A gal that has a weekly public access show asked us to play and be videotaped at a new music venue on Seattle's west side. This gig of hers is always free, and we actually did one of these sessions last year. The problem is that we have never met a single person that actually saw that specific show, either live or as an archived performance. Not one. So we turned the offer to participate down.
However, we did contact the west side club about a possible gig, which precipitated the usual kind of funny back and forth with the club owner. First, he wanted to know many people on our e-mail list would show up at a gig. How could we possibly know the answer to that question? So for giggles we told him that 50 percent of the folks on the e-mail list usually show up. He responded that that's what ALL the bands say, and that very few people usually show up because of an e-mail invitation. Frankly, I agreed with him, but I was curious why he was asking a question that he already knew he answer to?
After hearing our modest compensation request, he told us that he only guarantees "new" bands $125 for the night. Plus, he only has to pay his most popular band (that packs the place, apparently) $250. So, we scratched that one off the list too.
Next we were approached by someone that wanted to "live stream" one of our paying gigs on the web. For free, of course. We discovered that anyone that wanted to watch the performance on the web would have to pay. We were told that any money collected would apply to the cost of putting the event on the web, and the band would not be compensated. Thanks, but no thanks!
Finally, Stoop Down's other band, The Market Street Dixieland Jass Band, approached a new club in the Public Market area about a gig. The deal? The door, minus $150 for the sound guy! They decided not to play there for some reason
Enough with the exposure already - it's killing us!
You can find out more about the Boneyard Preachers here. See you at the nightclub!
2 comments:
Writing this blog reminded me of something that happened years ago during the heyday of Seattle's Pioneer Square music scene.
I was called at home by a local "promoter" that wanted to know if I wanted to play a blues harp show and "contest" at Larry's in the heart of the square. Several other Seattle harp blowers had already agreed to play, and the band I was playing in at the time would provide backup. When I asked him what I would be paid, he said, "Mike, I can't pay the harp players, I have to pay the musicians!"
When I didn't say anything, he assured me that the "winning" harp player would be given "a harmonica and a microphone."
I never did play any of those shows.
The Preachers were recently approached by a representative of a new club in Tacoma. The compensation offer? Meals and drinks!
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