Pay to Play

[TheLuxLife]

"As far as clubs, and pay-to-play situations, this has got to be a low point in being a musician, since true musicians should be "paid" to play, not have to "pay" to play. The whole thing is upside down today..." -Robert Rosenblatt -Entertainment Attorney


Paying to play is absolutely pointless, and makes it worse for people who actually have a shot at making a living with their music. If you do it, please stop.

[guitarsjb]

It amazes me at the number of bands/people who will do it. I won't. I made that very clear to the other band members when such an "opprotunity" (read Emergenza) presented itself. I actually said if I got "out voted" on it, I would quit.

[Actionsquid]

Oh God, this agian! :eek:

There is no question it's a basically undefendable practice... and that it's a bad idea on so very many levels.

I'd go on, but I'm still spent from the last thread on this.

[ihateyouguys]

what about bussing your own table?

[BlueStrat]

Originally posted by Actionsquid
Oh God, this agian! :eek:

There is no question it's a basically undefendable practice... and that it's a bad idea on so very many levels.

I'd go on, but I'm still spent from the last thread on this. Ah, you're just an old fashioned dinosaur hopelessly stuck in the past, reliving past glories. But hey, if that works for you, be my guest! The rest of us will benefit from trying new ideas, etc etc. ad nauseum.;)

:D

[TheLuxLife]

I decided to post it b/c people keep doing this crap, and it's foolish. I won't do anything other than let the public know about the show, show up and put on a good show. That is my job.

By the way, doesn't it say something about your skills as a musician or promoter of your music, if you have to pay someone to let you play? Stay home and learn your craft so that you have a product worth paying for.

[elbow]

Originally posted by ihateyouguys
what about bussing your own table?

It works for Toby Keith :thu: :thu:

:thu:
:thu: :thu:
:thu: :thu: :thu:

:o

[Blackwatch]

decided to post it b/c people keep doing this crap, and it's foolish. I won't do anything other than let the public know about the show, show up and put on a good show. That is my job.

12 posts and a pay to play subject.....Let's give this guy a big .......Ovation

[ihateyouguys]

Originally posted by Blackwatch
12 posts and a pay to play subject.....Let's give this guy a big .......Ovation

naw, can't be. He's against pay to play!

:thu:

[squealie]

Pay to Play = Selling your own tickets right?

In a market where there is a glut of 'artists' that all think they deserve to reap the rewards of the dozen or so minutes it took to write their magnum opus.....

I'm not convinced it's such a bad idea.

Entertainers, who are truly entertaining, will be paid to play.

As for the rest.....

Hell, lot's of folks pay a cover charge to go sing Karaoke right?

[ChordGirl]

Originally posted by squealie
Pay to Play = Selling your own tickets right?

In a market where there is a glut of 'artists' that all think they deserve to reap the rewards of the dozen or so minutes it took to write their magnum opus.....

I'm not convinced it's such a bad idea.

Entertainers, who are truly entertaining, will be paid to play.

As for the rest.....

Hell, lot's of folks pay a cover charge to go sing Karaoke right?

You know, I had never heard of such a critter as 'pay to play' until HC. Is that what it means--selling your own tickets? If that's the case, I just got conned into that bullshit last week. I told my bandleader somebody better at least buy my f*ckin drinks, and I'm not selling NUTTIN. I was selling the same tickets at the bar where I work on the clock. I thought maybe it meant that you paid the bar to play a set, like some strippers do to dance at certain clubs.:confused: :confused:

I do, however, know enough about it to end my message with this:

:thu:

[Brian Krashpad]

Originally posted by Blackwatch
12 posts and a pay to play subject.....Let's give this guy a big .......Ovation

http://www.toto99.com/features/images/ovation_adamas_12_string.jpg

:rolleyes:

[Preacher Will]

Originally posted by squealie
Pay to Play = Selling your own tickets right?

I was under the impression that it meant buying your own tickets!

:confused:

[vanlatte]

Originally posted by ChordGirl
You know, I had never heard of such a critter as 'pay to play' until HC. Is that what it means--selling your own tickets? If that's the case, I just got conned into that bullshit last week. I told my bandleader somebody better at least buy my f*ckin drinks, and I'm not selling NUTTIN. I was selling the same tickets at the bar where I work on the clock. I thought maybe it meant that you paid the bar to play a set, like some strippers do to dance at certain clubs.:confused: :confused:

I do, however, know enough about it to end my message with this:

:thu:

There are many forms of P2P. You got yer' Emergenza which is the grandaddy of em all. Basically you pay an entrance fee (usually around $75). Then you are given a book of tickets. Each one has a price tag on it, between $10-$20 depending on how far along in the process you "make it".

You can give them away, but you have to return the booklet at a set time and any tickets that are missing you have to pay for. So the idea is to sell them to "fans" so they can come see you play for 20 minutes with 6 other bands.

Then there are the typical "pay an entry fee, compete with other bands, have people vote and the winner gets <insert something that sounds great but is really useless>

And of course the "National Act needs an opener!" which usually ends up meaning playing in the same building as some national act, in a different room about 5 hours before said national act.

Oh, and you get to pay the club for this "privilege"

I don't know what is more pitiful, the fact that this goes on or the fact that there is never a shortage of bands willing to dive in.

:(

[Roy Brooks]

I don't do it.

[JacieFB]

Originally posted by jplux1
I decided to post it b/c people keep doing this crap, and it's foolish. I won't do anything other than let the public know about the show, show up and put on a good show. That is my job.

By the way, doesn't it say something about your skills as a musician or promoter of your music, if you have to pay someone to let you play? Stay home and learn your craft so that you have a product worth paying for.


What kind of stuff do you play? What style? Covers or Original?

[TheLuxLife]

I write/play pop/soul/rock inspired songs. Prince is my inspiration, and I do my best to, like him, create recyclable music.

In the Making it SOLO? thread I talked a bit more about who I am:

"Thanks for the encouragement. I'm 22 now, started playing piano and singing when I was 2, and started writing at 10. I would mainly perform at churches, and would always draw crowds of people. Reluctantly, I recorded a few tracks which got into the hands of a world-renowned record exec. and was asked to sign a development deal at 16, but even then I had the wisdom to realize that I wasn't ready. I turned it down, and went on to be successful in school(graduated college early)/work(own a successful real estate consulting firm). I realize now that music is the only thing that makes me happy, and I'm tired of running from this.

Again, you guys here HC have helped immensely. So much great advice out there, and it's nice to have a place to openly discuss this."

"In one of my sets I ask the audience to shout out subjects they'd like me to write a song about, and in what "style" of music it should be. I then sequence it and sing it right there in front of them. That tends to make their tongues drop to the floor.

Questions:

Assuming that I'm a flawless player and singer...Is it possible for a bad-ass original performer to put on a spectacular show alone? No fancy lights, just a korg oasys and a kms 105.

Does a GREAT solo performer appear to have, or have more gravitas? and should they be paid as much or more than a great original band?

Thanks for the feedback!

-Jason"

[THX1138]

http://www.tk-421.net/images/deargod.jpg

[squealie]

Originally posted by THX1138
http://www.tk-421.net/images/deargod.jpg

Pay to Pray? :idea:

[TheLuxLife]

Pay to Pray?

That actually does exist :eek:

[ChordGirl]

Originally posted by vanlatte but paraphrased by Chordgirl

Pay to play is complete horse shit.


:(

Thanks, vanlatte. I know you all are sick of this subject. Turns out, that's not what I was involved with. This show I referred to earlier didn't cost me anything but my pride.;) It was for a 'club crawl,' and the tix gave us a chance to make money if we sold them.

[summit111]

My Brothers,

When we got started, we "opened" for established local bands free of charge. The club owner got a free opening act. The headliner got the "prestige" of having an opening band, and we got to play for big crowds without the hassle of bringing in all of our equipment.

Worked like a charm. Still does from time to time.

[rhat]

Originally posted by Brian Krashpad
http://www.toto99.com/features/images/ovation_adamas_12_string.jpg

:rolleyes:


"Never trust a guitar thats poured out of a bucket" rat

[Blackwatch]

naw, can't be. He's against pay to play!

Yeah....but it'd be just like the sick little f*cker to come back and argue for it......

[TheLuxLife]

Nope, sorry. :D

[elbow]

Originally posted by jplux1
Nope, sorry. :D

He woulda said that too..... except he woulda added a :thu: at the end. You know if he was able to stay away from the :thu: and "pay-to-play" discussions, we would never find him :eek:

:confused:
:cry: