Bar tabs & food, etc.

AlanRatcliffe

I was speaking to a venue manager over the weekend and we got to talking about bar tabs and food. She had a recent experience with an artist who had a bigger bar tab than payment and others who slip in rounds for friends, so I suggested putting a pre-arranged limit on the tab, deducting any overs from the payment and even adding any leftover tab to the payment.

It got me to thinking though... Is there a standard? I know venues that give you a meal, but all drinks are excluded and I know others who won't give you anything. What do you ask/expect/hope to get from a venue? Do any of you write it into a contract?

Sebber

Depends on the event/venue: if it's a pub or restaurant then my advice is no bar tab, cash payment only. The reason I say this is a couple of times, years ago, a band I play in has run a band tab (with certain members getting drinks and food for friends and family on it) that's overrun the overall payment we had agreed and that we've had to then dissect the bill to see who owed what... of course, no one could remember who had been ordering crap like Smirnoff Spins or whatever and so we had to split the difference and, to be perfectly honest, it was far from an edifying experience so for the sake of future harmony and happiness we agreed that if a band member wants to run a tab that they do so for themselves. Also if the venue sets an allowance for the band as part of the overall payment, it's nigh on impossible to determine if that's been equally distributed between the band members. In a pub or restaurant it's just too much hassle and can potentially put band members' noses out of joint.

If it's a corporate bash, a wedding or a birthday party then normally I'd negotiate for the band to be fed and watered as part of the deal, and on top our charge for such an event. Note that I wouldn't expect to be fed and watered the same as the guests at such an event as some weddings are R500+ per plate and that's overkill, especially for a drummer who hasn't necessarily learnt how to use cutlery yet.

AlanRatcliffe

Sebber wrote: Depends on the event/venue: if it's a pub or restaurant then my advice is no bar tab, cash payment only.

Thing is, it's always easier to squeeze an extra R250-R500 out of a venue in food/drink than in cash. You're going to drink some anyway, so I'd rather have it as part of the deal. At least if they stiff you on payment (which let's be honest, does happen), you've got something out of it.

The band politics thing just requires an agreement along the lines of beer/wine only, no spirits, and for band members only, no friends, family or groupies. I don't think I'd be playing with someone who can drink not only his profit for the evening, but mine too. ?

domhatch

Sebber wrote: especially for a drummer who hasn't necessarily learnt how to use cutlery yet.

Keira-WitherKay

Up here in jozi .... I work a lot of restaurants doing jazz and all of them offer me or my duo/trio whatever we want no prob..... Food and drink .... However myself and my muso's never abuse this ... And most of the owners know each other So it seems that rep follows us and venue owners don't mind .. For corporates it's definitely written in the contract, and agreed upon beforehand ... No grey area.... And i'm currently doing another sun city residency and this year they do NOT offer food but pay me a per diem , added above my gig fee and its mine to do with how i see fit ... Not huge but more than enough ....

So yes.... Negotiate and if you don't know the venue put it in a contract ... I find tho i discuss this issue via email .... Might not be legal contract but it'll be in writing for often you get to gigs and the owner you dealt with is off and the managers need to see it in black and white ....

But i think this is a situation where the individual musicians "make the bed they sleep in" as i said your rep follows you .... And if they know your band are boozers they gonna shut that door very tightly. But be respectfull and the owners when they get to know you offer you more eventually ?

Riaan-Combrink

At most pub-type venues we play a bar tab is offered, but always capped (eg R100 per person, etc). I would suggest to the venue you spoke to to introduce a cap. I've always understood that to be industry standard. There is only so much you can reasonably expect to drink and still perform! When we play at hotels, etc there is normally an uncapped tab, but limited to soft drinks, coffee, etc. I've also played a few venues where the tab arrangement was 50% off your tab - which I think is a viable option because bearing in mind margins its not too heavy on the venue, doesn't send the message of a capped tab that might annoy some muso's and still gives you some additional benefit above your rate. The latter also, of course, makes it unnecessary to stipulate 'no friends, etc'.

If we play somewhere that serves food, I always negotiate a meal. In my experience all of the above is venue-dependent, and I assess the type of venue and what I could reasonably bargain for before accepting the gig. It usually then helps to say 'we'll play for Rx,00 [your normal rate], but can meet you at Rx-y,00] if you provide a meal and 50% off our tab'!! :-[