General Music Chat

I keep telling people you CAN'T PLAY FOR FREE. ONCE YOU PLAY FOR FREE YOU'LL ALWAYS PLAY FOR FREE. That's one of the reasons I quit the jam sessions. If the host band is getting paid I'll go to a jam session, otherwise I'm not supporting a venue owner who takes advantage of us hard working musicians. Later...

Bob makes a very good point here. I know bands have to start somewhere. But the reality is if you play a venue for free the owner will always expect you to play for free. Once you get established you need to ask whatever your price is before you play somewhere. Our band lowered our price for a gig and now kind of regret it. Another venue around the corner is offering us more but we are committed to a couple of gigs at the first venue. I dont like cancelling over price when Ive already agreed to a price, so we will eat a couple of gigs. Thats another thing about gigging dont burn any bridges, cause no matter how good you think you are you may need these people to support you again at some point.

So set your price, now this price has to fit the market or you probably wont play much. In our area bar bands get 300-600 dollars a night. If you cant play in that price range in my area you wont be playing. Its just economics from the bar side of things.

I almost bought into a bar a few years ago and after looking at financials I walked away. Dont think these bar owners have a bed of roses cause most of them are just tweaking out a living, and even the big happening venues have troubles at times. One in our area recently closed but they were spending huge amounts of money for advertising, had a huge staff and high rent. The night club business is tough. If you dont think so go invest in one and find out for yourself.

I know a bar owner.

He has a good location, the roof leaks. WE break the place up about 1x in 6 months. He waters down the beer and liquor. He robs the people that come to play there. (usually 1 and out) And he's a fat prick.

But it's packed every fri/sat night and the rest of the week he lets the drunks roll from stool to bathroom to floor and back again. (do not forget the bucket)

He's not hurting for money, but we are every time we have to get a local drink.

Not all the bars are the same, just like the bar owners..