Pay-to-play? Play-for-exposure? How about BOTH?

[solo4652]

2 hours ago, Supernaut said:

Pay To Play happens all the time around my neck of the woods, sell tickets and give us all the money etc etc. Tell these shady promoters to stick it. 

Just had this from a venue we had approached :

 

 

"We would love to have you. We would prefer it if you could charge tickets to cover your fees but we can discuss other options if needed.

Let me know what you think"

 

Before telling them to Naff Off, we have politely asked what the "other options" are.

[Dan Dare]

9 hours ago, solo4652 said:

Before telling them to Naff Off, we have politely asked what the "other options" are.

 

Sensible.

[itsmedunc]

Perhaps any bands that really do want to play there, should just expose themselves.

[Dan Dare]

I wouldn't defend Pay to Play, but I can see how it's come about. There are a lot more aspiring bands than there are music venues. Some venues try to cover themselves by asking unknown/untried bands (especially those playing originals) for some sort of fee in case nobody turns up to see them. They don't do it every night of the week or for all bands/musicians - the ones they want to book get paid.

 

Back in the day, I played a few places that operated like that. The first time we played a venue, we paid, but subsequently and once they'd seen we went down OK and didn't empty the place, we got paid when/if we were booked back. Not a lot, maybe, but something at least.

 

In our case, we didn't pay the venue, but the PA operator. It may be different now, but many venues didn't own the PA, lights, etc. They got someone in to take care of that and we paid him. Given that we didn't have to carry, set up and tear down our own PA, etc and that the amount we were asked for wasn't astronomical, it seemed fair enough at the time. He was doing a night's work and wasn't a charity.

 

 

[JapanAxe]

This may be in Hicksville USA but don't forget that sh!t tends to migrate from there to here, including the bad kind. It's only a matter of time before some UK venue tries it - if they haven't already.

[dave_bass5]

On 11/08/2023 at 10:01, Doctor J said:

It's country music, the artist is supposed to be broke and miserable.

Maybe they could get paid in Dog's. It seems they keep losing them (and pickup trucks). 

[SteveXFR]

Our local pub landlord keeps moaning that no one wants to play his pub for free. Maybe he should try this set up.