[Dixielandjazz] Hobby Band Strikes Again Part II

Fri Apr 13 10:20:37 PDT 2007

Doing something that will help your band, like Elizar, is in my opinion OK. 
I will be running a Blue Light Special on Tuesday nights which is our 
regular rehearsal night.  Everyone is available and we can use a low end gig 
to make the rehearsal pay and be a little more fun.  I think of making a gig 
where one didn't exist and will benefit the band is OK but to do the same 
thing for a money making affair, or a Saturday nigh and compete with myself 
is just stupid.

The old saw " you'll get exposure" just doesn't work anymore if it ever did. 
In this world of press kits and web sites you can't get people to come hear 
you anyway.\

Mike --The owners/managers/purchasers become used to the lowball price and 
unless it pays off in a lot of additional business, they will feel that's 
the going price for live music.

That's the whole thing.  I kept pressing for the budget on this gig.  I 
really wanted to know and I thought it was a bit fishy that she wouldn't 
tell me.  As it turns out she had no budget and was looking for a freebee. 
That's what happens when one group is playing for almost nothing as in this 
case.

She wanted to know about other 18 pc bands.  I shipped her a friend of 
mine's number.  He charges $2300.  I think she will s**t.  Even at that 
price no one is getting rich.  By the time my friend pays his guys he 
doesn't have enough left over to stay even on charts much less all the work. 
No wonder they think he is ripping them off when they can get the same SIZE 
band for $1000 or less.
Larry
St. Louis

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Woitowicz" <banjomusic at charter.net>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 7:39 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Hobby Band Strikes Again Part II

> List-Message-Recipient: larrys.bands at charter.net
> Larry Walton described a situation whereby he proposed a modest price 
> ($325) for a 3-piece strolling OKOM gig and was turned down, in favor of a 
> larger "Hobby Band".
>
> I run across this type of situation frequently. I usually quote a fair 
> price for my quartet and quite often I don't get the gig. Often, it's 
> given to a local "hobby band". In my area it's a band of young 
> dixielanders who will play for $20 each just to get the experience. 
> Actually, I shouldn't say young. It's a 7 or 8 piece group, college age, 
> with a few old timers thrown in who don't seem to be good enough to be in 
> any one else's band. They are completely screwing up the pricing in my 
> market area. For example, they will play with their 7 piece band at a 
> local retirement facility for $200 while I was charging $300+ for a trio. 
> It's very frustrating. I have passed on my comments to their leader 
> indirectly through mutual sidemen. I don't know if he has gotten the 
> message or really cares. He's an retired H.S. music teacher who thinks he 
> is doing a charitable thing by tutoring these players while at the same 
> time undercutting the bands in the area.
>
> I don't let this particular situation change my pricing. I turn down 
> several gigs a month because they don't pay enough. When I was in business 
> (I was a marketing executive for 25 years), I remember turning down 
> business because the pricing was not in the company's favor. There's 
> always going to be "good" business and "bad" business. Let someone else 
> have the "bad" business. I have spent a lot of time and effort in putting 
> together my product (service) that I offer, and I think it's worth the 
> price I charge. I would rather stay home and practice for my own enjoyment 
> than humble myself for pay below what I feel is fair.
>
> It's not that I need the money, but I do expect a fair return to 
> compensate me for my time, instrument depreciation, mileage, costumes and 
> other overhead expenses. Does it sound like a business? You bet! And like 
> several others on this list have mentioned over time, unless you treat it 
> this way, you will be trod over by the running bulls.
>
> There may be times when you have to bend somewhat. I do some very select 
> charity work, and very occasionally I do a freebie for advertising when I 
> think it has value in the long run (I always pay my sidemen out of my 
> pocket). But these are few and far between. The recent comments by our 
> friend Elazar in Israel is a case in point. It may be worth it in his case 
> to play for $25/man plus food for a short period as an advertising 
> project. I wouldn't do it too long, however. The 
> owners/managers/purchasers become used to the lowball price and unless it 
> pays off in a lot of additional business, they will feel that's the going 
> price for live music.
>
> Or as Larry Walton puts it: " People who are given entertainment for free 
> are like alligators.  If you feed them with your fingers, soon you won't 
> have an arm."
>
> Mike Woitowicz
> The Banjo Barons Ragtime Band
> The Dixie Barons Dixieland Band
> www.banjomusic.biz
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