Behind the Mic: Should You Ever "Pay to Play?"

posted in: Features

It’s a common debate among up-and-coming artists: Should you ever “pay to play?”

The term carries a negative stigma in the music world, synonymous with sketchy promoters and misleading scams. Often times, the person who asks your band to play will require you to sell tickets in advance. Whatever money is not sold through tickets to the show is money that your band will owe back to the promoter/booking agent. The key here is to be absolutely sure in either your band’s ability to draw or your ability to promote to people who don’t know your music. The last thing you want to do is end up paying $300 out of your pocket and not bringing a soul to the show.

But could it possibly be beneficial for your band to shell out a few extra bucks in order to get onto a good show? This week, we’re going to take a look at some of the pros and cons of paying to play, as well as some of the warning signs of a scam.

The Good

Let’s say one of your favorite national acts has confirmed a tour date in a nearby city. The venue is on the lookout for a local act or two to open the show and help bring in a local audience. If your band has the chops to impress the club promoter/booking agent and the money to buy onto the show, it may be a worthwhile investment. If the headlining band has a big following, you could potentially end up playing a sold-out show with a band you love and earning brand new fans just from one performance.

The Bad

We all know that being in a band is expensive. From merch costs to travel costs and everything in between, money is always tight for up-and-coming acts. In addition to that, any money that is made from music or merch sales is usually put right back into the band. Because of this, blowing hundreds of dollars for the opportunity to play one show is not typically a good idea. You run the risk of putting you and your band in debt and for little or nothing in return, as well as angering the person who asked you to play if you don’t follow through on your end of the bargain.

Think about it”it’s the promoter’s job to advertise the show and get a crowd in the building. Why should you be paying to do their job?

Warning Signs

Though we’d like to believe that everyone in the music industry is there to help us, the sad truth is that there are people out there who will try to use you or trick you for money. You should be wary of any potential opportunity that appears to be a scam to avoid putting your band into a bad situation.

If your band receives an invitation to a Battle of the Bands or an audition show for a festival, always read the invitation carefully before responding. Does it sound like a stock letter that could be sent to anyone? Do they name your band or song titles specifically or explain why you were selected to receive the letter? What promises are they making to your band about judges, label representation or prizes? You should always research whatever company reached out to you by visiting their Web site and speaking with other local bands who may have been invited or participated in their events in the past.

When you’re dealing with band money, you should always be overly cautious. Never take a risk on drawing for a show if you don’t honestly think you can pull through. Don’t fall for the “I can make you famous” line or trust in a company who name drops to get your money. You’re in the music business for the same reason as everyone else: because you have a dream of making it big. While it’s important to keep that dream in sight, you should always be smart and responsible about your decisions, and willing to accept any potential consequences.

What do you think? Is it smart to pay to play? Let us know in the comments below!