How much should we be paid for playing parties?

[The Dark Lord]

I play bass in a (guitar and bass) duo in Sussex. We play a mixture of pop, indie and punk covers plus some our own stuff in pubs here and there - getting paid little if anything to do so.

We have have been asked to do a couple of 40th birthday parties .... probably 2 x 45 minute sets locally .... plus a local agent has asked us if can play parties.

We're up for that, but neither of us know how much we should charge for such a thing.

We will be taking all of our own lights, PA, instruments and backing and doing our own sound.

We have been asked to quote a price, but we have no idea. Can anyone give me a clue?

PS: Neither of us need the money, we do it as a hobby (which costs us a fortune usually). We'd probably put any fees towards band outgoings like, professional photography, additional gear etc.

Edited April 15, 2012 by The Dark Lord

[Truckstop]

I'd ask for £200 or so. My pub has a couple of duos on the roster and that's the rate they ask for. Hope that helps?

Truckstop

[flyfisher]

Ask the interested agent what the going rates are in your area? I'm sure they'd want as high a price as possible.

[JTUK]

It depends what you think you are worth.... and how many hours you are expected to be there for.

If you are doing 2x45 ... and you don't have to be there early or late..and therefore pub sort of hours, then £150 plus.

Our two guys do a duo pub set for £140 and use it to set up gigs for the full band.

As for the agent..go and see his other acts and have a chat... you'll also see the sort of standard the agent works to..

[Lozz196]

I think the others are right, around the £150ish mark, I don`t think asking for £200 would be unreasonable.

[crez5150]

There is no answer really to this..... it's what you feel you want to charge.

[skankdelvar]

Whatever you go with, slap a percentage on top to cover the haggle-factor.

[Sean]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1334502786' post='1616900']
Whatever you go with, slap a percentage on top to cover the haggle-factor.
[/quote]

Or for when people annoyingly muddle "haggle" with "barter", you could ask for a few goat fleeces and some eggs in exchange for your performance

I used to do exactly the same set up as you and we charged £150-£250 depending how much we thought we could get. Smaller pub = £150, wedding = £250, mates rates wedding = £200.

[gjones]

I friend of mine was quoted £1,000 for an acoustic duo to play at her wedding - and amazingly she was prepared to pay it!!! In the end her fiance, who was having to stump up the money, put his foot down and booked a 5 piece covers band for a lot less than a grand.

Having played in duos and trios it really does depend on the occasion and the venue (and how good you are). Anything from £150 to £300 would be the going rate. But if it's a wedding or a corporate event the skys the limit.

Edited April 15, 2012 by gjones

[crez5150]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1334503439' post='1616905']
I friend of mine was quoted £1,000 for an acoustic duo to play at her wedding - and amazingly she was prepared to pay it!!! In the end her fiance, who was having to stump up the money, put his foot down and booked a 5 piece covers band for a lot less than a grand.

Having played in duos and trios it really does depend on the occasion and the venue (and how good you are). Anything from £150 to £300 would be the going rate. But if it's a wedding or a corporate event the skys the limit.
[/quote]


Very much this..... Corporate and weddings are a premium area but it's a different gig

[gary mac]

An obvious point that some punters seem to conveniently forget is that although it's "only" two x 45 min sets and therefore only 1.5 hours work, with travelling, set up, hanging about prior to playing, first set, break, second set, pack down and travelling home, unloading etc. Being realistic it's probably more like 5 or six hours work.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1334503439' post='1616905']
I friend of mine was quoted £1,000 for an acoustic duo to play at her wedding.
[/quote]

Mind you, that was Simon & Garfunkel ...

[leschirons]

Going rate for a duo here is about 250€ so £200 seems about right.

[The Dark Lord]

Some good advice there. Thank you. We recognise that there is a difference between playing in a pub to playing at a party event. In a pub, you will be playing to a lot of casual listeners that are probably not there to here you specifically (unless you are established with a following - which we're not) ...... but for a party, you are actually being paid, directly, by someone who wants you to play for them. So there is more pressure to get it spot on I guess. We'd play the same set in the same way probably, but I guess it is still different.

We will ask the agent for guidance, of course, but want to get it right from the off.

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1334504300' post='1616918']
An obvious point that some punters seem to conveniently forget is that although it's "only" two x 45 min sets and therefore only 1.5 hours work, with travelling, set up, hanging about prior to playing, first set, break, second set, pack down and travelling home, unloading etc. Being realistic it's probably more like 5 or six hours work.
[/quote]
Yes. 1/2 hour travel on average to get there, an hour and maybe a bit to set up and sound check, 45 mins first set ....... hang about for 45 minutes in between 45 minutes second set, half an hour and a bit to tear down and pack up, half an hour to travel back = approx 5 hours per person x 2. Although it's probably more than that.

Edited April 15, 2012 by The Dark Lord

[icastle]

I'd say go in at around £250 - there's as much work involved in setting up for 2x 45 min sets as there is setting up for 3x 1.5 hour sets.

IME if you set your price too low you won't get quality bookings.

[TheG]

We used to charge £450 for a jazz trio party/corporate rates. That was the take it or leave it rate. (then the agent added their own fee on top)
If a punter was to go through an agent I would expect the agent to put another 100 to 200 on the top of your price in some cases.
I know of one agent who charged a venue £600 for a trio and paid the trio got £150 of that in total. These figures are correct!
For a party like yours for a duo I would charge £200 minimum plus travel expenses and be generous with the expenses (you don't have to go over the top but make it relevant fuel is nearly £1.50 per litre)
Also remember you are supplying PA/Lights etc. Im not sure what a PA company would charge for hiring a small vocal PA but delivered, etc I would estimate £100-150. Thats just for the PA, lights would be extra.

Hope that helps. Don't be worried about asking for what may seem like a lot of money if you haven't charged much/at all i the past.

Its because YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!

Edited April 15, 2012 by TheG

[jakenewmanbass]

I would take this as an opportunity to remind all people that gig, but not really for the money, that there are lots of us that do (I've been pro for 20 years) work your fees out on the basis of trying to pay your mortgage/feed you family etc, that way we will all be valued the way we should.
Try to get 2 plumbers to your house at unsociable hours on a saturday night and see what they charge!!

[geoffbassist]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1334504300' post='1616918']
An obvious point that some punters seem to conveniently forget is that although it's "only" two x 45 min sets and therefore only 1.5 hours work, with travelling, set up, hanging about prior to playing, first set, break, second set, pack down and travelling home, unloading etc. Being realistic it's probably more like 5 or six hours work.
[/quote]

...And of course you can't work elsewhere that night.
It's also true that not all nights are worth the same. There's only one Saturday night per week, so it has to be worth it.

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1334534736' post='1617417']
I would take this as an opportunity to remind all people that gig, but not really for the money, that there are lots of us that do (I've been pro for 20 years) work your fees out on the basis of trying to pay your mortgage/feed you family etc, that way we will all be valued the way we should.
Try to get 2 plumbers to your house at unsociable hours on a saturday night and see what they charge!!
[/quote]

Good comment. I am acutely aware that musicians who "don't need the money" should not go around charging very low rates - as if we all did that, we would harm the income potential of those who do need the money or who did it for a living.

That's part of the reason that I asked the question in the first place.

[Dr.Dave]

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1334572196' post='1617667']
Good comment. I am acutely aware that musicians who "don't need the money" should not go around charging very low rates - as if we all did that, we would harm the income potential of those who do need the money or who did it for a living.

That's part of the reason that I asked the question in the first place.
[/quote]

That's a very responsible attitude - one that Dr B has always gone by.

Don't ever apologise for putting a fair financial value on your time and skills.

As to your original question - I think basing your price for parties at around £80-100 each plus travel expenses is very fair. When you think about it you probably couldn't go to HSS and hire the value of the gear you'll be bringing in for £200 let alone someone to operate it !!

If you go through an agent - let him know what your minimum is taking into consideration his fee and the distance within which he'll be touting for gigs for you. It's then his role - and in his interests - to get more.

[Mog]

Going rate over here at the moment is around 75 Euro a head. That works out at around 60 Sterling, recession is a biotch!
If you dont need the cash just try and balance the expenses/costs and maybe take the price of a few pints also. Remember you are not obliged to take the market rate. Undercutting other acts prices etc is irrevelent. What you charge is nobodys business but your own.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1334572196' post='1617667']
Good comment. I am acutely aware that musicians who "don't need the money" should not go around charging very low rates - as if we all did that, we would harm the income potential of those who do need the money or who did it for a living.

That's part of the reason that I asked the question in the first place.
[/quote]
Thanks!!, it makes a refreshing change to hear that attitude, musicians are either seriously undervalued or paid vast sums in our little corner of the worlds music market, I've been lucky to have a regular gig and a decent amount of freelance work, for most of my working life.
If you're lucky enough to have a good balance between a day job and gigging then charge professional rates I say and get the value from your skills and a serious bonus to your annual, as I said earlier, other industries are not shy about charging, and life in the UK is expensive.

[jakenewmanbass]

an interesting and timely article on this very subject:
http://www.publicemilie.com/post/20223649899

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1334707860' post='1620212']
an interesting and timely article on this very subject:
[url="http://www.publicemilie.com/post/20223649899"]http://www.publicemi...ost/20223649899[/url]
[/quote]
All true