When was the last time you turned down a gig?
When was the last time you WANTED to turn down a gig?
What's holding you back from saying "no"?
Figuring out the value of entertainment is a difficult concept for entertainers and venues to wrap their minds around.
On one side of the coin (as an entertainer) -you're top-notch, well-rehearsed, and are carting around thousands of dollars worth of equipment. It's time to start paying yourself back -and time to start investing in your next steps as a working musician!
On the other side of the coin, you don't have a dedicated following yet and you're working full-time.
So, what in the world is a venue looking for?!
Believe it or not, the quality of your show might not hold as much water as you might think (like it or not).
A standard music venue (bar) is looking solely for patrons. They exist to sell drinks. Therefore, they hire entertainment that bring in crowds. The band could completely and legitimately suck... but they will pay the entertainment based on how successful their drink sales are. Is it right? Maybe... not necessarily my favorite way of looking at it... but I'm a huge fan of capitalism -and so I can understand how the economics works here.
Regardless of what is and what should be, it's important that you feel good about your arrangement with the venue that you're playing. It's okay to say "no" to something that feels like a raw deal. Remember, this thing is a two-way street. It's possible for everybody to win here... and that's what you should keep in mind!
What are some of your experiences about playing live? Any interesting stories where you had to set clear "NO" boundaries with a venue? I'd love to hear about them!
Until next time,
-T.