Pop Quiz - Do you book this gig?

Skitch

Skitch

Pioneer Member
So a band leader in a band comes up to you and says "I just booked a gig for $1500 in Casper, Wyoming in November. There are no other dates pending to or from Casper but the guy who arranged this show said he has contacts in the area to get us a few gigs to work our way to and from Casper."

The most pertinent fact is that this trip will start in Dallas, Texas.

Do you think this show is worth booking? Why or why not?


Mike

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Skitch said:
So a band leader in a band comes up to you and says "I just booked a gig for $1500 in Casper, Wyoming in November. There are no other dates pending to or from Casper but the guy who arranged this show said he has contacts in the area to get us a few gigs to work our way to and from Casper."

The most pertinent fact is that this trip will start in Dallas, Texas.

Do you think this show is worth booking? Why or why not?


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
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How much per person? $1500 each, I might think hard about. How reliable do you think the gigs to and from would be? And what time of year? Wyoming can f-ing suck in winter... EDIT - nevermind, read the time of year. November is iffy, but probably not terrible. But you never know. I've had to stop for the night due to blizzard condition in October and in March, as well. Crap shoot, as far as weather.
 
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Not quite enough info for a good decision. Is that rate for the group? If so, how many in group? Will they provide lodging? Meals?

Not counting the time involved some basic expenses could be:

Roughly 2000 mile roundtrip. One vehicle getting 20 miles per gal at $3.50 per is 350 bucks just for gas. And that's one vehicle. More if you fly and rent gear up there.

Eighteen hours ballpark one way. Probably 3 meals each way...so what? $60 for eats there and back? Plus eating while there.

At least 2 maybe 3 nights lodging at ballpark $100 a night.

Plug your own numbers in all this but you get the idea. Looks like the trip will eat roughly 40% of gross. So would I take a 3 day roadtrip for a 900 bucks? Hmm...maybe. I like road trips, lol... If that was split between 4 or 5 people, probably not. Unless I just really needed a roadtrip. Or if the wife had been really nagging lately.

Other factors would be the venue, expected crowd size, relationship with other players, blah, blah...
 
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Every once in a while, in one of the drum mags, you read a story about how some guy tried to make it in the music business, but failed hard early on because he took a gig filled with promises that didn't come close to panning out.

And nearly all the stories have to do a far away location, and the line "but the guy who arranged this show said he has contacts in the area to get us a few gigs to work our way to and from" the gig.
 
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I would have to throw caution to the wind and take it simply because I'm an IT dork chained to my desk all day long and need the break a road trip would allow. Doesn't matter if earnings were meager, just the fact I'm "on the road" being a paid musician is enough. Free room and board while there and traveling expenses are just icing on the cake!!

Do you need a roadie? Haha!
 
Nup. It's too far. Google Maps tells me that it would take me 55 days and 4 hours to drive to Wyoming, including kayaking over 5,000 kms across the Pacific Ocean ...
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What do you expect to get out of this gig? Money aside, is it just a gig or will record execs be there or possile management for the band? If its just a gig forget it. They cant find another band to play locally? You cant find a gig closer? The glamor of a far away road trip gig never lives up to the reality. Sounds like a big undertaking for no real payoff. If you really want to play your way there, get a road manager and let them book gigs.
 
Sorry...Wyoming in November?It started snowing there last week.You actually get snow in the summer in the higher elevations.And you have to drive over 2000 miles?As far as the money,if that is for the whole band...pass.I made more playing in clubs in the 70's.

Steve B
 
Pollyanna said:
Nup. It's too far. Google Maps tells me that it would take me 55 days and 4 hours to drive to Wyoming, including kayaking over 5,000 kms across the Pacific Ocean ...
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Hahahaha!! That thinking reminds me of Mitch Hedberg. "I haven't slept for 10 days. Because that would be TOO LONG!"
 
It also may depend on your situation. Are you a full time musician looking for work, or just a part-time hobbyist like me? If you work a day job, can you fit this trip into your work schedule?

Do you have any idea what this gig is about and who the audience is going to be? I'd hate to be a metal band showing up to a place that is expecting country & western. That could be a scene out of the Blues Brothers.
 
For those who said "Forget it" - you were right. It is $1500 for the whole band with no rooms, no food or per diem. Yes, you would more than likely blow up at $350 before you leave for the gig (just in gas getting there and back). One way, the trip is almost 1,100 miles. Rooms will run about $300 for one night which means $750 has already been spent. Travel time at best is 13 hours one way and the figure for gas is based on driving one car. Also, you can figure that gasoline is usually 50 cent/gallon higher west of I-35 and I haven't figured in a booking agent's fee if there is one.

In a five member band without a booking agent, each member makes $165 for this trip without meals. With a booking agent, each member makes around $120 without meals. Only at $3000, does this start making sense. At $1,500, each member will be lucky to pocket $50 for all of this.

And yes, many a career has been derailed with the promise of "I know of venues along the way which will book you."

The guy who booked this gig was expecting a big pat on the back from me; what he got was my two weeks notice! It amazes me how stupid a person can become with the title of "Lead Vocalist."

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
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rogue_drummer said:
I would have to throw caution to the wind and take it simply because I'm an IT dork chained to my desk all day long and need the break a road trip would allow. Doesn't matter if earnings were meager, just the fact I'm "on the road" being a paid musician is enough. Free room and board while there and traveling expenses are just icing on the cake!!

Do you need a roadie? Haha!
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Funny; but by jumping on this you would in essence be paying to play this gig with all of the factors of no free room and board and no travelling expenses. The most you would probably come out with in your pocket would $50.

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemccraw
http://twitter.com/mikemccraw
 
IDDrummer said:
How much per person? $1500 each, I might think hard about. How reliable do you think the gigs to and from would be? And what time of year? Wyoming can f-ing suck in winter... EDIT - nevermind, read the time of year. November is iffy, but probably not terrible. But you never know. I've had to stop for the night due to blizzard condition in October and in March, as well. Crap shoot, as far as weather.
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In my estimation, this is a good gig for a band from the Denver area as it isn't that far and they would be better prepared for the weather. It is most likely a five hour trip from the Mile High city.

There is no suck like being standed on I-70 and having to wait for the snowplows to come along and clear the interstate so that you can get moving again.

Mostly, this was an exercise (but is a real booking) to show just how desperate some people are to "do anything to get them onstage and be a star". This trip was stupid to book which was one of the many reasons I declined and gave my 2 weeks notice. When I was told of this, a big pat on the back was expected. Having done that distance to Wyoming in summertime, I asked the singer, "Why didn't you book it for $3000?" His reply was that he didn't think the guy would go for $3000. My retort was "Well, that was your answer!"

Rand McNally Dist-o-Map is a great tool; and like any tool - Use one and don't be one.

One other thought; when an agent finds a tool (read here moron who is dumb enough to book something like this) like this, the agent never will respect him or her and that agent will always call this person with some lowball offer because they know how to manipulate that person. They will never, never, never offer more money even when the person who booked it thinks "Eventually the agent will realize how valuable we are and get us more money."

It's called "Do you want to be a star?"

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemccraw
http://twitter.com/mikemccraw
 
But hey, everybody thanks for participating! It goes to show my theory is right; the least smartest person in the band is usually the lead singer because he's already sucked into everyone telling him how great he is and now he believes that he can do no wrong!

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemccraw
http://twitter.com/mikemccraw
 
Hopefully you'll be able to tell us what eventually happens with this gig. I'm sure there will be plenty of stories that come out of this adventure.
 
inneedofgrace said:
Hopefully you'll be able to tell us what eventually happens with this gig. I'm sure there will be plenty of stories that come out of this adventure.
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Nope - I turned in my two weeks as I have better things to do with my time than make $80 ( if that much) over 4 days. I wasn't trying to be a jerk with this thread but wanted to attempt to provide good information and food for thought before booking gigs!

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.facebook.com/mike.mccraw
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemccraw
http://twitter.com/mikemccraw
 
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