If you've been following my rants with any level of regularity then you already know my views on the current trends in music. There are many talented acts out there but most people aren't willing to venture out to see them.
Worse than that are the new breed of "promoters". These cats think that their job is to find a venue, book a bunch of bands (who usually can't get gigs anywhere else) and make the bands sell the tickets. It's just 'pay to play' all over again. I won't be part of it.
I received this email this morning and I just about blew my top:
Hey!I’m Dan from Standard_Issues_Productions, a new booking/promotion group based here in Pittsburgh. We have decided to make my small move on the Pittsburgh scene. Shows I have to offer right now are all at The Rex Theater.Dates are July 11th, 18th and 25th. These are Sunday shows. They will all be 21+ shows. These dates will be filled with local talent, and perhaps out of town "local" bands. I am also working with addition venues such as Fate and The Rock Room. Bands are required to sell between 15 and 20 tickets each for any of these events. Number will be deterred by price. All bands will receive 30-40 tickets to begin with. After that additional tickets will be made available to the band at a very reduced rate. All unsold tickets will be turned in day of show. Tickets day of show will be slightly more at box office, only. Please don't scalp tickets in front of the venue the day of show. To help with clarity: an example. You need to sell 20 tickets at $6.00 each. Total of $120. You have an addition 20 tickets to pocket cash. $120 to you. If you need more tickets 10 will cost you $20, and you sell for $60. $40 more to you. Again, this is just an example.We’re expecting to have between 4 and 6 bands performing on each Sunday. Bands will have up to 40 minutes to perform. We will run a tight ship and keep on schedule! Promo... I'll help. Fliers will be generated as soon as a lineup is finalized. I'll paper Southside, and a few Hot Topics. I will also pool resources to get handbills out to some of the more obvious given spots around Pittsburgh. Further I will pass out handbills at any available upcoming show at The Rex, and can also work some of the shows at Altar.If you like the idea and want to perform, let me know ASAP. At this point the July 18th show is looking like it will be Industrial/Techno. The other July dates are open to whatever genre has a stronger response.Things to tell me:-Which date you’d prefer to play. - Expected ticket sales- Expected requirementsI’d prefer to know by the end of the week or early next week if at all possible. Ticket sales are low (15 -20 mandatory) The majority of this money will be used to cover cost, however it may not totally pay all expenses. That is where day of show ticket sales will go.That’s really it, if you have questions let me know. This is all the details I can give at this point. Once the date is confirmed we will work out ticket prices. Figure between $5 and $9 each. You guys know your fan base. Each band will have a small guest list. 4 people. per band. You may also have 2 people "work" your Merch table. I have no desire to profit off your swag, however I am unsure if the venue wants a piece.Thanks for reading-Dan
While I'm not one to wish anyone ill, especially in a business venture, this dude is obviously just too lazy to go out and do the damned job. To run any kind of business successfully requires doing WORK. In his case, he needs to advertise in print, radio, online, etc. He needs to do the leg work. But instead, he figures he'll get the bands to do it. Who knows, he could pull off a couple decent shows...but with bands no one has heard of.
While I could go into great detail on his poor writing skills, I'll stick to my rant. The Rex, while a nice venue, has not exactly been packing them in lately. So, trying to fill it with essentially the friends of a bunch of unknown bands is one way to go...but not necessarily the best route. This guy hopes to make $120 per band while having the bands do all the work....does anyone else see a problem with this? How very Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn!
I could suggest boycotting this cat...but why? He won't last long anyway. He might even make a few bucks before the bands realize they're being scammed. It just sickens me that the music scene has come, once again, to this. And ya wonder why I rarely book shows anymore...
Pay-to-play comes to Pittsburgh!
ReplyDeleteActually it's just simple supply and demand -- the supply of bands outstrips the demand for their services, driving down prices. Given the low quality of what passes for promotion in Pittsburgh, I'm not surprised at all.
Show promoters here think their responsibility begins and ends with booking the show and collecting the ticket money. The idea that they could be doing something to actually publicize ... PROMOTE ... their shows is totally lost on them.
Promoters like E**o and J***r have ruined this market for touring shows. I can't count the tour itineraries I've seen that read Cleveland-Philadelphia, Cleveland-Washington. The tours are driving right through here without stopping.
As far as local talent is concerned, the bar owners know it's a buyer's market and act accordingly. The thinking is that you book five bands that have 25 friends each, you have 150 people in your bar without paying the bands more than gas money. Bands are so desperate to play ANYWHERE that they fall for this.
We are dinosaurs, Mike. We belong to an era where bands worked hard to develop a following, and where bar owners paid us well because they knew we would reliably draw 200, even 300 people to their venues, gig after gig. Bar owners prided themselves in their reputation for good bands -- people would go to certain venues just knowing that whatever band was playing would be good.
This still exists in some parts of the country, but not here in Pittsburgh. Too bad. It's why I spend most weekend nights in front of the TV.
Tom
Tom, it's also why I spend more & more time sitting around the house playing acoustic country blues...which we both know is highly unmarketable! LOL
ReplyDeleteI suggest the following..
ReplyDeleteSave your "pay to play" ticket sales cash.Go find a well equipped Granati Studio somewhere,with a 1st class Granatti engineer.Hire the best local producer/promoter you can find(MM) and RECORD your material! Sell it digitally overseas where people actually buy a good product without ever seeing the artist live! In a year or so you should recover your intitial investment and show a little profit doing something you love.Excuse me while I go pack 47 pre-paid CDs(3rd pressing) of "Please Gimme Somethin'" to send to a Denmark Record Shop!
If it Rocks the cash will Roll!
Listen to Memphis Mike kiddies...he know's the BIZ...and I couldn't have done this without him!
A.J.