Don't look at it from the perspective of the union worker... look at it from the perspective of an independent contractor

you can compete on the basis of price, but you'll always be at the mercy of the guy who will do it for $1 per hour less... if what you want to "protect" (read "sell") is "highly trained professionals", then you compete on the basis of service and quality, not price-- charge more, deliver better quality and stick to high-end jobs and clients, if you can find'em and if not, if you can't compete on price, and you can't compete on quality... well...

in the music context, I don't see it as a matter of "undercutting" professionals, I see it as a changing world and everybody changes with it, just like technology changes, you develop your own strategies to deal with it or you go the way of the carriage-maker

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/rockinrio.delrosa

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/TheHighTides

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/pages/The-Blue-Demons

Sounds good to me! Let's all move to Sweden!

Paul The Pyronaut

Talk about frustrating. The band was under serious consideration for a prestigious event where the admission was $60. It was basically a done deal. At the last minute, a band came forward & offers to do the event for free. Any guess who got picked?

Last edited: Mar 16, 2008 18:46:10

Rio
Don't look at it from the perspective of the union worker... look at it from the perspective of an independent contractor

you can compete on the basis of price, but you'll always be at the mercy of the guy who will do it for $1 per hour less... if what you want to "protect" (read "sell") is "highly trained professionals", then you compete on the basis of service and quality, not price-- charge more, deliver better quality and stick to high-end jobs and clients, if you can find'em and if not, if you can't compete on price, and you can't compete on quality... well...

in the music context, I don't see it as a matter of "undercutting" professionals, I see it as a changing world and everybody changes with it, just like technology changes, you develop your own strategies to deal with it or you go the way of the carriage-maker

I'm in complete agreement with you on this.

The bar band has one job as far as the bar is concerned, and that's to get people into the bar to drink beer. If you're getting paid, that's what you're getting paid for. If you're going to make $100, then you better be making the bar more than that. If you're going to be pulling the door, then you had better be making up for all of the lost business that the cover charge scared away. If you can't do that, then you won't be getting paid for long.

If you can't fill a place by yourself, then you're going to be playing with 2 or 3 other bands so that they can fill the place. If they can fill the space better with a DJ or a karaoke machine, then they'll do that.

You're differentiating yourself on service and quality, not price. You're showing up on time, you're pulling in a crowd, and you're putting on a killer set if only three people happen to show up (that last one better not happen too often ;) ). That sort of thing.

It's no use bitching about the hobbyists and the low-ballers. They're playing in places that wouldn't pay anyways. No matter what. It's a completely different market and it's a completely different game.

Trevor von Drat

http://www.myspace.com/vondrats

Pyronauts
Sounds good to me! Let's all move to Sweden!

Paul The Pyronaut

I'm going to the motherland!! Hide the lutefisk and break out the Akvavit!!!!

~B~

We've actually been getting some decent money lately- just not in Eugene.

Tuck,
You have missed your calling.............
ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

Surf_Skater wrote:

I've heard that Chuck Berry insists on being paid in cash, up front before he takes the stage.
On another note, I've heard some club owners are starting to ask for a percentage of bands merch sales. Has anyone experienced this?

No, and I'd hope the answer to this, universally, would be "no." I've never experienced a club owner/booker who didn't act like they'd be foregoing massive amounts of revenue just to let you play. Unless they've got a better option (a band that they know draws), this is never true. If it were, they wouldn't even be talking to you. They're trying to stick you and you shouldn't allow it. If you want to play out so much that you're willing to do it for free, I guess its nobody else' business to tell you you can't. I would hope that anyone, no matter how desperate, would opt out of paying to play as opposed to playing for free.

The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31

Surf_Skater wrote:

I've heard that Chuck Berry insists on being paid in cash, up front before he takes the stage.
On another note, I've heard some club owners are starting to ask for a percentage of bands merch sales. Has anyone experienced this?

dave from southern culture on the skids told me this comes up at some of the places they play.

www.surfintheeye.com

revhank wrote:

Here's a good article on why playing for free isn't usually a good idea.

http://www.learnjazzstandards.com/blog/3-reasons-why-you-need-to-stop-playing-gigs-for-free/

Rev

^^^ This applies to us manufacturers of fine instruments too. Many of us have toiled and honed our craft over years and just because someone else can provide the "art" for less doesn't mean they are selling a comparable product, providing superior customer service, etc..

Last edited: Apr 04, 2015 12:27:28