I just played the largest crowd I've ever headlined too... in a cover band.

[jeff42]

oops. I didn't read that right.

[ChordGirl]

Great crowd--Congrats! To me, that certainly wasn't playing a free show. Advertising is priceless. Not only do patrons hear your band name on the radio, but club owners hear it too, and book you because they're familiar with your name. I just sat in with my old band for a small private party, and I kid you not, 3 people came up to us talking about radio play the band gets occasionally on the local public station. They are also involved in the weekly concert calendar.

[zekmoe]

Great show, but I don't think would have done all the work, brought the PA and lights, just for free. Seems like a bit too much. Someone's getting paid there.

[tucktronix]

Originally Posted by zekmoe

Great show, but I don't think would have done all the work, brought the PA and lights, just for free. Seems like a bit too much. Someone's getting paid there.

This wasn't exactly a "free" gig, as was explained in detail earlier. His band is getting free advertisement in a local radio station. Radio exposure is huge.

Congrats, Grant

[wheresgrant3]

Originally Posted by tucktronix

This wasn't exactly a "free" gig, as was explained in detail earlier. His band is getting free advertisement in a local radio station. Radio exposure is huge.

Congrats, Grant

Everything is always relative to the business you run. For us making less than $200 per man is a poor paying gig. We split 6-ways. So to split up $1000 6 ways is worthless. We;d rather have the exposure. There are times that we'll play a charity gig for $100 per man and we'll just throw it into the band fund for new equipment or expenses. That's how we bought the lights. Took part of a gig and funded the entire purchase. We never spend out of pocket for band expenses and we're always making good pay at regular gigs. It's worked for us for 7 years now.

[Lopp]

Ditto the great gig comments. Congrats!

[ckcondon]

There's a bit of a difference between playing a "Free gig" at cousin Vinny's corporate Christmas party and doing a promotional trade for some on-air advertising and the chance to broaden your audience at a well-attended event.
I'd have played the show with no guilt whatsoever for "devaluing live bands"!

[jeff42]

Originally Posted by ckcondon

There's a bit of a difference between playing a "Free gig" at cousin Vinny's corporate Christmas party and doing a promotional trade for some on-air advertising and the chance to broaden your audience at a well-attended event.
I'd have played the show with no guilt whatsoever for "devaluing live bands"!

I agree with this 1042%!

[Tele-vania65000]

Originally Posted by tucktronix

This wasn't exactly a "free" gig, as was explained in detail earlier. His band is getting free advertisement in a local radio station. Radio exposure is huge.

Congrats, Grant

Understood.

But some of us are questioning the value of the advertising, that's all.

Hard to say how it has directly contributed to your gigs, but you would know better than I would in this situation, so you may continue!

(aren't you glad you have my blessing now?)

[MartinC]

It's really hard to measure the value of any advertising. In radio, you don't really know how many people are listening, and of those, how many are interested in what your advertising, and finally, how many will respond to the advertising. It's always somewhat of a crapshoot. In spite of this, people continue to buy advertising. I've done free appearances on radio. It was many years ago, and I have no idea how much or little it helped my band at the time. But I did have a few musicians I know congratulate me on our success. They got the impression that we must have something going to be on the radio. As far as the op, I think it was a very good decision to do that gig.

Originally Posted by Tele-vania65000

Understood.

But some of us are questioning the value of the advertising, that's all.

Hard to say how it has directly contributed to your gigs, but you would know better than I would in this situation, so you may continue!

(aren't you glad you have my blessing now?)

[wheresgrant3]

Originally Posted by Tele-vania65000

Understood.

But some of us are questioning the value of the advertising, that's all.

Hard to say how it has directly contributed to your gigs, but you would know better than I would in this situation, so you may continue!

(aren't you glad you have my blessing now?)

I completely understand the hesitation... doing a 'free gig, what will we get out of it?" People, organizations, venues constantly bombard bands with the offer of services in trade. But I can assure you doing a gig like this is nothing but 'up' for any band. In addition to the daily mentions on the 'air', in the commercials for the event itself, and commercial we negotiated, we're playing to a few hundred people that may have heard our name before but never have seen you play. It's not hard to do the math. Within hours of the event our myspace and Facebook Group lit up with new friend requests and comments. Like I said, over the years we've done maybe 20 events in partnership with this radio station and the result has been we're instantly recognizable with any radio listener. If you look at that people that come out to our shows (we regularly draw 100-200+ every show) and a good portion of them are people that don't go to bars to see bands... they are radio listeners that come out just to see us.

Pay takes a backseat when you are increasing your fanbase... thus increasing your pay potential with club owners. Other bands making $100 per man may balk at doing anything free. We welcome opportunities like this... and that's a big reason why we're making 2-3'x the average local band for just bar gigs.

[TrickyBoy]

Originally Posted by wheresgrant3

I completely understand the hesitation... doing a 'free gig, what will we get out of it?" People, organizations, venues constantly bombard bands with the offer of services in trade. But I can assure you doing a gig like this is nothing but 'up' for any band. In addition to the daily mentions on the 'air', in the commercials for the event itself, and commercial we negotiated, we're playing to a few hundred people that may have heard our name before but never have seen you play. It's not hard to do the math. Within hours of the event our myspace and Facebook Group lit up with new friend requests and comments. Like I said, over the years we've done maybe 20 events in partnership with this radio station and the result has been we're instantly recognizable with any radio listener. If you look at that people that come out to our shows (we regularly draw 100-200+ every show) and a good portion of them are people that don't go to bars to see bands... they are radio listeners that come out just to see us.

Pay takes a backseat when you are increasing your fanbase... thus increasing your pay potential with club owners. Other bands making $100 per man may balk at doing anything free. We welcome opportunities like this... and that's a big reason why we're making 2-3'x the average local band for just bar gigs.

Even without the advertising (maybe I'm in the minority here) but the value of playing in front of 1000 people, many/most of whom have never heard of you before is worth its weight in gold just in the word of mouth from the people that saw you. You keep that number of people entertained, they are definitely going to tell their friends and you're gonna see bigger crowds at your next bar gigs. Add in all the free radio advertising and this was a slam dunk. Plus, the real value here is the defacto endorsement by the radio station - they are doing more than just advertising your calendar, they are saying, in effect "out of all the cover bands in the area, these guys are the best, that's why we use them at all our events".

Plus, I've had the opportunity to play in front of crowds like that in my youth, and the ego boost is phenomenal as well!!!

[musicmanmu]

Hasn't anyone ever heard of the phrase "you've got to spend money to make money?"

I would say this phrase applies here. Well done, sir.

[jeff42]

we would have done a gig like this in a heartbeat!!!! even without the constant plugs on the radio it would still be worth it. IMO

[Tele-vania65000]

Originally Posted by TrickyBoy

Even without the advertising (maybe I'm in the minority here) but the value of playing in front of 1000 people, many/most of whom have never heard of you before is worth its weight in gold just in the word of mouth from the people that saw you.

Maybe.

It's definitely not a slam dunk.

My band is not a $100 per man band either, fwiw.

Most people could care less about who the band is.

Again, I'm not saying I disagree, but that the matter is far from certain.

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by Tele-vania65000

Maybe.

It's definitely not a slam dunk.

My band is not a $100 per man band either, fwiw.

Most people could care less about who the band is.

Again, I'm not saying I disagree, but that the matter is far from certain.

Does that mean your band makes more than $100 per man, or less than $100 per man??? Since you put it out there, I was just wondering - since your statement could be taken either way...


Regarding the OP - my band would've done it for the promotion and fan base angle - and we pretty much are a $100 per man band... Looks like a great crowd, and a fun time...



- georgestrings

[Tele-vania65000]

Originally Posted by georgestrings

Does that mean your band makes more than $100 per man, or less than $100 per man??? Since you put it out there, I was just wondering - since your statement could be taken either way...

Come on.

Why would anyone point out that they make LESS than that?

[Hegmatronicon]

Originally Posted by Tele-vania65000

Maybe.

It's definitely not a slam dunk.

My band is not a $100 per man band either, fwiw.

Most people could care less about who the band is.

Again, I'm not saying I disagree, but that the matter is far from certain.

Ok so you are saying that 1000+ ppl in the crowd doesnt really matter that much from a fanbase expansion point of view?

Then why bother to play in front of crowds at all?

If it's not worth it to play in front of 1000+ ppl for no gig fee (except for the radio plugs etc etc etc) then why aim to play to a crowd at all?

I dont see your logic here - or rather i thinki i do...and i whole heatedly disgree with it i guess.

I spose it would be boring if everyone agreed all the time tho.

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by Tele-vania65000

Come on.

Why would anyone point out that they make LESS than that?

I don't know - people do odd things all the time - got a link to anything on your band???


- georgestrings

[Tele-vania65000]

Originally Posted by Hegmatronicon

Ok so you are saying that 1000+ ppl in the crowd doesnt really matter that much from a fanbase expansion point of view?

It may or may not. Most people are oblivious to who the band is. Most cover bands are generic.

Originally Posted by Hegmatronicon

Then why bother to play in front of crowds at all?

To make money. I don't really care if I have a "fanbase"-- I want to make money at gigs. I have no recordings to peddle, no "merch".