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How much do pub gigs pay around the country?


rungles
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So I've been playing on the Isle of Wight since I was 15 (that's 30 years, man and boy - OK mostly boy). It's a standing joke down here that pubs have ALWAYS paid £120 per night on average but sadly it is actually the case. My uncle plays in a few bands in and around Southend and can't believe how little we get paid as they are getting around £250-£300 a night.

I was just curious how much this varies from town to town around the country.

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NE England - I get offered as low as £120 per pub gig (which I politely decline) but generally get £200; some gigs are £250 (all of my gigs this year have been £200-£250 across 6 bands I have played with) but no more than that. However... I was getting 'exactly' the same fee 20-25 years ago from the same venues. :(

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I don't yet play with a band, but a sound engineer friend of mine does a lot fo 'fixing' of bands. Locally (north mids) it depends on the type of pub. Some go for fewer events but pay more (£300+). Others prefer to have 2 or even 3 bands on one night and pay sod all - and get rubbish as a result

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The pub chains that ask for an invoice and pay from their head office, pay much better up here in Edinburgh (around £300 per band).

The pubs that pay cash in hand usually pay much less (around £150). My theory is that the bar manager is given a budget and if he/she can pay the bands less than the budget, then he/she can keep the rest for themselves.

There's less chance to fiddle, when the bands are being paid straight from head office.

Edited by gjones
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As you guys know for gigging cover bands in the US it's a 4 hour proposition.

$500.00 is the top of the scale. We won't do business unless every member walks out with at least $100.00 in their wallet.

We able to off set that scale with the higher paying festival and fair gigs in the Sumner,


Some of you in the UK will say how can you play for 4 hours. My response, " it's easy, it's fun."


Blue

Edited by blue
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We ask for a minimum of £250. If we're playing in a pub for the first time we'll accept £220 on the basis that it's £250 for subsequent gigs. We've found that if we hold out for this amount we'll get it so I'm sure lots of bands are getting that amount. This is in Oxfordshire.

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£200 - £250 is the standard pub gig rate down South Wales area.
Some places will try to pay less. Usually those gigs go to acoustic duos.
We are lucky to be able to charge a little more as we are a 6 piece and don't often play pubs (maybe 10 a year), but £300 is pretty much tops.
Standard set will be 2 X 1 hours

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[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1464681090' post='3061292']
£200 - £250 is the standard pub gig rate down South Wales area.
Some places will try to pay less. Usually those gigs go to acoustic duos.
We are lucky to be able to charge a little more as we are a 6 piece and don't often play pubs (maybe 10 a year), but £300 is pretty much tops.
Standard set will be 2 X 1 hours
[/quote]

Another bassist from south Wales here, echoing what FuNkShUi has said.
Although lately in Cardiff, pubs are now edging toward the trend of NOT paying in cash
Instead, they want you to submit an invoice. This usually means one band member who has his own business submitting the invoice,
and he ends up paying tax on it. Of course, we all should be paying tax -but that rather reduces the £200 fee between 4 or 5 band members..

And, given certain politicians' history on paying tax - one feels that £200, which was the going rate around 15 years ago seems rather paltry
Especially as Cardiff city centre gigs usually mean you have to pay to park too

Oddly enough, we seem to get paid more in the Valleys of South Wales, where you also get paid cash, often get a free drink or 2.
And I have to say it, but they seem to prefer their live music

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[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1464679904' post='3061278']
London and Home Counties seems to be around the £250 mark, give or take.
[/quote]

True. Unless its a first (audition) gig then its usually only £200. If they like and re book you, then it usually goes up.

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usually about £250 is the going rate, but it does depend how many punters you can draw, a couple of bands I know that draw good crowds go out for £500 and £650, if you can more or less guarantee filling the pubs they'll pay because they make a profit, if you only get a handful in the pub, they'll be unhappy about paying anything, the university of the bleedin obvious really

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[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1464681648' post='3061297']


Another bassist from south Wales here, echoing what FuNkShUi has said.
Although lately in Cardiff, pubs are now edging toward the trend of NOT paying in cash
Instead, they want you to submit an invoice. This usually means one band member who has his own business submitting the invoice,
and he ends up paying tax on it. Of course, we all should be paying tax -but that rather reduces the £200 fee between 4 or 5 band members..

And, given certain politicians' history on paying tax - one feels that £200, which was the going rate around 15 years ago seems rather paltry
Especially as Cardiff city centre gigs usually mean you have to pay to park too

Oddly enough, we seem to get paid more in the Valleys of South Wales, where you also get paid cash, often get a free drink or 2.
And I have to say it, but they seem to prefer their live music
[/quote]

Set the band up as a company. As a micro entity you only have to do a company return (£13) and submit simple accounts every year. It's really very simple.

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What's shocking is that these regional rates have pretty much stayed the same even since I first started playing. Even 'Minimum Wage' has managed to increase in comparison lol..

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Thanks all - so bands on the IOW are getting properly stiffed by the looks of it! I wouldn't mind so much if we got £120 'off-season' (the IOW is very tourist-based) and the money went up in the summer but it's the same all year.

Not that I'd ever stop gigging but it's interesting to know what you guys get paid in other parts of the country.

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[quote name='rungles' timestamp='1464697883' post='3061504']
Thanks all - so bands on the IOW are getting properly stiffed by the looks of it! I wouldn't mind so much if we got £120 'off-season' (the IOW is very tourist-based) and the money went up in the summer but it's the same all year.

Not that I'd ever stop gigging but it's interesting to know what you guys get paid in other parts of the country.
[/quote]

Is it just down to supply and demand? More bands than venues in a geographically restricted area?

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Do you get more opportunities to play in the tourist season though (ie midweeks as well as weekends) or is it just fri/sat still? If a venue was putting on 3 or 4 acts a week in the season with a limited budget they would probably have to offer low rates.

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