bassfunk Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Hi Guys I was wondering how those of you in function/wedding etc bands went about booking public gigs? Do you call venues, go in in person or just email? I've been emailing a few venues and don't really get any kind of response. I also find a lot of venues have a regular roster of bands and it's hard for a new bands to get in with them. We have one venue that keeps on booking us, and we played a new one last week so hopefully we'll be back there. But I want more! I'd be interested to hear how the rest of you guys get on with this? Thanks Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]Do the hard yards on the phone. Venues get to know who works for them and who doesn't so they may indeed have a reliable rosta and there are always news bands wanting in on that.[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]You have to make your deal attractive over and above other bands to squeeze in.[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]Basically bands are two a penny and also a bit of a risk so you need to convince them otherwise... but without the BS...[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]There is nothing worse than conning a venue when you can't deliver.[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]Best tactic is to go in under budget for a one time intro offer only....but not too cheap as why would anyone want to book a band that is cheap and desperate?[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Well, some Landlords might do..but then you should be wanting to avoid them as much as some LL need to avoid certain bands[/font][/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfunk Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1341758910' post='1723629'] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]Do the hard yards on the phone. Venues get to know who works for them and who doesn't so they may indeed have a reliable rosta and there are always news bands wanting in on that.[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]You have to make your deal attractive over and above other bands to squeeze in.[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]Basically bands are two a penny and also a bit of a risk so you need to convince them otherwise... but without the BS...[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]There is nothing worse than conning a venue when you can't deliver.[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][sup]Best tactic is to go in under budget for a one time intro offer only....but not too cheap as why would anyone want to book a band that is cheap and desperate?[/sup][/font][/size] [size=5][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Well, some Landlords might do..but then you should be wanting to avoid them as much as some LL need to avoid certain bands[/font][/size] [/quote] Thanks for the advice, funnily enough some landlords do contact me and they're exactly the type you mention 'we don't pay more than £200'! There's 6 of us! A place we played a couple of weeks ago normally doesn't pay more then £250 but the land lady had seen us at a wedding and said we were worth what we were asking. I'm going to get our singers onto calling some venues this week I think, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 We have a min per head but that is based on what we know the market can take. Some gigs are never going to be able to pay £200 but then the choice is ours whether we like the gig well enough to play it. All pub/clubs are loss leaders anyway and our fee for pubs goes from £200 for our friends pub..to £400. We don't do many pubs anyway but if they serve a purpose, we pick up parties from them anyway. You have to pay that game, IMO..if only to keep the band ticking over tightly between better paying gigs. If you analyse it the vast majority of pub gigs are too much work for the money...but then you will have a hard time getting off the ground without that shop-window. Private is one thing... but if you want festival and stage work and ticketed gigs..which all pay far better money, then at some point someone is going to do the numbers and ask if you are worth the fee...and for this, you will need a fanbase. Most venues these days...are far more conscious of the band bringing in more than the venue can attact from local customers.. so if you charge top dollar..or want to..then the venue has to see that difference. Mostly..apart from Private, what youw ant to charge and what you can charge are two things... and the bottom line is through the door or over the bar. And as long as you can deliver on that score..almost, anyway, how, then you'll find your won level. P.S Landlords talk to each other so they know what is going around..!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsebass Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 A combination of all 3 work best. What we tend to do is email first, then ring (to see if the land lord is in) and then actually visit the pub. It might be a bit of a pain in the arse, but its worth it - we only really go out to new venues now - we put the hard work in for the first couple of years, and now we get repeat business. One tip - if you "cold visit" a pub - make sure the landlord (or whoever) is in BEFORE you order a drink - you dont want to commit yourself to drinking a lonely pint if the landlord isnt - if he (or she) is in, then order your pint. One thing to remember is not to give up. We tried to get in with a pub once for 3 years (we had been bad mouthed by another band) - eventually we got in thru a friend of a friend that recommended us to the pubs landlord. We played our first gig there, and was offered NYE - and 5 gigs a year there, so it was worth all the effort. Most of the time you dont really need a demo either - just a good sense of humour and a good price. You could always try "supporting" another covers band to try and get in at notoriously difficult places - again, we've had to do that a few times. Just dont give up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfunk Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 [quote name='jonsebass' timestamp='1341761170' post='1723667'] A combination of all 3 work best. What we tend to do is email first, then ring (to see if the land lord is in) and then actually visit the pub. It might be a bit of a pain in the arse, but its worth it - we only really go out to new venues now - we put the hard work in for the first couple of years, and now we get repeat business. One tip - if you "cold visit" a pub - make sure the landlord (or whoever) is in BEFORE you order a drink - you dont want to commit yourself to drinking a lonely pint if the landlord isnt - if he (or she) is in, then order your pint. One thing to remember is not to give up. We tried to get in with a pub once for 3 years (we had been bad mouthed by another band) - eventually we got in thru a friend of a friend that recommended us to the pubs landlord. We played our first gig there, and was offered NYE - and 5 gigs a year there, so it was worth all the effort. Most of the time you dont really need a demo either - just a good sense of humour and a good price. You could always try "supporting" another covers band to try and get in at notoriously difficult places - again, we've had to do that a few times. Just dont give up. [/quote] Thanks for the tips, I guess a multi-channel approach is what's needed! We're not charging the earth so hopefully more will come our way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsebass Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Well, we're a 5 piece and dont really get any more than £225 for a night in a pub or club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfunk Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 [quote name='jonsebass' timestamp='1341761937' post='1723690'] Well, we're a 5 piece and dont really get any more than £225 for a night in a pub or club. [/quote] Unfortunately our Keys player won't go out for less than £50 so that kind of dictates what everybody else gets paid. We don't really play pubs as they're after rock/indie band more and they can't pay as much. We tend to go for classy bar/club type places where they can afford to pay a little bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsebass Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Get rid of your keyboard player. He will hold you back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfunk Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 [quote name='jonsebass' timestamp='1341765244' post='1723761'] Get rid of your keyboard player. He will hold you back. [/quote] don't get me started on keys players Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsebass Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 We auditioned for one before we got our 2nd guitarist. What the hell is their problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 [quote name='bassfunk' timestamp='1341763003' post='1723717'] Unfortunately our Keys player won't go out for less than £50[/quote] Understandable, but better in the long run to go out for a bit less and do more gigs, surely? I've had the same experience with keys players though, they think they're bloody Rimsky-Korsakov for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfunk Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1341775680' post='1723987'] Understandable, but better in the long run to go out for a bit less and do more gigs, surely? I've had the same experience with keys players though, they think they're bloody Rimsky-Korsakov for some reason. [/quote] Couldn't agree more, I used to play in a band doing indie/rock covers and a bit of our own stuff and £50 each was a big payer! I'd happily gig for £40 if I had nowt else to do on a Friday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Legwork and recomendation works for us. We visit pubs and leave cards and song lists , have a chat and build a rapport if we can, I know a few places from being in bands and drinking over the years so that helps , as have the other lads . Pubs don't often make a massive margin for the privelidge of putting on a band , so we try to be realistic with fees, but parties and weddings often crop up from a good gig. we've been quite lucky as a few landlords have given us recomendations to others , and we have been told by a few that they rate us quite well against some local bands that I rate as good , so we try to be confident without expecting too much . it seems to work out OK . The landlord has their job , but I often get a bit confused as to why they would discuss their selling and promotion techniques with each other. It is fine if there are plenty of punters to share about , but nowadays it seems more and more pubs need an edge to keep busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 [quote name='bassfunk' timestamp='1341763003' post='1723717'] Unfortunately our Keys player won't go out for less than £50 so that kind of dictates what everybody else gets paid. We don't really play pubs as they're after rock/indie band more and they can't pay as much. We tend to go for classy bar/club type places where they can afford to pay a little bit more. [/quote] That sounds just like the keyboard player we have just ditched. Absolute moron who had no concept of the current market. As a fellow Manc whose band does do the occasional Pub gig, you will be lucky to get more than £200 in the North West area. I often think all the LL's got together and agreed a standard fee. There are a few exceptions that will go to £250 and if we are doing the Tibute Act, (Blues Brothers/Commitments), they seem happy to do it. There is one pub I could mention that only pays £80 + the contents of a bucket passed round at the end of the evening. I would join North West Bands, get yourself known on there and then do the legwork. If you rely on emails, CD's in the post then you won't get anywhere. LL's will keep shoving the info to the bottom of the pile. The ploy that works for us is to go in when the place isn't busy, armed with a DVD and portable player, and ask for 10 mins of the LL's time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barneyg42 Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 We don't go out looking for weddings or functions but they sometimes come our way after playing a pub and we get seen. Usually try and get something between £400-£600 for a wedding involving lunchtime setup and between set music supplied. These are few and far between though and mostly it's pubs at the £200-£300 mark. Do one at £180 (tight LL) got him up from £150 eventually and tend to try out new songs to what is a very friendly audience that we know well now. Did a gig last week as the "Friday Hat Band" ie you play for £50 + hat to see if you're any good. Landlord was a bit embarrassed when we rocked up and blew the place apart, but he wasn't to know we'd been around the block a bit and knew our stuff. Picked up a ton in the hat and have been booked for £200 in the future. We have a very proactive singer who chases gigs with a vengeance, she's a very feisty welsh bird from the valleys! We have CDs, website with some of our songs, videos, business cards, Facebook etc. Anything that show the band in a good light, and any recommends from previous gigs are good. Leaving flyers on the tables at pub gigs has bought some work in too. Hard work but when you find you have no spare time at the weekend and are getting in at 1am you know it's paying off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Get in with other bands that are already on the rosters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Playing predominantly weddings myself, we usually do 4 or 5 public gigs a year where we will book either a pub or similar so that prospective clients can come down and check us out. We don't ask a fee for the gig usually as we are using it as self promotion, just expenses covered. We normally try and find a nice pub for these events rather than your typical pub band pub. Other than that I'd say if you are trying to get more clients you would be better off trying some of the wedding fayres where you have a captive and target audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Personal contact, meeting the landlord / manager is best. Drop off a 'promo pack' if you can (containing CD). Try and get some kind of commitment from the landlord / manager. Try and follow up with phonecalls / Emails once you've made contact. There are no short-cuts. As some say, it can take years to break through in some venues. Perserverance and hard work (and sometimes under-cutting ) is the key. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 The point about venues being in competition with each other is more pertinent these days than ever but if they talk to each other they can schedule bands and gigs to share around the limited punters around these days. Local town runs Sundays gigs from lunchtime to late evening and some hardly souls will last the distance. Lol But they manage to keep the bands from clashing too much. Of course, this communication can work against as if they share bands they also share other info like fees. You may be able to up the rate by £50 but no more. It is a very vibrant music town though and the gigs that come from it offset the lower pub rates but if you are mostly a pub band then you have accept you will work cheap for the most part. Cheap round here is £200 and tops out @ £400 but if you do too many pubs in the same area..... You harm the exclusive pub appearance rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 The point about venues being in competition with each other is more pertinent these days than ever but if they talk to each other they can schedule bands and gigs to share around the limited punters around these days. Local town runs Sundays gigs from lunchtime to late evening and some hardly souls will last the distance. Lol But they manage to keep the bands from clashing too much. Of course, this communication can work against as if they share bands they also share other info like fees. You may be able to up the rate by £50 but no more. It is a very vibrant music town though and the gigs that come from it offset the lower pub rates but if you are mostly a pub band then you have accept you will work cheap for the most part. Cheap round here is £200 and tops out @ £400 but if you do too many pubs in the same area..... You harm the exclusive pub appearance rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westie9 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Someone previously mentioned Wedding Fayres. Has anyone had any success with these and how did you market yourself on the day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrismanbass Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 [quote name='Westie9' timestamp='1343351238' post='1749496'] Someone previously mentioned Wedding Fayres. Has anyone had any success with these and how did you market yourself on the day? [/quote] Most wedding shows charge a fee for a pitch depending on how big/high brow the show is this can be up to around £400 - 600 better off investing the money in a decent website and promo material/showcases imo. People will rarely book a band on the strength of a man with a laptop and showreel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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