General Music Chat

It's insulting to any musician when a venue expects a cover-band to play for free.. ever! unless it's charity, of course.

No offense to anyone here, but I never understood this philosophy. It actually makes me ROFLMFAO.

Curious. Why?

Doesn't it cost you gas to get to the gig? Doesn't it take time to pack up, load up, drive out, load out, unpack, set up, play, pack up, load up, drive back home, unload ? Wear on your gear? Wear on your vehicle?

You see, if it's to go out and play a friends party, or a family yahoo, then great! Knock yourself out!

But a bar? They giving away drinks to all their "fans"? Very curious. They are making money off your presence. If they were to LOSE money by having you there, do you think they would have you out "for fun"??

Do you have a party, and post on craigslist that you need a clown, but that it's an unpaid gig?

Open mics? Sure. it's where we cut our teeth or go to hang out with our own. But a gig?? Nope. I just can't understand how musicians/bands are the ONLY skilled labor that is expected to perform for free. Even street mimes get paid for 'gigs'. That's sad. Sad that so many musicians just give away a viable and valuable commodity. It hurts others who aren't as giving or need the money to survive.

Like I said, originals bands are different, it's more about artistic expression and frankly, supply and demand. Sucks, but nobody can change that. Go ask the bartender for a free beer and let me know what he says.

Curious. Why?

It was just a "hehe" kind of thing. I totally agree with everything that you said. After playing in cover bands as a kid and now just doing all original songs, it makes no logical sense that an original band shouldn't be on the same pay scale or above a cover band (if they are of the same caliber with the songs/playing). I know that I'm preaching to the choir here, so you understand my amusement at the thought. It takes a whole hell of a lot more skill, effort, time, ect. to be a good original band than it does to do the same thing as a cover band. There's no denyin' that...

Part of the reason I asked this question is because I have a friend in Europe who is a professional singer. And she gets paid very well to be a cover artist in a lot of cases.

The environment is totally different over there. Big corporations put on these gala events and hire out musicians for good money. Also, they have lots of festivals and such and cover bands and tribute bands get nice coin. A singer working with as a duo singing covers can make really decent money and stay very, very busy (if they're good, which my friend is).

My friend makes a living singing for these bands and for these events and it kind of blows my mind. That's her full time job. I find it quite amazing, because I just don't think you could do that over here in the States. Our culture for music is way different, and is reflected in these bars that want to pay nothing for bands to play there. It's just so different over here.

I wish our music scene were more like Europe's

I wish our music scene were more like Europe's

And that's part of the reason that a few musicians from my area went over there for almost a decade. They're definetly not the best at their genres or even close, but they made enough cheese to move back here and live an easy life. I didn't have the same luxuries as they did (ie: I actually went to college for "Performing Arts/Classical Guitar"), so I do what I can do just to keep the music flowing and paid off my bills through working like everyone else.

You are soooooooooooooooooooooooooo right about Europe having it totally up on the States as far as music goes. They actually pay original acts MORE than cover bands if they're on the level as well.

If I didn't have a family to support, I'd be over there as well...tearin' sh!t the fu$k up! Better than they do of course.

I wish our music scene were more like Europe's

They aren't music snobs either. Which is cool.

Good music is good music... they aren't as hung up on being genre specific. It is not unusual to see three different bands, with three completely different genres, sharing the same stage for the same show!

There's a local guy that I know who played for free at a lil restaurant. The mgmt told him they couldn't afford to let him keep playing anymore.

We always try for a percentage of the bar, and put out a tip jar.
The door doesnt net as much money.
If you can get 40 people to drink their asses off, depending on the percentage of the bar, thats more money than a packed room will get you if youre just getting the door.

Then once we get in good with a bar, we negotiate a set fee.

It's a cover band though, for what its worth.

We still have to deal with it from time to time. If we feel like we can gain new fans, we still don't mind not getting paid... Kinda.

That's when we negotiate bar tab and food.. If they don't want to pay us, and want to see what we're all about first, then at least offer us food and/or drinks.

I'd put it like this (dealing with our band). "Have you seen our band? Try dealing with not 1, but 2 hungry Hawaiians. You might want to consider at least a meal and a little something to wash it down with. Otherwise the mic can begin to look quite tasty. And I think they carry their own BBQ sauce in their pockets."

“How do you handle venues (bars) that don't want to pay?”




Whether you are playing originals or doing covers, when you work a bar, you are, in effect, an employee of the bar. Just like the wait staff, bartenders, etc. The average band works much harder than the average bartender. When you consider rehearsals, equipment costs, transportation, load-in & out, etc., you have a considerable investment in the gig before you even play a note. If you play for free, you are actually losing money on the gig.


Bar owners are the cheapest bastids in the world. As long as they can get entertainment for free, they will. In Olden Times, when the Musicians Union was strong, the bars had to pay scale, or they didn’t get entertainment. Now, there are so many musos willing to play for free or a $75. Door, they are basically getting free entertainment.


Believe it or not, there are musicians out there trying to actually make a living playing. You don’t pay, we don’t play. Playing for nothing is called a benefit.

I couldn't agree more, 90db.

I couldn't agree more, 90db.

Same!

"will play 1x for nothing"

After either owner wants to pay a fair wage or they can get some other dumb faq to haul all the heavy shiaaat around.

It's gets boring to play for people that only think of you as a cash cow.

FAQ THEM.

The last band I was in and the last gig we played was an awful experience regarding payment. At the time, I was ignorant about contracts...etc. Anyways, we played on a Wed night and filled up half the place. After we played most of the people left. Then this cheesy band called American Heartbreak hit the stage. After the show, this scandalous broad handed me $20 bucks...and then walked over to the other band with a fat stack of cash. Man I was pissed! She no longer manages the place. Serves her right.

Somebody say Smith & Wesson.

Don't pay at all? I won't play there. Period.

Don't pay well? Sometime I'll treat it as a paid rehearsal. That can be worthwhile, really. But maybe one or two performances there before I move on.

Don't pay what they agreed to pay? I won't be back. And I have friends who are musicians who will hear the story.