Look at the show listings on MySpace, within a 50 mile radius on a week night, there is roughly 400 listings (even if say half are for another band playing the same venue, that's still 200 listings) and then look at the listing for Friday or Saturday. We are talking roughly 900 listings (let's say 1/3 are dup listings, that's still 300). No wonder why then venues are pushing for the bands to do the work and take the risk, they sure as hell don't want to.
Let me give you an example to put this whole thing into perspective. We have a venue that is all-ages and has a capacity of 550. If there are 6 bands on a show and all the bands are required to sell 50 tickets each @ $8, the venue will get $2400.00 if all 6 bands sell all (300) their tickets. Now, if the venue sells the remaining tickets (250 to capacity) @ $10 that is an additional $2500.00 for a grand total of $4900.00. That is for one night if the place is full. If the venue only makes 1/8th of that $4900 ($600) every night for a month (31 days), that is still $18,600.00 for the month on ticket sales alone. Are these venues really risking anything that they would not normally risk every day? The answer is NO!
So venues and "promoters" (and I use that term loosely, very loosely) will give you the incentive that if you band sells the required number of tickets consistently or if you draw 75-100 people consistently, you won't have to sell tickets next time. I have yet to see a band (other than a band that has been around for 20 years or have a name that has been around for 20 years) play shows and consistently have a draw of more than 50 people on any given night around here. So how any venue, given the number of shows nightly within a 50 mile radius, can expect a band to sell 50 tickets especially if there are more than 2 local bands on a show and the headliner is some band you have never heard of?
Why are you putting up with this SHIT? The punk scene / ideology were a rebellion against the establishment. Are you doing it because you are worried your band my never get another gig if you don't pay-to-play? Believe it or not, by selling tickets for these people, you are not doing anything for your band or the scene. If you want to support the scene then quit catering to these people.
Supporting Pay-to-Play??? part 1
