Forum Closed
The forum is now to new posts. All the historical content is still available to browse.
if you are looking for musicians to play with, please view the Bands Seeking Musicians list, or use the Musicians Directory
You can use our pages on social media to connect:
How Much is Enough (performance fee discussion)
| Message Board > Seeking Shows > How Much is Enough (performance fee discussion) |
| Vincent F. Evans User Info... | This post is intended to provoke serious discussion (and hopefully promote increased awareness) about the current state of performance fees and perhaps, even improve things over time. It would seem that, in and around Victoria at least, a typical rate is $100 per performer. In other words, if you are a solo artist, you get $100 and if you are a duo, $200, a trio, $300, etc. This is even true for some upscale venues, where dinner and drinks for two would easily cost $100 - $200. Obviously, established artists with solid reputations often receive more (rightly so) but are groups likely to be able to stay together and keep working long enough to establish themselves if they are not paid decently? How do you feel about being paid less than what the venue's staff make for a day's work, or what a good waitress/waiter takes home in tips on a good Friday or Saturday night? Is this fair or satisfactory? If not, what do you think could be done to improve the situation for everyone? How much do you think musical performers should be paid for an evening's work? How much are all those years of learning, practicing, refining and rehearsal worth? How much is all the energy, money and time spent promoting worth to you? How long did it take you to be able to pay for your instruments, equipment, maintenance and transportation? How do you feel about tearing down thousands of dollars worth of gear, packing it up, transporting, unloading, setting it up, performing, tearing it down, repacking, reloading, transporting, unpacking, etcetera, etcetera, for a day’s expenses, or less? Should performers be paid on the basis of how many minutes or sets they perform? Should they be paid the same as typical retail staff (typically about $80 per 8 hour day)? Should they be paid the same as a typical construction labourer (typically about $120 per 8 hour day)? Should having a commercially available, professional CD have any bearing on the performance fee? How do you feel about "professionals" who are willing to play for free or for donations and/or perks - does it adversely affect those dependant upon performance income for basic living expenses? I look forward to reading your comments. Yours in Pursuit of Mutual Higher Advantage, Sincerely, Vincent F. Evans. - Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:56pm Edited: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:58pm | ||
| Grimlord the stonedinater User Info... | All I have to say is...If your in it for money ..your in the wrong profession.Typically we all pay to play in some way be it gear rentals jamspot rental, lessons ect.ect. - Fri, 18 Sep 2009 2:35pm Edited: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 2:36pm | ||
| Mike S User Info... | it would be nice of some of the bars would kick in a % of alcohol sales, something I found to be fairly common practice a number of clubs throughout Canada, but never in Victoria.. here it seems the standard club pay is door or portion of door after expenses (sound, posters etc) so that leaves it up to the promoter or band to do the legwork and get a draw. Not so bad for locals but not so great for touring bands who cant do the legwork and have to pay for a ferry too. - Fri, 18 Sep 2009 3:59pm | ||
| TheBlack Pixie User Info... | I would freakin LOVE if venues started to throw a little cash the promoters way. I'm not hired, or paid to do what I do, so I'm essentially free labour for the venues. In the end, I don't do it for profit. I take no percentage for myself, advertising or anything else. I pay all band expenses and spread whatever is left from door profits the bands - Fri, 18 Sep 2009 5:34pm | ||
| DTjackson User Info... | Oh geez, you get your two free drink tickets and you leave. You can't expect much out of Victoria as a city. This isn't San Diego. - Fri, 18 Sep 2009 9:56pm | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | Here are some answers to the questions and other random ramblings: If the audience is weak, the proceeds are weak. If the audience is strong and the proceeds are weak, someone is not being honest or fair. Bars will never give alcohol sales percentages here because the scene base is not alcoholic enough and wealthy enough. I still am not able to pay for my music related expenses because there is nothing but debt involved in music. $100 performance fees opening for large drawing shows are an insult to a competent band and bars/promoters need to treat hard working bands with more respect than that. A band should be given at minimum 24 bottles of quality beer and unlimited cold water in addition to monetary compensation. Bands should split the door equally unless there is a obviously definitive draw for one band in particular. Headliners with 82 people on the guest list need to be reigned in and shut down. Those who put in honest effort for promo should be compensated fairly. People who do promo from their computer chair should not be compensated with money in excess of the expense of doing said promo...no actual labor was involved. I know because I can do that too, so save your bullshit story for someone who shits in their pants involuntarily every day. I don't believe in guarantees for local bands no matter how popular they claim to be. Much like how the general public should join together and stand up to the criminal government, bands should join together and not cheapen the value of their craft by not playing shows that will be a success for less than an amount that is $100. Pay should reflect the success or lack of success of the show. If a band has a bad set due to their own actions or lack of actions, they should forfeit their pay. Factoring in everything...playing a show is a money hemorrhaging experience every time. A show in a bar should never cost anyone money out of their pocket because planning ahead and booking wisely will avoid such mishaps...yet somehow bands always end up down a few bucks. Long & McQuade should give me free gear. I play music so I don't beat random people to death on the streets for complicated reason that no one would understand, so money is not important...but it would be nice. - Sat, 19 Sep 2009 5:31pm | ||
| Dru User Info... | My band opened Friday night for a CD release party of the headliner. Being a new band it was our second Victoria show but it was very clear that we brought in a good crowd that accounted for at least a third of the overall attendance. At the end of the night the bar gave the headliner (booking band) $700. At this venue it is the booking band's responsibility to distribute the money. They paid us $100 (14.8 %) which made me feel insulted and ripped off. Unfortunately, my diplomacy skills were not working and I regrettably had many tequila-fueled words towards the payer's business practices. He claimed that he booked the show and this was how things are in Victoria. My approach was way out of line but was I deluded in feeling undercut and taken advantage of? - Sun, 20 Sep 2009 3:33pm Edited: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 3:38pm | ||
| TheBlack Pixie User Info... | "Headliners with 82 people on the guest list need to be reigned in and shut down" Fucking rights! I second that - Sun, 20 Sep 2009 4:05pm | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | "Being a new band it was our second Victoria show but it was very clear that we brought in a good crowd that accounted for at least a third of the overall attendance." If it was clear that your band brought in 33% of the crowd, then that was a douche move on the payer's part. On the other hand, if it was only clear to you and it was the second show you've played in Victoria then it comes as no surprise. This is where it would be great to have the "tickets distributed to each band with their name on it" approach to make it clear what's what. That method only exists because of unfair and deceptive proceeds handling. Next time, do a written contract stating a minimum or percentage if it's over X amount. If you did in fact bring in that many people, they won't argue too much. - Sun, 20 Sep 2009 6:23pm | ||
| Tyler User Info... | lots of musicians seem to think they're entitled to money. if you play expecting nothing, everything exceeds your expectations. there are so many hobbyist musicians in town that consider themselves "professional" and expect to be treated as such. everyone needs to get their ego in check a little bit. the best bands I've seen also happen to have a diy attitude and thank the promoters for simply covering their ferry fees. I can't believe I actually agree with Grimlord about something. - Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:33pm | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | If there is money made at the door, the bands need to have a fair cut of that. If no one shows up, no one gets paid. I don't see what is wrong with that. - Mon, 21 Sep 2009 4:57pm | ||
| Codine Vandal User Info... | well with my experience playing at the red jacket i'd say 250 for the band plus 250 in drinks if it's the only band that night otherwise 100+ and you're laughing - Wed, 23 Sep 2009 9:29pm | ||
| Grimlord the stonedinater User Info... | Love to see what others get on a good night.. Post your top paying gigs here.... C/V getting payed that much....well I have to see it to believe it...But I would not pay to see C/V in any aspect. sorry fuckface.... But I guess if your the one if not only one in the band and all you have to do is to try and sing and push buttons then I think I am going about this all wrong... - Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:16am Edited: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:18am | ||
| Codine Vandal User Info... | yeah there were 5 of us so it worked out to about 100 each.but we also negotiated 50% of anything over 250 at the door as well but never saw anything from that cuz we always went over on our drink tab - Thu, 24 Sep 2009 1:20am | ||
|
|||
Not logged in
Log In / Register (optional)
Featured Events
Featured Historical Events
Featured Article
Newest Profiles
Haute Curations
We sell original giclee canvas art prints to businesses
Victoria BC
Open / Operational
Arts On View Society
The Arts On View Society continues to operate Hermann's Jazz...
753 View Street Victoria BC
Open / Operational
Pacific Mountain Region First Met Site
The handsome red brick First Met church building in downtown...
Open / Operational
OOAK Artistry
About OOAK
Welcome to our online gallery, a digital haven w...
Victoria BC
Open / Operational
