let's starve them so that someone else takes over place, which this nice venue in itself.
i'm sure there are some of you out there - i know they haven't got a stellar reputation - who have experience of them, good or bad. my band has been offered a gig (with a shiny contract that seems to protect them instead of the band, though in truth i have yet to read the whole thing). its on a friday night in december (when people will either be going to countless christmas drinks or be broke from going to countless christmas drinks) and its £8 on the door (ridiculously expensive in my opinion). haven't been told who the other bands playing are or any other stuff apart from you'd better bring at least 25 people who'll go on record saying they came to see you and if we cancel on you, then tough. fuck knows if we'd get that many in specifically to see us. are they actually ok to do a gig for or are they a bunch of c###s like i've heard?
let's starve them so that someone else takes over place, which this nice venue in itself.
As it is, I've been overruled previously, and have played for em at different places at least twice. I've had an OK time, and a not so OK time. They don't normally get any not-friends-of the-bands crowd in, so it's hardly a career enhancing prospect, if that's what you're into, and the door prices are ludicrous, but they generally use pleasant venues, and if they pick bands that "go" together (which isn't always the case at all), it can be an OK evening.
They also don't enforce the 25 people thing. Because if they did they'd hardly be able to ask anyone back, and they need to. It's a volume game for them, I used to know a guy who worked for them for a bit, he was booking bands, but might as well have been selling double glazing.
My band have played for them several times and each time it was a waste. If you are even 2 minutes late onto stage they will cut your set down, even if it was their fault you were late starting (by cutting our soundcheck as they were running late).
They have a big LED red clock at the side of the stage to remind you who is in charge here and will simply cut off the PA if you disobey the frankly useless sound guys.
All they care about is getting bands to bring people through the door - they didn't even put our gig in the listings!
And the door price was set at £8 - who pays eight quid to go see a bunch of unsigned bands? You're having a laugh!
Don't get suckered in, play for Bugbear Promotions instead, who are much nicer to deal with and much easier to sort door money out with.
scenario one....
"with a shiny contract that seems to protect them instead of the band, though in truth i have yet to read the whole thing"
>>> firstly, read the contract! or rip it up and say no thanks.
scenario two:
you should pretty much tell everyone who asks you to bring a certain amount of people with you (especially at £8 a ticket) to fuck off and take a look in the dictionary at what 'promoter' means.
–noun
1. a person or thing that promotes, furthers, or encourages.
2. a person who initiates or takes part in the organizing of a company, development of a project, etc.
3. a person who organizes and provides financial backing for a sporting event or entertainment.
n.
a) One that promotes, especially an active supporter or advocate.
b) A financial and publicity organizer, as of a boxing match or an artistic performance.