Gig promoters and the "pound per head" policy

[dannybuoy]

Here's a group for London promoters/venues on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/London-Live-Blacklist-Good-n-bad-London-Promoters-Bands-Venues/187959254586136

This was the norm when I was gigging around London with other unknown originals bands. In fact we were lucky to get any money, most would pay £1 per head after the first 10 or 20 people came in to see you. But living in the outskirts and working in central London, I already had a travelcard so it was free to get around town, and there was usually a house amp or cab available. When there wasn't, I had a Promethean combo just about light enough to lug on the tube, as long as the head was removed and put in the bass bag. I didn't mind so much as I didn't know any different, and took the viewpoint that most of the gigs were like a free rehearsal.

[Beer of the Bass]

I think the worst offer we've had was from an Edinburgh club, for which we were expected to sell tickets, receiving a couple of pounds for each one we sold and nothing from anyone who bought from the venue in advance, on the door or from the other band playing. The icing on the cake was that the gig was on New Year's Eve! Anywhere in central Edinburgh will be full to capacity on that night and the bars can charge what they like, so there's no way we'd do a Hogmanay gig without a larger than normal payment agreed in advance...

Edited April 23, 2014 by Beer of the Bass

[topheteatwo]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1398271250' post='2432327']
Here's a group for London promoters/venues on Facebook: [url="https://www.facebook.com/pages/London-Live-Blacklist-Good-n-bad-London-Promoters-Bands-Venues/187959254586136"]https://www.facebook...187959254586136[/url]

This was the norm when I was gigging around London with other unknown originals bands. In fact we were lucky to get any money, most would pay £1 per head after the first 10 or 20 people came in to see you. But living in the outskirts and working in central London, I already had a travelcard so it was free to get around town, and there was usually a house amp or cab available. When there wasn't, I had a Promethean combo just about light enough to lug on the tube, as long as the head was removed and put in the bass bag. I didn't mind so much as I didn't know any different, and took the viewpoint that most of the gigs were like a free rehearsal.
[/quote]

I have one promoter in London I'll use until he stops promoting, Michael Patterson, he's from back here and lives in London, one of the nicest men I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and a truly fantastic promoter, although I'm not sure if he promotes full time, maybe just for bands that come from NI but if you can seek him out, he'll put you on and if you're a far way from home, offer you everything he can to make you comfortable. When our van got towed in London, he gathered up as much extra cash as he could from his friends and emptied his wallet for us because the fine had left us broke. Need more people like him!

[The Funk]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1398192610' post='2431518']
[b][size=6]NAME AND SHAME[/size][/b]

please, would be rude not to
[/quote]

Plus a gazillion

Sadly, that kind of behaviour is the general rule.

If petrol money is agreed beforehand then try to collect it before you go on.

[The Funk]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1398244965' post='2431933']
The sad fact is that some venues think they are doing the bands a favour
[/quote]

Everyone in music seems to think they're doing everyone else a favour, mainly because all the money's gone!

[darren]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1398242644' post='2431902']

I'm sorry Manchester, you're not London (and even London isn't especially important any more on the gig circuit), you're just another city in the north of England. If there are no promoters or venues prepared to give bands a decent deal, then like us they'll just go to the places that will. So it's possible to see the Terrortones in Liverpool, Blackpool and Stockport (to name but 3 alternative locations in the same general area) but unless things change for the better, I can't see us going back to Manchester any time soon. Sorry to anyone in Manchester who wants to come and see us, but until your venues and promoters stop living in the past and realise that the way gigs are organised has changed, we won't be playing there.
[/quote]

Where do you gig in stockport, just out of interest. Ta

[Stu-khag]

Ahh so the roadhouse still do this then? I had very similar issues with them about 8 years ago. I hope its not the same female promoter as I can remember saying she wouldnt last long

[Norm]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1398270433' post='2432321']


The big problem with these types of gigs is the bands have next to nothing in common other than they all wanted a gig at the venue and were available on the night in question. Consequently the audience for each are generally not interested in the other bands so all that happens is that each one plays to their existing following and that's it. The promoters generally have zero interest in any of the bands and are just pocketing the cash.

This is why my band won't do gigs like this any more. It's far better to be playing with bands of a similar genre whose fans are far more likely to be interested in your music as well. Added to that most of the promoters in the genres we fall into have a genuine love of the music and are putting you on because they like what you do and not because you're just another band they hope will bring an extra 20 bodies through the door.
[/quote]

To be fair some of the venues try to tailor the bills to some sort of theme/genre, not always successful though.
Our last offer from one was a choice of 3 dates, an any genre night, an Indie rock night or a funk/blues night. We are fairly choosy anyway & always try to find out who else is on the bill before we commit.

[JTUK]

[quote name='Norm' timestamp='1398341386' post='2433114']
To be fair some of the venues try to tailor the bills to some sort of theme/genre, not always successful though.
Our last offer from one was a choice of 3 dates, an any genre night, an Indie rock night or a funk/blues night. We are fairly choosy anyway & always try to find out who else is on the bill before we commit.
[/quote]

An absolute must because if you don't excercise a degree of control from the start, it isn't so likely to appear
as the bands priorities are not much considered before anything else.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Norm' timestamp='1398341386' post='2433114']
To be fair some of the venues try to tailor the bills to some sort of theme/genre, not always successful though.
Our last offer from one was a choice of 3 dates, an any genre night, an Indie rock night or a funk/blues night. We are fairly choosy anyway & always try to find out who else is on the bill before we commit.
[/quote]

Which is why these days we only go with promoters who put on gigs that are exclusively psychobilly/horror punk/garage/goth. That way we know that everyone involved is going to enjoy all of the evening.

Edited April 24, 2014 by BigRedX

[paul_5]

I can't believe that the Roadhouse in Manchester still operates like this. It's as ludicrous as getting the bands to advertise the gig and sell the tickets, then calling yourself a 'promoter'.

[flyfisher]

Outsourcing is all the rage these days isn't it?

Edited April 24, 2014 by flyfisher

[Count Bassy]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1398354577' post='2433332']
I can't believe that the Roadhouse in Manchester still operates like this. It's as ludicrous as getting the bands to advertise the gig and sell the tickets, then calling yourself a 'promoter'.
[/quote]

Yep, if the band has to do posters and sell the tickets then they might as well just do the whole lot and take the whole proceeds.

I'm sure there are pubs out there with a suitable room, that you could say we want to use your room to put on a gig with X people in the audience - all you have to do is sell them drinks.

Obviously doesn't work if your in an open bar area.