From time to time artists ask me to help them to fulfil gaps on their tour schedule. They come to me often 2 but sometimes even 1 month before the tour. Mostly we know each other personaly so I want to help them as you help to friends. First of all I ask: “Are you aware you have no chance to get properly paid gig if you ask 1 month in advance (because venues are mostly fully booked and there is no time to make any bigger promotion for the gig) ? Do you really want just to fulfil the gap?” “Yes, of course, that’s clear, we are aware we can’t ask for standart money, we accept these conditions”. For those who are not in this business – to fulfil a gap means the artist maybe will earn no money on this day but also doesn’t lost his money to pay for a hotel and food.
After this I call/write to several venues, most of them are full but one of them is able to make the gig, they can provide the artists with food, hotel and even a small fee. Amazing! I call back to the artist – “I have a show for you, can you confirm these conditions?” “No, it’s too small money for us.”… So I spent my time to work for free just to help them, the promoter lose his time to communicate with me, with a hotel, with technicians etc. And the result is ZERO – just because the artist was not true when speaking about his expectations and doesn’t respect time and employment of other people.
So please dear artists: DO NOT ASK ME ANYMORE TO HELP YOU WITH GIGS 1-2 MONTHS IN ADVANCE. NEVER MORE!!! If you want to work with us to make a tour come 9 or at lest 6 months before the tour. Maybe we will have a time to help you but definitely not later.
Sincerely,
Dušan Svíba