How do you split up gig money?

In my acoustic trio, it's an even split.
For my pick-up gigs, it's whatever I agree to, and it's not my business if the bandleader makes more (more risk / more reward).
 
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epinson said:
In my acoustic trio, it's an even split.
For my pick-up gigs, it's whatever I agree to, and it's not my business if the bandleader makes more (more risk / more reward).
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What about tips? I'm just asking because we will often have a guarantee from the venue but then there is a tip jar that the "leader" keeps and says it's to put towards merch etc. (which he also keeps the profits from).
 
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4piece4peace said:
What about tips? I'm just asking because we will often have a guarantee from the venue but then there is a tip jar that the "leader" keeps and says it's to put towards merch etc. (which he also keeps the profits from).
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Our lead guy and his wife do all the merchandise work and sales. They keep the profits, as they should.

We used to have a tip jar and the band did an even split. About a year ago, as we started playing larger venues I asked the lead guy to not use a tip jar. Since we're already getting paid, I didn't think we needed to "ask" for more. He agreed.

Speaking of our lead guy, he's probably the fairest guy on the planet, almost to a fault. When we first started the band, he even floated the idea that he shouldn't get a cut of the pay for various reasons. Me and the other band members quickly put a stop to that idea.
 
Even split on tips, except venmo, cashapp, etc. I never see that. One mc hauled our tip jar around the room and brought back $500 in it. We shoulda cut him a 10th out of it.
 
equipmentdork said:
That's great.

In our case, we had a screenshot of the seating, close to sold out. After the show the manager said we hadn't done that well, which puzzled us, and produced a completely different screenshot with a lot more tables open and not sold. I take it that they could--and probably often did--falsify ticket sales to line their own pockets because we are small potatoes.

The irony is that they called us back about a year and a half later and we still play at their place as well as 2 of their other locations. No issues getting paid now. Go Figure!


Dan
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It's sad what happens to people when money is involved. Fortunately, I have never been in a band where money between members was ever an issue. "Money issues" ALWAYS came from venue owners and venue managers. And it ALWAYS happened at the end of the gig as we were packing up.
 
A J said:
This happened to me twice in a previous band.

First Time:
Bar Owner: "We didn't make that much money and you didn't bring a crowd, so I'm gonna have to pay you less than the price I promised.
Me: "It was definitely a slow night and I'm sorry your venue wasn't able to draw a crowd. I just want the agreed-upon payment."
Owner: "You'd better take what I give you or you'll never play in this town again."
Me: "I'll take what we had promised and not a penny less."
Owner: "You're making a big mistake."
Me: "I'm not going to re-negotiate our agreement. Please pay me what we agreed upon. Rest assured, you'll never see my band again."
(A few months later, this place was out of business.)

Second Time:
Bar Owner: "I'm not going to pay you tonight. Maybe next week."
Guitar Player: "We're in the back office. No cameras. No witnesses. I'm twice your size. The cops hate you."

Both times we got paid.
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yeah...many of the dive bar clubs we used to play were like scenario number one. The club did no advertising of the show, we brought people in, and then were told that we didn't do our jobs, and the threat of never playing there again. We always reacted with "no problem...there are a million other clubs that will have us"

A J said:
It's sad what happens to people when money is involved. Fortunately, I have never been in a band where money between members was ever an issue. "Money issues" ALWAYS came from venue owners and venue managers. And it ALWAYS happened at the end of the gig as we were packing up.
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same....I have never been in a band where there was enough money in the end to fight about....
 
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4piece4peace said:
What about tips? I'm just asking because we will often have a guarantee from the venue but then there is a tip jar that the "leader" keeps and says it's to put towards merch etc. (which he also keeps the profits from).
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Tips are also an even split. We don’t have merch (at least not yet) but if we did, I would keep those expenses separate, or at least be transparent about it, so the other band mates don’t think you are skimming off the top.

Needless to say, this approach had always led to the least amount of band drama (at least in my experiences)
 
epinson said:
I love the venues that think they have the clout (and can bother to dedicate the time) to blacklist a band. Even better when they close a few months later.
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The bar owner really expected me to cave and accept some paltry sum for the promise of staying on his good side. Instead; I remained firm, yet professional, explaining that I would accept nothing less than our agreed upon sum.

I'm sure lots of other bands without experience or "street smarts" get suckered by guys like this.

Besides; this bar owner was running his place into the ground. The place was shabby, dirty and unkept. It began to attract questionable people. Funny how that happens. Cockroaches like messy places as do bad people. From the vantage point of the stage, I'd see people walk in the door, look around and make a hasty departure.

I'm not one to gloat over other peoples' failures. OK... I take that back. I AM one to gloat. So it did make me smile when the place closed their doors for good. :D
 
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX said:
yeah...many of the dive bar clubs we used to play were like scenario number one. The club did no advertising of the show, we brought people in, and then were told that we didn't do our jobs, and the threat of never playing there again. We always reacted with "no problem...there are a million other clubs that will have us"



same....I have never been in a band where there was enough money in the end to fight about....
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If truth be told, bar owners need us than we need them. Most of us aren't doing this for a living. It's just a hobby/part time job. Are livelihoods are not tied to the success or failure of a drinking establishment. In most communities, the circle of musicians is tight. They may not be best friends, but they do communicate. A bar owner who pulls some sort of stunt with a band will soon find out that everybody in town knows what happened.

The wise bar owner is nice to everyone, has high integrity and high standards. Don't laugh. I have encountered some really good ones.

And yes. I agree with you about the money. Most of us aren't going to get rich doing this! :D
 
epinson said:
Tips are also an even split. We don’t have merch (at least not yet) but if we did, I would keep those expenses separate, or at least be transparent about it, so the other band mates don’t think you are skimming off the top.

Needless to say, this approach had always led to the least amount of band drama (at least in my experiences)
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Thanks for the reply. My current band leader keeps all the tips buys merch with it which he sells at a profit and keeps that too. I sure know how to pick em.
 
4piece4peace said:
Thanks for the reply. My current band leader keeps all the tips buys merch with it which he sells at a profit and keeps that too. I sure know how to pick em.
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I don't know your specific situation, but that would bother me if he used tip money for merch where the proceeds all went to him. But if a bandleader is doing all of the "less glamourous" tasks like booking gigs, managing social media, sound, etc., I would probably let it slide. If it's a bandleader who's just an egotistical frontman.....ehh that's different.

Please tell me it's not the same band where someone jumped on your kit last year 😮 That thread still pisses me off!
 
epinson said:
I don't know your specific situation, but that would bother me if he used tip money for merch where the proceeds all went to him. But if a bandleader is doing all of the "less glamourous" tasks like booking gigs, managing social media, sound, etc., I would probably let it slide. If it's a bandleader who's just an egotistical frontman.....ehh that's different.

Please tell me it's not the same band where someone jumped on your kit last year 😮 That thread still pisses me off!
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I know I'm gonna get flamed for this but I don't wanna lie. After leaving that nightmare situation I found another project briefly that didn't last so I rejoined on the agreement that there would be some changes. Unfortunately the changes didn't last. I was told that while I have been doing all of the bands promo the leader don't like my flyers/online ads and told me to just use one stock photo that he picked out. Since then our online engagement has dropped by 200%. Then while at work he started messaging me about an event that he needed me to change the time of. I checked the event and the time was correct. He messaged me five times in the next three hours asking if I had taken care of it while I was working and he was home. Later that night I noticed he had the time to make over a dozen social media posts with pictures of his dog, Onion articles, the dinner he made etc. He's been booking gigs farther away for less money and no guarantees. I asked to learn one song and play it live because my wife likes it and he gave me grief, eventually agreed to do the song, then wouldn't play it live on one of the few occasions she was able to get out to see us. None of this would have happened if I listened to the forum members after my first rant so it's absolutely on me. I have finally decided to quit but now plan on doing it in awkward, spectacular fashion. I owe it to myself and to him of course.
 
Oh, I almost forgot. He booked a gig that he was curating with four other bands that I have never met and volunteered my Sonor kit as backline for everyone without asking me. The gig the week before I broke down and bought a used stage custom, pretty much beat to death, for $200 so my "good" kit wouldn't take a potential beating. Then I made nothing from the show, two of my Tama quick release cymbal holders walked away and I found out he payed a member of one of the other bands $150 to make a flyer for the event and promo it. I can't make this stuff up.
 
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Even split for us, i like reading some of the other structures too. I will say if anything dishonest happens to the money, thats a recipie for disaster. I know a band that formed locally from a few bands that split and we are close to all the guys. my guitar player asked on the side to the drummer what they were getting at a venue and when the drummer told him, he knew they were getting screwed by the leader. the leader said even split to the band, but he would tell them they were getting about 100 or 150 less per gig then they were geting, take that and then get 25% of the remainder. ( 4pc. band) Thats fine if its upfront but this was shady and the band imploded!
 
Jasta 11 said:
Even split for us, i like reading some of the other structures too. I will say if anything dishonest happens to the money, thats a recipie for disaster. I know a band that formed locally from a few bands that split and we are close to all the guys. my guitar player asked on the side to the drummer what they were getting at a venue and when the drummer told him, he knew they were getting screwed by the leader. the leader said even split to the band, but he would tell them they were getting about 100 or 150 less per gig then they were geting, take that and then get 25% of the remainder. ( 4pc. band) Thats fine if its upfront but this was shady and the band imploded!
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That's a shame. It only takes one to ruin it for everyone.
 
4piece4peace said:
Oh, I almost forgot. He booked a gig that he was curating with four other bands that I have never met and volunteered my Sonor kit as backline for everyone without asking me. The gig the week before I broke down and bought a used stage custom, pretty much beat to death, for $200 so my "good" kit wouldn't take a potential beating. Then I made nothing from the show, two of my Tama quick release cymbal holders walked away and I found out he payed a member of one of the other bands $150 to make a flyer for the event and promo it. I can't make this stuff up.
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No big loss for you. A couple of tiny hardware items came up missing. Big deal. You got off easy.

From now on, you know who you can't trust. In my opinion, it's better to play drums alone in your spare bedroom than to bow to a thief and a liar. Well done, Sir
 
4piece4peace said:
I know I'm gonna get flamed for this but I don't wanna lie. After leaving that nightmare situation I found another project briefly that didn't last so I rejoined on the agreement that there would be some changes. Unfortunately the changes didn't last. I was told that while I have been doing all of the bands promo the leader don't like my flyers/online ads and told me to just use one stock photo that he picked out. Since then our online engagement has dropped by 200%. Then while at work he started messaging me about an event that he needed me to change the time of. I checked the event and the time was correct. He messaged me five times in the next three hours asking if I had taken care of it while I was working and he was home. Later that night I noticed he had the time to make over a dozen social media posts with pictures of his dog, Onion articles, the dinner he made etc. He's been booking gigs farther away for less money and no guarantees. I asked to learn one song and play it live because my wife likes it and he gave me grief, eventually agreed to do the song, then wouldn't play it live on one of the few occasions she was able to get out to see us. None of this would have happened if I listened to the forum members after my first rant so it's absolutely on me. I have finally decided to quit but now plan on doing it in awkward, spectacular fashion. I owe it to myself and to him of course.
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Na, we've all been there at some point. Sometimes it takes a few attempts to quit something for good, but I agree with AJ in that sometimes it's better to drum on your own terms than to be a part of a band that's not fun.
 
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