njr911 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I think I suffer from undercharging for our band. Typical Pub gig is £180 to £200 £250 for Parties £? for weddings as the two we have booked have both just split up!! Are we about right ? I'm a musician and don't like talking money for my art maaaan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowhand_mike Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 we go for around 250, theres five of us so that 50 quid each, which seems reasonable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njr911 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 [quote name='lowhand_mike' timestamp='1433254722' post='2789443'] we go for around 250, theres five of us so that 50 quid each, which seems reasonable [/quote] I thought so too, but if you get there at 6 and leave at midnight as we usually do £8.33 seams a poor hourly rate for "skilled work" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Pubs should be at least £50 a head, around here it's between £200-£300 depending on how well known you are. I'm in a trio and we ask for £240 and settle for £210. For first gigs we'll go out for £180 plus drinks. Clubs should be between £400-£500 depending on how well known you are. Some clubs are quite small though and you could settle for less. Clubs need more of a show though, you'd need to be worth the money. Weddings should be at around £200 a head plus the costs for hiring in extra rigging, crew or staging. Obviously depends on where it is and how big the budget is. I've played at massive weddings and got paid £450 for the evening and I've also played smaller weddings and got paid £100 because it was for 60 minutes and 20 minutes drive away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlapbassSteve Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Depends where you're based and what kind of stuff you play(original/covers, rock/jazz etc), but based on several years gigging professionally around Liverpool they do seem like bargain prices! Based on a typical covers band (at least one of the following; Mustang Sally, Walk Of Life, Sweet Home Alabama, Proud Mary on the setlist) in Liverpool, you'll ideally want £250-£300 for 2x45s, and £300-350 for 3 sets in a pub. Functions, it depends exactly what you're doing and who for, but generally for 2x45s at a private event you'll want at least £450 (extra money on top of pub prices to cover PAT testing/insurance etc). Then weddings you generally triple(or more!) the pub prices. A lot of people on both sides don't get why this happens, but the bottom line is on top of the PAT testing and insurance you're also being paid for the waiting time while the wedding inevitably runs over time and you're stood awkwardly at the side of the dancefloor for an hour while everyone cuts the cake etc. There are of course exceptions though, I remember being pretty much laughed out of a venue in Liverpool for charging £300 for 3 sets because 'there's a band from LIPA that'll do it for £120'... I had seen the band in question and they were extremely good, not to mention there were about 12 of them so a tenner each for three sets seemed ridiculous... undercharging 'because we love what we do' or for any other reason often costs everyone in the long run, unless it's a one-off 'taster' gig. Beware also of doing too many gigs cheap as favours though, or you'll be hit by the dreaded 'but you played at so-and-so's wedding for only £X so why are you quoting me £Y?'. (Sorry for getting a little preach-y, I'll get off me soapbox now!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1433254274' post='2789428'] I think I suffer from undercharging for our band. Typical Pub gig is £180 to £200 £250 for Parties £? for weddings as the two we have booked have both just split up!! Are we about right ? I'm a musician and don't like talking money for my art maaaan! [/quote] Having played regularly in the same patch you should be looking for £200-250 for normal pub gigs [assuming you're a decent band with proper PA, lights etc]. By all means play the odd one for a bit less if it suits you and it's local. Also don't worry if it's part fee/part whip round. Weddings I've only done a few of so can't really comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowhand_mike Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1433254999' post='2789450'] I thought so too, but if you get there at 6 and leave at midnight as we usually do £8.33 seams a poor hourly rate for "skilled work" ? [/quote] yeah know what you mean but i geuss we dont factor in the setup time either, but i'd imagine that there are alot like us that are greatful to just be getting something for doing something we love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1433254274' post='2789428'] I think I suffer from undercharging for our band. Typical Pub gig is £180 to £200 £250 for Parties £? for weddings as the two we have booked have both just split up!! Are we about right ? I'm a musician and don't like talking money for my art maaaan! [/quote] I think you can charge what you like...but you need to please and convince the client you're worth it. £250 for starters in a pub but you'll need to be upto the average standard. Weddings are £1000 plus... but you will run into opposition here as they'd rather spend that on a photographer than a 5 piece band. Parties should be £600 plus... but again, what one band can demand, another band will take the mick. You need to get to a stage where the client sees you and is willing to pay your fee... Pubs are loss leaders ..to a point, but if you do too many..and in any old dive, then why would a client agree to pay you more than £400/450... they know what you'll work for ( in pubs ) and how often you'll take it. We don't take pub work on a saturday during the summer and it is tough getting good deps as well, as they will want £150 each...as they so often get it. They may do it at last minute if they haven't got anything else and they'll take what is offered, but you wont be able to book them weeks and weeks in advance, generally, for pub money. Basically, charge what you like... your level will work out sooner or later. If you have too many gigs, you are too cheap and if you can't get gigs you are too expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) We try for at least 300 in pubs, won't go below 250. You've got to make it worth your while, especially for a covers band. Maybe do the first one at a venue for slightly less with the agreement that next time it's for more. Edit: We're a trio btw Edited June 2, 2015 by Norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MODEL 4001 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Pub landlords just want to sell lots of drinks. If your band can pull in a big audience that spends money behind the bar you'll be better positioned to ask for a return booking with a bigger fee. Until then take what fee the pub offers to get your foot in the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Once had someone wanting to pay £300 for a wedding and got quite nasty about it, you are only a band they said. Yet she was happy to pay the DJ £1000 to play some records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 It's a tough call, the pub band business in the UK is so different than the bar band business in the States. Over here, bar bands, play 4 hours with 2 10-15 minute breaks and bring their own sound and lights. The top of the scale is $500.00 Charge what other pub bands are getting would be the best starting point IMO. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1433254274' post='2789428'] I'm a musician and don't like talking money for my art maaaan![/quote] The art lovers I know play for free. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1433254274' post='2789428'] I think I suffer from undercharging for our band. Typical Pub gig is £180 to £200 £250 for Parties £? for weddings as the two we have booked have both just split up!! Are we about right ? I'm a musician and don't like talking money for my art maaaan! [/quote] I'm on the other side of the Pennines, though we are stealing one of your gigs in Halifax a week on Saturday and I think your about right with room to move up a bit if you know what I mean. Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_P Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Most pubs gigs I play are around £300 but I'll drop to £250, parties are 4-500+ and weddings a bit more (depending on the band and situation sometimes a lot more) so I think you're undercharging. If you're a tight band, playing popular songs (with a good vocalist) then you should be able to get a bit more than mentioned in the op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanx Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) We will normally only pay £140 to play in our local pub and refuse to pay much more...http://www.theportlandarms.co.uk/wp/faqs/ I'm being facetious of course, you're prob spot on / could get away with adding a bit (or a few free beers ) Edited June 2, 2015 by urbanx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesthebass Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 We have a well known venue that will not pay more than £200 because 'youre just a covers band!' Bearing in mind we'll fill the place. Yet they booked one of the guys from the scorpions a few years back paid him many hundreds, charged £13 for tickets and sold 9! Incidentally he spent most of his set playing Hendrix numbers which in my book constitutes a covers band set?!? 2x45 with us no less than £280. There are a lot of venues that will pay £300. Parties are up to you what you charge but be consistent. Weddings are no less than a grand. We used to think we weren't greedy and were happy with £150 each making our fee £600 and regularly didn't get the gig. We now quote between £1200-1500 aiming to settle above the £1000 mark and get more work. It's the old if you don't charge much you can't be very good. We have bands on our circuit who are playing the 250-300 venues and are 10 piece. I admire those guys to an extent because they really do it for the love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 [quote name='Jonesthebass' timestamp='1433317846' post='2789940'] We have bands on our circuit who are playing the 250-300 venues and are 10 piece. I admire those guys to an extent because they really do it for the love.[/quote] I love gigging but I don't do it for love, I do it for money. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Our next pub gig pays £300 , but we started in that pub at £220 , still doesn't put us in "kiss" teritory but if you can promote well and make the landlord happy then they'll up it. Bands I've been in for functions / corporates have charged anything from free to £2k Every band is different I guess though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 It varies from place to place across the country, how good you are and I think we're all assuming covers bands. Down here there are a lot of small rural pubs and so fees are lower. Nevertheless £200-250 for a competent band with all the right gear seems about right for a pub gig. £400 for parties or larger gigs. Weddings are more but it depends upon what they want. If they are happy to let you just get on with the usual set then it shouldn't be more than other parties but they rarely do. Usually you have to set up hours in advance, they'll use your PA for speeches so someone is stuck to the mixer all evening and you can't pack up until everyone has left. They'll usually want a say in what you play and you may have to learn a couple of new songs. You can't spoil someone's big day either so everything has to be perfect. Given the audience may range from 8-80 you'll need a wedding set. There are bands who specialise in weddings and functions, for the rest of us I'd only do a wedding if the bride and groom had heard us and liked what we do. Under these circumstances where we aren't really providing the full wedding service I'd just go for double our 'normal' fee. There is an element of supply and demand. As someone has said, if you aren't getting the bookings then you are asking too much. Start edging the price up once you have a full diary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnythenotes Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Don't forget ..... At a wedding or a landmark birthday, people will quite happily spend more on a fancy 3 tiered cake, or a table full of Iceland processed whale sticks and deep fried chicken entrails than they want to pay a 5 or 6 piece band,( who will be at the venue for 12 hours sometimes.) 5 people at a pathetic 7 quid an hour for a 10 hour gig is £700. ( this excludes travel time and fuel.) 7 quid an hour is less than the minimum wage yet these folks nearly faint when you tell them £700, but are quite prepared to pay a DJ £300 to stand there next to his kit all night and mumble the odd word between songs... That's £30 an hour... Next time someone offers you £400 for an all day wedding, tell them to cram there wedding cake and bread sticks up the best mans kilt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dand666 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Not quite sure why most of you aren't on an agency. We start at £1000 and that goes up depending on its location. We get fully booked in all of our available dates. Bands are in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnythenotes Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Hi Dan. I used to work with a few agencies, but I became pretty resentful of there... %age,...greed, ...holding on to money past their 30 days,.... " I'm doing you a favour" attitude,...etc. I found most of them to be obnoxious, money grabbing, grubby people who had no interest in either the bands, or the client, only their own interests. I am not saying this about all agents, just my bad luck with the ones I had dealings with. Now we have a band member who handles all gigs, from small venues, right up to corporate events. We deal directly with the client, get all requirements first hand, and usually on first name terms. The fees have changed in that we now take all of the agreed fee, without the agents cut of what he ' told you' was the fee for the gig in the first place. There is nothing a band cannot do that they pay an agent for, and usually when a band do take on, and run their own bookings properly, everything is completely visible, above board and 100% in the bands control, instead of this game piggy in the middle agents play. This obviously only applies to bands and artistes operating at a certain level, and I would not expect Muse or U2 to cut out their agent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Some agents have exclusive deals with venues - there are nearly 30 pubs we can't approach direct because an agent has them, and said agent, although we're on the books, is signally lacking in getting us in anywhere - I think we've had two gigs out of him this year (including the one coming up, and no more booked in). Seeing as we've helped out by doing a couple of last minute cancellations for him last year, you'd think there might be a bit of payback, but it doesn't appear so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowhand_mike Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 [quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1433429476' post='2791010'] Some agents have exclusive deals with venues - there are nearly 30 pubs we can't approach direct because an agent has them, and said agent, although we're on the books, is signally lacking in getting us in anywhere - I think we've had two gigs out of him this year (including the one coming up, and no more booked in). Seeing as we've helped out by doing a couple of last minute cancellations for him last year, you'd think there might be a bit of payback, but it doesn't appear so. [/quote] been thinking of going down the line of agents purely because of venues being on their books, but unsure of wether to bother or not. There is one venue near me that was on an agetns books but they have gone back to booking their own bands, still bloody hard to get in there as they are always fully booked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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