Music Venues

[Bankai]

I'm doing a bit of research and I'd be interested to know what the deal is with music venues round your parts. I'm looking into the possibility of opening one, so if there's a venue near you that you've used or played at, I'd be delighted if you could give me a bit of feedback on the points below.

1. Venue, Town, Capacity?
2. How much do you have to pay to hire the venue (i.e to put on your own gig)
3. If they put you on one of their own gig nights, do you get paid, get a bar share, get a ticket share, or get nothing?
4. What's the backline offered?
5. What's the PA and Engineer like?
6. What's the usual ticket price for events at the venue?

I'm talking about the smaller venues 50-150 capacity size.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Bankai

[Bankai]

So I'll start it off with one of the venues I played at recently:

1. 13th Note, Glasgow, 60ish?
2. £80ish for 8-11pm (week nights), but if the bar takes more than £160 you get the hire for free.
3. Haven't played one of their own nights so cannot comment.
4. They don't offer any backline, at all
5. FoH PA was 2 tops and 2 subs, with a small mixer at the back. Did the job alright. Mons were just two mismatched PA speakers on their side that weren't very clear or loud. Sound engineer was mediocre at best and despite being the regular guy there, didn't do that well.
6. We did ours for £3, although some nights are up to £8. Depends on the band/promoter

Edited December 17, 2013 by Bankai

[Bankai]

And one more just to finish off!

1. Native Tongue (now closed), Epsom, 40
2. Cannot be hired
3. £40 paid for 30/40 minute set, as well as a free drinks. No bar share.
4. Beaten-up Yamaha Stage Custom drum kit, 1x Fender 1x Hughes and Kettner mid-range solid-state combos, very shagged Peavey TNT Bass Combo.
5. FoH = 2x old and barely working tops, 1x sub, small mixer, cheap mics, no outboard. Mons = What Mons?. Engineer did a good job with what he had.
6. £1 Fri/Sat.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Bankai

[JTUK]

The Brewery Store, Faversham

Capacity 450.
IIRC:£2000 to hire and that includes all staff, bar keeps takings.
Lights and P.A provided. HK Atlas thing with MT monitors... not upto the job, IMV.
Engr not included.

If you play it as booked... then they pay a set fee, look after you well (food and drink rider ), but you are expect to sell
well at around £8-12.50. The ticket fee you set determines what you get. £750 upwards depending what %
you can negiotiate/justify. They pay the support. No backline.
They provide same P.A, lights and sound engr ( freelance ). They will crew the lights but you are better off upping the fee
and bringing your soundman and lightman.

It is a good gig, but you may decide it is too much work for the money.

Edited December 17, 2013 by JTUK

[bonzodog]

There are dozens of venues round here that fall into your 50-150 capacity.

They tend to fall into two categories -
Basic pubs that host live music stick you in a corner (small stage if youre lucky) pay around £200 regardless of how many they get in and there is no PA, backline or lighting.
Then there is the larger venue that provide PA and lighting but very rarely any backline. These normally give you a portion of the ticket money. They also usually only give you a portiion of the ticket sales from the people who have come to see your band if there is a few bands on same night. (They just ask each punter who they have come to see).

[Bankai]

Bump for some more?

[clauster]

The Forum, Tunbridge Wells, 250 Capacity.
POA for hire.
Ticket share once costs are covered.
Officially - no backline provided, but something can usually be rustled up with notice.
PA - I should know the exact specs as I have engineered there a couple of times. FOH is capable of sounding great, monitoring could be better. House engineers (Andy and Tris) are both great.
Tickets £5 upwards depending on who is playing.