Live performance rates - what do you charge and why?

[wheresthefbomb]

As the title states. Especially interested in the difference between solo/multiple solo acts/band rates. Very often I'm playing for a cut of the door/cover charge of which I'll usually tip 20% out to door person/bartenders as applicable/if they're not already getting a cut.

As for flat rates, $300 for 2 hours is what I've settled on based on what I've been able to negotiate in the past few years. $450 for myself plus a solo opener.

Most recently I asked for $650 for myself and two other solo acts plus providing our own PA (and then implicitly also either running sound ourselves or hiring a fourth person). That feels high, but when I think back on what I'm able to pay myself with no other acts, the pie is still cut smaller with each additional person. I'm only playing a 45min set in this scenario, but I'd be sharing sound duties with the other performers the whole time as well.

I try to only book other solo acts because by the time I pay every member of a 4 piece band what I think is a fair rate I end up with the least pay for the most work. That's probably on me to negotiate better rates if I'm booking larger acts, but obviously smaller numbers are always going to be easier for the venue to stomach. As an individual I've never made any appreciable amount of money playing in bands, even when we did really well at the door, and I couldn't imagine venues around here paying every member of a 4 or 5-piece band $150/hr. But maybe that's lack of imagination on my part.

Anyway, I'm curious to hear y'all's experiences and thoughts on this.

 

[tedtan]

People are still getting paid to play these days?

 

[ArtDecade]

50,000 tickets at 100 bucks a pop. Venue fees, promoters, and the cost of crew (road, lighting, etc) eats up half of that. By the time we get slapped by taxes, each guy in the band brings home about 200-300 grand a night.

 

[ZXIIIT]

I made $150 one time for playing acoustic guitar at a city fest for 20 mins. When I was doing a full band, we charged $450 for one hour. Once I went solo with my one man black metal act, it was anywhere from $50 to $200 for a 40 min set, still, it was not enough to live on but covered getting there and back.

I knew a guy that played guitar and sang with backing tracks at a bar in Catalina island that was making $100 an hour + tips.

 

[GunpointMetal]

TL;DR - $150 for in town shows or $250-$450 for travel shows when we're being asked to play as an original band (30-45 minute set, max).

I have no idea what covers or covers + a few originals get paid these days. As an all original act it's usually a door cut or $150 in town, $250-$450 out of town depending on the drive or show. I ask for way too much if it's a show I don't want to play or if I know it's going to be a slog (58 band local festival or something) so that way if they say yes it's worth the time and if they say no it's not me saying no, lol. If I want to get on a show for whatever reason we'll usually take whatever we can get unless it's some weird buy on/ticket requirement.

 

[SalsaWood]

I just give it all to the one guy in the band we all picked to run off with it when the band breaks up.

 

[Screamingdaisy]

Bars locally pay about $800/night.

If it's a private show, I charge $1200 + sound & lights, which I bill separately (runs from around $250 to $450, depending on who I go with and how much of their own gear they have to provide).

I found billing for sound separately made people understand that it cost us money to put on an event.