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Thread: Door Deals :(

  1. #1

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    Default Door Deals :(

    This past Saturday I played for the second week in a row at the same venue, this time with my other band. It was kind of a chaotic night, as the place had a private party going on downstairs during our gig. We were getting the door that night, and the bar had a guy at the door collecting $5 a head for those coming to see us. It was our option to charge $5 or $10.
    We had a decent crowd that night, and the bar was busy. At the end of the night, the owner handed me a wad of cash from the door. I walked over to my bandmates and we counted it together. To our unpleasant surprise, the amount reflected a headcount of about half of what we expected. Now, none of us are doing this for the money, but something seemed fishy here. Our singer that night does this for a living and she had to hire a sitter so we all agreed to pay her her regular amount, which amounted to about half of what we made. Luckily, my band mates are all good guys and there was no argument.
    Now the bar owner said it was a good night and wants to book us again. We want to play there again because it's a good venue with a great sound system, but if we really only drew the amount of people who paid to see us, he wouldn't have had a good night. Because the guests of the private party came in the same entrance as our people maybe a bunch of people got in to see us without paying the cover. I know a lot of our people were there before they started charging.
    We don't want to burn any bridges, I feel like we should talk to the owner about this. I'm not sure how to approach it though. The 2 gigs I did at this place with my other band we didn't have an issue.

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  2. #2

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    Default Re: Door Deals :(

    Could the door guy skimming. Put a guy on the door with a counter next time.

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  3. #3

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    Only person taking money at the door should be someone affiliated with the band that you trust. Problem solved.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Door Deals :(

    We dont do door only gigs just for this reason. We like to keep it simple, if every member is not guaranteed at least $75 we do not do the gig. And it has to be a really fun gig for us to take that. I understand not everyone is the same which is why clubs are still paying the same or less than they were paying 20 years ago. It's really not about the money for most cover bands but come on it is a lot of work to drag all your stuff out, set up, play, tear down and pack back in for anything less, never mind the hours of rehearsal.
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  5. #5

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    Default Re: Door Deals :(

    I agree with everybody, just make sure you guys are the only event going on that night. . . . .might, help also at the door.

  6. #6

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    I’d say there were a lot of people saying they were there for the party to avoid the cover. Obviously, the door guy was asking them....then everyone else in line behind them knows what to say. Would have been impossible to keep it straight, unless they were handing out bracelets or something.
    I would book another gig there, but tell the manager what you think happened last time. I wouldn’t accuse anyone...just voice your concern that it doesn’t happen again. Then he’ll know that you guys are watching. If the problem was the door guy, then the owner will be watching him. You could also have a band wife or friend hang out around the door guy.
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  7. #7

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    Default Re: Door Deals :(

    Never played for "the door". You have played a lot of gigs, you know what your band is worth on a nightly basis. You set your "price" accordingly.

    I've played gigs in the middle of winter in Jersey on a Wednesday night with rain/sleet coming down and knowing that they would be lucky to get 15-20 people. If we played for the door at $5 a head, we would be lucky to get $10 a man.

    I would have told them to take their door and give it to Monty Hall, this is our price, take it or leave it, BUT, as I said before, you have to know your bands worth.
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  8. #8

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    Default Re: Door Deals :(

    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    Never played for "the door". You have played a lot of gigs, you know what your band is worth on a nightly basis. You set your "price" accordingly.

    I've played gigs in the middle of winter in Jersey on a Wednesday night with rain/sleet coming down and knowing that they would be lucky to get 15-20 people. If we played for the door at $5 a head, we would be lucky to get $10 a man.

    I would have told them to take their door and give it to Monty Hall, this is our price, take it or leave it, BUT, as I said before, you have to know your bands worth.
    All of this is true. I am not a fan of playing for the door or putting out a tip jar. Any band I'm in does not do either of those two things. As you said, you know what your band is worth. If a venue is not willing to have any skin in the game by paying you what you are worth, then the venue is not worth playing at. As far as tip jars go.........IMHO, that's just cheesy.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Door Deals :(

    I agree about having your people working the door. Less likely to have people slip past that way. $5 is a reasonable cover for anyone coming in to drink at bar prices ...

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Door Deals :(

    Quote Originally Posted by N2Bluz View Post
    I’d say there were a lot of people saying they were there for the party to avoid the cover. Obviously, the door guy was asking them....then everyone else in line behind them knows what to say. Would have been impossible to keep it straight, unless they were handing out bracelets or something.
    I would book another gig there, but tell the manager what you think happened last time. I wouldn’t accuse anyone...just voice your concern that it doesn’t happen again. Then he’ll know that you guys are watching. If the problem was the door guy, then the owner will be watching him. You could also have a band wife or friend hang out around the door guy.
    Thanks for your advice, N2, I agree with you, and that's a tactful way to go.

    Acoustic Kits:
    Ludwig Maple 3ply White Cortex 4 pc
    Rukus Mod Orange Club 4 pc
    DW Design 6 pc
    Tama Silverstar Limited Edition Mirage 5 pc
    Tama Superstar 5 pc
    Tama Rockstar 4 pc
    Gretsch Catalina Ash 4 pc

    Slingerland 7 pc

    Electronic Kits:
    Yamaha DTX532k
    Roland TD-27, Roland PD-85 (x4), PD-125, KD9, CY-8 (x2) VH-10, Lemon 15 and 18 cymbals
    Roland SPD-SX Sample Pad

    Snares:
    Tama SLP Black Brass
    Tama SLP G Maple
    Rukus Santos/Bubinga/Poplar/Wenge
    Rukus Avodire/Maple/Mahogany
    1972 Ludwig Supraphonic


    Hardware:
    Tama, DW, Yamaha and Sonor

    Cymbals:
    Zildjian A Series, A Custom and K Custom

    Microphones:
    Miktek, Audix and Shure

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