Bar & Club I picked up a Friday night bar gig

To many ads? Support ODJT and see no ads!

Jeff Romard

Administrator
Staff member
ODJT Supporter
Sep 4, 2006
21,838
21,391
53
Sydney, Nova Scotia
I picked up a Friday night bar gig. It's a small bar about 10 miles from home. Last Friday was the first night they had been advertising me all week and wound up with about 100 people. Saturday we negotiated for me to do Fridays from now on and made arrangements for someone else to cover the bar when I'm booked elsewhere.

All things have a life span I'm kind of hoping I can get this one to last until April or May next year it would make the bottom line look good for the quiet months
 
Sounds like a fun one!!

We got a call for an 80s night each friday at a local high end restaurant/bar .... the owner remembered me from my club days... i thought about it long and hard and ultimately turned it down... i just hated the thought of being tied down each friday...

cc
 
Sounds like a fun one!!

We got a call for an 80s night each friday at a local high end restaurant/bar .... the owner remembered me from my club days... i thought about it long and hard and ultimately turned it down... i just hated the thought of being tied down each friday...

cc

I thought about it a bit too before I did it. I actually had a second call for another bar for Fridays in the same town which gave me some room to negotiate terms a bit so I went with it
 
..Saturday we negotiated for me to do Fridays from now on...
...that "from now on" line that club owners use. For bands, I always found that be about 3 weeks.
I've always found it to be very predictable...see the mandatory contract terms.

Work with out a net and everyone is subject to getting slammed.
 
The important issue, how much?

As for lasting, I always love that "from now on" line that club owners use. For bands, I always found that be about 3 weeks.

The last guy lasted about 3 years the guy doing Saturday and Thursday has been there for ages. I really don’t care how long it lasts. I’d like to get to April next year but if not it’s no big deal I’m no way dependent on the income

It’s $400/night which is over double and in come cases 4X what others get at bars in this area. To me it’s worth my while. The deal really hinges on it being no stress and being covered when I’m booked elsewhere. After a few weeks when I see how it’s going I think I’m going to put my JBL passive system in there and leave it and lock the amp rack so there will be no moving gear just walk in with a laptop


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've always found it to be very predictable...see the mandatory contract terms.

Work with out a net and everyone is subject to getting slammed.

Ten minutes ago I signed a week to week rollover contract with them. It’s a very amicable contract for both parties


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bobcat
Ten minutes ago I signed a week to week rollover contract with them. It’s a very amicable contract for both parties
Kudos, by securing a written agreement, you've accomplished more than 99% of the bar/club "giggers".

In the past, I've been offered week to week agreements, a few even agreeable to a written agreement, but the lack of any enforceable commitment to build a following was typically offered in conjunction with too low compensation and never were profitable enough to risk prime nights for private events.

I hope your contract works out better for you.
 
Kudos, by securing a written agreement, you've accomplished more than 99% of the bar/club "giggers".

In the past, I've been offered week to week agreements, a few even agreeable to a written agreement, but the lack of any enforceable commitment to build a following was typically offered in conjunction with too low compensation and never were profitable enough to risk prime nights for private events.

I hope your contract works out better for you.

I see where you’re coming from but again this isn’t a make or break deal for me if it lasts 6 months I’m good with that. If it lasts 3 weeks I’m ok too.

January to April is very quiet in these parts the odds of a Friday gig are slim and I also have the out attached to the agreement I just have to let them know I can’t be there any given Friday and it’s covered.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
That's fantastic. I'd jump on that in a heartbeat. Hope it rolls along for a while for you.
That's Canadian, so about $95 (actually about $300) ... :)
 
$400 is fair since you're needing to bring equipment. It's much more manageable if you can leave the sound gear there.

A weekly gig is fun to have, especially in otherwise lean times.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Romard
Was quite lucky in my club booking days to have a following... my key promoter and good friend was head of the greek council at a local college...and worked in sports medicine for 2 of their teams... he was loved and respected by both students and alumni....anywhere we decided to go became their basecamp 4 or 5 nights a week... We would insist on week to week contracts because we held all the cards.... and club owners knew to treat us right or else we could pull up stakes without a second thought... Then after about 3 years of that... he ended up buying two nightclubs and i never moved again... he let me shop for whatever i needed and i had gorgeous set ups in each venue....both venues had live music as well...so i simply switched back and forth when one venue had live music..i was at the other one...

cc
 
Good that you found something close to home.

I have a similar stance on weekly bar gigs. I'm not bothering with them unless I get a signed agreement, and at least $300 a night. I'm also not looking for them, so I probably won't have one any time soon.

I don't like performing into the wee hours of the morning these days. Mid Night, 12:30 a.m. max is basically my cut off.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Romard
Good that you found something close to home.

I have a similar stance on weekly bar gigs. I'm not bothering with them unless I get a signed agreement, and at least $300 a night. I'm also not looking for them, so I probably won't have one any time soon.

I don't like performing into the wee hours of the morning these days. Mid Night, 12:30 a.m. max is basically my cut off.

I wasn't looking either they came to me
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger
So this place is taking things seriously. I went in last Friday night and they had a booth built for me and today I went in and they were about to hook up a full EV Passive system they just bought. It was used and I don't have a lot of details yet but I'll be using it come 10PM tonight. I have my gear in the truck just in case but I think it will be just fine. I'll post pics and details later
 
I may have picked up another bar as a special guest DJ it's a new place a friend of mine opened up. We are very early in to talks but it looks like either 80's and 90's dance or classic rock (I work at a classic rock station they want that for name recognition). Quite likely a Wednesday or Thursday night probably once a month
 
So how many nights per week are you looking at? Still $400/night. I'd be all over that.

The weekly one I do now on Fridays is $400 I haven't talked price on the other occasional one yet just ideas but it will be in the neighbourhood of $400.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger