Grateful Dead Music Forum

So my band just played a show that we had to sell tickets for and we sold 100. I was wondering if you guys have to sell tickets, and what your take on it is. Personally I hate it. And also how many people usually come see your bands?

Sounds like "Play to Pay" is coming back around to rear it's ugly head again just like in the late 80s and early 90s. If you have a huge faithful following, it won't be much of a problem. Clubs want the bands to do all the work now. If your band sold 100 tickets on their own, I guess that's pretty good, how mush did the venue take from that?

It's only bad, IMO, if the bar doesn't take back what doesn't get sold.


100 is a great number! Doubles what we've done recently.

the bands i represent need to make some sort of money. most of the time the venue will have a "cover charge" and have someone in house collect the money in which the bands and my firm will get a cut of or all 100%. most clubs want the bands to generate a minimum of 100 patrons to get their cake from beer sales.

if you are selling tickets to your show and keeping the money, thats fine but it sounds like you are selling tickets to pay the venue to play.

I have seen that here in Hamilton as well...we usually don't play those venuse, and the reason behind it is that they are charging the band for using the sound / light systems. the cost is about $200....that's a lot of $5 tickets.

Playing in bars mostly, we never sell tickets. We usually have a set amount of $$ agreed on before we walk in.

The bar charges cover and keeps it all. Generally about 80 people pay. Depends on the venue..I think most of the time the bar doesn't even get enough $$ to pay us and makes up the rest with bar sales. We do however bring a pretty good crowd and they tend to drink A LOT. They also tend to drink quality beverages.

I've played lots of gigs where the band simply plays for the cover only....Thankfully those days are history....nothing like practicing, driving, playing, setting up, etc to end up making nothing and/or losing money.

What Tour Pro is really trying to say is that he's thankful we get paid at LEAST as much as he needs to pay his $347 beer tab at the end of the night!!

We ususally work out a flat rate with the club and then get a bump if the bar pulls in a certain amount. Sometimes we play for beer. Sometimes we play for absolutely nothing but joy joy joy.

Peace,

Gil