Making a living in the music business by performing?

[Farrell Jackson]

I had a little reflection on this subject so I wrote down some of my thoughts and experiences. Any other thoughts on making money performing music in today's climate or making a living at it?

Making a living in the music business by performing?

Well it's an interesting subject for sure. I've been performing in a band since I was 16 years old, that is up until the last couple of years. Since I'm now older and have less energy, I've decided to slow down...not stop... but slow way down. I played with the same group of guys for 37 years, well almost...the bass players and drummers came and went... but three of us held it together for all those years and we are still great friends.  We all held down day jobs also so we never made a living at performing but we did make enough to supplement our incomes and pay for all the equipment/expenses. As a group we might have made enough for one person to live on, lol. So in the best and busiest years about 25% of our incomes were attributed to performing but we were young and energetic then. We were also self managed and stayed local within a 100 mile radius so that limited the gigging some but we've played bars, night clubs, Indian Casinos, back yard parties, street concerts, corporate parties, and even coffee houses.....you name it we did it. We once did a 3 month stent at a Brew Pup. That was some good, cold micro beer and consistent pay. Plus we became very polished as a group by performing that many weeks in a row.

In hindsight,  it was very grueling yet very rewarding artistically but not so much monetarily. Not to discourage anyone, it can be done, but it takes a lot of commitment and if you are young and have minimal family ties, well that makes it easier. We all had solid day jobs and were/are all married with children, so we kept the gigs local.

If I were to start this again I would keep the group small and portable. There seems, at least locally, to be a need for smaller groups, like duos or trios, for small intimate settings like back yard dinner parties and wine tasting gatherings. The three of us (three acoustic guitars and vocals) did a few of those gigs in 2009 and we were paid $600 for gigs or $200 a piece for two 45 minute sets. Plus all we had to bring and set up were our acoustic guitars and a small sound system. Much easier than hauling the full instrument compliments and the divided pay was basically the same for a full band.

Again, not to discourage anyone....it can be done...and of course there is always the chance that you will be discovered and become famous provided the talent and drive is there.

Case in point. Are you familiar with Brett Dennon? He's a local boy from my small town of 20,000. He decided one day (after college) that he wanted to make music his life's calling. He took his guitar, got in his car, got a small time agent and booked everything he could for any amount of funds. He traveled up and down California (sleeping in his car) and soon started to get a following. He was playing a show in L.A. and John Mayer happened to hear him. He liked what he saw and heard so Brett was booked to open every show for John Mayer's next tour. Brett was on his way and still is. If you're not familiar with his music, check it out....google his name. He's quite good with a very unique style. Here's a youtube link if you're interested.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amwVyRH2B8A

Well that's my personal take on making a living by performing music....it can be done but with sacrifices......

Good luck to you brave and courageous souls that do or try this...the rewards are many...the money...not so much!

Farrell Jackson

[Hook]

I'll try to keep this short since my last post was a novella. I've been trying to do this with modest success for the past 5 years. It all depends what you need to make to survive. I have a family so that makes things different. I should have packed up my stuff at 18 and hit the road but I didn't. I should have learned 6 hours of cover music 20 years ago, but I didn't. I have very steady work during the school year now but come summer I have to wear all hats, manager/agent and talent (debatable!) I need to perform a min. of 60 shows during the summer to stay afloat and really I need 90. The last few years have been harder because of the economy but I think I will be close to 90 for this summer. It's alot of work and worry!
 If you want to money regularly, locally, you have to play covers. I perform (less now) solo acoustic with  loop station, a boss me50, and my fishman tower pa. Easy to load in , set up/tear down, and great sound. I have alot of friends that play music at night and swing a hammer during the day. Most of them expect $25 an hour for construction and I think the same is fair for musicians but I include set up. So I really wont set up for less than $100 for 3 hours (2- 70 min. sets) 50$ bucks for each extra set, I feel well paid. This is Tampa FL bar scene standard rate. Some will pay more some pay less. There are about 80 guys scrambling Tampa for gigs!
Originals take much more work to make $$$. You will have to tour and play many times for little or no $, perhaps years. My friends in "Cope", check them out if you like Jam bands, have been leaving town Thurs. and coming home on Sun. for the past year and a half and they just signed with a booking company/agent. They very slowly started to build a regional following and now are starting to make some $ to split amongst the 4 members but they still have self employed type jobs for when there home, hopefully not for long.
I never would have thought that I would have the opportunities that I have now but like I said , it's very hard work and I'm getting tired of it. I want representation so I can worry about writing and performing, but how to get that is a whole new thread. If your single and can slum for a while you should and give it your all; you just might find that break, but you might not. If you live in a city with some sort of scene you might be able to make a living.  So much for short!
Rock on!

[Flash Harry]

My band played 2 hours yesterday (Thursday), we were paid £100. So £10.00 each per hour? Plus 2 hours rig time, 1 hour's de-rig time = £4.00 per hour. Less than the minimum wage.

I saw Tony Levin and his trio last easter, 400 seats at £25 a head, 30% for the venue, 15(?)% for the management and the remaining 55% for the artists and the tour expenses. So £5.5k to cover the hire of the vehicle, the flights with the equipment (Jet2 charge £24 to Norway for a real body, £80 for an ash body). I reckon, to tour, you need £1000 clear per gig.

So I'm 20% of the way there. I'm dreaming of the California beaches......

I still go to work to pay for the life I have. It's all Garlic Bread.

[jules metcalfe]

Hi, i play in cover bands.  The money never is fantastic but it always gets a meal and a few beers.  The biggest rewards are the good times, and believe me there is no better life than playing guitar in a bar! I would not change a thing and would recommend it to anyone.  It is hard work but it keeps your technique and practice up there and introduces you to new styles and genres and also develops you as a working musician.  If you can play a few covers pretty well try going in your local pub(bar) with an acoustic and do some stuff, nine times out of ten the people will love it! and also buy you a beer!  It gives you drive and inspiration but don't order a Ferrari or look at big houses or even castles.  Just enjoy! J

[Tony W]

Inexpensive PA system  $5500
Music Rig                    $3000
Fuel                           $90
------------------------------
                                 $8590
Total income                $350
------------------------------
Net gain to date          -$8240

Looks like an uphill battle for me.

[Farrell Jackson]

Inexpensive PA system  $5500
Music Rig                    $3000
Fuel                           $90
------------------------------
                                 $8590
Total income                $350
------------------------------
Net gain to date          -$8240

Looks like an uphill battle for me.

Hey that's a start Tony! I also had ( still have) a lot of money invested in equipment but if you buy good, road tested gear it will last you for years. If you take care of it and stay at it you will eventually recoup your investment plus.

When I gigged with the cover band I did most of the bookings but for a couple of years we had a booking agent. Just like learning the guitar, it takes time and  practice learning how to become good at promoting and booking a band.  It also takes some good public relation skills but ultimately the band needs to perform well to get those return gigs. On a good weekend at a casino we would get $1500 (split four ways after expenses) plus lodging and meals. But our typical average hourly rate was $200 with a two hour minimum. We wanted at least $100 per member. Most bars and pubs won't pay that so we did mostly casuals, weddings and corporate gigs....unless the gigs were running  dry. Then we would hit the bars for less pay and that usually generated the more higher paying jobs. Ahh those were the days..............

When people would ask me how much we charged to play, my standard answer (with a smile) was that we played for free but you'll have to pay us at least $400 to move the equipment...that usually got a laugh and a gig.

I would suggest getting a local booking agent so the group could concentrate on the music and show. The upside is they will/can get you gigs. The downside is that they take their cut (10% or more) and they don't always book you at the best places......and the band has to be willing to play anywhere, anytime, at a moments notice.

Just some additional thoughts on the subject........

Farrell

[jules metcalfe]

Hi guys, i go out with my brother with two electro acoustics, a couple of mike's and a small pa.  Have done for years, we also have musicians on hand for a full band.  In England things on the gigging scene is not as good as it was because pubs(bars) are closing down, is it like that in America?

[Farrell Jackson]

Hi guys, i go out with my brother with two electro acoustics, a couple of mike's and a small pa.  Have done for years, we also have musicians on hand for a full band.  In England things on the gigging scene is not as good as it was because pubs(bars) are closing down, is it like that in America?

Local bars aren't closing down in my area of California but they are really tight with the funds for entertainment, plus there's competition with the mobile DJ's. A lot of the clubs and bars have just eliminated live music and replaced it with high tech, high quality sounding jukeboxes. There's still work for full bands but fewer venues with reduced pay. Like you described Jules....the single with a PC or looper for backup or an acoustic duo can play for less and make just as much per member as a 4 or 5 piece band. That seems to be the trend here also.

Farrell

[Hook]

I'm seeing open mics and Jam nights pop up like crazy here in Tampa. I don't mind the open mics as much but the jam nights drive me batty. About 3 years ago I noticed a lot of bars dropped Wed. nite music and then It seemed that there were a whole slew of new solo performers here that were happy with half the pay the rest of us expected, guys who lost there jobs and bought a pa to give it the old college try. That brought the average price down from $150 to about $100 for a lot of venues. That's cool and all, you get what you pay for and unfortunately for me 2 out of 10 of these low ball price guys ends up being pretty good if not way better then me. Then you got to hustle twice as hard and the hustling for gigs just sucks! As I've said I'm not dependent on the bar gigs anymore and only take what comes my way. I did get myself a a gig on St. Patty's Day next Sat., only because they called me. I'll make $200 for 3-1 hour sets with 2 breaks. 30 min. drive 1/2 hour set up and 20 min. tear down. It's nothing glamorous, playing covers, background music to others more important conversations, but it's LIVIN" THE DREAM! (no more sleeping pills I got to wake up and pay some bills!)

[chip]

And that ain't good, bringing in machines that is. Plus the no smoking ban. Bands take a hell of time , money and patience to get together, then someone appears with a looper and who knows what else. and the audience prefers that? Not round here they don't, not yet!!!!! I believe the influence of Simon ( the devil ) Cowley and others like him  have something to answer here.
We do okay but a load of work and time goes into it, that's why I hardly get time to play about with the MBR, Saying that I did go upstairs earlier. and put together a protest song called... "21 century descent"  very political it is too. at least to me it is.