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I received this in my inbox today and I was infuriated!!!

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This is a classic example of a Pay-To-Play gig that independent artists should run far away from.

Under some circumstances, this scenario might be acceptable such as if the headliner is a mainstream act, and the show will be at a BIG venue in your town, and there REALLY is an opportunity for serious exposure. Unfortunately, the example above is not one of those circumstances. The example above is a rip-off for the opening act to the highest degree.

Just as the name suggests, a pay-to-play gig is when you have to pay in order to perform. Some people have gotten creative by disguising the pay-to-play format with a ticket-selling set-up, much like the case in the above example. The opening act has to sell a certain amount of tickets in order to be on the bill. Anytime you have to sell a certain amount of tickets in order to be on a line-up, it’s pay to play. Although it may not look like it, you are paying by transferring your financial commitment to your fans. If you look in the fine print of these contracts, you’ll often find that if you don’t sell the agreed-upon number of tickets, then you have to pay the rest out of your own pocket.

Why is it so terrible?

If you’re trying to do music for a living or even just as a side hustle, then performing at pay-to-play gigs will eat away at your bottom line. If you were to take this gig, then you would be selling at the minimum, 30 tickets at $25 each. Doing the math, you would be earning $750 for someone other than yourself. If you read the ad all the way through, you’ll see that you don’t get any compensation from playing this gig, AT ALL! NONE! So you will promote and work your butt off to sell these tickets for someone else to profit from. The Pay-to-Play model is almost always set up for someone else to make a profit, not you the artist. That’s why it’s so infuriating. Someone is trying to make a profit off of your talent and your fanbase.

They Need You More Than You Need Them

If you can successfully sell 30 tickets at $25 each in your hometown, you don’t need this band to ‘get your name out there,’ as they so eloquently put it in the ad. Your name is probably already out there! In fact, this band needs you more than you need them. Don’t be fooled. They need you to bring out your local friends and family to help them fill the Hard Rock Cafe. They need you to promote the show for them since it’s your hometown.

 

A better deal would be that you get a whole or fractional percentage of the tickets sold plus comp drinks and meals at the bar.

why-you-should-not-play-pay-to-play-gigs
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Unless you are friends with the band and want to help them out or unless you’ve been salivating at the mouth to open for the band since you were a wee little one, stay away from this deal. It is sleazy and you will feel sleazy afterward.

What you can do instead?

There are ways you can get your own exposure and make your own money as a musician without depending on pay-to-play gigs.

  • Finance It and Sell Tickets Yourself. Rent out a room/bar/club and sell your own tickets at the price you’re comfortable with on your own terms. Do it with some of your fellow local bands. You can share the responsibility equally. Any amount that you earn as profit will go straight to you and your friends. If by chance you do have to pay anything out of pocket, you will be investing in yourself and your own ventures instead of someone else’s.
  • Book your own gigs. Pay-to-play gigs are planned and set up by someone else, typically a promoter. Some of them bill acts together that aren’t compatible. So you’ll end up with a mixed crowd that may or may not be interested in your sound. However, if you were to book your own gigs, you have more options to choose from and a bit more control over the overall audience experience. You’ll also have access to a variety of different types of gigs such as wineries, coffee shops, art galleries/markets, and private functions in addition to traditional music venues. If you want to learn how to book more profitable gigs for yourself, I have a free course, How to Book Profitable Gigs that walks you through a step-by-step process of getting paid gigs that are suitable for you. Sign up for the free course here.
  • Host a virtual show. Virtual shows are a great way to build you audience without having to approach a venue. You can host the show for free or sell tickets. You have more control over the show and you don’t have to worry about dealing with promoters.

How to Book Profitable Gigs for Musicians
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Take the FREE Course
How to Book Profitable Gigs

This free 4-day course will help you become efficient at booking profitable gigs for yourself.

• Increase your booking results
• Create your own custom booking strategy
• Create your own booking and cold call scripts
• Where to look to find gigs suitable for you
• How to keep your gigging calendar full of gigs you love and
•  A strategy for booking gigs even when you can’t find any


See related articles…
+When to Take On an Unpaid Gig
+How to Make the Most out of an Unpaid Gig
+How to Book Gigs for Yourself
+How to Book Paid Virtual Gigs

There are people out here looking to take advantage of and exploit artists. Don’t fall into these traps! What are your thoughts? Yay or nay for pay-to-play gigs? Have you ever taken a pay-to-play gig? What was your experience? Share in the comments section below your thoughts.


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Do Not Take This Pay-to-Play Gig or Any Others Like It via @thecraftymusician
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