How to turn off a possible venue...

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

As a person who books bands for a venue, I have to say that one of the biggest turn offs that I experienced is when a band member refuses to pay just a simple $2 cover charge for another band that they have never heard.

We had a wonderful band in our facility last night...Amplified Heet. These boys can put on a good show. In all honesty, I'd say they are one of the best that we have ever had in our place. Its hard to get the locals to come in and hear new bands. Not sure why it is that way. But we need to help raise some money to pay for the entertainers. So we charge a simple $2 cover in hopes that we can make the rest up in beer sales. Heck, that's just the cost of one beer folks. If we can't raise a cover, we will need to stop having bands and showing our support for great entertainers.

Of all people that should understand this are other band members. Last night when one member of another group flew into the bar and right back out because he didn't want to pay $2, I was ticked. This band member has been tryiing to talk me into having his expensive 'quality' band come to our venue. In fact, I was to present the information to our owners this weekend. Guess what...not going there. He's just screwed it for his band.

You all have got to help support each other. We can provide the facility. Do the advertising and serve the beer with friendly bartenders.

Sorry..just need to vent.

Asundor · Post by **Asundor** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

I would gladly pay $2.00 to see a band. Everyone should support one another. I no thats not the way it works but thats my two cents. Like you said hell it was only 2 dollars big deal. even If you don't like the band go and have a few drinks at the bar. I have actually heard they are a very good band. Some price to pay for a good time. Contact CYPHIN we'll come up and have a good time.

onegunguitar · Post by **onegunguitar** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

2 dollars,heck that is cheap!!

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

A lot of people have serious ego problems. I always gladly pay the cover, especially if I know that it's going into the band members' pockets.

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

Yep $2 is cheap. That shouldn't be a problem, if thats the problem.

When booking gigs, band members may try to go to several different places in one night with no intention of being "out". That's business, not pleasure. If that's the case, they should not be expected to pay cover and spend time at the venue if they are there strictly on business.

Edit:

In all fairness, if this guy was badmouthing the band, that definitely sucks.

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

What's your Venue? I'll make it a point to visit.

$2 is nothing.
Hell, I was surprised it was ONLY $3 last night! What a GREAT time I had, too! If I don't have a lot of money on hand, I simply drink ice water all night, but I always make sure I have enough for up to a $5 cover. SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC!!!

morningangel · Post by **morningangel** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

Sorry, lonewolf, I have to disagree with your comment that if a musician is at a venue "on business" they shouldn't have to pay. First of all, why would anyone go into various venues on a busy weekend night to book gigs? I'm sure management would prefer to approached with your press kit and sales pitch during the week when they aren't quite as busy. Now, I can see musicians wanting to stop in differnt clubs on nights they aren't playing to see and be seen, show support for the venue and other local artists, promote their own gigs, etc, and sure, I would consider that business. But it's then the cover becomes a business expense that musicians should swallow happily. Someone not wanting to pay a cover tells me that their's a HUGE ego problem, and I applaud Lisa for her decision not to promote the band to her management. Ego problems have a funny way of stunting ambition, work ethic, and destroying talent. Book a class act. This thread is a great reminder to all local musicians to keep it REAL.

Peace Out, Smoke Up!

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

morningangel wrote:Sorry, lonewolf, I have to disagree with your comment that if a musician is at a venue "on business" they shouldn't have to pay. First of all, why would anyone go into various venues on a busy weekend night to book gigs? I'm sure management would prefer to approached with your press kit and sales pitch during the week when they aren't quite as busy. Now, I can see musicians wanting to stop in differnt clubs on nights they aren't playing to see and be seen, show support for the venue and other local artists, promote their own gigs, etc, and sure, I would consider that business. But it's then the cover becomes a business expense that musicians should swallow happily. Someone not wanting to pay a cover tells me that their's a HUGE ego problem, and I applaud Lisa for her decision not to promote the band to her management. Ego problems have a funny way of stunting ambition, work ethic, and destroying talent. Book a class act. This thread is a great reminder to all local musicians to keep it REAL.

Peace Out, Smoke Up!

I said they shouldn't pay if they don't stay. If they just want to say hi and drop off a presskit, they should not ever in no way be expected to pay cover, period, over and out. They may have a half dozen more places to go.

Who said anything about a busy weekend night? Cover charges don't discriminate by what day it is...take a little trip to State College if you want a lesson on cover charges.

I hope you aren't saying that we should just support any old band that is playing any old night in any old nightclub, whether we like them, heard of them or not or maybe have more places to go.

Edit: OK, let me make it more clear. "pay cover and spend time"

That is a logical AND where both actions are required. It does NOT mean "pay cover TO spend time".

no surrender · Post by **no surrender** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

who was it?

see, not only one that hates covers.

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

GRRRRRR!

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

If I'm making rounds, passing out press kits or making contact with clubs or other musicians, and a performer or band is playing, I will pay the cover without thinking about it. To me, it's a courtesy to other performers who are trying to make a living, just like me.

NS ... cover is the lifeforce of every small club entertainer. If you can't pay, at the most, $5 (many times it's less) to go to a club where live music is being offered (without bitching about it), then you, as a non-musician, shouldn't post on this musician's site. You pay to go to the movies (I know that's been said here before), you pay for live entertainment, too. You are just being cheap and it kind of makes me throw up a little when I read your posts about the hardship of paying cover ...

lonewolf, I disagree with you, but that's cool, we've disagreed and agreed before. I know we agree that ...

PITTSBURGH GOIN' TO THE SUPERBOWL!

r:>)

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

BadDazeRob wrote:If I'm making rounds, passing out press kits or making contact with clubs or other musicians, and a performer or band is playing, I will pay the cover without thinking about it. To me, it's a courtesy to other performers who are trying to make a living, just like me.

lonewolf, I disagree with you, but that's cool, we've disagreed and agreed before. I know we agree that ...

PITTSBURGH GOIN' TO THE SUPERBOWL!

r:>)

Yep, 24-23!

So dat's why yer broke?

Edit:

Hey, I'll pay if I stay...even as long as one drink, but not if I'm just sticking my head in the door for 5 minutes.

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

lonewolf wrote:So dat's why yer broke?

At times, but I usually hit up club owners during the week. There are occasions when we have an off Sat. night I'll make some stops.

r:>)

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

BadDazeRob wrote:
lonewolf wrote:So dat's why yer broke?
At times, but I usually hit up club owners during the week. There are occasions when we have an off Sat. night I'll make some stops.

r:>)

Things are a lot different than when all I had to do was stay home on Monday night and wait for all the phone calls.

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

I know several who can more than afford it, don't like paying covers and try their best to stay away from places that charge one. Sad. I might be broke on occasion, but at least I'm not cheap. Hell, if I didn't go out and do what I enjoy, I'd just blow it on something else. The majority of the Musicians are broke on occasion, too. Like I said, SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC!!!

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

lonewolf wrote:Things are a lot different than when all I had to do was stay home on Monday night and wait for all the phone calls.

Word.

r:>)

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

YankeeRose wrote:I know several who can more than afford it, don't like paying covers and try their best to stay away from places that charge one. Sad. I might be broke on occasion, but at least I'm not cheap. Hell, if I didn't go out and do what I enjoy, I'd just blow it on something else. The majority of the Musicians are broke on occasion, too. Like I said, SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC!!!

OK Rose, try this:

1. Make a list of 6 clubs that charge cover that you can drive around to in, say 2 hours. Go to the 1st club.

2. Pay the cover charge and ask for the manager.

3. When the manager arrives, shake hands, compliment the band, compliment them on their club and then bid them goodbye.

4. Go to the next club on the list, go back to #2 and repeat until done.

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

lonewolf wrote:
YankeeRose wrote:I know several who can more than afford it, don't like paying covers and try their best to stay away from places that charge one. Sad. I might be broke on occasion, but at least I'm not cheap. Hell, if I didn't go out and do what I enjoy, I'd just blow it on something else. The majority of the Musicians are broke on occasion, too. Like I said, SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC!!!
OK Rose, try this:

1. Make a list of 6 clubs that charge cover that you can drive around to in, say 2 hours. Go to the 1st club.

2. Pay the cover charge and ask for the manager.

3. When the manager arrives, shake hands, compliment the band, compliment them on their club and then bid them goodbye.

4. Go to the next club on the list, go back to #2 and repeat until done.

WHAT is your problem? Did I strike a nerve with you or something? I wasn't speaking of visiting Clubs and dropping off Press Kits and you damn well know it. (BTW, the most places I've gone to in one night is 3 and 2 of them had Covers.)

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

Nothing was meant by it Rose. Don't be offended. I just wanted to illustrate what happens on a gig run.

Its almost 10:00. Time for me to go out to 3 different shows and support local music without dropping off any CDs, DVDs or presskits!

YankeeRose · Post by **YankeeRose** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

lonewolf wrote:Nothing was meant by it Rose. Don't be offended. I just wanted to illustrate what happens on a gig run.

Its almost 10:00. Time for me to go out to 3 different shows and support local music without dropping off any CDs, DVDs or presskits!

If you didn't wish for me to take any offense, why did you direct your "illustration of what happens on a gig run" to me? I wasn't even speaking of cheap Musicians in the first place, but so called fans. For the record, I wasn't "offended", I was ticked off, as I still slightly am by the last part of your above post. You're more than a bit of an ass at times, but you fully realize that don't you?

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Saturday Jan 21, 2006

In the immortal words of onegunguitar ...

Hahahaha, here we go!

r:>)

no surrender · Post by **no surrender** » Sunday Jan 22, 2006

what's the take for a local band on an avg night?

Bit*chenWomen1029 · Post by **Bit*chenWomen1029** » Sunday Jan 22, 2006

Go steelers!!!!

ok so anywho, if you dont want to pay a cover then stay home!!!! Cheap people should just stay home and save that measly $2........ i mean you know you CAN take it to the grave with ya!!! NOT!!

piss and moan!!!! thats all it is when you complain about two dollars.

GO local muscians!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Sunday Jan 22, 2006

morningangel wrote:Sorry, lonewolf, I have to disagree with your comment that if a musician is at a venue "on business" they shouldn't have to pay. First of all, why would anyone go into various venues on a busy weekend night to book gigs? I'm sure management would prefer to approached with your press kit and sales pitch during the week when they aren't quite as busy. Now, I can see musicians wanting to stop in differnt clubs on nights they aren't playing to see and be seen, show support for the venue and other local artists, promote their own gigs, etc, and sure, I would consider that business. But it's then the cover becomes a business expense that musicians should swallow happily. Someone not wanting to pay a cover tells me that their's a HUGE ego problem, and I applaud Lisa for her decision not to promote the band to her management. Ego problems have a funny way of stunting ambition, work ethic, and destroying talent. Book a class act. This thread is a great reminder to all local musicians to keep it REAL.

Peace Out, Smoke Up!

Excellent post!!!

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Sunday Jan 22, 2006

no surrender wrote:what's the take for a local band on an avg night?

There is no "Average", NS. It all depends on the band, the band's expenses (for lights, sound, security, bar tab), the venue, the bar owner, and the crowd.