[Dixielandjazz] Youth Band Festivals ASTA / IAJE- Kid Players -Pipa

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

No one does nothing for free.  All festivals are paid events.  As a matter
of fact I am leaving for the Missouri district festival when I push the
button to send this.  I have worked as an adjudicator as well as on the
other end as a band director.  There is always an entry fee.  Usually not
much but there is a fee.  The adjudicators are paid a minimum of $50 and
goes to about $100 for all day.  If you think that's too much then try it.
You end up with terminal writers cramp and half the people (including
directors) hate you and can become abusive and the other half love you.


The only Jazz festival that I ever had anything to do with was when I was in
the AF and we would do Jazz festivals entirely free.  We provided all the
awards, adjudicators, as well as the people to do the leg work.  We had
sponsors that did provide some funds for expenses.

If you have a military band nearby (regular or Rational Guard) approach them
with the idea.  They just might do it for you.  It's a feather in their caps
and they will do recruiting of musicians for their band programs so try
that.  But unfortunately that's the only free lunch that I know of.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 1:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Youth Band Festivals ASTA / IAJE- Kid
Players -Pipa


> In a message dated 3/5/05 7:55:15 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:
>
> > Where did the kids learn that it was OK or beneficial to do that sort of
> > thing? At these pay to play H.S. Festivals with "adjudicators" etc.
Where
> > everybody gets paid except the performers.
> >
> > If that happens a lot in California (it does not here in the eastern
US),
> > then no wonder you have all those OKOM bands out there playing for
nothing.
> > You figure that's the right thing to do as you still seek out that
exposure
> > or fame through some kind of lucky break. Better you should invest in a
> > Nigerian Money Transfer Scam.
> >
>
> Hi Folks:
>
> I was going through my Festival data base yesterday doing a market study
for
> setting up a tour in the USA and came across a very interesting Event,
>
> Attendance 350,000+
> admission $10.00 a person
> Arts & Craft exhibitors   350 booths  @ $350.00 per booth.
> The event also has major sponsorship money.
> Entertainment:  Six stages   All kinds of music
> Pay for entertainers:    They play for free for exposure  no money
>
> Another one was more generous:
> Attendance:   23,000 people
> They offered the group a booth at the event to promote themselves in
exchange
> for playing.
>
> Now there are times and places and way to make some of these kind of
events
> worthwhile for certain acts, but you damned sure better know what and why
you
> are doing it or you will just be wasting your time and paying to play so
others
> can and will make all the money.
>
> I know how to take that gig and make more money off of it than they would
> more than likely offer to pay us anyway, but unfortunately most band
leaders do
> not know how to do these kind of events because nobody has ever taught
them how
> or why they might consider doing them.  When I do take a gig like that I
> still pay my men to keep them from bitching about playing for free, but I
> guarantee you I make a lot more money as a leader and business man from
that gig than
> do on a normal performance booking at a negotiated fee.
>
> You do have to know how and why and where and when to take one like that,
and
> you need to negotiate other forms of compensation to offset the cash you
are
> not getting, like guaranteed articles and photos of your show in the major
> media which you cannot buy, good placement in and on the advertising of
all kind
> of the event with photos and information about the band.  A receipt for
your
> services at the value placed upon it by YOU for tax expense purposes for
your
> BAND BUSINESS.
>
> That is if you treat it like a Business, and if you don't you deserve to
get
> what you get, and should not complain if you don't get paid what your band
is
> actually worth, as it just might be worth a lot less than you are already
> getting. :))
>
> Three days ago I received a request from the San Francisco Symphony
> organization for Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band to come and perform
at their
> annual Black & White Ball gala Fundraiser which attracts thousands of
people at
> high ticket prices and employees major artist headliners.  They wanted us
> because we are such a "High Profile Group" their words, however they
wanted us to
> perform as Volunteers, ha ha, I told them that the day the San Francisco
> Symphony performs for free will be the day we perform for free.
> The Symphony is performing at the event as well and you can bet they are
> getting paid to do so.
>
> I told them my volunteer price and Benefit price was the same as my
personal
> appearance price because we have high "EXPENSES" to meet just like them.
They
> should tap one of their big corporate sponsors or wealthy patrons to pay
our
> expenses, or give me their sponsor and donor list and I would go get the
money
> directly.   I have not received the list yet :))   I thanked them for the
> wonderful opportunity and invited them to come out and see and hear us for
FREE
> at the San Francisco Easter Parade on Union Street on March 27th. for
which we
> are being paid by an organization with a lot less support and money than
the
> Symphony.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom Wiggins
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