Members BlueStrat Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 +1 - my first post here in this section of HC, but I just had to respond. I can't begin to count or remember how many times I've heard the "exposure" quotient played up as a reason to do a free gig for someone. To me the only thing exposed is your little pink butthole as you are bending over getting ready to take it from this promoter, intern, or whoever else it is ready to sucker punch your sphincter. As modulsman said, bring ample quantities of lube:rolleyes: A little harsh and opinionated - maybe so - but this whole exposure thing really grinds my beans:mad: +1000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ThudMaker Posted September 30, 2008 Moderators Share Posted September 30, 2008 I think the number of bands willing to play for free is disappointing. Way too many people do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members indigoguy Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 No offense OP but it seems pretty messed up that you would play a gig for free for a stranger but not do it for a friend... complete opposite to the way my mind works but Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 "You'll get good exposure" should be right up there with "the check is in the mail" and "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cherri Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." But I AM! :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 But I AM! :poke: But...I thought you were an angel from God.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cherri Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 But...I thought you were an angel from God.... So did HE. :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members newmaxnew Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 All I can say is wow! If they have no entertainment budget then they should have no entertainment period. If you want to do it, just assume you will get nothing but some food and drink, you might get some offers to play more gigs for free because you just set your price and value. We do one free gig a year to benefit a school, however we always get a $500 tip so we aren't really playing for free after all. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mstreck Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 We took a free "exposure" gig - and ended up getting paid $1500 for it. You just never know.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stagebandit Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 We took a free "exposure" gig - and ended up getting paid $1500 for it.You just never know.... True! And when you're expecting nothing, anything you get seems like a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 No offense OP but it seems pretty messed up that you would play a gig for free for a stranger but not do it for a friend... complete opposite to the way my mind works but I totally agree, you should have played the engagement party, but oh well. As far as this gig goes, you've already accepted it, so just go do it as professionally as possible and have fun. Don't go overboard on the free booze as you could mess up any possible future gigs. Do keep us informed as to how it went and what reactions, connections or gigs you got from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dk123123dk Posted September 30, 2008 Members Share Posted September 30, 2008 I think this is a waste of time. I cannot understand why people would play for free. Esp music that they wrote... I know its hard to get paid as a musician, but for every band that does a free gig, a paying gig dries up somewhere. dk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinC Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 I think this is a waste of time. I cannot understand why people would play for free. Esp music that they wrote... I know its hard to get paid as a musician, but for every band that does a free gig, a paying gig dries up somewhere.dk So true. And a fairy drops dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 12Pack Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 We have 5 members in our group - We have an agreement that each one of us has the ability to have us all play for 1 free show to a family member - charity event - whatever - that would be 5 a year. Out of all 5 of us, we play maybe 1 time a year for free. Typically if a personal friend asks me to play for free I'll tell them that "I" will play for free but you have to pay the other members. I've done a few of those before. I had a cousin that had a band back out the last minute for his private party. He asked me to bring my band and play for free - I told him I would - but he has to pay the other band members. He didn't want to - we didn't play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crossways Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 Crap, I am stuck with the image in my mind of your two bandmates driving from Atlanta, where a buddy of mine said he saw $8 per gallon gas this past weekend, and where the news said people were sleeping in their cars waiting in lines at the pump. It would have to pay pretty well for me to do any gigging for the next few weeks in that senario. Is it really that bad down there? Back on topic - under normal circumstances...yeah it sounds like a unique enough situation that I'd play, especially given they are a fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sabriel9v Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 +1 - my first post here in this section of HC, but I just had to respond. I can't begin to count or remember how many times I've heard the "exposure" quotient played up as a reason to do a free gig for someone. To me the only thing exposed is your little pink butthole as you are bending over getting ready to take it from this promoter, intern, or whoever else it is ready to sucker punch your sphincter. As modulsman said, bring ample quantities of lube:rolleyes: A little harsh and opinionated - maybe so - but this whole exposure thing really grinds my beans:mad: I disagree. I've seen the OP's band live and I'm certain they'll bring a good show and reap the benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 I disagree. I've seen the OP's band live and I'm certain they'll bring a good show and reap the benefits. What "benefits? " I've done a few of these 'exposure' shows and long ago learned that nothing much if anything ever comes of them. I know, I know, someone might hear you and book you for their party. They can hear you just as well when you're getting paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 Originally Posted by dk123123dk I think this is a waste of time. I cannot understand why people would play for free. Esp music that they wrote... I know its hard to get paid as a musician, but for every band that does a free gig, a paying gig dries up somewhere. So true. And a fairy drops dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blsmn Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 I disagree. I've seen the OP's band live and I'm certain they'll bring a good show and reap the benefits.I never questioned the OP's band's ability to bring a good show - I would not be so presumptious as to do that without ever hearing them, and would never equate playing for free to not having the chops to get a paying gig. I just think that if they indeed can bring it they deserve to get paid for doing so. I kind of liken the whole situation to someone interested in a job opening and then being told by the potential employer "You know, I really like what you do - why don't you come in tomorrow and work for the day. Of course, I can't pay you for the day but you might be exposed to someone else who would want to hire you". As far as reaping benefits, I could see where it might be possible if the intern throwing the party would say "You know, so and so IS going to be here and he/she has heard good things about your band, and if he/she likes what they hear he/she has indicated that there will be opportunities coming your way". Of course, there are no real guarantees in that scenario either, but would at least indicate an effort on the intern's part to show a little respect for your efforts. I don't see any of that going on here - to me it's just bending over and grabbing your ankles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members indigoguy Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 I never questioned the OP's band's ability to bring a good show - I would not be so presumptious as to do that without ever hearing them, and would never equate playing for free to not having the chops to get a paying gig. I just think that if they indeed can bring it they deserve to get paid for doing so. I kind of liken the whole situation to someone interested in a job opening and then being told by the potential employer "You know, I really like what you do - why don't you come in tomorrow and work for the day. Of course, I can't pay you for the day but you might be exposed to someone else who would want to hire you". This is quite an amusing analogy in light of the fact that the OP is talking about playing a free gig for an intern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blsmn Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 This is quite an amusing analogy in light of the fact that the OP is talking about playing a free gig for an intern :)Point taken - although if you notice I did say "kind of liken". Granted, it is not the same situation, but the concept is surely there. You come in and perform a service for me, free of charge, and I benefit from it either monetarily or party-tarily (I know that is not a word but it sounded appropriate;)), and oh yea, there just might be the possibility of you possibly picking up something else from this. To me it is downright rude and inconsiderate in either situation - if I think enough of you to want you for my situation it is only right to compensate you appropriately. This intern is just a knob player wanna-be - and I'd never give him the satisfaction of playing me. Just my humble opinion:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 Translation: come and play for me! I won't pay you but maybe someone else will....somewhere else, sometime later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Janx Posted October 1, 2008 Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 This is quite an amusing analogy in light of the fact that the OP is talking about playing a free gig for an intern Not to get sidetracked, but I think some of you think interns don't get paid.That varies by industry. Tech industry, they get paid. Hell, they get paid $15 an hour or more (increases for each year) where I work. These are college students, working on CompSci degrees.Journalism/Mass Comm majors? Forget it. They don't get paid.Not evey industry includes work for free as part of "paying your dues" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Deeprig9 Posted October 1, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 To clear up some misconceptions: 1: The offer to play friend's engagement party for free was turned down because: A- They did have an entertainment budget, they were spending thousands of dollars and just assumed we'd do it for free, when we turned it down, we fully expected to get some kind of 'Ok, how about $100 bucks?". B- It was a Friday night. Due to restrictions among all 5 members, we can't do more than 1 Friday a month. So that would have eliminated any other offers for that month on a Friday. C- It was in aTL, so that meant 3 people going from Athens, versus 2 coming from ATL in the current scenario. 2: This intern gig is on a Sunday. That's normally practice day, so we'd already be in Athens together anyway. This intern's entertainment budget is zero, there isn't alot of money being spent on anything, it's just a house party, maybe $100 on booze and some chicken wings. If we get there and it's apparent they've spent $1000 on all kinds of {censored}, hired a DJ, rented {censored}, that's a totally different story. I don't know if we'd extort the host on the spot, but it is always a bad thing to screw over people who buy ink by the barrel, as Mark Twain said. My 9 volt battery might die on me, I could tell the host I need to run to the store and buy one, for $100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Deeprig9 Posted October 1, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 1, 2008 By the way, you are all sexists.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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