It's hard to know where to begin; there's such range of possibilities; Weddings, Folk Clubs, Pub Gigs, Music Festivals, Ceilidh's, Caledonian Society's, Accordion & Fiddle Clubs, Foreign Tours etc
I know several trad band's who would be prepared to go half-way around the world to play a week of gigs for little more than their travel expenses. There are also band's who wouldn't get out of bed for less than £200 p/p p/n.
For arguments sake, let's take a 3-piece Edinburgh-based Ceilidh Band; accordion, fiddle and drums, playing at a Wedding in an Edinburgh Hotel on a Saturday night 8pm-12am.
Assuming they are a good band, what do you think is a fair price??
It's that old story Iain of supply & demand. I'm sure everyone here believes that a good band are well worth the figures you quote but the big question is do the Pub owners?
The prices you quote for a Wedding seem pretty near the mark OK, but around here, you'd be laughed out of the pub if asked for that kind of money for a three piece, for a Pub Gig - sad but true! Half that figure would probably be closer to the mark.
Most bands around here (NE US) do not like to do gigs for less than $100 per member for an evening's work.
It is hard to get that for a pub gig, however, so mostly bands don't play regular gigs in pubs.
At weddings people are almost always willing to pay more (perhaps because they are already dropping money like a drunken sailor on halls and caterers, etc).
And everybody pretty much doubles their price around St Patrick's Day, as demand goes WAY up.
A lot depends on the quality of your playing, and how well you can sell yourself.
We've thought long and hard about this as there are now seven members in our band.
Factor in travel expenses. Once you do that, you'd be surprised (and depressed!) how much it costs simply to turn up with your gear.
You can try quoting a price and let the people know how much of that is expenses - which will help their decision. For example, if you are doing a gig quite far away from your home, it may be more economic for them to find someone more local.
If people are wavering about the fee, I suggest alternatives if I can, rather than reduce our fee. I think that's better in the long run because when all's said and done, you're talking about an extremely long day, and there's no point in doing stuff for nowt.
In at least one case, the alternatives haven't come up to scratch and they've come back to us.
lots of variables there, but generally not less than $100 per person. The one who brings sound should get $50 extra. Some you may want to do or fun and exposure too and maybe take less. Depends how hard they work you too. Weddings... about $150 per pesron for cocktail hour sort of thing. Again, how easy to get to, how long do you play do you need sound etc.
Playing for weddings requires different skills. You have to be good at communicating with the bride and organizing the details. Also, there are special tunes you'll need in your repertoire for different parts. You'll need plenty of nicely arranged planxtys and such for the pre-wedding music, and you'll need more than one appropriate processional. You'll also need a good recessional that you can easily start on cue. There are 4 parts of a wedding that you also need to account for.
1. ceremony
2. reception
3. dinner
4. ceili dance
Each of these should have a price that includes two or three other parts, and if you're doing just one part you need to know how to price it as so. If you do all 4 parts you need to charge more, of course. If you have a ceili dance you'll need to hire a caller. Also, you'll need to be able to have access to sound reinforcement and have a fee ready for that as well. Then there's travel time and such. It can be very complex. Our band makes anywhere from $600 to $2000 for weddings. We've been doing them for over 15 years now.
If you're actually doing a professional job - and you might start by thinking about the value and quality of your instruments, equipment, and the sound you get from them, how much thought and effort you put into rehearsal and repertoire and your own turnout, how you behave at the gig, from turning up on time to set up, to playing what is needed from you rather than what you get off on, to being nice to all and sundry even if you have to glue the smile on.........then you might reasonably expect something towards £100 a person. Plus expenses.
In my experience; nowhere near that for pub gigs, or irish community gigs. Scottish ones about 50% up on that.
My band always says "For our quoted fee, up to 4 hours ( from start of playing to finish of playing ), or up to midnight, whichever is the sooner. Anything extra, 50% more."
PS I'm a pedant, Iain. There's no such thing as 12am, it's either noon or midnight. I know what you mean, and people use it all the time, but it's technically incorrect. I do know I annoy some people, it's the Tourettes Syndrome.
I hate to be pedantic, GP, but 12am IS midnight. Technically, though, it would be Sunday, which should qualify overtime pay.........or demonstrate that you are an international jet-setter and call it 2400.
As has been stated, "Supply and demand" is a very important factor.
Weddings. Yes, charge as much as you can get away with as there is always a great demand for ceilidh bands.
Re pub gigs. It depends. It might be a good move to play for very little for a few weeks to get yourselves known and then ask for a reasonable fee. If you don't get this, go elsewhere and take your following with you. It depends on how good and popular you become.
Folk clubs. Again, it depends a lot on your "pulling power". Most clubs won't pay for travel expenses(Festivals will), although they usually provide you with accomodation. They generally choose their program from artist(e)s on tour who approach them looking for work or those within reasonable travelling distance. Of course, you can work out your fee on this basis(and most do) but there is a limit to how much a club or pub for that matter can afford. It depends on whether or not they think you're worth it.
You should charge by the half-hour, per person on distance, with more after midnight.
We try to limit our travel as we are too busy so if it is too far away and there is a nearer band that can do the gig, I will invariably pass it on and expect them to reciprocate.
If I think that a gig will provide more spin-off gigs or get us exposure to people liable to book us, we may consider doing it on the cheap.
We also try to do local gigs a bit more on the cheap to try and put something back into the local community, and occasionally I do ask favours from the band when doing gigs for friends parties etc. by asking how much expenses do you want for doing this gig?
People who book us three or four times a year or people who have booked us for twenty years also get a bit of a cheaper rate as well - we know they will come back. (it is better to do three gigs at £70 each than one gig at £90 each)
Be aware, the best-organised plans can sometimes fall through so because I am sometimes that p1ssd off by time-wasters, I may take the attitude that if someone hasn't booked us before, my gut feeling is charge full price rather than undercut to get the gig.
Clearly, it's the supply and demand thing. Around here (NE England) there's possibly more demand, but also a much greater supply of trad bands. A 4 piece ceilidh band (inc caller) I know charges £60 to £100 per member for an evening of dancing (and before you ask, yes, they are good). Maybe for a wedding you might get a bit more money. But if you're doing it for a friend (you didn't say), charging through the nose isn't very fair, especially when you're in a location with many brilliant musicians, some of whom (presumably) could do the job better. You'll probably need a PA to cut over the drums, so if you don't own one you'll have to hire (or if you use the venue's own check it can fill the space+dancing noise) which will cost too.
As you're in Edinburgh, I imagine the Musicians Union would be able to advise (I believe about £100 musician). I would have thought £200 each is too much, unless you're popular.
A DJ, one person, will charge about £350 for that wedding. Given that you are the main band, I would say £600 is fair. The wedding will probably cost £30,000 so they won't even miss it.
My wife and I were married for a cost of about $300, a wise investment that has been amortized over 28 years of wedded bliss!
A few bucks for the church and minister (reception held in the church hall afterwards). A few bucks for the pattern and material for a wedding dress made by hand. Punch and cookies for all attendees. Invitations hand lettered by my wife. Some flowers for key participants. My brother took pictures. Only about 40 guests, mostly immediate family.
While I appreciate a good party as well as the next man, I think this whole wedding thing has lost its perspective. Of course, I won't complain too loudly, because our little band is getting a few hundred bucks for playing at the cocktail portion of a wedding in a couple of weeks. But the explosion of wedding spending in recent years just baffles me.
We get £200/250 for the "cocktail part", in fact we did a wedding today. I agree fully with Al, the cost of weddings is the biggest factor leading to divorce, because the couple can't afford to go out anymore, and after 6 months can't stand the sight of each other.
How much should bands charge for a gig?
How much should bands charge for a gig?
It's hard to know where to begin; there's such range of possibilities; Weddings, Folk Clubs, Pub Gigs, Music Festivals, Ceilidh's, Caledonian Society's, Accordion & Fiddle Clubs, Foreign Tours etc
I know several trad band's who would be prepared to go half-way around the world to play a week of gigs for little more than their travel expenses. There are also band's who wouldn't get out of bed for less than £200 p/p p/n.
For arguments sake, let's take a 3-piece Edinburgh-based Ceilidh Band; accordion, fiddle and drums, playing at a Wedding in an Edinburgh Hotel on a Saturday night 8pm-12am.
Assuming they are a good band, what do you think is a fair price??
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by Iain Anderson
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
3-piece trad Ceilidh band on a Saturday night -
Pub Gig - £200 - £240
Wedding - £360 - £500
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by Iain Anderson
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
It's that old story Iain of supply & demand. I'm sure everyone here believes that a good band are well worth the figures you quote but the big question is do the Pub owners?
The prices you quote for a Wedding seem pretty near the mark OK, but around here, you'd be laughed out of the pub if asked for that kind of money for a three piece, for a Pub Gig - sad but true! Half that figure would probably be closer to the mark.
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
Most bands around here (NE US) do not like to do gigs for less than $100 per member for an evening's work.
It is hard to get that for a pub gig, however, so mostly bands don't play regular gigs in pubs.
At weddings people are almost always willing to pay more (perhaps because they are already dropping money like a drunken sailor on halls and caterers, etc).
And everybody pretty much doubles their price around St Patrick's Day, as demand goes WAY up.
A lot depends on the quality of your playing, and how well you can sell yourself.
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
We've thought long and hard about this as there are now seven members in our band.
Factor in travel expenses. Once you do that, you'd be surprised (and depressed!) how much it costs simply to turn up with your gear.
You can try quoting a price and let the people know how much of that is expenses - which will help their decision. For example, if you are doing a gig quite far away from your home, it may be more economic for them to find someone more local.
If people are wavering about the fee, I suggest alternatives if I can, rather than reduce our fee. I think that's better in the long run because when all's said and done, you're talking about an extremely long day, and there's no point in doing stuff for nowt.
In at least one case, the alternatives haven't come up to scratch and they've come back to us.
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by Mark Harmer
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
lots of variables there, but generally not less than $100 per person. The one who brings sound should get $50 extra. Some you may want to do or fun and exposure too and maybe take less. Depends how hard they work you too. Weddings... about $150 per pesron for cocktail hour sort of thing. Again, how easy to get to, how long do you play do you need sound etc.
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by irisnevins
Re: HOW MUCH SHOULD BAND'S CHARGE FOR A GIG ???
Playing for weddings requires different skills. You have to be good at communicating with the bride and organizing the details. Also, there are special tunes you'll need in your repertoire for different parts. You'll need plenty of nicely arranged planxtys and such for the pre-wedding music, and you'll need more than one appropriate processional. You'll also need a good recessional that you can easily start on cue. There are 4 parts of a wedding that you also need to account for.
1. ceremony
2. reception
3. dinner
4. ceili dance
Each of these should have a price that includes two or three other parts, and if you're doing just one part you need to know how to price it as so. If you do all 4 parts you need to charge more, of course. If you have a ceili dance you'll need to hire a caller. Also, you'll need to be able to have access to sound reinforcement and have a fee ready for that as well. Then there's travel time and such. It can be very complex. Our band makes anywhere from $600 to $2000 for weddings. We've been doing them for over 15 years now.
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by Phantom Button
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
Just pay for my beer all night and a taxi to the gig there and back and i'm happy.
# Posted on August 30th 2006 by Justintime
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
Stewpot - i'm assuming you're not a professional musician.
# Posted on August 31st 2006 by Iain Anderson
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
If you're actually doing a professional job - and you might start by thinking about the value and quality of your instruments, equipment, and the sound you get from them, how much thought and effort you put into rehearsal and repertoire and your own turnout, how you behave at the gig, from turning up on time to set up, to playing what is needed from you rather than what you get off on, to being nice to all and sundry even if you have to glue the smile on.........then you might reasonably expect something towards £100 a person. Plus expenses.
In my experience; nowhere near that for pub gigs, or irish community gigs. Scottish ones about 50% up on that.
My band always says "For our quoted fee, up to 4 hours ( from start of playing to finish of playing ), or up to midnight, whichever is the sooner. Anything extra, 50% more."
PS I'm a pedant, Iain. There's no such thing as 12am, it's either noon or midnight. I know what you mean, and people use it all the time, but it's technically incorrect. I do know I annoy some people, it's the Tourettes Syndrome.
# Posted on August 31st 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
I hate to be pedantic, GP, but 12am IS midnight. Technically, though, it would be Sunday, which should qualify overtime pay.........or demonstrate that you are an international jet-setter and call it 2400.
# Posted on August 31st 2006 by oldstrings
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
I think you have to live in the real world.
As has been stated, "Supply and demand" is a very important factor.
Weddings. Yes, charge as much as you can get away with as there is always a great demand for ceilidh bands.
Re pub gigs. It depends. It might be a good move to play for very little for a few weeks to get yourselves known and then ask for a reasonable fee. If you don't get this, go elsewhere and take your following with you. It depends on how good and popular you become.
Folk clubs. Again, it depends a lot on your "pulling power". Most clubs won't pay for travel expenses(Festivals will), although they usually provide you with accomodation. They generally choose their program from artist(e)s on tour who approach them looking for work or those within reasonable travelling distance. Of course, you can work out your fee on this basis(and most do) but there is a limit to how much a club or pub for that matter can afford. It depends on whether or not they think you're worth it.
# Posted on August 31st 2006 by John J Returns
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
You should charge by the half-hour, per person on distance, with more after midnight.
We try to limit our travel as we are too busy so if it is too far away and there is a nearer band that can do the gig, I will invariably pass it on and expect them to reciprocate.
If I think that a gig will provide more spin-off gigs or get us exposure to people liable to book us, we may consider doing it on the cheap.
We also try to do local gigs a bit more on the cheap to try and put something back into the local community, and occasionally I do ask favours from the band when doing gigs for friends parties etc. by asking how much expenses do you want for doing this gig?
People who book us three or four times a year or people who have booked us for twenty years also get a bit of a cheaper rate as well - we know they will come back. (it is better to do three gigs at £70 each than one gig at £90 each)
Be aware, the best-organised plans can sometimes fall through so because I am sometimes that p1ssd off by time-wasters, I may take the attitude that if someone hasn't booked us before, my gut feeling is charge full price rather than undercut to get the gig.
# Posted on September 1st 2006 by geoffwright
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
Clearly, it's the supply and demand thing. Around here (NE England) there's possibly more demand, but also a much greater supply of trad bands. A 4 piece ceilidh band (inc caller) I know charges £60 to £100 per member for an evening of dancing (and before you ask, yes, they are good). Maybe for a wedding you might get a bit more money. But if you're doing it for a friend (you didn't say), charging through the nose isn't very fair, especially when you're in a location with many brilliant musicians, some of whom (presumably) could do the job better. You'll probably need a PA to cut over the drums, so if you don't own one you'll have to hire (or if you use the venue's own check it can fill the space+dancing noise) which will cost too.
As you're in Edinburgh, I imagine the Musicians Union would be able to advise (I believe about £100 musician). I would have thought £200 each is too much, unless you're popular.
# Posted on September 1st 2006 by Andy V
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
A DJ, one person, will charge about £350 for that wedding. Given that you are the main band, I would say £600 is fair. The wedding will probably cost £30,000 so they won't even miss it.
# Posted on September 1st 2006 by bodhran bliss
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
My wife and I were married for a cost of about $300, a wise investment that has been amortized over 28 years of wedded bliss!
A few bucks for the church and minister (reception held in the church hall afterwards). A few bucks for the pattern and material for a wedding dress made by hand. Punch and cookies for all attendees. Invitations hand lettered by my wife. Some flowers for key participants. My brother took pictures. Only about 40 guests, mostly immediate family.
While I appreciate a good party as well as the next man, I think this whole wedding thing has lost its perspective. Of course, I won't complain too loudly, because our little band is getting a few hundred bucks for playing at the cocktail portion of a wedding in a couple of weeks. But the explosion of wedding spending in recent years just baffles me.
# Posted on September 1st 2006 by AlBrown
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
We get £200/250 for the "cocktail part", in fact we did a wedding today. I agree fully with Al, the cost of weddings is the biggest factor leading to divorce, because the couple can't afford to go out anymore, and after 6 months can't stand the sight of each other.
# Posted on September 2nd 2006 by bodhran bliss
Re: How much should bands charge for a gig?
How to save money at your own wedding is another thread.
# Posted on September 2nd 2006 by Phantom Button