Giggers… What’s the going rate?

[Taylor007]

I’m wonder what the going rates are for solo acoustic performers?
I used to do three sets at restaurants/bar/lounges for between $150-200. This included me bringing the sound system. On a great night, I could play at a college bar & get the cover fee of a couple bucks that would land between $350-450. Im wondering if it’s higher these days in a major city / just outside the city?

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by Taylor007

I’m wonder what the going rates are for solo acoustic performers?
I used to do three sets at restaurants/bar/lounges for between $150-200. This included me bringing the sound system. On a great night, I could play at a college bar & get the cover fee of a couple bucks that would land between $350-450. Im wondering if it’s higher these days in a major city / just outside the city?

Which city? Which bar? What kind of gig? You're probably going to get rates all over the map. For two hours of mostly originals, I've gotten $150 flat, and then a percentage of bar sales which worked out to about $60... within a couple of weeks. If you're a get-'em-dancing cover band, you work different venues and probably make more. Bigger city might mean higher rate, but might not as there is more competition. So YMMV.

[Ryan51]

A lot depends on location. Where I am in a Hilton Head area retirement community solo performers are getting a flat $350 per association approved gig and you can play any free or privately negotiated gig without being approved. To be an approved act you are required to have liability insurance which runs about $200 a year. Once approved they will likely guarantee you around five gigs a year. Talent seems to be a less important factor than being approved. Summer tourist season is very busy here with many weeknight club gigs and other events in the area which pay less but don't require being insured.

[zhelton]

Around 50 to 60/hr here where I am plus tips. 3 hr gig friday night payed 300.00 including tips. This is north Louisiana and South Arkansas

[L20A]

For smaller shows, my 6 piece band asks for $300.00 for a 1 hour show.
Medium size shows, using our PA equipment, we ask $ 600.00.
We ask more for larger events, up to $1500.00.
It all depends on what money is available for music shows at the venues.
In reality our prices are all over the place.
We do try to always get at least $50.00 per band member.


I also do solo assisted living shows and I ask $60.00 for a 1 hour show at these places.

I live in Northern Utah, for reference.

[mr. beaumont]

Exactly what it was 20 years ago.

And that's not good.

[Rickenbacker1]

They don’t pay much around here a solo artist will have to fight to get 300.00
for three hours and they will tell you that you must bring 40 people . Or you play a 2 hour gig at a winery for 120.00 and drinks.

[6L6]

I haven't solo gigged since covid started. Prior to that, however, I charged $100/hr with a 2 hr minimum payment.

If travel over 20 miles was required, I added for mileage.

[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Exactly what it was 20 years ago.

And that's not good.

More like 45 years ago in my experience.

In my corner of flyover country (south eastern Washington state) our farmers market pay $200 for a 2 hour gig. Doesn't matter if you're solo, duo, full band, etc. That's what my teenage garage band would get for playing dances back in the late 70's.

If I play a corporate event 2 - 4 hours I get about $250. Restaurants pay about $150 plus drinks and a meal.

[Methos1979]

Up here (Seacoast NH) it varies greatly depending on size of the band, talent, following and the venue itself. Most pubs/bars generally pay $100-$150 for solo or duo acts for 3 hours plus tips and maybe a meal and a drink or two. Some of your more established solo acts actually do pretty well in tips. Back when we played, we barely made anything in tips which I guess is more commentary on our abilities than anything. We very quickly got tired of playing to half/fully empty places for chump change.

There's a ton of people now out there competing for not that many places to play and a lot of them are pretty bad, open mic warriors that are trying to make the jump to gigs. They play for next to nothing and the venue owners love it. They gladly will hire people that are not that good so they can get away without paying all that much. It's just the way it is up here especially post-COVID. The resulting inflation spike has made their already super-narrow profit margins that much worse so they'll 'hire' anyone for next to nothing.

We made the jump to playing only assisted living type places. One hour shows that pay more than double, sometimes triple what pubs/bars/restaurants pay for 3 hours. No thanks.

[Charlie Bernstein]

At farmers markets I get carrots.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

Up here (Seacoast NH) it varies greatly depending on size of the band, talent, following and the venue itself. Most pubs/bars generally pay $100-$150 for solo or duo acts for 3 hours plus tips and maybe a meal and a drink or two. Some of your more established solo acts actually do pretty well in tips. Back when we played, we barely made anything in tips which I guess is more commentary on our abilities than anything. We very quickly got tired of playing to half/fully empty places for chump change. . . . .

Mostly the same in Maine. People tip better here. Usually.

[leew3]

too many variables to give you an answer that would be helpful in your situation. When Rokdog and I began gigging regularly we talked to the other musicians in our area to get a general idea what to charge.

As an aside, we're both retired and have income from SS and investments so we don't count on playing music to make money. To be honest, we charge the 'going rate' so we don't mess up the rates for gigs for our fellow local musicians who do depend on their money made gigging.

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by leew3

To be honest, we charge the 'going rate' so we don't mess up the rates for gigs for our fellow local musicians who do depend on their money made gigging.

Thank you for being respectful of the larger ecosystem! I was taught the same thing many years ago.

It's easier to ignore that and just do what you want, but so much more satisfying if you can get what you want WITHOUT messing it up for others.

[Juiced06GTO]

I am in Central Mass and the going rate seems to be anywhere from 150 to 250 for a three hour gig at a bar/pub type place or brewery.

I asked about this a year ago when I landed my first gig and it was unpaid at a brewery playing just for tips. I ended up bringing a substantial amount of people to that gig, they paid me $200 and asked me to come back a few months later. That gig they offered $200 and again I brought a crowd so they threw in another $50.

If I am negotiating the rate with a new place I ask for around $200 for a standard 3 hour set, I'll take $150 if I really want to get into that particular venue to play, but in all honesty this is just a hobby for me and I'm not relying on the cash and trying to line up a ton of gigs. Most of the places cover a meal and drinks for the night too. My best take for a night was $460, 200 from the venue and the rest in tips, I was playing the bars xmas party/cust/employee appreciation night so it was packed, and I ended up playing for almost 4 hours because people just kept tossing money in the jar for more music haha!