not getting paid properly at gigs

[rhythmtech]

If the promoter here agreed a fee with Barry, then they should have paid it. I doubt they asked or expected certain other guests to take a cut either.
Now I'm sure if they explained the situation to Barry and ASKED him would he mind accepting a little less then Barry might not have minded so much.. rather than just throwing him half of the agreed fee, after he had just got them out of a last minute hole.

100%.

if the guy had come to me and said "look, we lost our bollox here tonight" then i woulda said fine. cover my expenses ie taxi's and the few drinks.

but like i said i came out a tenner out of pocket, which although isnt really that much money, is still a loss.

im not blaming the guy who ran the techno room. he's a genuine guy who was left standing outside the club, with no back-up, as i was still argueing my case. the main promoter had already left at this stage. the guy running the techno room has also been screwed as he paid for the original dj's flights and never got money for that either.

what sunil said about main artists is true aswell..

a dublin dj (lets call him dj pressured :; ) was headlining the techno room. he got paid EVEN though he a) didnt play techno and b) got asked to step down 50 mins into his set as he cleared the techno room. but because of either who he is or who (from the promoters) knows him, he got his full payement.

i wont go into how much that was as thats his business , but sunil knows who im talking about and believe me sunil, it was too much for said individual..

anyway lesson learnt.

im not gonna change my way of working with dublin promters because as i've already said, the ones i generally do work with are top class blokes.. but i wont be playing for this lot again and i would advise any dublin dj's who do to sort out the finances long b4 they're left standing on the street with just enough to get them home.

[dirty_bass]

Swings and roundabouts this.

Personally, for all gigs abroad I use a contract, with an advance, so at least some of my ass is covered.
In the UK I generally only take bookings via mates, or people who I know indirectly or directly, with or without contract.
If it`s a small or new event, I will always state, even if things turn out bad, as long as my expenses are covered, ie travel and a drinkie, then I won`t go ape. If a promoter can`t even have the decency to sort out your expenses, to an event THEY got you to make the EFFORT and EXPENSE to get too, then they deserve a good heavy talking to, AT THE VERY LEAST.

For me though, a gig is 1-3 weeks work building a pa, so I do tend to get a little irate if ****ed about.

There are some dire promoters out there, but the case is, find out about who you are playing for. Get some info and then decide if you want to take the gig.

A contract isn`t some evil thing that makes you an arrogant tit, it covers both yours and the promoters ass (as most contracts will have a clause where if you don`t show then they can claim on you), so I generally recommend them for bigger gigs and trips abroad.

There`s a 50/50 situation going on when a gig turns bad due to low door count though.
You can blame the promoters for not promoting properly, but also, your fee generally reflects your draw on the door. So if you don`t pull in the bodies yourself, then it`s partly reflected on you as well I think, to some extent at least.

However overall for me, Techno music is something I just enjoy too much to get into the whole gigs for career thing. For the most part it`s a pretty small scene and is getting smaller, and so will have more than it`s fair shair of shoddiness and serious ups and downs until things settle into an equilibrium. I am now much more into just doing gigs with and for people who are genuine lovers of the scene, who do it out of passion, for me the gig is much more than just the time I spend playing my music, I like to be with the people doing the party, and take in their vibe for a while, rather than play, pay, see you another day. That way I never get stressed, I choose when I want to party, and I always enjoy myself.
I`ve started playing more and more free parties in the last few years (after a long time of getting the hell away from it) and I`m am enjoying these more than anything else.

It is a minefield out there, and all of us have and will get screwed over at some point.
The main point I think, is to keep yourself as informed as possible.
We are all whores to some extent, and the need to perform can blind you to some bad things.

[thomas_figo]

has anybody got contacts to any decent promotors then?

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[Jay Pace]

I've don't think I've ever not paid anyone what I've promised/agreed.
Which means that sometimes I don't promise much, but I'd rather people knew upfront what they stood to get from a gig.
Is not your money to hold back. If you make a loss, you make a loss.

I've taken less money from playing, if I know the promoters and know they are suffering. But then at least its my decision to waive, not theirs to not pay me.

I'd say you have every bloody reason to be angry.

[BloodStar]

It is always pain when you deal with people with no fair-play thinking. I think it is more about personal approach. If the guy dont wanna pay you, he will always have arguments to do so and you will never see your money. No matter if he lost or earn.
I am sure if there would be a will from from his side he would arrange a new date when all the engagements will be solved.

Anyway, I wouldnt blame him that he is a bad promoter and his party end in the hole. You know what. This can happen to everyone, and when it happens it is just on promoter how he deals with money-lost and what priorities he set on all the payments he still needs to deal with.

Nobody likes no-receiving money for the job, but it can happen so next time be safe with contract in your hand and in case of int.national gig you always can have some deposit stated.

[Komplex]

its funny how they leave out a few details. it should be something like this:

"sorry mate, I can't pay you cus we barely broke even. We spent all the profits on coke/meth/pills... and you're not as important as coke, meth or pills"

[rhythmtech]

its funny how they leave out a few details. it should be something like this:

"sorry mate, I can't pay you cus we barely broke even. We spent all the profits on coke/meth/pills... and you're not as important as coke, meth or pills"

[DannyBlack]

promoting is one them things, sometimes your up, sometimes your down. but the main thing is to always pay the agreed price to the talent, and look after em.
Baz, i hope you punched them in the face. coz i would have.

[rhythmtech]

promoting is one them things, sometimes your up, sometimes your down. but the main thing is to always pay the agreed price to the talent, and look after em.
Baz, i hope you punched them in the face. coz i would have.

not my style m8..

im a lover not a fighter :cheese:

but ye.. when i played for you there was no question about the money.. you lot just sorted it and that was that. respect.

[RDR]

At the Pure Techno nights we ALWAYs (AFAIK i dont deal with the money...) pay our acts we book.

its the residents that take the hit if the door doesnt go well

Dirty Bass - For me though, a gig is 1-3 weeks work building a pa, so I do tend to get a little irate if ****ed about...

i know what you mean, a live PA has a lot more work in it than a DJ set. and its a culmination of weeks of work and experimentation.

i dont play the same live set twice, it seems like cheating.

[dirty_bass]

i dont play the same live set twice, it seems like cheating.

Well, I feel the same, turning up and banging on some records is one thing, but building a pa for a gig is actually hard work (unless you just play all pre-recorded tracks, naughty naughty). It`s highly rewarding though when it works right? which makes it all worth while.

[RDR]

Well, I feel the same, turning up and banging on some records is one thing, but building a pa for a gig is actually hard work (unless you just play all pre-recorded tracks, naughty naughty). It`s highly rewarding though when it works right? which makes it all worth while.

+1

also i reckon i would get bored if it was the same over and over..
anyway... thats something for another part of the forum.

[DannyBlack]

not my style m8..

im a lover not a fighter :cheese:

but ye.. when i played for you there was no question about the money.. you lot just sorted it and that was that. respect.

you guys earned it tho in all fairness!:;