Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

Yeah, what Jimmy said. I didn't see the FB exchange, so not sure what the 'argument' really was.

Often times these ticket-selling pay-to-plays are run by 'agents' - who talk the club management into it "I'll pack the place and you don't have to pay anything". Then the 3-4 bands the 'agent' finds to sign up (usually 'kids' as Jimmy says) each get a 30--40 minute set for their 20 tickets @ $10 each - and the 'agent' walks away with $600-$800 for a small amount of effort and some free local BB advertising.

I had an agent chasing me for years, trying to get me to sell tickets for them.
Basically what you are doing is selling tickets for them, as an agent.
They don't even give a damn if you're a musician or not, as long as you can sell tickets for them so they can get their commission.
Nope; I'm not interested.
And then there's the practice of proprietors asking you to pay them to play, which is below contempt, and will exclude the best musicians . . .

P2P is the death of live music. It is a one way trip to nowhere in LA that breaks the spirit of good bands, and hollows out once great music venues turning them into empty dumps. No just no.

Play open mics, coffee houses, school lunch breaks, backyard parties, "legit" battle-of-the-bands or anywhere you can until you hone your craft and begin to attract sizable crowds. Then they will gladly pay you.