The price of local, small gigs. (1 Viewer)

[Scientician 0.8]

I remember the first gig I put on, nearly ten years ago we charged £3 in. We were a bit ramshackle but people liked the show and no-one complained about the price. After the Euro came in, around 2004, we charged €8 for an album launch and if i recall correctly there was a bit of grief about it at the time. Nowadays most local bands seem to charge in about a fiver for their gigs, some 8 and very few 10 euro or more. What do ye think is the best price to charge? Free and no-one will bother their arse coming except some mental auld bowsies who swarm to free music, and too much and (in these times) people won't pay in but it's mad that the price of a small, local gig hasn't really gone up in 10 years while major gig prices have inflated ridiculously. What do ye think? Some of these fiver gigs have 3 or more bands playing too.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

I think it's mad the way people expect gig prices to stay the same forever while the price of everything else goes up.
The moaners don't deserve it.

 

[aoboa]

What's the cheapest you'd hire a decent venue for in Dublin these days?

 

[Gambra]

€200 maybe for one with a PA?

 

[Cormcolash]

If it's all local bands I think a fiver is grand. Even if there's one band from another part of Ireland playing that should be fine to give them money to cover their travel costs.
If you've a band from outside of Ireland playing, then 8 euro upwards is grand.
If you're fundraising for something specific then 8 euro upwards is usually okay too.
If you're doing an album launch or something then 10 euro plus a free copy of the album is grand.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

Cormcolash in decent post shock!

50ish people at €5 each - cost of venue = x

x/3 bands = fuck all


I know people don't just do it for the money but a lot of bands put in hours and hours of preparation and just don't seem to get remunerated for it imho.

 

[washingcattle]

The Tap, The Lower Deck and Thomas House are very cheap or free I think. Decent is a matter of opinion.

There is a fine line for the promoter. the venue it's self has to be fit for purpose. frankly once you find yourself paying over a tenner into what is basically a pub I do feel the moan coming on. Obviously when the band you paying in to see have taken a plane to be there or something i can understand but when it's all locals and the place closes at 12 it's rough on the pocket.

it's not like gigs are insulin though. those who can afford it go those who can't don't. it's not really fair to compare the price of big gigs to local band gigs though, the price of big gigs and especially festivals in this country is a disgrace so any comparison is pointless to begin with. like comparing someone spilling a drop of tea on your sofa with someone taking a shit on your face.

still if you really want the price of gigs to drop don't go to any two things will happen bands will stop coming to ireland but the price of those that do will drop slightly. simple

 

[Moods For Mallards]

If you're doing an album launch or something then 10 euro plus a free copy of the album is grand.

That's a bit too generous to the punter, in my opinion.
It's expensive to make and release an album and I think it's fair enough to try to make a few quid back when you're releasing the thing. Obviously, the people (or your friends) decide in the end.

 

[Space]

We do local bands for about 7 usually with a quid off if you get in early.
Touring band or two and it'll go up to either 8 or 9 with a quid or two discount for turning up early.
I think a fiver is amazingly cheap for a gig.

 

[cpr]

The Tap, The Lower Deck and Thomas House are very cheap or free I think. Decent is a matter of opinion.

There is a fine line for the promoter. the venue it's self has to be fit for purpose. frankly once you find yourself paying over a tenner into what is basically a pub I do feel the moan coming on. Obviously when the band you paying in to see have taken a plane to be there or something i can understand but when it's all locals and the place closes at 12 it's rough on the pocket.

it's not like gigs are insulin though. those who can afford it go those who can't don't. it's not really fair to compare the price of big gigs to local band gigs though, the price of big gigs and especially festivals in this country is a disgrace so any comparison is pointless to begin with. like comparing someone spilling a drop of tea on your sofa with someone taking a shit on your face.

still if you really want the price of gigs to drop don't go to any two things will happen bands will stop coming to ireland but the price of those that do will drop slightly. simple

The Lower Deck is 180euro to rent btw.

 

[thisgreg]

That's a bit too generous to the punter, in my opinion.
It's expensive to make and release an album and I think it's fair enough to try to make a few quid back when you're releasing the thing. Obviously, the people (or your friends) decide in the end.

Agree with that.

Other thing is, i think, that local gigs really aren't a money making venture, i guess the low price is to encourage people to come along and check out bands and you're trying to build something. Obviously when you're more established you can charge more for you shows when you're paying for better venues.

I like the 3 band for a €5 thing. i don't think anyone can moan at 6 or 7 but a €5 feels like value and people will be more willing to take a risk. With 3 bands you can usually break even and pay for taxis/petrol.

 

[Jim A. Morrish]

tons of free gigs in cork at prices like the quad/pine lodge/crane lane.... i.m.o. it's the way to go for bands that have no real profile here as of yet, a free show the 1st 1 or 2 visits and then if they find they have a following then charge thereafter.

is there ever free shows in dublin? i rarely see any listed anywhere

 

[Jim A. Morrish]

http://www.corkgigs.com/
http://www.peoplesrepublicofcork.com/eventguide/cranelane/event_list.php
http://thequadbar.com/
http://www.cyprusavenue.ie/ also do the occasional free show as do the Brog (no website that i can find)

 

[sealed human]

Its a plain fact that if yo u want to play a good venue in Dublin city centre, then the band, or the promoter more often than not have to charge higher than €5 I'm afraid. someone said earlier that if you want to see a gig in a venue thats not a pub basically (i.e. better sound, better layout) then you're looking at Button factory, Think Tank, Whelans, Twisted Pepper, Crawdaddy, The Village etc and the hires for them would be (averages) €250 during the week and over €300 (maybe €400 in places) at the weekend.

I know this from being both in a band and promoting gigs also so while its great that Cork etc can either offer free gigs or v cheap ones, the venues in Dublin want their fee whether its a sell out or a disaster so at a weekend (when the hire fees are higher again) if the bands have some sort of profile nationally €10 is fair enough really, especially in venues where paying into the gig includes entry to a club for rest of the night (Whelans, Kennedys, Think tank)...

 

[rusted rail]

I like the 3 band for a €5 thing. i don't think anyone can moan at 6 or 7 but a €5 feels like value and people will be more willing to take a risk. With 3 bands you can usually break even and pay for taxis/petrol.

absolutely. here's a good example (& early plug!)

06 Oct 2009 09:00 PM - Rusted Rail presents:

Agitated Radio Pilot, Yawning Chasm & special guest Brigid Power Ryce.
Roisin Dubh (Upstairs), Lower Dominick Street, Galway. 5 euro

Rusted Rail presents Agitated Radio Pilot, Yawning Chasm & special guest Brigid Power Ryce. Agitated Radio Pilot will be launching his "A Field Day" EP and Yawning Chasm will be launching his "The Shadow is That Hidden" EP, both on Rusted Rail. Its on Tuesday October 6th 2009 in the cosy upstairs room of Roisin Dubh... Doors 9pm sharp! and its a recession-friendly 5 european dollars for a fine night of music!

 

[MDR]

I usually charge a tenner and then sell albums for a fiver at the gigs. I haven't had any complaints and i generally try and make an effort to pick nice venues and always pay support acts.

On a launch I charge a tenner and it includes a copy of the album. It gives you a better chance of attracting a crowd; it helps get the album in circulation; and it distinguishes the launch from a regular gig.

 

[old]

Free is great and all, but the only time we could do a free Corpo gig in Dublin without shirt loss was getting Phantom to take over for one of their First Friday things. Free gigs would be nice, but not if it means losing loads of money.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

I think a fiver for 3 bands is ludicrously cheap and doesn't really cover all gig related expenses inccured by all three acts, let alone, god forbid, actually pay them a few quid.

 

[ernesto]

I think a fiver for 3 bands is ludicrously cheap and doesn't really cover all gig related expenses inccured by all three acts, let alone, god forbid, actually pay them a few quid.

bump?

 

[Scientician 0.8]

Yeah bump it up to 7 or 8.