Members DanteRTS Posted March 21, 2006 Members Posted March 21, 2006 So, I had an event happen at a gig this weekend that spawned this thread. It's concerning paying bands from the door. What does everyone else consider "standard"?After the venue takes their deal (production, % of the door, ect), how do you, as the band putting the show together, handle the money? Not really wanting to get into a debate or anything, more of getting an idea of what's standard in other markets. Ours (as one of the bigger bands in our area) is this: - Any band bringing an out of town band to the bill pays for it out of their share. -If it's 2 same caliber local bands on the bill, split 50/50.-If it's not, decide on a fair split, or guarenteed amount.-All is discussed and agreed upon before hand. Anyone else?
Members squealie Posted March 21, 2006 Members Posted March 21, 2006 You're in one of the bigger bands.....in Nashville?
Members DanteRTS Posted March 21, 2006 Author Members Posted March 21, 2006 Yeah. In our genre, that is. We are one of the higher drawing bands in town, if that's the measuring stick most people use.
Members Beachbum Posted March 21, 2006 Members Posted March 21, 2006 Show me the paperwork. Anyone who agrees to the terms of the paperwork and signs it must think it's fair. (Or they shouldn't sign it. Word of mouth agreements can be anything at all after the show. He said, she said, they said, we said.... and on and on. Everyone thinks they are right. But if you have the paperwork - everything everyone agreed to suddenly becomes clear.)
Members srsfallriver Posted March 21, 2006 Members Posted March 21, 2006 Originally posted by Beachbum Show me the paperwork. Anyone who agrees to the terms of the paperwork and signs it must think it's fair. (Or they shouldn't sign it. Word of mouth agreements can be anything at all after the show. He said, she said, they said, we said.... and on and on. Everyone thinks they are right. But if you have the paperwork - everything everyone agreed to suddenly becomes clear.) Very good advice. I got buned years ago with this verbal agreement, "after paying the soundman and roadies, the (six man band's) pay will be devided seven equal ways with the seventh share going into a kitty for band expenses." I knew how much the roadies and soundguy got so I could figure out how much the band supposedly made. After a few months in the band, I found out that we were being booked for an average of $600 more per gig! The key player and singer that ran the band were screwing everyone else and pocketing an extra $300 or so each per gig. Nothing we could do but leave - it was a verbal agreement. We all quit. A similar thing happened to a friend of mine. He was in a band that had a kitty. They put aside a certain percentage of each gig for anything that was needed. They gigged alot and seldom needed anything from the kitty for several years. Then one day the band decided to get a new sound system. The band leader asked everyone for a share. Of course those in the band said to get the $$$ from the kitty but the bandleader (who had no other job but somehow had just paid off his house) said there was no money in the kitty. Everyone in that band quit as well.
Members BlueStrat Posted March 22, 2006 Members Posted March 22, 2006 Fortunately, any gigs I've done sharing a bill were for a guaranteed contracted amount. having to decide all this after the show would be my worst nightmare. Other than festivals or concets, I do the entire night myself. Then I only have to haggle with myself!
Members srsfallriver Posted March 22, 2006 Members Posted March 22, 2006 Originally posted by BlueStrat I only have to haggle with myself! I would lose every time if I had to haggle with myself!
Members Roy Brooks Posted March 22, 2006 Members Posted March 22, 2006 Originally posted by DanteRTS Yeah. In our genre, that is. We are one of the higher drawing bands in town, if that's the measuring stick most people use. Boy band?
Members DanteRTS Posted March 22, 2006 Author Members Posted March 22, 2006 haha. No. We tried, but NSync stole all of our moves and beat us to the punch. So, we bought some 7 strings and took up a heavy melodic thing.
Members rickkreuzer Posted March 23, 2006 Members Posted March 23, 2006 We played for the door one time. Screw that! IMO, it's not the band that 'draws' people, it's the club. The band's job is to keep them there drinking and having fun. So much fun that they bring all their friends next time. We discussed this in detail in our group. The ONLY way we'll play for the door is if we have a guaranteed amount. Since that one sucky gig about 4 years ago, no club has proposed us playing for the door. Thank God! BTW....that club is now closed. They never seemed to 'draw' the groups that could keep it filled. They never did get it off the ground. Wonder why?
Members DanteRTS Posted March 23, 2006 Author Members Posted March 23, 2006 I don't know if it's just Nashville, or being local, or that fact that we're an original band and not a cover. But all the bands play for the door, not a guarentee. We pay out of town band a set amount, but that's just them. There aren't any Rock Clubs in Nashville that have a built in crowd. No one says, "Let's go to the Exit/In and catch a band." It's always, "Let's go check out this band, I love them." And the clubs work to book the bands that draw. The only clubs in Nash that have a reoccuring draw are bars with loud speakers, or a cover band playing to the frat crowd wearing pink collored shirts and man sandals. Like I said, maybe it's just Nashville. I know when we open for the touring bands (Taproot, Nonpoint, Dark New Day) we get paid a set amount. So maybe that's the way the big boys play. But at the local level, not so much.
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