Band fee

[acidbass]

£70 a man standard for bars here in Northern Ireland too. Some of the larger club-style setups pay more but also expect you to tailor your set to entertain the crowd and keep them drinking

[warwickhunt]

Also NE based here and unfortunately unless you are one of the (very) well established local bands you'll not get much more than you've stated... in fact £210 for a 3 piece is as good as you can expect. I've played in 3/4/5 (and even a 6 at one point) piece bands in the NE for 37 years and I'd say that the pub money is the same now as it was 30 years ago; if I get £60 per night these days I count myself lucky... once or twice lately we've averaged £40 per man!

[barneyg42]

Total swings and roundabouts with my lot, in a 5 piece and tonight got a 40 mile-ish round trip for £60. Bit further for the drummer, considerably less for the rest. Next Friday about a 10 mile round trip for £50 and Saturday even less for £50. Most of the pubs we do pay between £250-300. Clubs a bit more. I'd say £70 per head is pretty good going, obviously I don't know the distances you travel but most pubs just pay what they pay irrespective of where you travel from.

[Woodinblack]

In the SW, my last group, a 3 piece got normally 240. now in a 4 piece, we get normally 250/260, so pretty much the same but less each!
Having said that, a couple of venues here we asked and have gone up to £300 because they liked us and we do a long set (long for the UK, obviously quite short for Milwaukee).

[Number6]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1480779960' post='3187093']
In the SW, my last group, a 3 piece got normally 240. now in a 4 piece, we get normally 250/260, so pretty much the same but less each!
Having said that, a couple of venues here we asked and have gone up to £300 because they liked us and we do a long set (long for the UK, obviously quite short for Milwaukee).
[/quote]

Do you haul lights?

[mikel]

I would love to pick up 70 quid for every gig. As long as I am not out of pocket the gig is good. If this is your main income source then I can understand, but most covers bands are semi pro so the money is not such an issue. I think 210 for a pub gig in the NE is fantastic money, being a Geordie myself.

[el borracho]

I'm North East based as well. £200-£250 par for the course for the average pub gig. Hasn't really changed in years.

[leemarseillebass]

Excellent bunch of answers! It's exactly what I wanted and a big yes to 210 being absolutely fine, my only, well, main query was I had thoughts that we were accepting too little, it's a work in progress I guess. We're doing a promo vid very soon so I'll post it here, and tell us what you all think. We have lights, backdrop and PA, it's a full thing we take. Cheers everyone:)

[molan]

Most of my gigs are Hampshire / Berkshire / Surrey. I guess average fee is £250.

A few places hit £300 and one is £350 but there's a couple of small places who don't go over £150.

We play the little ones because we know the managers and they are usually a nice crowd.

Oh, and we play one place for free in exchange for free rehearsal time. Every ten rehearsals = one free gig

Edited December 3, 2016 by molan

[mikel]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1480784139' post='3187136']
Most of my gigs are Hampshire / Berkshire / Surrey. I guess average fee is £250.

A few places hit £300 and one is £350 but there's a couple of small places who don't go over £150.

We play the little ones because we know the managers and they are usually a nice crowd.

[b]Oh, and we play one place for free in exchange for free rehearsal time. Every ten rehearsals = one free gig[/b]
[/quote]

That sounds like a great deal.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='leemarseillebass' timestamp='1480783237' post='3187126']
We have lights, backdrop and PA, it's a full thing we take.
[/quote]

Again, that's not unusual for 'round here (or most places, I imagine...?)

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1480784139' post='3187136']
Most of my gigs are Hampshire / Berkshire / Surrey. I guess average fee is £250.

A few places hit £300 and one is £350 but there's a couple of small places who don't go over £150.

We play the little ones because we know the managers and they are usually a nice crowd.

Oh, and we play one place for free in exchange for free rehearsal time. Every ten rehearsals = one free gig
[/quote]
Same kind of thing here, we actually got £400 last week, in a pub! Second time there for us and the till was bursting at the seams both times, we heard the door staff were turning people away during the second set because the place was too full, if only all our gigs went so well

I have a trio that does the cheap gigs, still ends up £50 each and we are not really playing anything suitable to go for the party/function scene but the little venues have a regular crowd of music fans that appreciate actual live music,had some good nights in those little quirky pubs.

[ivansc]

StingrayPete has it.

Sell more beer, your fee should go up.

[warwickhunt]

Used to do this one; quite pertinent!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivrHgl-w-OU

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1480798028' post='3187260']
StingrayPete has it.

Sell more beer, your fee should go up.
[/quote]

Top and bottom of a pub's business model isn't it?

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1480780538' post='3187103']
Do you haul lights?
[/quote]

Not that far!

[bassjim]

If only I could sing. I'd lose half my current band in an instant and go out as a three piece. £210.00 for a pub would earn me more than a share of £250.00 between 5.
Because there are 5 of us we are restricted to a min of £250.00. Pubs love it when someone rocks up with a mic and backing tapes but only wants £150.00.
I've had the pleasure of being in bands that demand more and get it due to good fan base and in some of the pubs my current band I play in, we can get as much as £400.00 due to right location,right music, right crowd ect but this is not the norm.

I saw a band in my local boozer few weeks ago that played all the remedial pub rock/indie stuff. Personally bored me shitless but ....pub payed £200.00 = pub happy. Punters of about 25-30 in numbers got pissed and joined in= happy punters. Band had happy crowd plus a few quid each. Not pro minded musos but just chaps with guitars having a laugh = happy band. I can see it now...."hello pub landlord, what you need is half the punters, pay more and try out my pro standard function band that no one round here knows from Adam and see how it goes..."

You only have 2 other people to contend with so if you are happy with the results musically speaking....its not too bad.

[mikel]

A wise man once said "If you get into music to make money you will be disappointed, If you get into music to make music you will be happy"

[blue]

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1480957916' post='3188423']
A wise man once said "If you get into music to make money you will be disappointed, If you get into music to make music you will be happy"
[/quote]

I disagree.

There are many that are happy because they're playing music and in it to make music and also make money.

Most pro musicians are not in it solely to make music. They have to make money as well.

Blue

[JTUK]

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1480950583' post='3188316']
If only I could sing. I'd lose half my current band in an instant and go out as a three piece. £210.00 for a pub would earn me more than a share of £250.00 between 5.
Because there are 5 of us we are restricted to a min of £250.00. Pubs love it when someone rocks up with a mic and backing tapes but only wants £150.00.
I've had the pleasure of being in bands that demand more and get it due to good fan base and in some of the pubs my current band I play in, we can get as much as £400.00 due to right location,right music, right crowd ect but this is not the norm.

I saw a band in my local boozer few weeks ago that played all the remedial pub rock/indie stuff. Personally bored me shitless but ....pub payed £200.00 = pub happy. Punters of about 25-30 in numbers got pissed and joined in= happy punters. Band had happy crowd plus a few quid each. Not pro minded musos but just chaps with guitars having a laugh = happy band. I can see it now...."[b]hello pub landlord, what you need is half the punters, pay more and try out my pro standard function band that no one round here knows from Adam and see how it goes..[/b]."

You only have 2 other people to contend with so if you are happy with the results musically speaking....its not too bad.
[/quote]

Depends on the place.... function bands may well not cross-over too well anyway.... but no one is going to be convinced that less people will work in this context.

You can try and sell the really accomplished band but there are limits to the market..ie, how much alcohol sells, and it may be better to stick with the units sold.
By the same token, if you warned the pub of a good attendence and to stock up on wine... and they ran out after selling 70 bottles of wine, you aren't going to be going out for £250.

[mikel]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1480964806' post='3188506']
I disagree.

There are many that are happy because they're playing music and in it to make music and also make money.

Most pro musicians are not in it solely to make music. They have to make money as well.

Blue
[/quote]

Blue. Dont be so literal, its a generalisation, but also true. Most of the pro musicians got into it originally cos they loved music, and lots of them made money at it cos they were in the right place at the right time. I envy them.

If I have to spell it out........, what it means is that aiming to have a lifelong, paying career, as a musician is one of the long shots in life. Wanting to play music and simply enjoying it for its own worth it is a goal that can be attained by most with some work.

[JTUK]

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1480968912' post='3188581']
Blue. Dont be so literal, its a generalisation, but also true. Most of the pro musicians got into it originally cos they loved music, and lots of them made money at it cos they were in the right place at the right time. I envy them.

If I have to spell it out........, what it means is that aiming to have a lifelong, paying career, as a musician is one of the long shots in life. Wanting to play music and simply enjoying it for its own worth it is a goal that can be attained by most with some work.
[/quote]

Was thinking about this just this evening on the drive home. Two of my 'friends' must have played to a million people this year...not sure I envy them.
Having said that, if they clear the money they expect to clear, I might change my mind..

I'm not quite out of love with music- I play every day- but can't be far off..???

[HengistPod]

We agree a fee of £75 each wherever we play. Perhaps pubs up here are a bit more willing to pay that because we're much more rural and bands have to drive further to get there. Leaving home at 6-7pm, getting home at anywhere between 2-4am, that's between £7.50 - £10 an hour for your evening's work. To say nothing of gear expenses.

We don't have a gig that's local to all of us - so if a venue won't cough, we don't go. None of us are desperate for the cash, and we've found that venues that haggle over 50 quid usually come complete with a bad attitude and/or bad punters.

[blue]

[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1480968912' post='3188581']


Blue. Dont be so literal, its a generalisation, but also true. Most of the pro musicians got into it originally cos they loved music, and lots of them made money at it cos they were in the right place at the right time. I envy them.

If I have to spell it out........, what it means is that aiming to have a lifelong, paying career, as a musician is one of the long shots in life. Wanting to play music and simply enjoying it for its own worth it is a goal that can be attained by most with some work.
[/quote]

I get where your coming from. I agree to an extent.

I still reccomend playing music for it's own worth and for money at the same time.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1480969434' post='3188595']


Was thinking about this just this evening on the drive home. Two of my 'friends' must have played to a million people this year...not sure I envy them.[/quote]

I do.

Blue