Chaise Lounge. Ignore previous post. Heres why. (LINK)
November 3rd 2007 04:07
Sometimes you wonder why you battle along to make things a success for other people.
After mega campaigning on my behalf, out of pocket expenses for advertising, booking top bands week after week and all the other stuff Booking Agents do, for the sake of being seen as a top booker, this is what you get. Caution to bands. Don't gig without placing contracts on the veunes. Even then you can't be to sure they'll abide, but, atleast you'll have some backbone if shit hits the fan.
I was placed on a guaranteed fee per night for my and the artists services at mentioned venue, hence, that fee gave me a structure, I could say to the bands, OK, this is how much I can guarantee you, per set etc etc. No cover charge stress and free entry etc. Every bands dream gig.
But what happens when the dang venue refuses to pay me accordingly. Not once but twice in three weeks. It is not only is embarrassing for me, looking to find a way to pay the bands, ultimately from my own pocket without letting them know the venue is being downright nasty, but also for me to run the risk of burning strong relationships with bands through someone elses doing.
The first week it happened, the band had performed three sets, or equal to approx 4 hours of work, upon submitting the invoice for the night, I was told, we dont have enough money to pay you, I was like what? You are not going to pay the band for their services? So without a word, I raced upstairs to the ATM and withdrew set amount and paid the band from my own pocket. Of course I was pissed off but what could I do?
The next week, I was paid agreed amount and a little in make up from the previous week, but still out of pocket.
So, the third week came along. Same thing. The band had completed their three set gig. Invoice was handed in and same thing. We cannot pay you. So, this time I had my say and politely told them, a guaranteed fee is just that, how can you not pay the band for four hours of their hard work? So again, I went upstairs and withdrew from my own money to pay the band.
By this stage, i was ready to rip certain people a second backside. I left the venue and stewed over the whole thing. I made up a new invoice for demand of unpaid guaranteed funds with a deadline of payment and a cancellation of my services from the venue. I will place this into the debt collectors hands if not paid by the demanded date.
I will leave the posts as they are and not remove them, for bands and general public to read. This is the shit that happens in the Music Industry. If a venue will try to walk all over a booker with some clout, imagine what they will do to an independant band if they wanted.
All the promises under the sun, then when push comes to shove, its kiss my ring.
And for the general public, next time you go to a venue and they are charging $7 cover charge dont whinge and frown and call them rip offs and carry on like someone just killed your pet, and some people do it, i've seen it myself, it is the band you are supporting, not the venue. Pay the god damn money, enjoy your night and know that you are supporting our dying Industry. If there is a cover charge, it is because the venue owner has forced it on the band because they will not pay a guaranteed fee. These bands are independants and should be given the respect and support they need to move up the ladder.
And even then, some venues force bands to do a cover charge and then even take a percentage of that for themselves. You are damned if you do and damned if you dont with crappy inner city venues.
These venues place the burden of their success on everyone, you should be ashamed of yourselves, you venue owners who do this. Maybe if you advertised correctly to the right mediums you would get a better patron reception.
So, ultimately, bands, my argument is, how long can the bands, let venues push them around, afterall, gigs are to make fans, earn some cash for future recordings etc. Then with many venues, if there is a cover charge, no one will turn up but your friends...also, these people are the venues RENT A CROWD for the night.
I am sick and tired of seeing venue owners make a mockery of the artists and utilise their services as a charitry rather than a professional service. Everyone has to start somewhere, support the independant bands.
To the venue owners, if you dont have the finances to pay bands or your venue struggles to pull its own crowd other than relying on bands to bring their own, you really need to analyse your advertising or lack of and change your business structure. Bands are not your keepers, they are there to pull a crowd for you. Not BYO. Only constant advertising for months on end will fix this. And bands, it is not your responsibility to advertise for a venue. Do your own but dont waste your money, do the maths, a venue that wont pay a guaranteed fee, and you spend even $80 on advertsising, well, youre out of pocket $80 already, and that dosent include equipment depreciation, vehicle wear and tear and petrol.
And a cold hard fact is, venue owners, keep forcing cover charges on the door and you are ultimately killing yourselves slowly. Pay a guaranteed fee and stop whinging about it. Have free entry for all patrons and watch them roll through the door. By you not placing an obligation on patrons, more will come in just because it is free and your bar earnings will sky rocket. Pay a guaranteed fee to the bands. The way I see it, if a venue cannot treat a band well, one or two drinks and a nice experience, youre in the wrong business.
End of story.
After mega campaigning on my behalf, out of pocket expenses for advertising, booking top bands week after week and all the other stuff Booking Agents do, for the sake of being seen as a top booker, this is what you get. Caution to bands. Don't gig without placing contracts on the veunes. Even then you can't be to sure they'll abide, but, atleast you'll have some backbone if shit hits the fan.
I was placed on a guaranteed fee per night for my and the artists services at mentioned venue, hence, that fee gave me a structure, I could say to the bands, OK, this is how much I can guarantee you, per set etc etc. No cover charge stress and free entry etc. Every bands dream gig.
But what happens when the dang venue refuses to pay me accordingly. Not once but twice in three weeks. It is not only is embarrassing for me, looking to find a way to pay the bands, ultimately from my own pocket without letting them know the venue is being downright nasty, but also for me to run the risk of burning strong relationships with bands through someone elses doing.
The first week it happened, the band had performed three sets, or equal to approx 4 hours of work, upon submitting the invoice for the night, I was told, we dont have enough money to pay you, I was like what? You are not going to pay the band for their services? So without a word, I raced upstairs to the ATM and withdrew set amount and paid the band from my own pocket. Of course I was pissed off but what could I do?
The next week, I was paid agreed amount and a little in make up from the previous week, but still out of pocket.
So, the third week came along. Same thing. The band had completed their three set gig. Invoice was handed in and same thing. We cannot pay you. So, this time I had my say and politely told them, a guaranteed fee is just that, how can you not pay the band for four hours of their hard work? So again, I went upstairs and withdrew from my own money to pay the band.
By this stage, i was ready to rip certain people a second backside. I left the venue and stewed over the whole thing. I made up a new invoice for demand of unpaid guaranteed funds with a deadline of payment and a cancellation of my services from the venue. I will place this into the debt collectors hands if not paid by the demanded date.
I will leave the posts as they are and not remove them, for bands and general public to read. This is the shit that happens in the Music Industry. If a venue will try to walk all over a booker with some clout, imagine what they will do to an independant band if they wanted.
All the promises under the sun, then when push comes to shove, its kiss my ring.
And for the general public, next time you go to a venue and they are charging $7 cover charge dont whinge and frown and call them rip offs and carry on like someone just killed your pet, and some people do it, i've seen it myself, it is the band you are supporting, not the venue. Pay the god damn money, enjoy your night and know that you are supporting our dying Industry. If there is a cover charge, it is because the venue owner has forced it on the band because they will not pay a guaranteed fee. These bands are independants and should be given the respect and support they need to move up the ladder.
And even then, some venues force bands to do a cover charge and then even take a percentage of that for themselves. You are damned if you do and damned if you dont with crappy inner city venues.
These venues place the burden of their success on everyone, you should be ashamed of yourselves, you venue owners who do this. Maybe if you advertised correctly to the right mediums you would get a better patron reception.
So, ultimately, bands, my argument is, how long can the bands, let venues push them around, afterall, gigs are to make fans, earn some cash for future recordings etc. Then with many venues, if there is a cover charge, no one will turn up but your friends...also, these people are the venues RENT A CROWD for the night.
I am sick and tired of seeing venue owners make a mockery of the artists and utilise their services as a charitry rather than a professional service. Everyone has to start somewhere, support the independant bands.
To the venue owners, if you dont have the finances to pay bands or your venue struggles to pull its own crowd other than relying on bands to bring their own, you really need to analyse your advertising or lack of and change your business structure. Bands are not your keepers, they are there to pull a crowd for you. Not BYO. Only constant advertising for months on end will fix this. And bands, it is not your responsibility to advertise for a venue. Do your own but dont waste your money, do the maths, a venue that wont pay a guaranteed fee, and you spend even $80 on advertsising, well, youre out of pocket $80 already, and that dosent include equipment depreciation, vehicle wear and tear and petrol.
And a cold hard fact is, venue owners, keep forcing cover charges on the door and you are ultimately killing yourselves slowly. Pay a guaranteed fee and stop whinging about it. Have free entry for all patrons and watch them roll through the door. By you not placing an obligation on patrons, more will come in just because it is free and your bar earnings will sky rocket. Pay a guaranteed fee to the bands. The way I see it, if a venue cannot treat a band well, one or two drinks and a nice experience, youre in the wrong business.
End of story.
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