Boxing day gigs?

[The_D]

So we have been asked to play a gig on boxing day. We are a rock cover band and we are generally quite cheap compared to a lot of bands in the area.

We get gigs because we are good value for money at £180-£200 mark. We are gigging virtually every weekend and I attribute that to the price, as we know bands who are as good as us with a lot fewer gigs due to the charges they ask for.

That was just to stop people moaning about us undercutting bands and selling out nah, nah, nah.

We got offered a gig at New Year in Perth and are considering it at £400 plus a flat for the band on Auld Years night. We all kinda agreed this was reasonable. On the other hand we were asked about Boxing day from a more local pub and our guitarist is adamant that it should be a normal priced gig?!

I think its a special day and should be more. Maybe not as big a night as Christmas Eve or New Years Eve but still a special night. I mean C'mon it has its own name?!

Do you guys charge more on boxing day or is it normal prices for you?

[Moos3h]

Personally-speaking, I'd never do another boxing day gig, they can be a total wasteland...

I'd say something like Boxing day would equate to time and a half, so for you £300 max? I think you're right on the NYE gig being double time, but at £400 you are still VERY cheap to some (distintinctly average) bands I know. We charge more than that, but that's only really to cover the massive costs of babysitters being on double time too!

Cheers,
James

[teej]

For me Boxing Day is family time, especially as the run-up to Christmas is the busiest and highest earning time of the year for street-performers like us, so I wouldn't do it anyway. Having said that, of course it has to be more money than a normal gig - does your guitarist have a hidden agenda? Mother-in-law visiting or similar

[davidmpires]

Because I always go back home at that time of the year we never do Xmas or NYE.

This year our last gig will be on the 17th as i'm going from the 18th until the 3rd.

£400 for a NYE is indeed very very cheap. But you still charge very little for your average gig. How many of you in the band?

I'd probably charge a bit more, but then again I charge more than you already.

Do you have dinner included? Drinks?

[bassicinstinct]

In my experience, Boxing Day - fee-wise - is just a "normal" day because, I think, it isn't a Bank Holiday.

But I do agree with Moos3h. It can result is a fairly drastic lack of bums on seats and can be a pretty depressing experience.

Edited September 11, 2009 by bassicinstinct

[The_D]

Cheers guys. None of us have kids so babysitters dont come into it. I usually do go out for a piss up on boxing day though so I am giving up my time for this.

I have been trying to get our price up as I honestly believe that we are worth so much more. We are still at the point at the moment of trying to convince bars to let us in the door though.

Once we have played they always, without doubt, want our diary so they can book us back.

I will get back to the point earlier that if we gig every weekend at £200 then we are better off than a band that gigs once a month for £400. I enjoy playing and I am sure that most of the places we play would grudge paying more than £250 and even thats a push. Not because of how good we are just because they are all tight bastages.

[The_D]

[quote name='davidmpires' post='595407' date='Sep 11 2009, 09:28 AM']Because I always go back home at that time of the year we never do Xmas or NYE.

This year our last gig will be on the 17th as i'm going from the 18th until the 3rd.

£400 for a NYE is indeed very very cheap. But you still charge very little for your average gig. How many of you in the band?

I'd probably charge a bit more, but then again I charge more than you already.

Do you have dinner included? Drinks?[/quote]

No dinner or drinks. We all drive to and from gigs with our cars/equipment.

Theres 4 in the band: Guitard/vox, Drummer, Vocals and Me on the fat strings.

The average round here is about £250-£300 a gig but you get some bands wanting £400+ but dont get many gigs. We arent undercutting too much. Just offering a slightly cheaper option for skint pubs.

[OldGit]

Sounds Ok for pub gigs and as you say loads of gigs at a reasonable amount is bettter than a few at more money. It's a balance. if your market won't stump up more without a fight then you have to decide if it's worth the hassle for what is only a few pints each more
However traditionally NYE should be about 3 times your normal fee so £600 rather than £400.

But if you are all happy with what you are getting and you don't need a decent take home for domestic negotiations then just charge what you are happy with.

[The_D]

[quote name='OldGit' post='597385' date='Sep 13 2009, 02:49 PM']Sounds Ok for pub gigs and as you say loads of gigs at a reasonable amount is bettter than a few at more money. It's a balance. if your market won't stump up more without a fight then you have to decide if it's worth the hassle for what is only a few pints each more
However traditionally NYE should be about 3 times your normal fee so £600 rather than £400.

But if you are all happy with what you are getting and you don't need a decent take home for domestic negotiations then just charge what you are happy with.[/quote]


He has offered us a flat for the night too which was the clincher for me. I wouldnt be keen on the new years gig if we all have to drive home at the end of the night. Band stops at 11 and then we get to have a few beers for the bells.