If you’ve been playing out for a while, you’ve probably
noticed that gigs don’t generally pay too much, if at all. You may have even
paid to play when a worthy opportunity came around. You should never expect to
be paid if you’re just starting out and/or don’t have a following, but there
are ways to make decent money. The simplest and more generally applicable
advice is to seek out situations where you will be the main attraction and
hence, in a position to negotiate. Another common way is through merch sales,
but it’s not quite as easy as having t-shirts made. When you’re offered a
low-paying or no-paying gig, consider the venue and the type of crowd it will
bring. A dance club on the weekend might always be packed and the attendees
might have plenty of money but they aren’t likely to carry a CD and extra
t-shirt around while they’re trying to get laid. You may draw a great crowd at
your local dive bar but don’t count on your friends giving you a time when they
are already getting your company for free. There is money to be made for
playing shows if you know what kind of opportunities to look for and how to
take advantage of the ones you get.
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