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So i've been reading the posts the past couple days about Musicians Vs. DJ's and/or Promoters.
I have alot to say on this subject, but i'll try to keep it as short as possible.
Many of you have great points and are all right to certain extents.
Some of you may already know who I am, some may not. but i guess you could call me a "promoter". I hate the word, just because of the reputation it has. I run the website www.QueenOfTheScene.com and i have been involved in the local music scene for over 10 years.
Over the years, I have seen so much within the local music community. So many bands and venues and promoters come and go. some things change and some things stay the same.
Personally, i'm not a fan of Dj's. I prefer live original music. Yes, there is a time and place for a dj, but i just don't see the artistry in it. i'm talking about the top 40 hits cd type dj. I do have a small level of respect for the dj's that actually mix and match bpms and add bleeps and bloops, but thats a different level. but the dj's who simply press play and "hype" the crowd over a microphone... you're a dj. not a musician. 2 different titles.
As far as bands who play for exposure and bands who play for cash... I agree that bands who play for nothing are selling themselves short and lowering the stardard for other musicians. However, there is a reason for this. If you are just starting out and have no fan base, you need to gain experience and a repetoire with clubs and promoters. Once that is established, you can move on to better paying gigs. no is BORN a rock star. you gotta pay your dues.
There are some bands in our local music community who wont play for less than $2000. These bands know they are worth it. They are professional. They look good, sound good, have a big fan base, show up on time, know how to promote and have paid their dues. They have proven They are worth every penny.
There are many factors that go into booking a band and deciding what to pay them. I know this from experience. I have only been booking shows for a little over a year, but i have booked almost 200 bands within a year. I can't even begin to explain all these factors, as every venue is different, every night of the week is different.
I try to be as fair as possible, so i came up with this system for paying bands... It has probably been done before, but not here in s. fla, that i know of. Please let me know what you all think.
I know when i say the word "Tickets" you are all going to whine and moan. But hear me out.
Unlike other systems that clubs use with tickets, where you have to sell so many tickets or you dont play or you have to pay for the remainder of left over tickets, etc... What i have done is worked out a deal with a place i book shows at to allow tickets to be used for entrance. I give each band MEMBER 5 or 10 tickets, they sell these tickets for $10 each. Thats $50-$100 PER MEMBER.
This works for the club since these people will come and hopefully eat/drink. and i feel that it's fair to the band because it teaches them to PROMOTE themselves and keep in touch with their fanbase. If they dont sell their tickets, they either A) have no fanbase or B) were to lazy to TRY.
Seriously, if you can't get your mom, your cousin, your friend, your sister and a co-worker to come see you, how can you expect to have a fanbase at all? why would a stranger come see you? why should a club book your band? why would a record label give you the time of day?
and i have to stress the importance of getting WOMEN to come see you perform. i dont care if it's your mom, your sister, your girlfriend, your wife.... I didn't realize it until a friend mentioned his "5 bitches rule". beleive me, i hated the term, but it makes sense. aside from booking shows, i also work the door for a live music venue and i have seen this with my own eyes. when people come to the door and look in, if they dont see girls, they leave! they can care less about what band is playing. ok, ok... those are the kind of people we can do without, but hey, whatever packs a house! others come and see a packed house, so they think "hey, something good is happeneing, lets go". domino effect. more and more people come and more and more people hear your band. it all started with the, uhm, "bitches".
Alot of times i have big "festivals" with 20-30 bands. The reason for this is cross-exposure. This way more and more people are turned on to more and more bands and will hopefully see/hear something they like and start supporting another band. and another and another. If the average band has 4 members and we give 5 tix each member... at least 20 people per band... not to mention the random people who just happen to come... The bands made their money, gained exposure from a new audience AND the club should have banked on the liquor sales. everyone is happy, right?
As for the Promoter/Booker... alot of people have a dirty image about us and dont understand exactly what it is we do. Of course there is the occasional slime ball who scams and rips off bands. but thats not always the case.
So what does a promoter do? Well, any band can walk into a place and beg the owner to let their band play there. 99% of the time, it aint gunna work that way. while live music can be great entertainment for a club, coffee shop, store, sidewalk.... it can also be a huge hassle that no one wants to deal with. So a promoter deals with the owners of venues as sort of a middle man. we try to prove what kind of crowd/clientelle we can pull in and promise to avoid the hassles.
after getting a place to allow live music and making budget deals, the next step is getting the bands. seeking out good bands, dealing with rock star attitudes, dealing with FAR FROM rock star attitudes, dealing with cancelations and schedules and payments and the list goes on and on.
once that is all in order... the promoters job is to, well, PROMOTE. this means we go out of our way to not only provide a crowd for the venue AND the band, we print flyers, we make media and press contacts, we plaster the town and internet with flyers, posters and word of mouth...and as a bonus, For some of shows we event make tshirts and cd's.
Can a band do this themself...yes. but like i said, 99% of the time a venue owner wont even hear you out. and thats only the 1st step. Don't beleive me, try it. Good luck Metal bands.
I have booked alot of great bands. and i have also booked alot of... not so great bands. I try not to judge bands based on my personal preference, because i want to give everyone a chance. i may not like a band, but someone else might. sometimes the not-so-good bands KNOW they aren't good. i have had bands play to an entirely empty room aside from MYSELF! the band might be playing for fun and not money, which is fine and dandy, but the poor bar tender goes home that night with NO TIPS because NO ONE came to see that shitty band. and how fair is it when one band busts their ass to look their best, bring fans, friends and press while the other bands on the bill just show up...looking like they just rolled out of bed and not even their mom will come see them? and im supposed to pay them each equally?
So, while i try to be fair, i also hope the bands do their part in being professional.
Music is an ART but it is also a BUSINESS.
This will also be posted on my blog, so leave comments there if you would like to start a discussion.
http://queenofthescene305.blogspot.com
And feel free to add me on Myspace:
www.myspace.com/SFL_QOTS
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