Anyone here in Cover Bands..got some tips?

DrFroggies

Hi Folks

Planning on starting a cover band for a nixer (either an acoustic 2-3 piece or a blues/rock 4 piece) playing in and around Dublin City Centre and just wondering if anyone with recent experience could give me some info on a few of the following things:

• Generally how long are sets expected to be?
• What would be the average pay for bands similar to the above (which I know would be more niche than chart/classic hits cover bands) be... how much should I expect/ask for?
• What are the band expected to supply and what would venues supply in terms of backline (p.a./desks/monitors etc)

I know a lot of this depends on venues – I’d be thinking of places which regularly have bands playing like Porter House/Bleu Note/Mezzanine/Pal Joeys/Voodoo (not too sure if Pal Joes and Voodoo regularly have bands but just to give a kind of general idea what I’m aiming for) or any others I can I find.

I’d really prefer it to be gigs paid by venues than door takings as I do enough of that with the original bands I work with and as I was saying I’m really just after a few bob extra. I intend to do a bit of checking around with venues and I’m hoping to average 2-3 gigs per week so I just want to have a bit of information to hand so I have some idea what I’m talking about.

Any and all advice would be hugely appreciated folks!
Thanks

Azphyxi8

DrFroggies wrote: »

Hi Folks

Planning on starting a cover band for a nixer (either an acoustic 2-3 piece or a blues/rock 4 piece) playing in and around Dublin City Centre and just wondering if anyone with recent experience could give me some info on a few of the following things:

• Generally how long are sets expected to be?
• What would be the average pay for bands similar to the above (which I know would be more niche than chart/classic hits cover bands) be... how much should I expect/ask for?
• What are the band expected to supply and what would venues supply in terms of backline (p.a./desks/monitors etc)

I know a lot of this depends on venues – I’d be thinking of places which regularly have bands playing like Porter House/Bleu Note/Mezzanine/Pal Joeys/Voodoo (not too sure if Pal Joes and Voodoo regularly have bands but just to give a kind of general idea what I’m aiming for) or any others I can I find.

I’d really prefer it to be gigs paid by venues than door takings as I do enough of that with the original bands I work with and as I was saying I’m really just after a few bob extra. I intend to do a bit of checking around with venues and I’m hoping to average 2-3 gigs per week so I just want to have a bit of information to hand so I have some idea what I’m talking about.

Any and all advice would be hugely appreciated folks!
Thanks

Sets should be 2 hours. Usually from 10:30 to 12:30 but just make sure you clear this up with the venue first.

Payment really depends on how good you are. As a start you could expect €100 for person. But if you're good and get a reputation you can easily get up to €1500 (in total) for a gig.

You need to supply all equipment. Some bigger venues may have a house PA but I would't rely on this.

Starting out it will be difficult to get gigs but once you have a few under your belt you should be able to get into bigger venues. Bear in mind that some of these bigger venues will only take cover bands with a minimum of 5 members.

Barnocious

You'd be doin well 2 get €1500 for a gig......i'm in a cover band and we cover all of leinster, some pubs can be so stingy but €600 is a good average price.......150pp aint bad for the night.

As regards the set, very few places expect you to do the full 2 hours, 10.30 - 12.30 are the given times but if we start @ 10.30 on the dot then we will defo take a break, if the venue won't allow this then its 10.45 start.

Its good 2 have the 2 hours worth aswel tho....and remember as well........the first 10 songs are just as important as the last 10!!!

Best of luck!

Azphyxi8

Barnocious wrote: »

Its good 2 have the 2 hours worth aswel tho....and remember as well........the first 10 songs are just as important as the last 10!!!

Agreed, the bar has hired a band to keep the crowd in so your whole set needs to be good.

DrFroggies

Thanks for that folks, at least now i'll have some idea what to expect when i approach venues.

Anyone know where i can pick up a decent quality but cheap P.A.? Wanna get this whole thing up and running ASAP.

Also is there a much of a market for either acoustic/harmony based cover bands or blues/rock based cover bands...these are the two genres i'm thinking of working. I'm doing this mainly for the cash but i'd like to at least enjoy the music i'm playing so i wanna avoid chart numbers/classic hits stuff...(def don't wanna end up playing Country Roads/ Millenium/What's New Pussycat type sets)...i've nothing against it but i just don't want to perform those kind of covers.

Cheers ;-)

thumpybum

nyone know where i can pick up a decent quality but cheap P.A.? Wanna get this whole thing up and running ASAP.

adverts.ie gumtree.ie buyandsell.ie stuff on there everyday. see the music/production forum on here for everything you may need in a pa.

Also is there a much of a market for either acoustic/harmony based cover bands or blues/rock based cover bands...these are the two genres i'm thinking of working. I'm doing this mainly for the cash but i'd like to at least enjoy the music i'm playing so i wanna avoid chart numbers/classic hits stuff...(def don't wanna end up playing Country Roads/ Millenium/What's New Pussycat type sets)...i've nothing against it but i just don't want to perform those kind of covers.

If you want to be a cover musician you need to have a bag of songs and the bag needs to be full, do your thing with your set (anything goes) but be prepared to throw in anything. The more versatile you are, the more the pubs will like you. Pubs that get bands in have customers who enjoy their music and are music savvy and like hearing classics. Know your audience, while you couldnt give a ****e about Jimmy at the bar, he's heard it all before and will be in the barmans ear about how good you are.

Gig for very little at the start, get in contact with agents theres loads out there who are doing booking for pubs. Ask pubs who do bands where do they get their bands, very few book their own.

As above, 100-150 per man. Weddings/corporate are different, thats where the cash is (250-300+ per man). But you gotta be good, consistent and leave your musical taste at the door.

irishthump

Azphyxi8 wrote: »

Payment really depends on how good you are. As a start you could expect €100 for person. But if you're good and get a reputation you can easily get up to €1500 (in total) for a gig.

To be honest, you will have to move up to playing weddings/functions or corporate work to pull in that sort of money. (1500 yoyo's) And getting into that circle is very difficult, you have to have the experience AND the contacts to land the plum gigs.
As someone already said, around 600 is pretty much the limit for normal pub work.