Generating Income From Gigs

Making money from your shows shouldn't be the top on your list of live show priorities.  It is however a great added bonus and can help to re coupe costs and keep you from being out of pocket!

So now i hear you ask how can i start going about making my millions?

• Be paid to play (the most obvious I'm sure)

You can go about this in different ways.

• Share of the door takings
• Share of bar takings
• Set fee from the promoter/venue

Discuss this with the promoter a few weeks before the show if possible.  It's not likely you will be paid if you turn up to the show and demand payment for the first time.  Where possible try and get a written contract or at least an email/text confirming the amount in case the promoter tries to scam you.

Remember as a new band especially playing free is within your best interests.  Getting a name for yourself should be your priority and promoters will be more interested if your free!  As well as this, if you do get asked about payment, play for less, just ask for travel costs or ask for a rider of drinks instead of money.  Most promoters wont mind making sure your not at a loss with traveling to the show.

• Merchandise 

Taking merchandise to a show is a big income generator.  Depending how you go about getting your merch designed and produced this can be where the big bucks are for bands.  On major labels bands make more money from live shows and merch than they do album sales.

Make sure you think carefully about what to put on your merch.  People need to know its your band being advertised.  On badges and stickers you could like to your facebook/twitter  or other internet sites.

Remember not to over charge.  If you printed the designs yourself on Primarks finest tee shirts then you cant charge the same price that your would if you went through a professional printers.

Some cheap merch ideas for you could be:

• T-Shirts
• Badges
• Stickers
• Tote Bags
• Posters
• Wrist Bands
• Plectrums 

Giving away free stickers and badges with other purchases, working on combo deals or even just handing them out to whoever will take one is a great way to promote your band.

For merchandise i HIGHLY recommend www.awesomemerchandise.com/

• Selling Your Music

Selling recordings in the form of EPs and Albums can help you make some money at shows.  Make sure however that the recordings are good and high quality.

you could also give these out free in the hope that people like your songs and come to more shows, buy merch and help your get a larger crowd base.

One of the most innovative ideas in this area i had the pleasure of hearing about was a band called The Brett Domino Trio.  There idea, as far as i remember, was, for a couple of pounds, to sell people there album case with there album artwork in and a blank CD.  They also provided a link to download there album for free.  

• Other Thoughts

Instead of charging set prices for your merchandise and music you could ask for donations.  

Even if you do make a loss its not the end of the world to get your name out there to more people!

• What Should I Do With My Money

I'm going to presume that if your looking at this your not making thousands of pounds a show and this isnt your only career.

Keep a band fund or bank account? use it to sub recording and rehearsals.  If you split the money all thats going to happen is you'll buy pizza's or spend it on practices anyway.  This is a great way to feel like the band isnt sucking away all your money.

Invest it in more merchandise.  The more you sell the more fans you get.  The more fans you get the more you sell.  It's a win win situation.

Its your money at the end of the day.  Enjoy it and spend it wisely.  Being out of pocket is not fun but may be a reality at least for the first few months of your career.