wheresthefbomb
Well-Known Member
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.
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.