[Dixielandjazz] Those $60 gigs.

[Steve Barbone]

JDut953944 at aol.com ( Carol, clarinet) wrote:

>I'm getting $60 each for a five piece band.  We play for one hour or an hour
>and a half.  These gigs are at retirement homes.  I am using  the five pieces
>for Mardi Gras.  New Years Eve I am using a trio and we are  getting $100 each
>for about an hour and a half complete with a 15 minute break  and food. I
>shouldn't complain should I.

>But what Mr. Wiggens said  has lingered in my mind and I keep thinking, HOW DID
>HE DO THAT?  I know  what he says is true, just wondering HOW he gets
>astronomical rates.  Yes I  did read all the information about getting gigs and
>in fact am going to print it  all out to keep and refer to.  We are located in
>East Bay.  But I  believe that he  (Mr. Wiggens) has been on the scene for a
>long time, knows  a lot of people, and my band is
>fairly new.  
 
Dear Carol:

Probably all of us started out with lower paying gigs as we built our
followings and local reputations. It is the dues you pay when starting out.
The trick is to build from there.

One thing I still do is raise prices slightly every year. This year, (2007)
I told clients that I needed $10 more per sideman because of increased gas
prices. I probably will do the same looking forward to 2008, for gigs such
as the ones you are now playing.

Our regular gig minimum is now $110 per man for a one hour gig in a local
area. Will bump that to $120 for 2008 because of increased gas expenses.
Most venues will understand. But we do make certain exceptions for venues
that have little money, (churches, schools) and/or outright charity cases.

Years ago, we did a bunch of one hour gigs at Assisted Living Facilities for
$40 a man. Small places with audiences of about 25 to 50 people. They were
starved for good entertainment and we found that we were better than
anything else they were getting. Every year I raised the price by $5 or $10
a man. We now get $80 a man for these and still play them because we view it
as a charitable contribution and giving something back to people who are in
need of some cheering up yet get precious little of it.

But then, we also play a bunch of gigs in the $200 to $400 per sideman range
where there is no need to worry about minimums.

Just keep building. Branch out to other venues, municipal gigs, street
fairs, etc. As you progress, musically and business wise, it will become
fairly easy to raise prices on an annual basis. And you will locate those
higher paying ones.

The trick is booking gigs with people who can afford to pay you what you,
and the music, are worth. That market is private parties, special events,
and so on. Just keep networking.

It seems you recognize that you are not being paid enough and that is the
first step to being paid more.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone