Booking your band can often be a daunting and complicated task, especially when just starting out. Every venue, talent buyer, and booking agency has a different way of dealing with booking and sometimes it's hard for bands to know whether they are getting a good deal or not. There are many different options bands can take when booking, some of which cost money but some are looked down upon and seen as a scam. In this article I'm going to talk about some of these different ways to book, their pros, and their cons.
DIY (Do It Yourself) is the most common route bands take and how most bands start out, acting as their own booking agent and contacting venues, agent, promoters, etc to get themselves gigs. It's extremely difficult and often requires you to send out dozens of emails before receiving any answers back. The costs are for DIY booking are extremely low, sometimes non-existent depending on how you do it, but it's often harder to make legitimate money this way. As well you also have to build your network completely from scratch which is often the hardest part, taking years to build up strong relationships with people throughout the industry. That is why new bands with members from other successful bands seem to get big in their new band faster, they already have the network to get shows and more successfully navigate the industry.
Pros
Low/no costs
You run and manage your own schedule
Cons
Extremely difficult
Must have or build up a Network within the music industry
Little profit/harder to get guarantees
Pre-Sale Tickets
DIY
DIY (Do It Yourself) is the most common route bands take and how most bands start out, acting as their own booking agent and contacting venues, agent, promoters, etc to get themselves gigs. It's extremely difficult and often requires you to send out dozens of emails before receiving any answers back. The costs are for DIY booking are extremely low, sometimes non-existent depending on how you do it, but it's often harder to make legitimate money this way. As well you also have to build your network completely from scratch which is often the hardest part, taking years to build up strong relationships with people throughout the industry. That is why new bands with members from other successful bands seem to get big in their new band faster, they already have the network to get shows and more successfully navigate the industry.Pros
Low/no costs
You run and manage your own schedule
Cons
Extremely difficult
Must have or build up a Network within the music industry
Little profit/harder to get guarantees
Pay to Play
Pay to Play is the concept where your band has to sell a certain amount of tickets or pay for those tickets themselves in order to be on that bill. This type of show is often offered to DIY bands and especially bands with little or no experience. Many musicians find this practice despicable and I even listed it in "7 Things Promoters Do To Make Bands Frustrated". Some musicians take it further and define any sort of pre-sale tickets as a pay to play scheme. The website Never Pay to Play defines it as; "The transfer of money from an artist to a promoter before playing. The term pay-to-play is used to describe a performance where an artist (primarily applies to musicians) turns in money before taking the stage. This payment can originate either directly from the artist or be collected from the artist through the sale of tickets (aka pre-sale). All or the majority of the collected funds go to an independent promoter or to a pay-to-play club." Many times these types of shows have high ticket costs, are on an off night for the venue, there are a bunch of bands on the bill, and the bands receive extremely low cuts of the profit and often only get paid based on tickets sold with no cut of the door. While many, including myself, find this method pretty low-brow it still has some pros for bands with extremely little experience who want the chance to play on a decent stage for fun for their friends and family.
Pros
Bands with very little experience have a chance to play
Cons
Little profit
Ticket quotas
Lots of bands on the bill
Often on 'off-nights'
Pros
Bands with very little experience have a chance to play
Cons
Little profit
Ticket quotas
Lots of bands on the bill
Often on 'off-nights'
Pre-Sale Tickets
Personally I don't define pay to play in such broad terms as Never Pay to Play because I have worked with promoters who do pre-sale tickets in way that I think is a great model and differentiates it from pay to play. One of the main differences between Pay to Play shows and legitimate Pre-sale ticket shows are the bands are given the option and encouraged to sell pre-sale tickets, receiving legitimate payment for each ticket sold, but do not have sell a quota or pay for a quota of tickets, and they receive a legitimate cut from the door. Another thing to note is this model should only be used for local shows as touring bands should not have to sell pre-sale tickets, if a promoter has a touring band on a pre-sale ticket show the touring band should have a guarantee from the promoter. While some musicians find pre-sale tickets as low-brow as pay to play it seems their main argument is that bands shouldn't have to promote, which is a notion bands should never take because everyone who is part of a show should promote it and getting paid extra to sell tickets to your own show seems like a pretty good deal. As an example of a good pre-sale ticket setup I worked with one promoter who made pre-sale ticket tiers, so if he had a show with $10 pre-sale tickets for a Friday night 4 band show a band would make $2 for every ticket they sold if they sold 10 or less tickets, if they sold 11-20 tickets they would make $2.50 for every ticket they sold, if they sold 21-35 tickets they would make $3 for every ticket sold, if they sold 36-50 tickets they would make $4.50 for every ticket sold (he made this price jump higher to incentivize bands to sell at least 10 tickets per band member assuming most bands had 4 members), and if they sold 51 or more they would get $5 for every ticket they sold. At the end of the night tickets bought at the door were evenly split amongst the promoter and bands. So lets say a band of 4 sells 20 tickets (5 per member), they would have $50 in their pocket before they even hit the stage plus whatever cut from the door. Now lets say that same band of 4 worked hard and sold 40 tickets, 10 per member, now they have $180 in their pocket before they hit the stage - a payment much greater than what most local shows pay to each band. One thing to note is pre-sale ticket shows usually mean less money from door tickets so if a band doesn't sell that many pre-sale tickets they might not see a whole lot from the door. I have found properly done pre-sale ticket shows often have higher attendance numbers as well which I would guess is because everyone who is part of the show is actively promoting it.
Pros
High profit margins
High Attendance
No ticket quotas
Cons
Majority of payment often through pre-sale tickets
Buy Ons
Buy ons, also called Tour Buy Ons, are when a band pays to be the opening band for a tour. This is rarely used on the indie level although it is still utilized by bands who tour the club circuits but more often used by large name bands touring arenas. This is a common practice but is sometimes misunderstood and shamed by those who dislike pay to play schemes as they see any fee charged to a band to let them play is ridiculous. The main thing about a buy-on is it is often for an opening spot for a major touring package and has most likely been utilized by some of your favorite bands right when they were on the cusp of 'making it'. As well the fees for a tour buy on are often covered by payment from the door and high merchandise sales due to the fact that you are playing to a much larger audience. If you buy on to a tour with a headliner whose music is similar to yours then they are pulling a target demographic that will enjoy your music and you can gain a large amount of fans quickly. For a lot of bands a tour buy on is out of the questions as the costs can sometimes range $300-$500 per show or even more, although some indie labels will do tour buy-ons for $100-$300 per show but you are often getting a smaller crowd if you are paying a smaller fee, which is essentially what you are paying for in the end.
Pros
High Attendance
Targeted demographic
Higher merchandise sales
Cons
High costs
Flat-Fee Booking
Flat-fee booking is when a band pays a booking agent a fee to book them a certain amount of shows. Most booking agents who do this use a flat-fee per show method, usually ranging in costs from $30-$75 per show. For most bands they want a booking agent on a percentage contract, usually ranging from 10%-20% cut of profits made from the shows, which makes it so the band only has to pay the agent when he makes them money. Most booking agents won't take their time to book an indie band for a percentage and will only offer percentage contracts to bands they feel could really become something because it will cost the booking agent lots of time with little pay and in recent years it has gotten even harder to consistently make any money at shows below the arena tours, so a percentage contract is a booking agent's way of investing in a band. Still, lots of indie bands want to work with booking agents so this has led to more agents adopting the flat-fee method and many bands are going for it as a way to do their beginning tours and expand their fanbase. Of course there are the nay-sayers who are against any form of a fee to book a show but this is quite useful for a local band who is looking to expand to new markets and grow their fanbase. One great thing about it is the band usually keeps every penny they make from the door and merchandise sales, although after tour costs (gas, tolls, food, etc.) most bands are in the negative by the end of the tour. The main thing you are paying for with flat-fee booking is a network as many of these shows turn out similar to DIY shows and DIY tours but if you get a strong booking agent then you may find yourself making back your costs, fees, and even making a profit.
Pros
Gives more bands the ability to work with a booking agent
Gives bands a chance to expand their fanbase
Great for beginning tours
Cons
High Costs
Little/negative profit
Pros
High profit margins
High Attendance
No ticket quotas
Cons
Majority of payment often through pre-sale tickets
Buy OnsBuy ons, also called Tour Buy Ons, are when a band pays to be the opening band for a tour. This is rarely used on the indie level although it is still utilized by bands who tour the club circuits but more often used by large name bands touring arenas. This is a common practice but is sometimes misunderstood and shamed by those who dislike pay to play schemes as they see any fee charged to a band to let them play is ridiculous. The main thing about a buy-on is it is often for an opening spot for a major touring package and has most likely been utilized by some of your favorite bands right when they were on the cusp of 'making it'. As well the fees for a tour buy on are often covered by payment from the door and high merchandise sales due to the fact that you are playing to a much larger audience. If you buy on to a tour with a headliner whose music is similar to yours then they are pulling a target demographic that will enjoy your music and you can gain a large amount of fans quickly. For a lot of bands a tour buy on is out of the questions as the costs can sometimes range $300-$500 per show or even more, although some indie labels will do tour buy-ons for $100-$300 per show but you are often getting a smaller crowd if you are paying a smaller fee, which is essentially what you are paying for in the end.
Pros
High Attendance
Targeted demographic
Higher merchandise sales
Cons
High costs
Flat-Fee Booking
Flat-fee booking is when a band pays a booking agent a fee to book them a certain amount of shows. Most booking agents who do this use a flat-fee per show method, usually ranging in costs from $30-$75 per show. For most bands they want a booking agent on a percentage contract, usually ranging from 10%-20% cut of profits made from the shows, which makes it so the band only has to pay the agent when he makes them money. Most booking agents won't take their time to book an indie band for a percentage and will only offer percentage contracts to bands they feel could really become something because it will cost the booking agent lots of time with little pay and in recent years it has gotten even harder to consistently make any money at shows below the arena tours, so a percentage contract is a booking agent's way of investing in a band. Still, lots of indie bands want to work with booking agents so this has led to more agents adopting the flat-fee method and many bands are going for it as a way to do their beginning tours and expand their fanbase. Of course there are the nay-sayers who are against any form of a fee to book a show but this is quite useful for a local band who is looking to expand to new markets and grow their fanbase. One great thing about it is the band usually keeps every penny they make from the door and merchandise sales, although after tour costs (gas, tolls, food, etc.) most bands are in the negative by the end of the tour. The main thing you are paying for with flat-fee booking is a network as many of these shows turn out similar to DIY shows and DIY tours but if you get a strong booking agent then you may find yourself making back your costs, fees, and even making a profit.
Pros
Gives more bands the ability to work with a booking agent
Gives bands a chance to expand their fanbase
Great for beginning tours
Cons
High Costs
Little/negative profit
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