OT: Artist's cut of the gate

[Jazzbassman23]

Okay, feel free to tell me it's none of my business, but it's really just curiosity.

One of my fav musicians is touring solo and playing w/backing tapes. In my area he's playing venues which hold around 800, and tix are $20. So of that $16,000, what do you think the artist ends up with?

 

[Big Poppa]

did he sell out? was 800 total seats avialable or the venues capacity? a lot goes into it........

 

[Jazzbassman23]

BP,

800 is the capacity, and he typically sells out his shows.

 

[bovinehost]

About a hunnert dollars, I'd say.

 

[RobertB]

$2400 ... 15%

 

[Psycho Ward]

Free beer and a fresh 20 dollar bill... of course the venue would lose money on me.

 

[Colin]

of course the venue would lose money on me.

Chuck, I'd pay to go and see you! especially if the cat and your piano where part of the act....

 

[phatduckk]

FWIW a lot of my touring buddies say they make most of their $ on merch.

However they usually play ~400 person venues.

 

[silverburst]

There is alot of mark-up on those $30 t-shirts. I can't believe what they charge for that stuff now. The guys in the parking lot still sell them for $5, though.

 

[Jazzbassman23]

$2400 ... 15%

Really? I thought it would be more. Like maybe $5000.

 

[RobertB]

I dunno, it was just a guess. Maybe more. Hopefully more.

 

[silverburst]

I saw Kris Kristopherson a few weeks ago at a sold out 1700 seat theatre, where the cheapest seats were $50. That comes out to at least a $85000 gross. It was a solo acoustic show, but he still had sound and lighting guys to pay, and probably a guitar (and harmonica?) tech.

He probably did ok financially on the show...

BTW, not a great show. He wrote a bunch of really famous songs, but he seems to have trouble remembering the words to them. And his guitar playing was painful to listen to.

At least I got to see him before he dies...

 

[RobertB]

I saw Warren Zevon about a year before he died, in a similar venue - capacity 2000, also solo acoustic, interestingly. He was using all kinds of effects and a loop station, though ... very cool. I'd think his take on the show was probably pretty good.

My favorite part was when someone requested "Werewolves of London", and he said: "It's every musician's worst nightmare to become a golden oldies act ... it'd be like going to an Alanis Morrisette show 20 years from now, and having someone in the audience say, 'hey Alanis, do the one where the guy gets a blowjob in the theater.'"

 

[Psychicpet]

it really depends on what the venue charges (including staff at the venue, etc.) and what cut the promoter is taking.

He's easily getting a lot more than 15% of the ticket sales. I would hazard to say that he should see at least 60% of the ticket. (of that 60% he still has to cover his travel and accommodations I would assume but the 40% should have venue/promoter fees in that)

Also, with merch, most bigger venues will charge around 35% of what you make there... nice huh?

 

[Aussie Mark]

it really depends on what the venue charges (including staff at the venue, etc.)

+1

ticketing staff
door staff
cleaning staff
security staff
advertising costs
venue overheads - power, rent/loan repayments, council rates, insurance, repairs and maintenance, equipment depreciation

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