Hi Bill
Undoubtedly #3

This happened to me a number of years ago.
I got a gig as a result of just walking into a Pub, playing a few notes on a lonely piano, and being asked by the landlord to start a few nights for him.
I decided that a few extra quid would come in handy (I was just married) so I agreed.
After a couple of months, I realised that most of the time I was playing to a very small audience and I was incredibly bored with it.
I decided to stop the gig myself and the landlord agreed. Nobody was hurt, the Pub closed down some months later.There never was enough clietele to keep it alive.
cheers
Eddie Johnson

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Eddie from Rotherham
Skype:eddiefromrotherham
www.yamahakeyboards.info

I think we've all been through something similar. I know I have. Sometimes it just doesn't work for everybody's mutual benefit, and it's better to remain friends and keep the door open for the future.
Having had experience as both the entertainer and the club owner, I am generally the first on to know if a situation is working out for the best.
DonM

Offer #3, but suggest #2..... Hell, if you are making 30 to 50 bucks a night in tips, and really want to see if you can build the gig some more, offer to drop your price to him 30 or 50 bucks a night until March - you'll still make what he initially offered.....

Short term concessions during the worst business time can often save a gig until things turn around. Just get a solid commitment to what level of business increase he expects to see (to check for reality!) before things get back to their current level, or even beyond! OTOH, if you can easily get a one hour gig for the same money as regular as this gig, why did you take it in the first place?

And to the posting of the email....... perhaps if you had just paraphrased the email and not included the owner's name you might have avoided criticism... the answers would still be the same, and potential employers, should they find out about this breach of confidentiality, would be more likely to hire you.....

I agree with Diki's reply all the way. and DonM, i've been on both ends too, so we both know that for the type of thing that Bill does, advertising is often money thrown out the window, unless you are already steadily advertising your place and can include the music at no or little extra cost in your regular ads. Table tent advertising and on-premises window posters and postcards are much more cost-effective ways to promote a guy like Bill. but nothing is more effective than word of mouth, and if the tips are that good there should be some of that happening. It's always very hard these days to make owners understand that things build on holding steady, so you become part of the furniture on certain nights that people know you will be there and don't have to jog their memory or check a calendar. In those situations, usually the more nights the better, even if they are not all winners, the whole is greater than the sum of parts. but owners today have gotten away from thart once-successful entertainment formula. My theory is that for one, they fear not offering more variety is boring, They don't realize a small venue can't offer variety without a huge ad /promo budget, and that variety changes the familiar character of their place.
they don't seem to understand how many patrons find it
familiar and comforting and sociable to come and hear one good performer at a favorite place on a regular basis.

So Bill, for whatever reason you prefer to stay rather than
take the 1-hr spot, i would suggest you offer a trial period
thru March as Diki suggests, staying on the same night, eliminating external ad expenses, and temporarily cutting your price to $75 with the understanding you will get $100 when there is an increase in business. If you have an adjacent night free, i would suggest to the owner to add that on for an extra $50 + tips/eats, on the sound theory that the more you are exposed there, the better your chances of building a regular crowd. The owner sounds like a reasonble person trying to do the right thing by you.


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Miami Mo

Bill I have to agree totally with this reply...I personally would never discuss business openly anywhere...its been my rule for 35+ years. I'd hate to see you learn the hard way. As a professional I'm sure you know what to do.

Happy Holiday.

Bill, my experience tells me that owners are a different breed than musicians. Your owner is at least willing to follow through on a gentleman's agreement. Your feeling that pulling out would not burn bridges holds true more for you than him. Will he invite you back in the future? He's not willing to spend $100 a week for entertainment; what's that tell you? Your option #3 is probably best in the long run.

First of all, thanks to everybody for their responses...

I spoke with the client this afternoon and basically offered option #3 but also shared with him the #2 option as well. He indicated to me that he loves what I do, but he just isn't getting the financial return he wanted to continue this. He has no idea what to make of the lower sales figures on some nights that I'm playing. He says he's spent roughly 3 grand promoting the restaurant and my music. He's open to trying the idea again down the road, maybe over the summer months when I'd perform outside on his patio.

To the comments on my posting the email in the first place.

I told the client directly that I had shared his email with a group of fellow musicians scattered across the country in the hopes of finding a solution that would benefit both parties. He apparently had no issues with it and like I said, hopes to have me back again.

I hear what you're saying...and I think its a judgement call. My reputation is sterling and I think, at least in my market, speaks for itself. The sheer volume of shows and repeat business I have every year tells me that more often than not, people enjoy doing business with me when possible.

If I had taken his email and run across the street to his competition, then yes, that wouldn't be cool. In my mind, sharing that email with a group of knowledgable and experienced people who may have been in the same situation I am in the past, might have produced some ideas that could've kept it going. No harm done...

Donny and perhaps others around SZ are known for being tight lipped about financial matters regarding their business. That's their right and I have no quarrel with it whatsoever. I, on the other hand, do not have a problem sharing info with people. I HATED the guessing games and shots in the dark I took when I started out. Some of the more established guys back then would give me zero feedback on pricing, for example. I didn't want to know their tax return info, just give me a ballpark what an average charge would be. I've spoke with several new acts, at the request of a few cients, and been forthright with them. My business hasn't suffered a bit. I am pleased that most of them are doing pretty well and we are friendly with each other. I often get calls to cover them when they can't take a gig, for example.

2 different approaches, both effective, I think.

Glad you got away with it, Bill, and the guy was OK with it. But not all are as open as he, and I think in the future, it would be best to be a bit more circumspect, just in case!

BTW, how's the food at this restaurant? If he is not already packed all the time, entertainment is not his only problem!

I have often thought that, if a restauranteur thinks that music is going to make an unsuccessful venue into a hot spot, they are not paying us NEARLY enough! His executive chef probably makes 10 times your salary, but here is the owner asking YOU to make the sacrifice! A top restaurant can make millions, but you NEVER hear of the pianist making more than the chef!

This is why it always pays to ask an employer what he expects you to do, money-wise, to the bottom line of his place. That way, if and when you exceed it, you can ask for more money, or run like hell when he expects you to turn a pig's ear into a silk purse for him for peanuts (enough mixed metaphors there?!)......

Bill,

Good post, good call, and you obviously made the right decission.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

I agree! REALLY helpful and an important issue.

How do ya make sure the price is not to high and not too low?

A few other thoughts:

As in marketing the rules of 7 and 9 applies and it would take a good 6 months to get a 'following' going.

Have you:
Gotten local press?
(consider making it a theme event for example a new thing for me is doing 'Motown Mondays' at a local bar)
Done flyers? (that is what have you done to promote the gig?)

and yes the reason we do gigs like this is not just the steady income but the 'referrals' are great. But I think we should all have the _minimum_ be a $100 a night. Sorry but I don't think club owners value what we do very much. But changing night also did not help and the dinner crowd and the drinkin crowd are as you well know 2 diff. animals.

Anyways just my .02
and thanks for sharing this... if we can't share stuff like this and just keep it here...

Happy holidays

Tom