Paying cover charge

[6StringSling]

Personally, because I've never been particularly impressed with any live band I've ever seen in a bar (and since I don't ever go out to check out the live music scene that number is about 6 bands over a span of about 25 years) I flatly refuse to pay a cover charge. I do not trust anyone's ears but my own so my friends telling me that such and such a band is worth it is meaningless to me. Hell, last year a friend and I went to a local sports bar just to watch his beloved Spurs in the playoffs and there was one of those MMA or UFC fights that the owner was paying to show so he was charging a cover. We refused to pay it and went and watched the game at some other bar.

 

Just last weekend it was a friend's birthday and he wanted me to go with him and his wife and some of their friends to a Philippino bar. (His wife is from the Philippines) There was a live band playing in a bar that was about 1000sq feet in total playing 60's-70's material and while they were certainly competent, they were so {censored}ing loud that it was impossible to talk unless you put your face in someone's ear and yelled. Besides which the guitarist obviously thought he was the {censored} - the loudest in the mix and drowned out almost half the vocals playing a nice Flying V that couldn't stay in tune so he finally switched guitars. And there was zero stage presence or noticeable enthusiasm.

 

And i'm not exaggerating loud - imagine trying to have a nice dinner at a table for two but with a couple of lawn movers and a snow blower running in the middle of the table.

 

They had a tip jar and yes, I was very seriously tempted to give them a couple of tips on how be more "listenable".

 

So I'm pretty much 0 for about 6 on live bands in bars and still will have the (perhaps very unfairly) preconceived notion that most most local bar bands suck and I will not pay a cover charge of even $1.

[stevie j]

Thats the unfortunate thing about local bands,you don't know what to expect. Luckily myspace etc. can give us an idea, but even then most bands are just terrible live.

 

But I suppose thats the name of the game, if you want to see good music, you have to take the good with the bad and shop around. Then you know what to see and what to avoid.

 

The good thing about doing sound is most venues in my area know me and I don't have to pay cover.

[dogtownmax]

why would you want to listen to a cover band anyway, unless its a wedding or something?

 

around these parts, we have enough fantastically talented bands running around that commercial radio sounds as bland as elevator muzak. maybe we are lucky or something, but when i go to my local bar i have at least a 50% chance of being completely amazed for $5. its both inspiring and humbling. those are not bad odds for the price.

 

as for paying a cover to watch a tv, uh, hahaahhahahhaha..... no.

[6StringSling]

 

why would you want to listen to a cover band anyway, unless its a wedding or something?

 

It wouldn't matter to me though as far as I'm concerned, an originals band has much more of a chance of sucking than a cover band does.

[GreenAsJade]

Yeah ... how about "because cover bands play songs that I like, originals bands play songs I've never heard before". That sounds like a good reason to listen to a cover band to me.

 

Of course "because they play new music you might like" is a good reason to go see an original band.

 

At an open mic I went to last week the house band did an absolute killer Purpse Haze. I loved it.

 

Then an original band did an outstanding prog rock thing for about 15 minutes. I loved that too.

 

"How come you'd go se a cover band" is just one of the damn stupid questions, I guess

 

GaJ

[Chicken Monkey]

I think you're missing two elements here:

 

1) As a musician, you should be able to learn something from anyone with the sack to step on stage.

 

2) You're supporting the local music scene. If no one goes to see bands, there's really no incentive to hire bands, so filling those clubs benefits you as a musician.

 

I'll agree that it's hard to take other people out to see {censored}ty bands, though. I think with myspace, etc., you can do enough research ahead of time to find a decent band playing in the area.

[DaveH]

Cheap bastard :poke:

[superiorparts]

i dont mind paying cover charges in my area regardless of the band or situation as long as the cover is in reason. a lot of the places bands play around here, the band only gets the money that is paid as cover to get in the bar. i like supporting other bands especially if i know they are working hard and are trying hard even if they suck a little. i dont mind telling someone that they need to go somewhere else if they dont want to pay a cover. hey, if you dont like it, dont come in!

[alcohol]

You have a philosophical problem with paying a charge to go into a nightclub! Well you got a problem that is robbing you of more than money, because there's a lots of good music in local clubs that you've cut yourself off from because you adhere to a ridiculous principle.

 

Oregon has a reputation of producing many fine bands. I have homes in Boston and Vermont, and there's no shortage of great local music here in MA and VT, not to mention when I get around NH. I'm not talking about cover bands, I'm talking about original bands that produce unique and mainstream musics. I can't believe that Oregon has a shortage of good musicians. It isn't hard to find good music. I bet Oregon has lots of publications that review the local music scene and can steer you to find some great local music.

 

I think you need to rethink things.

[tlbonehead]

Personally, because I've never been particularly impressed with any live band I've ever seen in a bar (and since I don't ever go out to check out the live music scene that number is about 6 bands over a span of about 25 years) I flatly refuse to pay a cover charge. I do not trust anyone's ears but my own so my friends telling me that such and such a band is worth it is meaningless to me. Hell, last year a friend and I went to a local sports bar just to watch his beloved Spurs in the playoffs and there was one of those MMA or UFC fights that the owner was paying to show so he was charging a cover. We refused to pay it and went and watched the game at some other bar. Just last weekend it was a friend's birthday and he wanted me to go with him and his wife and some of their friends to a Philippino bar. (His wife is from the Philippines) There was a live band playing in a bar that was about 1000sq feet in total playing 60's-70's material and while they were certainly competent, they were so {censored}ing loud that it was impossible to talk unless you put your face in someone's ear and yelled. Besides which the guitarist obviously thought he was the {censored} - the loudest in the mix and drowned out almost half the vocals playing a nice Flying V that couldn't stay in tune so he finally switched guitars. And there was zero stage presence or noticeable enthusiasm. And i'm not exaggerating loud - imagine trying to have a nice dinner at a table for two but with a couple of lawn movers and a snow blower running in the middle of the table. They had a tip jar and yes, I was very seriously tempted to give them a couple of tips on how be more "listenable". So I'm pretty much 0 for about 6 on live bands in bars and still will have the (perhaps very unfairly) preconceived notion that most most local bar bands suck and I will not pay a cover charge of even $1.

What was your question?

[caveman]

I am so above it all that I only go out to hear local bands if they provide me with a limo, free drinks, a couple of hookers and a signed apology for having to listen to thier music..

[BlueStrat]

I am so above it all that I only go out to hear local bands if they provide me with a limo, free drinks, a couple of hookers and a signed apology for having to listen to thier music..

Now THAT's funny!

[SunRaFan]

I don't get it. Are you even interested in music? I often like the sound quality in small bars better than arena shows or festivals. The difference in musical ability between a local bar act and a superstar ranges from quite a lot to nothing. If you pay attention to who is good in your area, you can see some great music very cheaply.

 

It's hit or miss. I did see a really lousy show last night. First act was out of time drumming + monotone noise generator. It was literally monotonous. Second act was a Weird Al inspired novelty act. Third act was fairly crude punk, but at least entertaining. On other nights, I might see world class jazz performers or a great local indy rock band. It just takes a little effort to find the good stuff.

[Guitar Centaur]

Cheap bastard :poke:

 

No {censored}.

 

What does five bucks buy anymore?

 

Guy acts like it's half his life savings....

 

[Guitar Centaur]

The last three clubs we've played since I joined the band had LOVED us.

 

Yes, we're a cover band. No, we're not "above" playing Mustang Sally if the crowd wants to hear it. We're hired to provide entertainment for the people who pay to see us, and that's what we do. We do it very well, and we do our best to do it at a reasonable volume.

 

The owner last night was talking to us after the show when he was paying us and said "Maybe I don't understand how bands work, but the last two bands we had in here had these HUGE PAs with massive stacks and subs, a soundboard almost as long as the bar and a dedicated soundguy and they sounded ok, then you guys come in with a little PA on a stick and sound fantastic. I don't get it".

 

We told him it's because we've been doing it a long time, and understand the concept of dynamics.

 

I LOVE playing music with these guys. They're exrtremely talented, and we have a helluva good time onstage. The crowd sees and feels that, and they get into it too. I'd like to think that there isn't anyone out there who came to see us who felt "cheated" by paying a five dollar cover.

[wheresgrant3]

Hmmmmmm... I'm a musician.... I play in a popular cover band.... I play in a lot of local clubs....

 

So what's a cover charge?

[ChordGirl]

I will say that 2/3 of bands can't mix the sound properly. Either there's one person so loud you can't stand it, or everyone's too loud or much louder than the vocals. Don't forget the overall muffled sound that bands like to put out, too.

 

On the other hand, around here, the best musicians only work in a cover situation, unless it's a solo/duo thing. I know a dozen or so local working pros (meaning, playing shows is their sole income). Outside of private parties, they rely on the tourists and 'trained local patrons' to shell out the $5 cover so they can keep working. Oh, and their sound mix is generally really good, too. In other words, if you refuse to pay a cover, you'll never get to see the best bands out there, IMO.

 

There are definitely clubs that I avoid like the plague, though. If every time I walk in, the band's sound sucks, I tend to eventually just stop going there.

 

Oh, and as a couple of people have hinted at, if you play the local clubs regularly, or even just sit in sometimes, you get the musicians discount-->No cover and sometimes employee-priced drinks.

[rhat]

The only reason for a cover charge is when a venue has a draw that is bigger than the capacity. When i am in south texas we go out alot to listen to live music. If bar on the island had a cover , people would just bypass it and go to a bar with no cover. All the music and entertainers down there are great.... so no one has a cover. Now its a resort area and there is live music typically a couple places 7 days a week. The only time I ever paid to in to hear a band was los lonley boys. That was a limitied ticket sale concert, It was 25 bucks

[ChordGirl]

 

The only reason for a cover charge is when a venue has a draw that is bigger than the capacity. When i am in south texas we go out alot to listen to live music. If bar on the island had a cover , people would just bypass it and go to a bar with no cover. All the music and entertainers down there are great.... so no one has a cover. Now its a resort area and there is live music typically a couple places 7 days a week. The only time I ever paid to in to hear a band was los lonley boys. That was a limitied ticket sale concert, It was 25 bucks

 

 

Those bars have to have a larger ring, then. As a bar owner, you can't be paying a band $500 if your ring is only $1200. You have to bring it up to $2000 in order to pay that much for a band and still make money that night for the bar. Otherwise, you go with a cover charge to at least reimburse most of the guarantee, if not exceed it.

 

Around here, there are sections of the city where the bars never charge cover. Those bands get paid less (like $40/head--in some cases less). The really good musicians usually won't work for that. The ones who actually make their living entirely from music (playing shows) NEVER work for $40/night. You can make $ as a solo in those bars, but that's about it.

[Kramerguy]

 

The owner last night was talking to us after the show when he was paying us and said "Maybe I don't understand how bands work, but the last two bands we had in here had these HUGE PAs with massive stacks and subs, a soundboard almost as long as the bar and a dedicated soundguy and they sounded ok, then you guys come in with a little PA on a stick and sound fantastic. I don't get it".

 

 

There is so much truthiness to this statement, it should be stickied to the top of the forum.

[rhat]

 

There is so much truthiness to this statement, it should be stickied to the top of the forum.

 

 

 

The more gear than talent deal eh.

[tlbonehead]

 

Those bars have to have a larger ring, then. As a bar owner, you can't be paying a band $500 if your ring is only $1200. You have to bring it up to $2000 in order to pay that much for a band and still make money that night for the bar. Otherwise, you go with a cover charge to at least reimburse most of the guarantee, if not exceed it. Around here, there are sections of the city where the bars never charge cover. Those bands get paid less (like $40/head--in some cases less). The really good musicians usually won't work for that. The ones who actually make their living entirely from music (playing shows) NEVER work for $40/night. You can make $ as a solo in those bars, but that's about it.

 

Around here, more clubs DON'T have a cover than Do. Lots of them, however, raise their drink prices like a quarter or so when they feature live music. And we usually get $550-650 for our 3-piece band.

[tlbonehead]

The last three clubs we've played since I joined the band had LOVED us. Yes, we're a cover band. No, we're not "above" playing Mustang Sally if the crowd wants to hear it. We're hired to provide entertainment for the people who pay to see us, and that's what we do. We do it very well, and we do our best to do it at a reasonable volume. The owner last night was talking to us after the show when he was paying us and said "Maybe I don't understand how bands work, but the last two bands we had in here had these HUGE PAs with massive stacks and subs, a soundboard almost as long as the bar and a dedicated soundguy and they sounded ok, then you guys come in with a little PA on a stick and sound fantastic. I don't get it". We told him it's because we've been doing it a long time, and understand the concept of dynamics. I LOVE playing music with these guys. They're exrtremely talented, and we have a helluva good time onstage. The crowd sees and feels that, and they get into it too. I'd like to think that there isn't anyone out there who came to see us who felt "cheated" by paying a five dollar cover.

A huge PA guarantees nothing. But many types of music can not be done accurately and authentically with a little 1000 watt PA-on-a-stick. You need some thump in that bottom octave to sound real. Unfortunately, many bands and sound people use a gig to show off their PA and not to make the music sound as authentic as possible.

[rhat]

 

Around here, more clubs DON'T have a cover than Do. Lots of them, however, raise their drink prices like a quarter or so when they feature live music. And we usually get $550-650 for our 3-piece band.

 

 

 

The way alot of polopa bars down on south padre island do it is that the live music is a sunset show. This brings in an older crowd and typically they have a bite to eat and listen to the live entertainment. Its a good format and nitch for a bar with a great sunset view. Alot of locals get out to hear their fav entertainers and socialize. The bigger venues with full band in the hotels are typically all tourists.

[Kramerguy]

Around here, more clubs DON'T have a cover than Do. Lots of them, however, raise their drink prices like a quarter or so when they feature live music. And we usually get $550-650 for our 3-piece band.

 

In these parts it's the opposite. The largest club in this area pays $1,500 a night, and ONLY has coverbands. Most of the local watering holes pay $200-400 and want covers. They will only allow all-original bands on the agreements that the band can guarantee a specific number of people show. It really sucks, because I'm sick of doing covers.