Live Music Venue's with attitude

DonRoos · 2014-02-03T15:41:33+00:00

Subsequent to the previous discussions about venue's and band remuneration I have another issue. We did a free gig at a well know Pizza restaurant that provides live music on a Saturday afternoon. The gig went doen very well and we were well received. We then were offered a regular, paying gig on a 3 week cycle for December. We did those gigs and our following and support is growing. We fully expected that we would continue to get regular gigs in January anf going forward. In stead, we were offered a gig in late January that wes "double booked" and we lost out. So we were then offered a postponement for February which we accepted and started publishing. Now I get a call saying that the person I was dealing with is not responsible for booking bands and that they can only offer us a gig in late March! So, being a new band and me being very new to managing a bands I am wondering if thia is just the way things are done? Is it normal/acceptable to book and cancel bookings in this way? Surely if you book a band you should be liable for some cost if you cancel too late for a replacement gig to be organised? Is it reallt this volatile that we should just be happy that we have actually been offered a gig at all? The attitude just sucks. In addition, the rate that is offered is pathetically low. It is entirely possible to have a bill larger than your earnigs for the night without even trying. In just about every other industry there are unions to reglate the industry and ensure fair treatment of members. How long are we going to allow this kind of treatment before we stand up for our rights and demand fair treatment and pay?

[deleted]

A big thing a union could shoot for is fixing the mechanical rights in advertising. No more one-time payments, but the option of royalties. SA is far behind the world on this and a lot of composers have been screwed

I've heard a horror story about a musician working for a big BBC production, that got ignored once all the work was done...ignored as in not paid, or credited. I don't know if it's worse here than it is overseas, but it would be horrible if we get a reputation as a country where "the musicians work for free".

Arno-West

[quote author=Alan Ratcliffe ...............(every couple of years) they discover that working with musicians is generally like herding cats or nailing jelly to the wall.
[/quote]
......or like trying to knit with soot.

babbalute

As much as Unions have their purpose I think that as musicians you should demand a minimum pay either as a one-man-band or a group. It would be interesting to see what people would ask for their performances. A survey should be started now already to make work easier if and when(ever) a union would come about.
Fee for :
- one-man-band(single musician with backing tracks)
- band of four musicians(cover band etc)
- band of more than four musicians
- single musician (acoustic)
- multiple musician acoustic
- others...
Of course one needs to take into account that ones a union is established and one registers to it one might need to declare the musicians income to SARS(if SARS is bright enough to get this link) It now becomes an all other ballgame as the venue will need to set up contracts of employment for musicians to play at their venue(PAYE and UIF might have to be paid by who ?)
I think there is a long way to go and there are many cans of worms along to way that will require opening and addressing. What do you guy's think ?

DonRoos

It would seem that there is some concensus on possible benefits of a union or association of sorts. As has been mentioned, all roll players would need to see benefit in subscribing to it. Muscians need to feel that their rights are protected bu the union and that fair remuneration is received to make it worth their while. Venues need to see that hiring members is beneficial in ensuring a level of professionalism from members and recourse for members not performing (i.e. some form of restitution). I guess that in order to qualify for minimum wage members would need to register properly as a business and pay the appropriate taxes. Such a union (if it to be any good) needs to be properly funded to set up procedures, protocols, conditions, etc.; supporting members that have been stiffed; advertising and marketing and other activities that would make this an organisation worth belonging to. I once belonged to the Iron and Steel Workers Union but not out of choice. They union took fees every month but I never saw ANY benefit. I will only pay if their is a benefit to me.

Many new musicians ask "how much should I charge?". A union could ensure that a proper scale of pay would be drawn up catering for different categories of musicians and with different levels of sckill and experience.

My band recently 'disbanded' and I am now attempting to persue a 'solo' career. I have a bit of time on my hands and would gladly offer up some of it assist in creating a union (or at least investigating the possabilities). I can't do it because I think it is a good idea, I would need to know that I represent the feelings of the majority of you.

Is it worth having another go? Can we come up with a unique way to nail jelly to the wall and get those cats hearded?

[deleted]

Consider this jelly nailed....or cat herded....whatever. I was actually thinking along a similar line with regards to music teachers. It would be nice to be able to quickly and easily refer a student to another teacher, if they were interested in a specific style, or just wanted to try something different. I think that's a pretty inspiring (and effective) way to learn, with the added benefit of keeping things community based.

I've looked around for an association of music teachers, but nothing. I'm not such a big fan of teaching accredited courses, as you are limited to quite a degree, and I'm very much a classical teacher, so I'd really be grateful to know who does what, and how many students they can take.

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