travels fast, and he still can't get on any regular work because of his bad attitude. Great player, though, but a real dick to work with! Hmm, odd call on that one. I'm not sure a tip jar is appropriate at a private function, but IN GENERAL if you had a sub and HE put out a tip jar, but the band didn't have one, is he obligated to share. That's a conundrum right there! I guess there's two sides to every story: A drummer friend was subbing with a band at a local house gig. They had never set up a tip jar. My friend fixed up a tip jar and set it in a conspicuous place. At the end of the night the band leader took all the money and didn't split it with the band. That band always had a tip jar after that night. My friend was always busy when that band leader called him about gigs from then on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zon5string Posted July 25, 2011 Members Share Posted July 25, 2011 Some of the bands I play with put out a tip jar, some don't. All will accept tips, though. Or drinks. One had the tip jar labeled as "Band Rehab Fund". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SwampMusic Posted July 25, 2011 Members Share Posted July 25, 2011 We use a galvanized pail filled about half full with band coozies. Most people are honest enough to leave a tip worth more than the coozie if they take one at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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