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It's a good job I do this for fun and not money!


molan
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Played a fun gig this evening for which we were paid the princely sum of £250.

This was shared between 8 of us (7 in the band plus the ever attentive sound man) and we held some back towards the rehearsal kitty.

I bought a, small, round for a couple of the band plus an after gig beer for myself & worked out I had the net figure of about a fiver for the night.

I have to say that this doesn't really bother me a bit, it really was a fun evening and I can't imagine a better way to spend a dull Thursday than with some really good friends playing music for an appreciative audience :)

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I will admit that I wouldn't usually play for less than £250 for myself per gig..... but I see where your coming from..... I think the Thursday night pub gig with good friends just to play for the sake of loving what your playing is very satisfying..... did this a couple of months back where me and a few friends got together and played a local pub so we could be completely self indulgent and play the music we wanted to such as Toto, Brand x, Van Halen, Spyro Gyra, Bros Johnson, Funkadelic, Level 42 (early stuff) etc.....
At the end of the night..... we still got requests for Mustang Sally..... We left the stage shortly afterwards!

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[quote name='crez5150' post='482781' date='May 8 2009, 10:49 AM']me and a few friends got together and played a local pub so we could be completely self indulgent and play the music we wanted to such as
Brand x[/quote]
Cor, I bet that got 'em dancing on the tables..! :) :rolleyes: :lol:

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[quote name='OldGit' post='482763' date='May 8 2009, 10:26 AM']Ha ha there speaks a man used to playing functions....
£250 is great money for a pub band ....[/quote]

Too true, lol.

Actually I really enjoy playing in pubs. We tipped up last night about 7:15 and all set up by 8:00. First beer on the house from the management & on stage by 9:00.

First set about 45 mins, 15 min break & back for about an hour. Then packed up & out the door before 12:00.

Last wedding I played payed out 4 times as much but we had to be there by 12 lunchtime and couldn't even start packing until gone midnight.

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Did a charity gig the other saturday with a couple of other bands in a large hall, started setting up at midday. a nightmare, we let the other bands do a sound check first, we had a few problems with the PA and it was 4.45 when we were happy. i was already on the way to knackerd. went home for some tea and got back there 8.15. by the time we went on it was 10.45. did well over an hour and came off stage to find THE BAR SHUT! by now i was tired and thirsty. after half an i managed to get a pint which never touched the sides. but we raised a £1000 for a local school so it was a good night. the thing is i would probably do it again. :)

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[quote name='molan' post='482984' date='May 8 2009, 02:47 PM']Too true, lol.

Actually I really enjoy playing in pubs. We tipped up last night about 7:15 and all set up by 8:00. First beer on the house from the management & on stage by 9:00.

First set about 45 mins, 15 min break & back for about an hour. Then packed up & out the door before 12:00.

Last wedding I played payed out 4 times as much but we had to be there by 12 lunchtime and couldn't even start packing until gone midnight.[/quote]


A pub gig, £250 AND a free beer? That's outstanding.

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Bull&Gate,Kentish Town.On stage 9:45,off 10:15.Soundcheck 6pm.At venue 5:30pm.Leave guitar players studio 3:30pm.Arrive at studio 2:30pm.
So far,nearly 8 hours.
Get home at 1am.
Paid £5.
For the whole band.
There are 6 of us.
Plus a roady to pay.
I definately do this because I enjoy,'cos it sure as hell does'nt pay well!

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[quote name='lee4' post='483309' date='May 8 2009, 09:11 PM']Bull&Gate,Kentish Town.On stage 9:45,off 10:15.Soundcheck 6pm.At venue 5:30pm.Leave guitar players studio 3:30pm.Arrive at studio 2:30pm.
So far,nearly 8 hours.
Get home at 1am.
Paid £5.
For the whole band.
There are 6 of us.
Plus a roady to pay.
I definately do this because I enjoy,'cos it sure as hell does'nt pay well![/quote]
sack the roadie? :)


My punk band is up to about 20 London-based gigs in just over a year and the most we have ever got paid was £40 between the three of us. At least if you play the BridgeHouse II in Canning Town the promoters wife makes you sausage rolls and baguettes for afters!

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Played a gig in a pub in Gourock ( on the Clyde coast) last night, first time there, £150 between four. Worked out at £30 each and 30 in kitty for drinks as it was costing us a fortune for rounds. Will ask for more money next time as we were asked to come back (must be something wrong with their hearing!).

Up here most pubs pay from around £150 to £280. No doubt some guys get more but hey, I`d do it for nothing if it gets me out playing.

Jez

Edited by jezzaboy
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[quote name='OldGit' post='483099' date='May 8 2009, 04:49 PM']A pub gig, £250 AND a free beer? That's outstanding.[/quote]

Actually I think it might have been £300 as some cash was kept back towards rehearsal costs, lol.

The staff were super friendly and said we were much better than their usual bands, they said they'd tell the manager to book us again :)

Not sure how happy our male lead singer was as he plays at the same place with a different outfit :rolleyes:

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Most London gig venues cram on 4-6 bands per night and don't pay them anything unless they bring with them over a certain number of people, eg after 20 people you get paid £1 per person turning up to see your band (and they ask everyone on the door who they're here to see). In fact, playing The Comedy, we had to PAY £5 each for the privilege of being able to use the backline amps! Makes me want to join a covers band so at least my costs get covered! Maybe that's why they're called cover bands...

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[quote name='dannybuoy' post='483846' date='May 9 2009, 05:08 PM']Most London gig venues cram on 4-6 bands per night and don't pay them anything unless they bring with them over a certain number of people, eg after 20 people you get paid £1 per person turning up to see your band (and they ask everyone on the door who they're here to see). In fact, playing The Comedy, we had to PAY £5 each for the privilege of being able to use the backline amps! Makes me want to join a covers band so at least my costs get covered! Maybe that's why they're called cover bands...[/quote]


ha ha yeah well most orginals bands are rubbish so that's why they get away with this malarchy.

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[quote name='jezzaboy' post='483743' date='May 9 2009, 02:59 PM']Played a gig in a pub in Gourock ( on the Clyde coast) last night, first time there, £150 between four. Worked out at £30 each and 30 in kitty for drinks as it was costing us a fortune for rounds. Will ask for more money next time as we were asked to come back (must be something wrong with their hearing!).

Up here most pubs pay from around £150 to £280. No doubt some guys get more but hey, I`d do it for nothing if it gets me out playing.

Jez[/quote]


If you're playing around Greenock/Port Glasgow, ask some of the *real* Old Timers if they remember a band called The Harmonichords back in the 70s. I used to play guitar with them & we played all over the area.

(Apologies for HiJack!)

Geoff

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[quote name='crez5150' post='482781' date='May 8 2009, 10:49 AM']I will admit that I wouldn't usually play for less than £250 for myself per gig.....[/quote]

And at this point I feel you are perhaps in a [i]slightly [/i]different sort of venue...... :)

Out of interest (and this is genuine interest) what sort of venuess/gigs are you taking this sort of money from ?

Dave

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[quote name='david_l_perry' post='484688' date='May 10 2009, 10:42 PM']And at this point I feel you are perhaps in a [i]slightly [/i]different sort of venue...... :)

Out of interest (and this is genuine interest) what sort of venuess/gigs are you taking this sort of money from ?

Dave[/quote]

+1...

As a three-piece, we do better at the money game than some, lowest we go out for is £150, normal is £180 (pubs), by negotiation for functions, etc. Even so, no-one's making a living at it!

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I almost did,but then I thought I'd have one last shot at the fame game....

I miss the cash given the sh*tty financial times we are under,I miss the sets...3 hrs of playing ,now THATS a gig,stamina and strength test,and men from the boys when it came to gear too.....would I do it tomorrow,yeah if I had the space and time....But I havent,and we are playing London this Saturday...Manchester club Academy a week or so later..see the efforts paying off.

Im off to get my back done...and then its back to the books and a bit of educative know how....

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