Norio wrote:
1. What are the reasonable overheads to expect?
I would like to perform, for now, as just me and my trusty Korg plugged into a decent PA. I'd want to play a bunch of jazzy background stuff for restaurant patrons. Pubs, bars & rock n roll? I'm probably not ready for that yet.
I can only speak for Cape Town, but guess this will be valid all over.
You're right that most restaurants (and small pub venues) won't have PAs. The Catch 22 is that places who have PAs / regular music are not to keen on new, untried talent! Those types of venues tend to book from agents, not artists.
I agree with Keira that, in terms of what you describe, a smallish PA would do. A Powered mixer perhaps (amp & mixer in one with a basic EQ). You'll then need a speaker or two. Fender make these all-in-one PAs that literally fold into a suitcase set-up. Power-wise OK for what you describe. Then off course you need double of all peripherals. Take my word for it - extra guitar lead, extra leads for pedals, etc. If you sing, have a spare microphone, etc. If you can't continue in front of a packed room 'cause your lead dies, or mic blows or something like that, your rep will be in tatters. And a basic on the run repair kit for DIY (torch or penlight, screwdrivers, pliers, solder, etc).
But, Norio, my main concern is that you'll outgrow your PA before you know it. As you get better and more ambitious, the venues will grow size-wise, and you'll need to upgrade. I started with a powered mixer and two 12" speakers. Then got an amp and two 250W 15# speakers. Then got two 400W 15# speakers, etc, etc. Can't get rid of the other stuff, so I'm sitting with combinations of PAs with little resale value. So my advice is think of the next step and get an intermediate type PA.
Many one man bands play with JBL Eons. They are powered speakers. They can take a line and a microphone right in. The newest version actually has an onboard mixer, but you can pick up a small 4 - 6 channel mixer for very cheap. They're 400Ws, and you'd be able to get by just using one 15" Eon for what you intend. You can add another later. I'd be able to play our two-piece band with backtracks comfortably through 2 x 15" Eons in any medium sized venue. I used that setup at a wedding for 100 guests in a massive wine cellar, and it rocked.
The permutations are endless, but that's some ideas.
Norio wrote:
2. What can one realistically expect to earn?
What can you expect to earn from a gig? I suspect that a one-man band gets a little more profit than a band as there are less people to share the bucks with but, of course, bands can ask for more money as there's simply more on offer. I won't be performing with a band ANY time soon, so I'm wondering purely as a single musician, with his Korg (or laptop maybe) + guitar + PA?
The million dollar question (bad pun :-[).
This will vary from one area to another, and from venue to venue. Reality is that in any city you get venues that can be listed as A,B or C-list etc. So you'll get paid according to the level of the venue (smart or dump), commitment of the owner to supporting music, etc. Keira is so right - its about whether you can add value to the patron's evening. Remember, they can switch on an illegally copied mp3 for free! This applies even more to restaurants, where people do not necessarily go to get entertained by a muso. So you've got to have a good product.
Manfred's idea is cool, but up to a point. I agree with Keira that you can become 'typecast'. We have the same problem on the circuit down here where some guys play for next to nothing, esentially killing the market for the pros and semi-pros. It devalues the going rate - simple economics.
I moved from the bedroom to the stage by playing with friends who had gigs. I would do two or three songs with them (once I had reach a competence they were comfortable with having me on stage). From there it became the odd set or more. Obviously no money involved. But got to know the venues and owners/managers/other musos, and soon the venues were asking where I was when I didn't come to guest. Then the friend/band could say, 'well, you'll have to throw in an extra R300 or whatever', and soon your part of the band, getting paid.
I know plenty of guys who play (one man with backtracks) four hour gigs for anything between R 600 - R 1000 a night. I refuse to do that. Restaurants tend to pay less than pubs. On the A-list you can expect between R 1 200 - R 2 000 a night. Week-nights you'll get less than Fridays and Saturdays.
Manfred and Keira are both right. An agent is the way to go. Not for any other reason than that most of the A-list venues won't even talk to you. They book through agents. Some agents do all the bookings for particular venues. Those are the best. Not only will they get you your own regular gigs, but they'll call you to fill in for other bands on their roster if someone becomes unavailable. That happens all the time - someone gets ill, gets a private booking for the evening, etc. Agents build up a pool of reliable bands they can go to at short notice to fill in for someone without worrying that the venue will be unhappy with the quality of the replacement.
I think my agent is the greatest. He's a pro himself, gives me great advice, finds me great gigs at rates I could never convince venues to pay me. His endorsement is what lifted us from the B-list to the better paying gigs.
So, in summary - at restaurants, expect from R 500 - 800. Push for more if its a great place and you've become well known. Pub gigs shouldn't be less than R 1 000 a night for four hours (8 - 12, 9 -1, etc).
Norio wrote:
3. And probably the most important question: How do YOU find work?
What methods have you used, successfully, to find gigging work. If you have a lot of experience in this area, then please also share the methods you used that resulted in BAD work (miserable, bad conditions, slow payers, etc) versus those methods that resulted in GOOD work (nice conditions, pay on time, consistent work).
I answered this above. Get a good agent! But, corporate identity and professionalism is key. After I created a band website and printed proper business cards to hand out at gigs, the bookings took off. So that's how it happens. At pub gigs we get asked for a card - six months later someone phones you for a wedding, corporate Christmas party, etc. So once you're in, it starts rolling.
I used to find pubs and venues in the vicinity, and get their e-mail addresses. Would then send them a mail with a link to the web-site. Got quite a few that way.
OK, so that's a few points to keep it rolling. Let's hear some more form the other guys.
Remember, the rates, etc will vary immensely (I imagine) from city to city and from live band to cover artists, etc. So read it in that context.
Hope this helps ...
