In my experience…

The big-shots, London types and ones with more money than God are the biggest tight-wads out there, and will haggle as much as the Pakistani Pub Landlords to get you as cheap as possible.

(Please excuse this for sounding racist or class-ist, I have nothing against anybody - it is just a statement of fact for me after playing well over 1000 gigs over 20 years that the Rich-types and Pakistanis haggle over every last penny and try every low-down trick in the book to avoid payment)

It’s like Bill Gates says in the Simpsons “I didn’t get rich by writing a lot of cheques”

When we have had to travel, we have insisted that the customer arranges accommodation for us, but we’ve never actually charged travel expenses – that is just taken into account with the fee.

How many of you are there in the band? – This is also proportionate to how much you charge. If there are 5 of you, then consider it on an hourly rate:

Meet up, load van – 1 hour
Travel – 1 hour plus?
Arrive, meet and greet, make arrangements – 30 mins
Unpack, set up, soundcheck – 2 hours?
Wait around til start time – 1 to 2 hours
Gig itself (including breaks and encores) – 3 hours plus
Pack up – 1.5 hours (longer because hopefully you’re wrecked)
Travel to accommodation – 30 mins

Either way, you’re looking at around an 11 hours plus day. Times 5 @ the bargain rate of £10ph each because of your talent, equipment usage and labour…and you’re looking at £550. Throw in the van rental etc that is an extra £200. Then the accommodation should be paid on top…2 doubles and 1 single room, min 3 star @ London rates = fuck knows, but you could take the money instead for accommodation and sort yourselves out for somewhere shit and cheap.

There is also a downside to this however – If you charge a lot – the level of expectancy regarding your professionalism etc rockets up…and the last thing you want is a ‘I paid a grand for you scruffy fuckers to turn up and play for just 3 hours???’…and ”How long did you take between songs???” etc et-fucking-cetera.

When you’re well paid and in that environment, everyone thinks they own you…and I have had people complain to the paying customers because we refused to play their ‘favourite reggae/punk/classical track’ – thus creating a scene. Now I always apologetically say we play a set that has been pre-arranged with the person paying so if you have any complaints – take it up with them.

Good luck!
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Mon 15 Sep 2008, 9:41, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

our travel, in a van
would be probably 3 hours or more coming from Exeter
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 15 Sep 2008, 11:13, Reply)