Tour Talk

.T

Everyone is using the whole "bad economy" line these days to cheap your ass out.

Well as long as one 45 minute set nets $300.00 it aint all bad.

Play the festival to 100-500 people and NOT having to lug a PA AND selling your CD's after your 45 minute set, THEN it might be worth it. Bringing ALL your equipment with NO chance to make ANY money, NOT WORTH IT. Recession or no recession, PLEASE DON'T GIVE AWAY YOUR HARD WORK FOR FREE PEOPLE...

When I typed the OP, I was pretty annoyed about a few things, but I took it down in respect that it was a fun gig and I was wrong happy trails.

I guess milk it for what it's worth. You may get some good gigs in the future off this for the exposure...

yah and kramer what you should do is mention more then once that despite this being a national holiday of independence the city has decided they want to be independent of supporting this great music you people are enjoying, buy our $hit so we get paid!!! if the city won't pay you maybe you can point that out to the crowd and they will, after all you get what you pay for right?

Ah, ted, I must disagree with you on this one. I would NEVER gripe about the ppl who hired me for any gig, especially publicly, over the mic, at the very gig they've paid me (or not) to play! That would be like shooting oneself in the foot, no? A simple plug of one's wares should suffice, without the left-handed slam at the cheap bastids, imho.

Once you've agreed to the deal, you have no right to bitch about it.

Once you've agreed to the deal, you have no right to bitch about it.

Aye,. like I said, I'm more on the lines of kicking myself in the ass for agreeing before I knew the (lack of) pay. No biggie really, I was steaming the day I wrote the OP, mostly at myself. I am still somewhat annoyed not just at myself, but at the mentality that so many have now that "exposure" somehow became an acceptable form of payment over cash. Exposure doesn't fill the gas tank to get to the gig.

You are correct Kramerguy, it does not fill the gas tank.
I have been guilty of that exposure thought process myself.
And have enjoyed the no pay gigs as much as the ones we walked off with some cash on. I will say the whole thing is more satisfiying of an experience when some monitary rewards are realised.

yah that's true, you should totally have friends out in the crowd pushing that idea bout the cheap bastard's aint payin us, but I haven't any gigging experience so I'm still clueless

Sans, you're gonna love this. I got called by a Church that a friend of mine goes to (he's a Christian drummer), on Saturday (before last) asking if I would be interested in playing (as a hired musician) in the worship band. My friend had already told me about it and that it pays $120 bucks and I told him I'd like that so he gave them my number. They said they could use me the next day but, if I couldn't play that next day, they'd understand, late notice and all, but I told them to send me a list of the (5) songs we were doing and I'd go ahead and play the next day as a free audition. Well, it went over well (I rode with my friend, so wasn't out any expenses) and the band director said it would pay $100 (less than what my friend had said, but what the hey) and wondered if I would come back the next Sunday and I told them, "Sure". So, this Sunday my friend is out of town working so I drive there alone. Everybody gets there at 7:30 so we can rehearse a bit, play the first service from 9 til 10, there's an hour break, and then play the last service from 11 til 12. Afterwards, the band leader talks to me with one of the pastors there and tells me to be there next Sunday and after that he would be talking to the Church about it and after that, I would start getting paid. Bummer!

i thought this topic looked interesting because i have always dreamed of getting to go on a tour as a musician or roadie or sound person. As a matter of fact, I would almost do it for free if I could and if it was with the right people. I have never been on tour but gone to tons of concerts and appreciate them very much. I am sorry to hear that times have gotten to ruff that they aren't even paying bands to play at festivals these days and expect people to play for free. That totally sucks in my opinion, but, then again, it is good exposure for new bands to be able to play I guess. I went to a free festival yesterday and a band member gave me a free c.d. I took it home and listened to it and had never heard of them before but really liked the c.d. I will definitely be a fan from now on. I guess it takes what it takes these days with all of the indie bands trying to make it now.

I think that sucks Ratsass. Not paying you up front. Every Church gig we have done to the best of my memory paid us despite our not even asking for compensation.
You should consider though, much of the good intent in Church polatics gets eaten up in piss poor communication. It's like no one can fart without it being cleared first by three deacons and the school marm.

Sans, you're gonna love this. I got called by a Church that a friend of mine goes to (he's a Christian drummer), on Saturday (before last) asking if I would be interested in playing (as a hired musician) in the worship band. My friend had already told me about it and that it pays $120 bucks and I told him I'd like that so he gave them my number. They said they could use me the next day but, if I couldn't play that next day, they'd understand, late notice and all, but I told them to send me a list of the (5) songs we were doing and I'd go ahead and play the next day as a free audition. Well, it went over well (I rode with my friend, so wasn't out any expenses) and the band director said it would pay $100 (less than what my friend had said, but what the hey) and wondered if I would come back the next Sunday and I told them, "Sure". So, this Sunday my friend is out of town working so I drive there alone. Everybody gets there at 7:30 so we can rehearse a bit, play the first service from 9 til 10, there's an hour break, and then play the last service from 11 til 12. Afterwards, the band leader talks to me with one of the pastors there and tells me to be there next Sunday and after that he would be talking to the Church about it and after that, I would start getting paid. Bummer!

I agree with Sans -- communication in a lot of churches is really bad because of all the hoops you have to jump through to get a decision made. A friend of mine is a praise and worship leader at a church here, and pays me for each Sunday service that I play with them. I got lucky in my case; the pastor asked my friend to hire musicians, as the church doesn't have many musicians. You can't get much more clear than that!