'Free' gigs... 'charity' gigs...

[Chest Rockwell]

what do you think about the idea of free gigs? every January there's a collection of venues in my town that do a 'Free for All' thing. all gigs are free to get into and there are lineups on most nights of the week, especially weekends.

But you're pretty sure many bands wont get paid, presumably cos there's no money coming in (at the door). but you can bet that the bar will be making money.

the charity gig thing is quite common, you know you wont get paid cos the money goes to charity... which essentially means that band pays their expenses and time, so that someone else gets the money.

if you play a gig and no fucker turns up, then fine, no money... but if the bar is making good money, the shouldnt the band get a taste? to cover costs at least?

A 'funny' thing happened to one of my bands once, we 'headlined' a local show, quite full, big cheers, much fun... zero cash. 4 bands and before us was a stripper, i mean burlesque dancer, dressed as a zombie. she frolic'd about for 10 minutes and i asked her later if she got paid, she said 'of course'. kinda funny that ANYBODY other than the band gets paid, but bands... suck it up.

never ceases to amaze me how people consider bands are just some free entertainment. the restaurant thing is a great parallel, you would never tell a cook to come round and cook you and your friends dinner and if they're good maybe you'll buy something later... ho hum.

[Mr. Foxen]

Stuff I play entertains such a small demographic might as well assume they are all my mates. Most people get pissed off by it, I'll favour playing the gigs where we'll totally piss people off for free. Like street parties and cafes and such.

Little kids were rolling around on the floor holding their ears at this gig, police called, guy came on stage and kicked the power until my amps shut off.



The restaurant thing doesn't work great because chef training kicks your arse way more than playing guitar, totally brutal. I'll come round and cook for people I half know, cooking what I choose. It will be offal and I'll enjoy watching them eat it. Some might like it because I'm pretty good at cooking offal, I'm not sure if I'll enjoy them enjoying it or the cunts being totally grossed out by it more. There's a perfect parallel.

[Chest Rockwell]

it doesn't work great no.

how long, and how much time and effort and cost does it take to be a stripper?

maybe I should get my tits out more often.

[RAGER]

Will you please post some of your favorite and awful offal recipes in the food forum?

[Mr. Foxen]

Will you please post some of your favorite and awful offal recipes in the food forum?

I mentioned I was having faggots on my Facebook page once and tons of Americans got in massive rages, and I can't block ignorant fucks here.

Photo to hand. When I uploaded to photobucket, an advert automatically makes it into a Christmas card. I can see how that gets people.

[Mr. Foxen]

Also, difference between a stripper and a burlesque dancer is that strippers have one name, and burlesque dancers have more than one, often with a Von in there?

[RacerX]

Funny stuff, Foxen—Here's a similar photo of a child "enjoying" one of my old bands at a a "free" "charity" gig at the local Air Force base:



Mind you, he was a good hundred feet from the stage. 

[Pissy]

It's fine to play free shows. It's for exposure, and you're over a barrel. If not you, then there's 80 more bands that will. And it's for charity, so... there's no concern of sucktitide.

No you shouldn't think that you deserve the bar's money. That's theirs. No one I know in the club business is getting rich. If they choose not to throw money at the charity (and many do) they still need to pay bills and staff who don't work for free during charity events. Their pay normally comes from the door, if the bill draws people. Take the door away and the clubs take goes down - their charity contribution.

Across the pond maybe the club business is more lucrative. I don't rightly know.

[Mr. Foxen]

Whenever I play my local for free, I know I'm fucking the bar for money, because I don't drink before I play, so that's 3-4 hours drinking they miss out on, then after I'm on band privilege beer for a bit, even if I brought them with.

Anywhere that tells me I'm playing free for exposure whilst telling me I need to sell tickets can fuck off though. You can't tell me I'm getting exposure and have me do the promo work for it, I do that already. Most times I've been paid actual money after a gig its for gear hire, that seems way less negotiable. Beer and food is the deal in some places, can dig that, because I spend more on beer and food than I ever get paid to play.

[mortlock]

ill do charity gigs all day long for free.. if its for a cause I support..

I don't mind playing local gigs for free if there is a touring band on the bill. if I travel, I hope to get at least gas money..and a cheeseburger if possible..

[Chest Rockwell]

My point is being missed here, possibly...

Charity --- it kinda means THE BAND PAYS.

Free Gigs --- kinda the same.


Of course I understand the reasons FOR doing gigs, e.g. good cause, exposure, the hell of it, fun, STONERROCK... I'm just raising it as a point of discussion that it's regularly expected that bands will play for free, yet money IS exchanging hands, on the side, yet the band possibly wont see it.

I do understand the way of things i.e. if you don't draw, that's your tough shit. you have choices, don't do the gig, etc.

But the bar staff get paid, the doorman gets paid, the rent gets paid, even the Stripper Von Burlesque gets paid. but the band pays ongoing gear/practice/costs, pays gig costs; gas, parking... and plays for free.

It's just funny that's all. If there's no money, then fine, or it's a charity, fine... but otherwise, hey, if there's money changing hands... let's see some.

it's like those 'Chicken Burgers' with 10% chicken. the night is a GIG night, a BAND night... people don't go to watch the bar staff. yet they get paid.

[RacerX]

If you got into music expecting to make money, you should get out now.

[jibberish]

I think you have your standings in the relevance list backwards.

those bartenders are there every day supporting the infrastructure of that business. there does not have to be a band for one to get a drink or sit in the ambience.

very few commercial establishments are set up for gigs. most restaurants, bars, coffee houses, cafe's, fast food joints, retail stores and whatever else don't have a PA etc.

that club spent money on the equipment, the rent on the stage sq footage every month, the juice, etc etc so that this becomes a place that a band can even play at.
good thing you don't have to help pay for any of that to get to play tunes for a half an hour on someone else's big rig.

[RAGER]

Of course I understand the reasons FOR doing gigs, e.g. good cause, exposure, the hell of it, fun, STONERROCK... I'm just raising it as a point of discussion that it's regularly expected that bands will play for free, yet money IS exchanging hands, on the side, yet the band possibly wont see it.

I do understand the way of things i.e. if you don't draw, that's your tough shit. you have choices, don't do the gig, etc.

I kinda see it as natural selection.  Just cuz you can doesn't mean you should.  If you're worth seeing, people will come. You get paid. If you're almost worth seeing you're on a bill with bands worth seeing so you'll get paid a little until you're the ones worth paying to see and being seen at seeing...er.. you know what I mean.  The bartenders are there because that's how they pay their bills.  Bands that they expected to play for free they don't see worth paying.  Unless it's a charity then in my opinion it's kind of an honor and compliment because they think enough will come out to see you to contribute to charity.

[Mr. Foxen]

The stripper getting paid is the only BS really. She can do better in tips than bands anyway, her problem if she's too pretentious invite money being stuck in her underwear.

Plus the barmaid where I usually play is much more fun to look at than any of my band, don't remember if she was on there when we played, uh, Chest.

[eyeprod]

just because you can, doesn't always mean that you should...this is true. But, when other acts are being paid and you're not, well that is kind of a problem. Especially if they're some no talent hacks!

I'm sure that there are other factors involved, so better not to let one instance ruin your day. That being said, it's always ok to ask questions. With tact, of course....You want some answers, but don't want to be demanding. That's fair. It's a learning experience for sure.

Free gigs are fine, under the right circumstances.

[Mr. Foxen]

Ask why you aren't being paid before the gig. No-one comes across well when everyone is pissed having that discussion.

[mortlock]

I think you have your standings in the relevance list backwards.

those bartenders are there every day supporting the infrastructure of that business. there does not have to be a band for one to get a drink or sit in the ambience.

very few commercial establishments are set up for gigs. most restaurants, bars, coffee houses, cafe's, fast food joints, retail stores and whatever else don't have a PA etc.

that club spent money on the equipment, the rent on the stage sq footage every month, the juice, etc etc so that this becomes a place that a band can even play at.
good thing you don't have to help pay for any of that to get to play tunes for a half an hour on someone else's big rig.

well stated. the band doesn't deserve shit if they don't draw. if you bring people into a bar/club/venue, you deserve part of the door. in my bands case.. we have been known to drive a few people out.. having us play your place can cost you paying customers. heh..

[Chest Rockwell]

this was more about free/charity gigs than regular gigs. all 3 types have different politics, ethics n stuff involved. im 'hip' to the general approach to gigs, especially in this 'underground' local scene, which is the only thing i'll ever be involved in! 

didnt mean it to sound like a winge but it's difficult to raise the subject without it sounding like that.

[moose23]

[black]

...one of my bands once, we 'headlined' a local show..

Umm, that's actually referred to as playing last.

(and yes, i saw your quotation marks)

I've played a few venues locally and around the U.S. that pay bands a percentage of the take at the bar (usually venues who feature live music, but without a cover charge). If you have a decent draw it can actually be a better payday than a cut of the door. Not sure if such places exist on your side of the planet though.