How do pub chains work with music?

[Pbassred]

So the new band does a taster gig at a a pub which which wants to start doing music. The manager is impressed. "I want you to play here once a month" she says. That works for us as a showcase to bring other punters in.

Now we need to negotiate money, publicity, continuity etc.. With a normal owner/landlord that no problem but do pub chains work differently?
Any advice? I have a few days.

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='Pbassred' post='215761' date='Jun 9 2008, 09:51 PM']So the new band does a taster gig at a a pub which which wants to start doing music. The manager is impressed. "I want you to play here once a month" she says. That works for us as a showcase to bring other punters in.

Now we need to negotiate money, publicity, continuity etc.. With a normal owner/landlord that no problem but do pub chains work differently?
Any advice? I have a few days.[/quote]

One thing you need to ensure is if they have a music license. We've lost a number of gigs from pubs starting up music only to find the council have caught up with them due to noise and license issues before we've had a chance to play there.

[Sibob]

Pub chains usually book their bands through an Agent, go into a branch near you and see if they'll give you the agents details perhaps

Si

[Dr.Dave]

We had a problem earlier this year after playing a pub that then encouraged the managers to book us in other pubs in the chain which hadn't been having music on but had sorted the licence issues in preperation for it.

Result - poor crowds of disinterested people and long faces for us. The money was nice and we took the chance to hone some new material but didn't really get much out of the whole experience in a playing sense.

We'd been hoping playing for the chain would create it's own mini circuit for us , and maybe some sponsorship from the chain - for which we'd been prepared to negotiate a slightly reduced fee as the effort of booking and advertising was being done for us.

That still sounds a good idea , in theory , to me - it just didn't work out for us.

Edited June 10, 2008 by Dr.Dave

[Pbassred]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='215996' date='Jun 10 2008, 10:57 AM']............................................... to book us in other pubs in the chain which hadn't been having music on ................................- it just didn't work out for us.[/quote]

That's another problem. If ANY venue is starting music for the first time. you have to educate the punters as well. You can't expect your fans to follow you everywhere.

This venue has the right licence. I wasn't thinking of going through the whole chain. I was just asking how much authority the manager has.

[crez5150]

It's not as black and white as booking a whole chain of pubs..... more than often it's down to each individual pub as the PRS License will be allocated in conjunction with the local council due to noise restrictions.

[Pbassred]

[quote name='crez5150' post='216353' date='Jun 10 2008, 06:20 PM']It's not as black and white as booking a whole chain of pubs..... more than often it's down to each individual pub as the PRS License will be allocated in conjunction with the local council due to noise restrictions.[/quote]
I'm not talking about booking a chain. Only about booking ONE pub IN a chain. However the management structure within chains is different to freehouses. specialist pubs, tied pubs etc.

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='Pbassred' post='215761' date='Jun 9 2008, 09:51 PM']...but do pub chains work differently?[/quote]
If the manager's booking you, it's pretty much the same as dealing with a landlord. The only thing he'll probably do is ask you to sign some paperwork at the end of the gig which makes you liable for tax. Make sure it's not you that signs every one for obvious reasons.

It might also be worth contacting one of the regular bands who play the venue (if they exist) to see what they get paid per gig, to check you're getting the going rate.