harpdude61
1569 posts
Sep 24, 2012
8:44 AM
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Most of the bands where I live, including mine, get between $400 to $500 a gig for a Friday or Saturday night. There are a couple of established local favorite that get between $700 and $800.
I found out this weekend that one local band is asking $1500 for New Years Eve. Honestly, this band does not draw the crowd we do.
Is it common for bands to get much more when you know crowds will be out for the celebration? I don't want to overprice myself but if others are getting much more I want the same for my band.
On a side note.....I've been fronting and running my own band since May. I am blown away by venue owners and managers. Double booking is a pain in the ass. I had a guy that wanted to change my dates because a top draw regional band was passing thru. I had already spent $25 on a poster that is hanging in his establishment, not to mention all the flyers I hand out.
Being in a black and white business most of my life, I find it tough sometimes to deal with so much grey area in the music business.
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Shredder
365 posts
Sep 24, 2012
9:12 AM
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Duane, we got $600 before and what I hear that was on the low side for a 4 peice electric for 4 hours.
Mike
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MrVerylongusername
2422 posts
Sep 24, 2012
9:44 AM
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In the UK I'd expect minimum £100 a man for Christmas Eve and New Year: and that's with a nine piece band.
Times are tough though - don't price yourself out of gig for the principle of it 'cos there's many a band leader that'll undercut you in the blink of an eye. It's a fine line between underselling yourself and pricing yourself out.
The way I see it - New Year is a bit on a non-event for me. I'd rather be gigging anyway and those festive gigs are great fun.
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kudzurunner
3540 posts
Sep 24, 2012
10:06 AM
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In NYC, it was understood that the going price for a New Year's gig was at least twice the normal rate. That's for a bar gig. Private party rates for bands--on any occasion, not New Year's--are more like three times the standard bar rate. In other words, a band that charges $500 on a usual weekend night should get $1000 for New Year's Eve and $1500 for a wedding or other private party. Those are entirely unexceptional rates.
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HarpNinja
2689 posts
Sep 24, 2012
10:13 AM
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Here's the thing...unless you are doing something MORE than what you usually do - playing longer, handing out prizes, etc - do you deserve to make more because they are having a better night business wise?
In the past, when negotiating a gig like this, I've always thought long term. Sure, you could get $1,200, but what if your next gig there is slow? Are you going to charge them less?
My approach with this might be to tell them you will do the gig for slightly more money...maybe $600, but you want to book out a couple more dates at $600 since you are saving them $ on New Year's and moving to a new price range at that club long term.
I only shoot for considerably more when it is a one-off type thing (don't usually play there), we're doing something "extra" for the gig, or it is a move up in venue.
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Mike
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Jim Rumbaugh
796 posts
Sep 24, 2012
10:16 AM
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I've played over 30 New Year's Eve Jobs.
The band leader always paid me double (or more).
Don't be embarrssed to ask for double on New Year's Eve. Please note, being a good musician does not mean you are a good business man and vice versa (like the low crowd drawing band that got the $$$)
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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LSC
306 posts
Sep 24, 2012
11:07 AM
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@HarpNinja - I understand your logic but a bump from $500 to $600 for New Years would be underselling in my view. Musicians selling themselves too cheap just to get a gig is a real soapbox issue.
There are a couple of reasons beyond the assumed increase in business for the increased fee for New Years. First of all, I call it "danger money". By the time you finish and pack up you and the rest of the players have to be on the road coming home just about the time all the really drunk ass fools are most likely to be on the road.
Second, you're working on a holiday that traditionally people spend with friends and family or go out themselves. Ask a plumber what he wants to come out on a Sunday, let alone New Years, and you'll find triple time is the going rate.
Next, there is a certain competition for bands on New Years. Depending on where you are, it can be hard to find a good band because they're already booked.
As to saving them money on New Years as a justification for more gigs down the line, might work but I can also see a venue agreeing but then saying, "I only book a couple of months in advance so you'll have to get back to me on a date," and then magically being booked solid, forgetting about the agreement, or just not wanting you back for whatever reason.
kudzurunner I think has the formula about right, at least double for special holidays and triple for private parties. Again a variety of sound reasons for the price bump.
Having said all that, here's how I usually approach this situation and have done so in four different countries both for myself and as an agent for friends.
Let's just say in your head you want triple, $1500 but you don't throw that out there straight away. Say,"Wow, New Years Eve we're pretty much in demand but we haven't booked it for this year yet. What sort of budget did you have in mind?" He may tell you $3000 is the most he's willing to spend. If you told him $1500 in front you just shot yourself in the foot and he may think, "How good can they be for that money?"
He may say, "$1500". In which event before jumping on it ask a couple of questions. "What are the start and finish times?" "Is there a house PA?" "Can we get food and drink?" The idea is to find a reason to come down so that you can say, "Well for New Years we get $2000 but since you have a PA....." Always give them a reason do you don't look desperate.
If he says $1,000 first off you have to know in your own mind what is your minimum and be willing to walk away. If $1000 is acceptable to you again come back with the PA question. If he says they have one there's your reason for coming down. You don't have to supply the PA. If not, there's your reason for bumping it up if you have to bring your own. Give him the alternative. "Okay, so if you supply the PA we can do it for a grand or we can bring our own for $1500, which would actually be cheaper than if you have to go find a PA company. Which way is best for you?" He pretty much can only say "Yes". Either you get $500 for bringing the PA or you get to have an easier gig.
@Mrlongusername- When I was living in the UK we were getting 800-1000 for New Years for a four piece and that was 20 years ago. I guess times have changed.
"Rock and roll. It's a vicious game." - Ray Wiley Hubbard
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LSC
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Michael Rubin
675 posts
Sep 24, 2012
1:52 PM
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When it comes to New Years, the way I see it is you are asking a group of people to have to tell their significant others they cannot be with them on New Year's Eve, one of the most romantic nights of the year. I do not play New Year's for less than $300 per man.
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HarpNinja
2690 posts
Sep 24, 2012
1:58 PM
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$500 and $600 were really just hypothetical, but I am looking at an extra $200 for one night's work vs an extra $50 to $100 every month when we play there. Just food for thought.
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Mike
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Rick Davis
744 posts
Sep 24, 2012
2:23 PM
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Double.
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-Rick Davis
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kudzurunner
3541 posts
Sep 24, 2012
3:01 PM
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Actually, there's an extremely practical reason for the double-scale thing on New Year's Eve: many clubs charge a pretty steep cover for package deals that include (for example) dinner, a bottle of Champagne (or a Champagne toast at midnight), open bar, a silly hat and noisemaker and, not least, live music. Clubs charge $30 on the low end and $200-300 and more on the top end. The band deserves a share of that.
Last Edited by on Sep 24, 2012 3:02 PM
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