Function band gigging?

[Fisheth]

Hey guys, curious about something. I've never been in a function band before and I was looking at them. Is there a general rate of pay for them or is it whatever the venues/owners decide to pay or do the bands set the rates themselves?

Was curious about auditioning for a few and seeing if the pay was worth it.

Thanks guys!

[TimR]

Bands tend to set their rates and you'll usually get a share but there are brackets that different bands fall into depending on qualityand size of the band and the type and quality of the function they're playing.

[JTUK]

Functions tend to be more formal... and can command better money, so the set-up might
incur costs that need to come out of gigs. This means the split might not an absolute split and
you end up paying a salary. If the band is very well run, you can get a weekly salary or payment
but as always, nothing is for nothing and a few of the costs that you'll contribute to are..admin, PR, P.a and light hire, and maybe
the cost of running a dedicated vehicle.

So, for example..accounting for these costs and maybe a kitty, a £1k fee may only be able to pay
£750 to the 5 piece band. and thereby open a can of worms of who gets paid what..

[lojo]

In my experience there is no norm for this kind of work.

I've charged £ 500 - £ 2000 ish when its been up to me to arrange the band, and dependant on location and what I need to provide.

I've also been paid a fee of £150 per gig to play bass only, just turn up and plug in and walk away after. I've no idea what the band where being paid, and I didn't care, I know the organiser earned his money getting things right.

[colgraff]

In my experience, the pay per hour is comparable to that of a pub band. You get much more money, but put many more hours in and often have to travel much further, too.

Having said that, the experience you gain from the higher level of professionalism is invaluable so I say go for it.

[blue]

If you have the connection to audition for a functions band go for it. Over here busy functions band opportunities are rarely advertised to the public.

Blue

[Graham]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1444765076' post='2885828']
If you have the connection to audition for a functions band go for it. Over here busy functions band opportunities are rarely advertised to the public.

Blue
[/quote]

I suspect that's the same over here, most of ads I see for function bands are for new start ups, established acts have a list of deps, one of whom is probably willing to step into the roll full time if offered.

[Japhet]

My experience;

Better money (sometimes exceptional) but, loads of hanging about, loads of travelling, loads of crap music, loads of listening to boring wedding speeches, loads of hours due to early set ups etc., loads of friction in the band due to all of the above. Expect to be treated like a human jukebox too.

[Delberthot]

Been doing it for 21 years now.

As all of the above regarding waiting around, getting there early to set up and learning the most appalling first songs if it's a wedding

I'd add to that that you need a very understanding partner and be prepared to give up most weekends in your life depending on how busy you are. During the summer I'll regularly play about 3 hours drive away so I'm giving up about 12 hours of my weekend per gig, bearing in mind that this is still technically my hobby and we all have day jobs.

I'm still loving it because I'm fortunate that I play with other musicians who are really good at what they do and we all get along so well.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Delberthot

[blue]

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1444769295' post='2885922']
My experience;

Better money (sometimes exceptional) but, loads of hanging about, loads of travelling, loads of crap music.[/quote]

Question, when you say crap music, crap music to who?

For me and some others any music were performing that's generating decent pay is not crap.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1444775889' post='2886019']
I'm still loving it because I'm fortunate that I play with other musicians who are really good at what they do and we all get along so well.[/quote]

I hope everyone understands how much of a difference this makes for a positive band experience.

Blue

[Raslee]

I've been doing it for the last 3 years around Devon & Cornwall and love it. I've even dropped a day off my day job and top up my salary with music, awesomeness!
I'd say I am averaging around £500 per month after expenses.
Pros: Generally good crowds, get fed well, money is decent, good band mates that are supportive, dep bank sorted for time off, been to some amazing venues and sometimes we've been offered free accommodation. We also hire our PA which is a bonus extra £100 for whoever wishes to stay behind at a gig. Become better and tighter with my playing and it has bolstered a bit of improvisation skills for when the moments right. Have fun with some tunes too - ie putting our spin on things!
Cons: Tinitus, late nights sometimes, next day fatigue- a challenge if you have children, awful first dance requests, jazzer pro deps who clearly don't learn the set and as aforementioned waiting around.

Got to say though I love it 😻

[Japhet]

Blue - I guess if the money is your prime motivator then you play anything to earn the bucks. For me, playing music I don't like is a chore and spoils my enjoyment of something I like doing. Music isn't my livelihood - it's something I want to enjoy.

[gapiro]

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1444813366' post='2886203']
Blue - I guess if the money is your prime motivator then you play anything to earn the bucks. For me, playing music I don't like is a chore and spoils my enjoyment of something I like doing. Music isn't my livelihood - it's something I want to enjoy.
[/quote]
To me, playing any music is a learning experience and makes me better and more versatile - there is lots to be learnt from the music you dont enjoy playing/listening to.

[TimR]

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1444823108' post='2886348']

To me, playing any music is a learning experience and makes me better and more versatile - there is lots to be learnt from the music you dont enjoy playing/listening to.
[/quote]

+1

Playing in a function band improved my playing astronomically. Not least because I knew over 100 tunes and was continually learning new material every few weeks. Material that I wouldn't normally listen to or play.

[JTUK]

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1444823108' post='2886348']
To me, playing any music is a learning experience and makes me better and more versatile - there is lots to be learnt from the music you dont enjoy playing/listening to.
[/quote]

But if you've had 30-40 yrs of that, you might be a little jaded and put down a few restrictions or criteria yourself.
That is understandable as well...?

Certain people will NOT play with certain people.
I've got plenty of numbers/contacts of prominant players and you don't ring them up for certain gigs. You just don't and if you
were to be so silly, you'd not be received again. Credibility is everything, IMO.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1444825850' post='2886409']
+1

Playing in a function band improved my playing astronomically. Not least because I knew over 100 tunes and was continually learning new material every few weeks. Material that I wouldn't normally listen to or play.
[/quote]

Same here. its forced me to listen and learn music i probably wouldn't have bothered or known about if it wasn't for first dance requests etc.

The 3 function bands ive been playing with over the years have always just split the money equally. Ive never been in a band with a band leader who calls the shots and pays a wage out, other than if ive been depping.

I wouldn't say i enjoy every gig, but then i dont enjoy every day at work either. You take the rough with the smooth if you want to do this sort of thing. Knowing what you are getting in to is half the battle won IME. Its definitely not for everyone, but there are so many threads on here about this that i think any one who spends a bit of time reading them will know exactly whats the norm and whats expected. Then you can make your own mind up.

For me its a case of playing (which i enjoy) and making money from it. I dont have the inclination to write any more, so learning a few new songs in a new style or songs i like listening to is satisfying to me, i then get paid to play it to others. Perfect :-)

[gapiro]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1444828618' post='2886452']
But if you've had 30-40 yrs of that, you might be a little jaded and put down a few restrictions or criteria yourself.
That is understandable as well...?

Certain people will NOT play with certain people.
I've got plenty of numbers/contacts of prominant players and you don't ring them up for certain gigs. You just don't and if you
were to be so silly, you'd not be received again. Credibility is everything, IMO.
[/quote]
I can't really say I know, as i'm only 28....
I have plenty of contacts too - and know what you mean. EG my day job are looking for a pianist for our christmas party to play background music - I know plenty of keys/piano players but only 2 or 3 who I would consider to have the right style to play background christmas music on their own on piano.

[JTUK]

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1444910705' post='2887219']
I can't really say I know, as i'm only 28....
I have plenty of contacts too - and know what you mean. EG my day job are looking for a pianist for our christmas party to play background music - I know plenty of keys/piano players but only 2 or 3 who I would consider to have the right style to play background christmas music on their own on piano.
[/quote]

The local touring player who is out on world tours might sit in at the local with some mates for 2-3 songs but he isn't going to be available to anyone who calls him. He has a reputation to consider and he doesn't want any..or need any, little embarrassments. And it isn't as uncoomon as you think..they are always levels, and some you can't reach but there may be some you wont dip down into...??

[JTUK]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1444829507' post='2886458']
Same here. its forced me to listen and learn music i probably wouldn't have bothered or known about if it wasn't for first dance requests etc.

The 3 function bands ive been playing with over the years have always just split the money equally. Ive never been in a band with a band leader who calls the shots and pays a wage out, other than if ive been depping.

I wouldn't say i enjoy every gig, but then i dont enjoy every day at work either. You take the rough with the smooth if you want to do this sort of thing. Knowing what you are getting in to is half the battle won IME. Its definitely not for everyone, but there are so many threads on here about this that i think any one who spends a bit of time reading them will know exactly whats the norm and whats expected. Then you can make your own mind up.

For me its a case of playing (which i enjoy) and making money from it. I dont have the inclination to write any more, so learning a few new songs in a new style or songs i like listening to is satisfying to me, i then get paid to play it to others. Perfect :-)
[/quote]

That works if you all contribute equally, Dave, but some guys get all the gigs, do all the phone calls, liaise with the booker, website, others own the p.a and bring the lights and the drummer just looks after himself.
If everything is equal, then it is equal, but mostly it isn't, so the band leader creams off what he thinks he is owed...dangerous territory, or you all discuss it openly, with is slightly lesser dangerous territory, so eventually, one guy gains control and tells the others what the gig is worth..i,e paying.
And since they do the megotiations and collect the moeny....how will you know..?
In the world of deps... they will tell you what they work for... i,e £100 min, and you either get them in because they are worth it, or pay lower for lesser..???

Local saying around here...70 a nut... meaning min £70 per gig,.... that seems a min fee that people go out for in a pub, which means pay in 2 years has jumped £20 ...
Deps charge more as they know they can... until they want your gig...and if regular, they become more flexible..??

[dave_bass5]

Agreed John.

As my old band is now dead and a distant memory, i must confess i did cream a bit off the top every now and then, as i was doing most of the bookings. It shouldn't have been like that, i wasn't running the band as such, but two of the band were so bloody lazy i felt 0% guilt. I would often split the money with the drummer who did give me lifts etc.
It was all contract stuff, and i would always email the contracts around, but sometimes they would go through Acrobat first ;-)

Yes, im a bad person, but with a full time job and a family i often wondered why the two that had neither wouldn't make a phone call every now and then.

[gapiro]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1444918251' post='2887341']

Local saying around here...70 a nut... meaning min £70 per gig,.... that seems a min fee that people go out for in a pub, which means pay in 2 years has jumped £20 ...
Deps charge more as they know they can... until they want your gig...and if regular, they become more flexible..??
[/quote]

To be fair, that 50 quid hadn't changed much in the last 30 years prior though.

[IzzyDunn]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1444829507' post='2886458']
Same here. its forced me to listen and learn music i probably wouldn't have bothered or known about if it wasn't for first dance requests etc.

The 3 function bands ive been playing with over the years have always just split the money equally. Ive never been in a band with a band leader who calls the shots and pays a wage out, other than if ive been depping.

I wouldn't say i enjoy every gig, but then i dont enjoy every day at work either. You take the rough with the smooth if you want to do this sort of thing. Knowing what you are getting in to is half the battle won IME. Its definitely not for everyone, but there are so many threads on here about this that i think any one who spends a bit of time reading them will know exactly whats the norm and whats expected. Then you can make your own mind up.

For me its a case of playing (which i enjoy) and making money from it. I dont have the inclination to write any more, so learning a few new songs in a new style or songs i like listening to is satisfying to me, i then get paid to play it to others. Perfect :-)
[/quote]

+1

I love playing in a band and I'd happily play the spoons if I had to. You learn some crap songs and you put in some tunes you love as well. There can by loads of generic function bands and playing the stuff you want to and finding your group's style can be the thing that gets you the gig over another band.

We know all the usual Van Morrison and Michael Bublé cheese and play loads of 12 bar blues and Rock n Roll that the audience just eats up. If it's something you enjoy doing then go for it. Have fun playing other people's songs and adding your own licks here and there.

We probably know about 80 songs, abandoned about 20 that just never sounded great and on an average night we'll play approx. 45. With weddings they usually run over with speeches and dinner, then there's the 30 minute buffet and being in Scotland most couples want a 30 minute ceilidh as well. One night we managed a grand total of 16 songs which while being well received was awful for us.

For a function we'll charge £650 for 4 hours including break and for a wedding we'll be around £1100 for up to 50 miles and cost up if we need to travel farther, hire a van (we use two cars) or do a sleep over. You can sign with an agency and maybe end up with lower paying but more regular work in the beginning, and it also lets you be hands off if you're doing it purely for money and want to do the bare minimum. We do everything ourselves and attend loads of fayres and exhibitions as we've only been at it properly for 18 months.

If you start a band, make sure you trust the people you're in it with and you have a clear direction for what you are and are willing to do or be paid. We've had issues with that when there aren't any weddings and guys refuse to do pub work. It's a business at the end of the day and you don't want to be in business with halfwits or lazy folk

Edited October 15, 2015 by IzzyDunn

[JTUK]

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1444919487' post='2887356']
Agreed John.

As my old band is now dead and a distant memory, i must confess i did cream a bit off the top every now and then, as i was doing most of the bookings. It shouldn't have been like that, i wasn't running the band as such, but two of the band were so bloody lazy i felt 0% guilt. I would often split the money with the drummer who did give me lifts etc.
It was all contract stuff, and i would always email the contracts around, but sometimes they would go through Acrobat first ;-)

Yes, im a bad person, but with a full time job and a family i often wondered why the two that had neither wouldn't make a phone call every now and then.
[/quote]

Quite understandable Dave... we had a drummer who said he was useless on the phone so we said just hand the number/contact over then.
In 3 years not one gig/contact and I don't recall more than a handful of people he got along. What brings that to a head is when you have to sell 350 tickets and every head is a bonus...and such tough work. That is the sort of thing that makes the unequal thing very apparent.
And then that £1200 gig has quite a big slice or differential and it isn't the band you started with anymore..it is a business..

And..he was the one who started the minimum gig fee thing...so that is how we started a kitty...as some of those early gigs wouldn't make his fee x 5... so we put him on a fee ..and over time he never made MORE that we did, altho on some gigs he got paid more..but then on others much less.

What ever people demand...and I am fine with them asking.. it all comes out of your yearly earnings and the kitty can't be bare at the end of it.. so they end up slightly less well embursed..

Edited October 15, 2015 by JTUK

[JTUK]

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1444921773' post='2887382']
To be fair, that 50 quid hadn't changed much in the last 30 years prior though.
[/quote]

Probably not,

I am trying to recall some wages back then,,,but pubs have probably increased by £100 in the last 20 yrs..??
It is only now that pubs will pay £350 round here...and you have ASK.

Oh..and the term is 70 a skull... not nut..