The Cost of Booking: DIY v. Pay to Play v. Buy Ons v. Flat-Fee Booking

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

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'

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

Death of Show Trades

When I started booking shows over a decade ago it seemed everyone wanted to do show trades. Show trades were so common it was almost expected when bands helped each other out. Now it seems almost impossible to find bands who are actually interested in doing show trades. This doesn't mean bands say they don't want to do a show trade, it's that they don't follow through on anything for their end.

Scenario: Band A hits up Band B saying they need help to setup a show in Band B's area but can help out B in their area when B tours. Band B helps setup the show, both bands play the show, show goes well and everyone is happy. A few weeks later Band B starts scheduling a tour of their own and contact Band A for the same help in A's town.

What Should Happen: Band A contacts Band B saying they will be happy to help and offer what they can. This could be as big as Band A actually booking the show or as small as giving a few references on local venues or promoters.

What Usually Happens: Band A contacts Band B saying they will see what they can do. Band B never hears from A again, even after repeated follow-ups.

What Happens Too Often: Band A doesn't contact Band B at all.

Now I'm not saying that every time you help out a band you should expect something in return, I'm just saying that it feels like one hell of a slap in the face to do a lot for dozens of bands and then almost all of them ignore you when you ask for the favor of playing their city. Makes me ask, "Where's the love?"

It's obvious to almost all bands that there is very little money to be made in the music industry, especially on the road. So why not actually help each other out? The funny thing about music, especially these days, is that even if it's not about the money the only way to keep afloat is by somehow making money. When on the road bands need help because most wouldn't make ends meat without it. Sure, the band you are helping may draw almost nobody in your area but every band needs to start somewhere in every city and that is the point of this whole system.

I always thought of show trades as the perfect tool for every band hitting the road, especially those who do the DIY booking. The music industry's version of "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours". It's great because bands from different cities are able to really befriend each other, each playing the other's city and pushing each other to both fan bases. Isn't that the whole reason of touring anyway? To make new friends, make new fans, and spread your music.

Hopefully show trades don't go extinct, it'll just require an active music community.

11 Essentials for Bands on Tour

Being on tour and living out of a van (and trailer if you're lucky) has a lot of ups and downs. When it comes to living on the road with your band there are some tricks to make the ride much smoother. For those bands who are new to life on the road there are some things they should know before heading out. Here are 11 essentials that every touring band should have…

1. Baby-wipes - When on the road many bands won't have access to a shower for long periods of time.  To combat the rashes, smell, and grimy feeling baby-wipes work absolute wonders. It's actually surprising how good it feels after taking a sponge bath using the wipes. Plus, taking a baby-wipe bath in a grungy bathroom of a venue in some random town is a true testament to life on the road.

2. Ozium - While some people may suggest using febreeze or something similar, I suggest going to your local auto store and picking up a bottle or two of Ozium. This stuff not only gets rid of odors it actually kills the bacteria in the air. If you don't like the scent of Ozium or it's other varieties then just use Ozium to clean the air and spritz after with your favorite scent of febreeze or whatever other brand you like. One thing to note is only spray after getting out of the van and let it air out a bit, do not spray while in the van. 

3. Vitamins - Staying healthy on tour should be one of the number one priorities. One sick band member can cause a tour to get canceled and could also get the other members sick. I always like to have multi-vitamins and a couple others just in case, stuff like vitamin C, vitamin B-12, vitamin E, and Potassium. With the combination of little sleep, lots of energy exerted, lots of partying, and a lot of low-quality food then sitting in a confined space with 3-5 other people the majority of each day there is a high chance someone will get sick. Vitamins will at the very least help keep everyones immune systems working well.

4. Beef Jerky - Cheap food, great source of protein, doesn't need to be refrigerated, and tastes pretty good. Especially awesome for those longs trips between shows where there is little time to stop for food. 

5. Physical Maps - Most bands have at least one member with a smart-phone, tablet, or some other device with gps on it. One thing that is for sure is this stuff doesn't always work. Wether it is a dead battery, bad signal, or just a shitty gps there can be something that goes wrong. Be sure to get old-school fold out maps, which you can find at AAA locations, Wal-mart, and tons of other places. These can be super handy when all the handy-dandy technology cuts-out and you are on the road with no clue how to get anywhere. 

6. Pillow - This one is pretty essential unless you want to sleep uncomfortably or your band has the money to rent a room every night. Although even if you are renting a room every night there is a chance you may want to sleep on one of those long rides in the van.

7. Blanket/Sleeping Bag - Pretty much the same thing as the pillow. Some people would be surprised how some parts of the country are burning hot during the day and then ridiculously cold at night.

8. Appropriate Clothes - Before you head out be sure to check the weather for the areas you will be and have clothes that work. It seems somewhat simple to do this but you'd be surprised at how badly people get caught off guard when the weather isn't what they thought it would be. Especially when you are going through multiple regions in just a few weeks. You may be wearing shorts and a tank top one day only to find yourself freezing while wearing jeans and a hoodie a few days later.

9. Water - I like to get the gallon jugs of water for tour and usually bring a couple plastic cups. This is one of those things that some people don't bring because they think they can just stop anywhere and get some no problem. Well it does become a problem when you're on the highway and the closest stop is 30 miles away. This can be especially important if the car overheats with no extra coolant or if someone cuts them self and need to clean the wound.

10. Roadside Emergency Kit - Just like the boy scouts, always be prepared. These kits can often include a multitude of different things but your kit should always include a first aid kit, hazard lights/triangles/flares, a car jack, a lug wrench, spare fuses, jumper cables, and a flash light. Some other great items you can include in the kit are a tire gauge, tire sealant or a plug kit (not as important if you have a spare tire), gloves, towels, hand cleaner, a fire extinguisher, coolant hose repair kit, necessary fluids (motor oil, coolant, break-stearing, etc.), and about any other item you think you might need in case of a problem with the van.

11. Spare Tire - Pretty self explanatory. Don't have one of these and a tire goes flat or pops? Then you can pretty much expect to cancel whatever show you have scheduled that night.