General Music Chat

Anyone have any experience with the booking agency Afton?

The big bands use Cotner Liman around here,
never heard of Afton, maybe Afton OK

I work with Afton. They are a promotion group that book musicians for performances at venues. Basically, your band will be included to perform with several others and the amount of payment you receive will be based on the attending audience you bring. Afton will take a percentage of your proceeds. Depending on size of your audience, you will be given a prime time spot if you bring the most numbers, or a less desirable time if you bring the least. I've had good experience with them at the Elbo Room here in Chicago. I hope this gives you the info you need.

Thanks; they seem to be excellent.

Basically, your band will be included to perform with several others and the amount of payment you receive will be based on the attending audience you bring. Afton will take a percentage of your proceeds. Depending on size of your audience, you will be given a prime time spot if you bring the most numbers, or a less desirable time if you bring the least.

Unless they can get you into rooms that you can't book yourself (!) I really can't see a need for a service like this. We do all our own booking for exactly the same situations but without the booking fee. It's hard enough for original bands to make money from performances without leeches like this getting their commission. DIY!

I agree with Jimmy 100%
Here in Houston there is a place called Fitzgeralds that does just this. They have been doing it as long as I can remember. Back in the day it sucked and I am sure it still does. There are also some want to be booking agencies that do this and I call them LEACHES to the local scene! I remember playing Fitzgeralds and walking out with $18.00 pay and get this I HAD TO PAY FULL PRICE FOR DRINKS! Basically I had to pay to play. TRUST me folks the LEACHES get most of the money and they don't do SH!T! I say book your own gigs! Get UP off your butt and go talk to club owners and managers. Walk in there with confidence and sell your product. Friends they are used to it. The worse the club owners and managers can say is no! It's their loss! WHEN you book a gig then you are in control. You have a choice, you can keep all the money for YOUR band or you can have another band warm up your crowd and pay them whatever you guys negotiate.

It really does seem to make the most sense to try and do your own booking. I am familiar with Fitzgerald... I see they are still steep and stingy...

Ideally, a good friend who knows how to negotiate, AND manage..bookings, dates, calandars, PR events... who is likely to work for the band as a teammate for appropriate percentage. Such a person is more likely to have the bands interest at heart, since his success is directly tied to the success of the band.

Depends on the agency, Cotner Litman must pay
well I got a friend whose a lawyer, and a drummer,
and his band is made up of doctors and lawyers, and
they all took leave from there jobs to tour the country
thru the bookings of Cotner Litman

I just got contacted by Afton.
Tickets sell for $10.
If I bring 20 fans, they pay me $1 a ticket.
.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahaha!!!
.
phphphphphphpht!

I just got contacted by Afton.
Tickets sell for $10.
If I bring 20 fans, they pay me $1 a ticket.
.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahaha!!!
.
phphphphphphpht!

I would counter that with "Fine, but after 20, it jumps to 7 bucks a ticket.

Heh . . .
I'd counter it by farting in their general direction!

Heh . . .
I'd counter it by farting in their general direction!

I would be there to back you up... I would wave my private parts at their great Auntie...

LOL!