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[FezMonkey]

I was speaking to one of the guys from an Aberdeen band who played for DiceLines last week, and apparently they didn't even get their tickets until 3 days before the gig.

I don't know whether this was the fault of the band or the promoter though

[Lester Burnham]

Originally Posted by stuartmaxwell

or

a guy gets other people to do his job for him

We've played one gig like that and now simply won't play a "sell to get paid" gig ever again. For some bizarre reason all our band members have full-time jobs and their own lives so don't have the time to sell tickets.

I'm more than happy to help out with postering and online promotion but selling tickets is gash. There's simply no excuse for it if the promoter does their job properly. It's also completely ridiculous to expect an out of town band to sell tickets imho.

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by Lester Burnham

We've played one gig like that and now simply won't play a "sell to get paid" gig ever again. For some bizarre reason all our band members have full-time jobs and their own lives so don't have the time to sell tickets.

Full time jobs to support your playing in the band? whatever next?

I'm more than happy to help out with postering and online promotion but selling tickets is gash. There's simply no excuse for it if the promoter does their job properly. It's also completely ridiculous to expect an out of town band to sell tickets imho.

I don't think you're alone in thinking that it's ridiculous for out of town bands to sell their own tickets. I don't think it's right or fair to even consider asking them - surely the point is that they're out of town and need every bit of help they can get?

And yes, I completely agree that getting bands to sell tickets in order for payment is utterly ridiculous. It's becoming more and more common here and it reeks of laziness - simply put, any promoter with a decent understanding of advertising and promotion shouldn't ever need to require ticket sales from bands in order to pay them.

I don't see anything wrong with asking bands if they'd like to sell a few tickets - but if they can't sell tickets, it shouldn't be held against them.

Good on KBK for refusing to play these types of scams/gigs.

[RF Scott]

Originally Posted by DustyDeviada

Fair enough I reckon, the more people you bring, the more you get paid. Also means that the bands who bring more people get a fairer share of the cash than if it's just split up between everyone.

A band with not too many friends, or friends who aren't interested in going to gigs, plays a half hour set.
A band with a load of friends who like going to gigs, plays a half hour set.
Band A gets nothing, or very little. Band B gets a lot.

Fair? Not in the slightest.

It also almost guarantees that the gig will be a 'playing to your mates' type affair, which although fun, is a little pointless.

Or on the other hand if you are a good band and build up a decent following you will do better.

[RF Scott]

Originally Posted by DustyDeviada

Or on the other hand if you are a good band and build up a decent following you will do better.

Whether you're a good band or not doesn't matter, thats entirely subjective and for the sake of this argument doesn't really come into play. The fact is each band would presumably be playing for the same amount of time, all (again, presumably) spending time and money practising beforehand, carrying/transporting equipment to and from the venue, etc, so why should they then have to sell tickets in order to stand a chance of making the slightest bit of money back?

Bands generally put in a lot of work for gigs, without having to then become salesmen for said gigs on top of that.

I just genuinely don't care about how much money I get from gigs, I really don't do it for the money, I just like playing. For what it's worth I prefer not having to sell tickets and stuff, mainly because I usually sell very few tickets and then end up feeling embarassed.

But at the end of the day I just like to play.

[black_matter]

I agree with dusty deviada, I like playing for the fun of it, anyway we tend to not get paid because we're younger and the venue/promoter comes up with some excuse every time. It's not a problem though, what is a pain is having to constantly be selling tickets for gigs etc. That's a pain.

Hmm, don't like the sound of that, I've never not been paid when I should have been. That's pretty shit.

[Sam L4]

Originally Posted by black_matter

I agree with dusty deviada, I like playing for the fun of it, anyway we tend to not get paid because we're younger and the venue/promoter comes up with some excuse every time. It's not a problem though, what is a pain is having to constantly be selling tickets for gigs etc. That's a pain.

What venues have said that? Let me guess, Kef?