Gig Negotiation

Gig Negotiation

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How To Negotiate A Gig For Your Band

Once you have located a club or venue that would be suitable for your band, try calling the venue and ask for the person who books bands for the club.  Offer to send out your Band Press Kit and Demo CD and let them know you would like to call back in a few days. Call Back once they listen to your demo and review your Press Kit.  Remember club bookers usually work at night so you may have to call during the evening or at night.  Now that you have sent your Press Kit (Including Demo CD) and have a potentially interested club booking agent, it's time to negotiate a gig for you band.

Start up bands you may want to offer to play for free to get exposure for your band.  Eventually, you may gain a fan base and shows and have to negotiate a gig.  Now that the club booker has listened to your demo and may be interested in your act, it's time to negotiate and get your band a gig.  Many times a booker has a specific price or arrangement that they have for bands.  For example, there are a variety of ways a club can pay for your bands services.  They may offer Door or a percentage of the Door amount.  This means that they will charge a fee at the door to whoever shows up to see your act.  So, what you make is up to how many people you can draw to the venue.  The more people you get to the show the more you will make.  The club may also only give you a certain percentage of the door.  Negotiate this ahead of time so you know what percentage you will be making at the venue. 

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A club owner may also offer you a Flat Fee to play the club.  For example, the club may offer $200 for your bands services.  This is a flat fee and they should pay you that amount no matter how many people come to the show.  You still want a good number of people at the show for exposure and to keep the club owner happy.  Another way that clubs pay you is a flat fee plus door which means you'll get a guaranteed amount plus door or a percentage of door.  Sometimes, you can negotiate free food or drinks for you band as well.  Talk about all these things when negotiating with the club band booker. 

Music Law: How to Run Your Band's Business below is a great resource for musicians on legal issues and band contracts.

One Tip to remember.  Just because you negotiate it, doesn't mean that you will get that amount at the end of the show.  Some club owners are more reputable than others.  One excuse a club owner may use to short your negotiated fee is that you didn't bring in enough people to the show.  So make sure you promote your gig.  So, if you don't have a signed contract, it may be difficult to get what you verbally negotiated.  Most start up bands don't have contracts signed and just want to play music.  While this may be ok at first, eventually you'll want to get a contract signed or get in with a booking agent that will take care of this for your band.  A booking agent will negotiate usually a standard fee for getting your band a gig.  They will take a percentage of your earnings, but they will do all the negotiating for your gigs.  If you want to learn how to work up contracts for your band a great resource is the book 'Music Law' How to Run Your Bands Business.  It comes with a CD containing all the basic contracts your band should need.  It's a great do it yourself (DIY) Resource for bands. 

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