How much do touring musicians get paid?
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 7:59 am
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Probably comes out of Tico’s cut.Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 8:47 am What about the percussion/background vocals guy in Bon Jovi?
Which band were you touring with for 3 months?Playboyliquor59 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:29 pm Every band is different. I was just out for 3 months with a band playing a mix of sheds/arenas/theaters. We got a flat $500 a night, just the two bands on the tour and the one I was working for is well known, direct support.
The headliner didn’t use monitors but were gracious enough to carry and pay for the rental for us that I negotiated or we couldn’t make a sound in those rooms. I was tm’ing/doing Merch (when it wasn’t venue sell) and driving. We had a 15 passenger van, headliner had a band and crew bus + a 18 wheeler for production so I negotiated carrying our Merch and gear. Paid the headliners sound guy $150 a night which I’ve done many times before so we didn’t have to bring someone else, free money for him. Between meet & greets and Merch and everything else, made a ton of money, they are pretty bored. If I was with someone who wanted a bus or a bandwagon with a driver + the hotels and per diems for them etc it would have been detrimental.
Had a bunch of off days when the headliner was flying to do radio shows and stuff so we had the agent book club shows around every off day. I don’t think we had a single day off without a show because that’s when the problems happen. Did a week in Florida, some were door deals, some had decent guarantees but sold fuck ton of Merch and met fans/made some history in smaller towns with folks. Other 4 musicians in the band got $100 a show and a per diem + a buy out because we don’t need a crazy rider and we had full catering from the headliner. We just asked for beer/towels/ the basics. The techs helped us out if we had guitar/amp issues and wouldn’t accept money. At the end of the tour everyone got a nice check when things were calculated and now we can do a headliner and be in a bus again with new fans
The number of the poor
pieceofme wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 3:32 pmWhich band were you touring with for 3 months?Playboyliquor59 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:29 pm Every band is different. I was just out for 3 months with a band playing a mix of sheds/arenas/theaters. We got a flat $500 a night, just the two bands on the tour and the one I was working for is well known, direct support.
The headliner didn’t use monitors but were gracious enough to carry and pay for the rental for us that I negotiated or we couldn’t make a sound in those rooms. I was tm’ing/doing Merch (when it wasn’t venue sell) and driving. We had a 15 passenger van, headliner had a band and crew bus + a 18 wheeler for production so I negotiated carrying our Merch and gear. Paid the headliners sound guy $150 a night which I’ve done many times before so we didn’t have to bring someone else, free money for him. Between meet & greets and Merch and everything else, made a ton of money, they are pretty bored. If I was with someone who wanted a bus or a bandwagon with a driver + the hotels and per diems for them etc it would have been detrimental.
Had a bunch of off days when the headliner was flying to do radio shows and stuff so we had the agent book club shows around every off day. I don’t think we had a single day off without a show because that’s when the problems happen. Did a week in Florida, some were door deals, some had decent guarantees but sold fuck ton of Merch and met fans/made some history in smaller towns with folks. Other 4 musicians in the band got $100 a show and a per diem + a buy out because we don’t need a crazy rider and we had full catering from the headliner. We just asked for beer/towels/ the basics. The techs helped us out if we had guitar/amp issues and wouldn’t accept money. At the end of the tour everyone got a nice check when things were calculated and now we can do a headliner and be in a bus again with new fans
I think Jon has the band on salary and they come play when needed. The newest guy Everett may not be. Tico and Dave probably still get a cut of the merch money.sirthx2 wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 5:35 am I wonder what JBJ pays Phil X and is it (a lot) more than the bass player dude? Alec Jon Such is far easier to replace than Richie and actually adds a new element and spark, which makes me curious. I know they're actual 'bands members' now and not 'touring musicians', but still. They're not really band members are they?
That's BS. Tico and Dave have to be partners. Hugh probably is too.Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 6:36 amI think Jon has the band on salary and they come play when needed. The newest guy Everett may not be. Tico and Dave probably still get a cut of the merch money.sirthx2 wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 5:35 am I wonder what JBJ pays Phil X and is it (a lot) more than the bass player dude? Alec Jon Such is far easier to replace than Richie and actually adds a new element and spark, which makes me curious. I know they're actual 'bands members' now and not 'touring musicians', but still. They're not really band members are they?
100% Phil is on salary. But what is it? 1/4 mil? half mil?Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 6:36 amI think Jon has the band on salary and they come play when needed.sirthx2 wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 5:35 am I wonder what JBJ pays Phil X and is it (a lot) more than the bass player dude? Alec Jon Such is far easier to replace than Richie and actually adds a new element and spark, which makes me curious. I know they're actual 'bands members' now and not 'touring musicians', but still. They're not really band members are they?
Their old contract in the 80s said Tico and Dave have .5 percent or 1 percent each. Who knows what it is now? I'm sure they get a high salary on top of whatever their percentage is.Bono Nettencourt wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 7:41 amThat's BS. Tico and Dave have to be partners. Hugh probably is too.Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 6:36 amI think Jon has the band on salary and they come play when needed. The newest guy Everett may not be. Tico and Dave probably still get a cut of the merch money.sirthx2 wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 5:35 am I wonder what JBJ pays Phil X and is it (a lot) more than the bass player dude? Alec Jon Such is far easier to replace than Richie and actually adds a new element and spark, which makes me curious. I know they're actual 'bands members' now and not 'touring musicians', but still. They're not really band members are they?
Stand up move by Jon.Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 8:37 amTheir old contract in the 80s said Tico and Dave have .5 percent or 1 percent each. Who knows what it is now? I'm sure they get a high salary on top of whatever their percentage is.Bono Nettencourt wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 7:41 amThat's BS. Tico and Dave have to be partners. Hugh probably is too.Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 6:36 am
I think Jon has the band on salary and they come play when needed. The newest guy Everett may not be. Tico and Dave probably still get a cut of the merch money.
All indications I’ve seen are that the other Bon Jovi members have been salaried from day one (plus small percentages of the business, later) & that Jon was/is the only one who’s even on the record contract.Bono Nettencourt wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 7:41 amThat's BS. Tico and Dave have to be partners. Hugh probably is too.Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 6:36 amI think Jon has the band on salary and they come play when needed. The newest guy Everett may not be. Tico and Dave probably still get a cut of the merch money.sirthx2 wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 5:35 am I wonder what JBJ pays Phil X and is it (a lot) more than the bass player dude? Alec Jon Such is far easier to replace than Richie and actually adds a new element and spark, which makes me curious. I know they're actual 'bands members' now and not 'touring musicians', but still. They're not really band members are they?
Tico & Richie got 1.0. David & Alec got a 0.5Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 8:37 amTheir old contract in the 80s said Tico and Dave have .5 percent or 1 percent each. Who knows what it is now? I'm sure they get a high salary on top of whatever their percentage is.Bono Nettencourt wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 7:41 amThat's BS. Tico and Dave have to be partners. Hugh probably is too.Rocker4Real wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 6:36 am
I think Jon has the band on salary and they come play when needed. The newest guy Everett may not be. Tico and Dave probably still get a cut of the merch money.
/thread
pieceofme wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 3:32 pmWhich band were you touring with for 3 months?Playboyliquor59 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 12:29 pm Every band is different. I was just out for 3 months with a band playing a mix of sheds/arenas/theaters. We got a flat $500 a night, just the two bands on the tour and the one I was working for is well known, direct support.
The headliner didn’t use monitors but were gracious enough to carry and pay for the rental for us that I negotiated or we couldn’t make a sound in those rooms. I was tm’ing/doing Merch (when it wasn’t venue sell) and driving. We had a 15 passenger van, headliner had a band and crew bus + a 18 wheeler for production so I negotiated carrying our Merch and gear. Paid the headliners sound guy $150 a night which I’ve done many times before so we didn’t have to bring someone else, free money for him. Between meet & greets and Merch and everything else, made a ton of money, they are pretty bored. If I was with someone who wanted a bus or a bandwagon with a driver + the hotels and per diems for them etc it would have been detrimental.
Had a bunch of off days when the headliner was flying to do radio shows and stuff so we had the agent book club shows around every off day. I don’t think we had a single day off without a show because that’s when the problems happen. Did a week in Florida, some were door deals, some had decent guarantees but sold fuck ton of Merch and met fans/made some history in smaller towns with folks. Other 4 musicians in the band got $100 a show and a per diem + a buy out because we don’t need a crazy rider and we had full catering from the headliner. We just asked for beer/towels/ the basics. The techs helped us out if we had guitar/amp issues and wouldn’t accept money. At the end of the tour everyone got a nice check when things were calculated and now we can do a headliner and be in a bus again with new fans
Was thinking the same thing, then thought about how many touring musicians these country bands have. That's a whole lot of people to transport around and accommodate. But to your point, doing a 90 show run is only 45K on the HIGH end of $500 a show, and that does seem low to be out with some of the acts that he mentioned who you'd think were getting a pretty decent guarantee. But what do I know. I buy vinyl from the Tuff dude.SterileEyes1 wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 4:02 pm This honestly sounds frighteningly low to play music for a living at that level. Even “doing what you love”.
cowpins wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2024 3:03 amWas thinking the same thing, then thought about how many touring musicians these country bands have. That's a whole lot of people to transport around and accommodate. But to your point, doing a 90 show run is only 45K on the HIGH end of $500 a show, and that does seem low to be out with some of the acts that he mentioned who you'd think were getting a pretty decent guarantee. But what do I know. I buy vinyl from the Tuff dude.SterileEyes1 wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 4:02 pm This honestly sounds frighteningly low to play music for a living at that level. Even “doing what you love”.
We didn’t have the same agent as the headliner so our agent booked us shows on the off days,if he could. If he couldn’t find something worth the commission, we reached out to other promoters and I made sure we always had something booked via social media or friends. The one off’s can really kill it in Merch even if the guarantee is low or a door deal. It beats sitting in van or getting a hotel and wasting money so we always try to play every off day regardless what it is and sometimes we make more money doing those vs the normal schedule. Some bands want to sit in hotel and chill but every band I TM on this level, we make the most out of every day because money is tight but also lucrative if you do things right.ParaDime77 wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2024 4:31 pm “Had a bunch of off days when the headliner was flying to do radio shows and stuff so we had the agent book club shows around every off day. I don’t think we had a single day off without a show because that’s when the problems happen.”
What sort of things happen on an off day during a tightly scheduled run?