Function rates

[Kevin Dean]

What's your band charging for Function/wedding gigs .

[Dood]

I guess a better question would be, "what costs do you take in to account when quoting for a function or wedding" as that can affect the fee greatly. If you google, there's a few good blogs out there that help with deciding a final cost. It seems like a lot of musicians sell themselves short and are not sure how to value their product. Although on the flip side, there's some truly horrendous pub bands out there too lol. 

Edited April 30, 2018 by dood

[skidder652003]

£1200 (at a wild uneducated guess!)

[musicbassman]

Here's a few things to consider when pricing-

How good is your band compared to other similar bands available in your area ?  (no, honestly)

Were you recommended to the client?

Are you booked up most weekends or are there big gaps in your diary?

How many in the band? Just playing for dancing or putting on a big showband style presentation?

How far away is it? (Time and fuel)

How long are you going to have to be at the venue? (Lot of hanging around at some gigs, many hours sometimes)

Direct or through an agent?

First class buffet and drinks provided or a packet of crisps?

 

[lojo]

£250 to sky high depending on loads of factors 

I have been in various bands where we've charged £500 to a few thousand , and also one where i just got £150 per gig (but only turned up to play and didn't worry about PAs etc)

 

[peteb]

Not really the types of gigs I do, but a mate who has been in a pretty high level function band for many years told me that demand is way down (north of England), they are not working any where near as much as they used to and have been forced to reduce their fees accordingly.

[casapete]

2 hours ago, peteb said:

Not really the types of gigs I do, but a mate who has been in a pretty high level function band for many years told me that demand is way down (north of England), they are not working any where near as much as they used to and have been forced to reduce their fees accordingly.

Agree with you Pete. I was in a well known function band for nearly 20 years, and the golden period for us

was mid 90’s to around 2006. After that we started getting fewer gigs, and the bands in the same market

around here ( Yorkshire and the North) suffered the same. Not only that, but fees either stayed the same 

or even dropped, causing the band to eventually call it a day ( after I left in 2010 ).

I understand there is still work out there now, but not the same as before, with a DJ often being the

only music provided  instead of live bands. 

[Dan Dare]

Too many variables - distance, size of band required, how large a PA, lights needed, duration, catering provided, etc, etc.. We're quite cheap on a Tuesday afternoon, but rather dearer on Saturday night.

[acidbass]

In Belfast prices are around the £1,800 to £2,000 mark for a 5 piece band, 2 hour live set followed by 2 hours of disco.

[Phil Starr]

Double what you charge a public venue? More for extras like learning a 'special' song, travelling further than usual, providing a disco, lighting the auditorium and so on.

[skidder652003]

1 hour ago, Phil Starr said:

Double what you charge a public venue? More for extras like learning a 'special' song, travelling further than usual, providing a disco, lighting the auditorium and so on.

no ones doing a wedding for 200 notes Phil !  

[No lust in Jazz]

After we've paid the PA and lights (which was always hire) We clear between £80 and £220 each for a six piece -  the variation is due mainly to travelling and whether we 'fancy' doing that gig.