Bands, what's the going rate?

Bands, what's the going rate?

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Discussion

Bullett

Original Poster:

10,889 posts

185 months

Wednesday 1st February 2017
quotequote all
I'm thinking pub band doing covers here.
I know I was quoted £1k upwards for a wedding band, MU rates are £38 an hour per musician.

What do you get paid, have paid for a band?

I don't need the money as it's really a hobby but I don't want to undercut people who do need the money and I'd like to at least cover expenses.

Tom_C76

1,923 posts

189 months

Thursday 2nd February 2017
quotequote all
As a duo, we typically get £150 a gig in pubs, though there is one local to us that books through an agency that pays £250-300. 4 piece bands typically get £200-250. That's rural Cambs.

MU rates would be lovely, but they really are a work of fiction at pub circuit levels.

Bullett

Original Poster:

10,889 posts

185 months

Thursday 2nd February 2017
quotequote all
Thanks, we are a 5 piece doing indie covers.
Just really making our name at the moment so doing stuff for free/beer/food/expenses.


davidd

6,452 posts

285 months

Thursday 2nd February 2017
quotequote all
It depends what the event/venue is. An average is probably £300.
There are 6 of us and we only ever use the money for our bar bill and buying band kit.

For that we take a PA/lights etc and they will get a 2 hour set.

As a comparison we made over £300 busking for an hour in cambridge.

My Bil is in a wedding/events band, they charge between £1,500 and £2,500 a gig and are booked up months in advance.

sw67

299 posts

160 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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Most pubs pay £200 in my area. We play around 20 gigs per year and by the time you pay for rehearsal space and wear and tear on your gear you will make zero. Getting gigs is a major pain.

red997

1,304 posts

210 months

Sunday 5th February 2017
quotequote all
we had a band at our wedding - £750 from 7:30 -11:00, 30 min break
own PA plus lighting

Very professional;
they gig 2-3 nights a week on ave;

May have been a bit of a 'mates rate' as I know the guitarist

we were quoted 1-2k by other local bands

all on the Pub / club circuit in & around london

TheMighty

584 posts

212 months

Sunday 5th February 2017
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MU minimum rate is never as simple as £38ph.

The hourly rate is virtually never not paid as overtime so is always charged at 1.5x = £57. This is due to the minimum engagement fees of £114 for up to 3 hours on a pub/club gig or £153 for up to 4 hours on a private function which take precedence over the hourly rate. Anything over these hours is paid at the overtime rate. Time on the gig is charged from the point your equipment is required to be set up, so if a wedding wants you in and set up before they eat you would be on pay from that point until when you can get gear out of the building. Travel time is charged at £9.50ph. Any gig which would see you home between 00:00 and 02:00 incurs a late fee of £24 and any gig with a return time after 02:00 is charged as an overnight stay at £95. The daily subsistence allowance is £43.

So your average pub gig for a 4 piece should be charged at somewhere around £500, which is why you don't find many full time musicians making a habit of it because that money just isn't available in 95% of cases of that type of venue.

A wedding for a similar band, 3 hour's drive from home, gear in by 3pm, finish at midnight, would be chargeable at around £2400 plus feeding the band.

Jimmytno1

465 posts

170 months

Tuesday 14th February 2017
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Bullett said:
Thanks, we are a 5 piece doing indie covers.
Just really making our name at the moment so doing stuff for free/beer/food/expenses.
Hi, can I ask where abouts in the country you are based? I'm looking for a covers band to play a gig in cornwall later in the year

Bullett

Original Poster:

10,889 posts

185 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
quotequote all
Sorry, missed this.

We are in Berkshire so that would be quite a trek.

thebraketester

14,254 posts

139 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
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TheMighty said:
So your average pub gig for a 4 piece should be charged at somewhere around £500, which is why you don't find many full time musicians making a habit of it because that money just isn't available in 95% of cases of that type of venue.

A wedding for a similar band, 3 hour's drive from home, gear in by 3pm, finish at midnight, would be chargeable at around £2400 plus feeding the band.
They are nice thoughts. However, those numbers are pie in the sky in reality.

K50 DEL

9,237 posts

229 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
quotequote all
red997 said:
we had a band at our wedding - £750 from 7:30 -11:00, 30 min break
own PA plus lighting

Very professional;
they gig 2-3 nights a week on ave;

May have been a bit of a 'mates rate' as I know the guitarist

we were quoted 1-2k by other local bands

all on the Pub / club circuit in & around london
A group of us have just booked a local covers band (very well regarded and popular) for a joint Birthday party later in the year, a Saturday night 3hr set was £750
They supply all lights etc etc and music for when they take a break.

Z06George

2,519 posts

190 months

Thursday 16th February 2017
quotequote all
K50 DEL said:
red997 said:
we had a band at our wedding - £750 from 7:30 -11:00, 30 min break
own PA plus lighting

Very professional;
they gig 2-3 nights a week on ave;

May have been a bit of a 'mates rate' as I know the guitarist

we were quoted 1-2k by other local bands

all on the Pub / club circuit in & around london
A group of us have just booked a local covers band (very well regarded and popular) for a joint Birthday party later in the year, a Saturday night 3hr set was £750
They supply all lights etc etc and music for when they take a break.
That sounds pretty good for a 3hr set with them supplying everything too. I think part of the wide range of rates is also down to the number of musicians in the band, I have a couple of friends in very good functions bands where there are 8 or 9 of them but they still get asked if they'll play for £500! I did about 2 years in a band contracted with Haven and Park Resorts, £100 per head for every show varying from an hour to two and they'd give us accommodation which sounds good. Then they'd book you in south Wales one night, Hastings the next and then Essex or Great Yarmouth after that. Part of the reason we packed it in as it didn't make sense to do that.

TheMighty

584 posts

212 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
quotequote all
thebraketester said:
They are nice thoughts. However, those numbers are pie in the sky in reality.
I must have spent 20 years living with some heavenly pastry crusted cherries. Someone was paying my wages...

HOGEPH

5,249 posts

187 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
quotequote all
20 years ago I was in a band getting £200 a gig if we were lucky.

£250 a pub gig is considered average these days. ..

thebraketester

14,254 posts

139 months

Sunday 19th February 2017
quotequote all
TheMighty said:
thebraketester said:
They are nice thoughts. However, those numbers are pie in the sky in reality.
I must have spent 20 years living with some heavenly pastry crusted cherries. Someone was paying my wages...
500 quid for a pub gig. Just not gonna happen. Unless the pub is more of a 'venue' than a pub

Jimmytno1

465 posts

170 months

Saturday 25th February 2017
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Bullett said:
Sorry, missed this.

We are in Berkshire so that would be quite a trek.
Maybe make a holiday out of it? It's on May 27th bank holiday weekend, potentially playing in front of 600 people with full professional PA and sound/light engineers. Really struggling to find a band locally who can do it!

HOGEPH

5,249 posts

187 months

Sunday 26th February 2017
quotequote all
Alas, I'm working that day, or I'd offer my services.