It's 2024 - I Can't Believe What They Want To Pay

[fazool]

Part of the problem is that non professional musicians (certainly non union) will take gigs for that price. Lots of audience don’t know the difference. Some booking agents don’t seem to care.......

This.... the lowest bid wins. America loves it's cheap labor.

I don't pay cover charge or spend money at a venue because a musician has a union card in their pocket. I couldn't care less. I spend money based on the quality of entertainment I get.

And if the paying patrons dont know the difference and dont care, then you aren't adding any additional value as a performer. Thats not an insult - its literally the definition of "value".

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by BigTim

Too little pay for a lot of work...set up, tear down, etc.

As the old saw goes, being a gigging musician is like owning a small moving company where you get to play a few songs in between jobs.

Although today's small and lightweight PA systems do make it a heck of a lot easier than back in the day....

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by BigTim

This is the main reason I do not go out and gig anymore. Too little pay for a lot of work...set up, tear down, etc. Not worth it anymore. And there are guys out there who would be glad for that.

And most of the time people in places like that the people will not even pay attention to you....they all too busy on their phones or watching some ball game on a big screen. Good luck

Ah... Those "getting paid to practice" evenings. You can sit at home and run through your set, perhaps try out some new songs, or you can sit in the local bar and do the same while earning some beer money and chatting to the locals.

When I was playing blues and slide on my reso my wife would send me down to the sea front to practice. We had a small house! I would leave my case open on the floor and usually got enough for a coffee and bacon roll from the few passers by braving the weather.