I don’t quite follow your story here. Are you saying that the promoters coughed up the 50 000, or did Beyonce’s agents laugh and walk away?
You know, I never really understood why cover bands get such a bad rap.
We have it all, really. Once you accept that you will never be a wealthy, world famous touring rock star (did that a loooonnnnngggg time ago) - things are not so bad. So we don't write original music, so what. But we also get no respect. We are not 'artists' in the eyes of many original-writing musicians.
Everyone in my band has day jobs (one member runs an extremely successful design/planning/consulting firm) and makes a good living. We play music because we love it - yet if it didn't pay well, we'd probably find something else to do.
We have an agent, on a steady rotation at local bars and do a steady flow of corporate events and weddings. No freebies, no charities , no discounts. We get paid well. Well enough to make a good living if we did it full time - but nobody wants to do that.
I think it was Little Steven who was talking about the bands he played in growing up...and that every band was a cover band. You didn't play unless you knew 50 popular tunes that somebody else wrote....It was ludicrous to think that you could go play a show somewhere and play nothing but originals - nobody wanted to hear that.
I guess a lot of it depends on the genre or style of music....
But crap, $800 a night for a touring indie band with songs on the radio - or LESS? That's terrible.
I have on more than one occasion, turned down local gigs that pay that little.
We claim everything tax wise, and the band is a registered partnership - so after agents fees and taxes, I'd rather just stay home.
When these bands are "on tour", are they without health insurance? If you are traveling via a van or RV, there are insurance costs for the vehicles as well.
We regularly earn more than that too, but we need to put serious numbers into the bar to command such a fee. Our costs are high compared to most local level bands too, but those costs equate to a better show, that in turn attracts more punters, that in turn - ah, you get the pictureits up to the club to be willing to pay 875 for a band. thats not a lot if that band is on tour thats for sure. where i live a lot of the local bands get twice that for a single show at a small bar.
where i live a lot of the local bands get twice that for a single show at a small bar.
Really??!! I wanna play those bars!
We regularly earn more than that too, but we need to put serious numbers into the bar to command such a fee. Our costs are high compared to most local level bands too, but those costs equate to a better show, that in turn attracts more punters, that in turn - ah, you get the picture
haha you need to come to the east coast! i can set a date as a double bill, we would make a killing!!! you can even use our backline.
Seriously, in L.A., bands in bars are lucky to get $200, maybe $400 if the bar is making great money.
Bermuda
Seriously, in L.A., bands in bars are lucky to get $200, maybe $400 if the bar is making great money.
Bermuda
Do you think that is the result of the "lowest bidder" game bands have played to get shows, or are the establishments tight with money?