As if they can’t screw musicians over enough, it’s now pay-to-play…

By Greg Geller, Editor-In-Chief

A booking offer landed in my inbox last month. It reads like a favor. After I did the arithmetic, it’s actually an invoice…

The offer arrives as a warm email. A booker would be thrilled to have your band at a well known downstairs room on the Lower East Side in New York City. Then come the terms, and the terms are an invoice. This has a name in the business. It is called pay to play, and it almost never announces itself that way.

Here is the arrangement, (see below for the actual word-for-word email) before you play a note, you must hand the door person $150 in cash. The venue keeps it, whether four people come or forty. You are informed that you keep everything over that threshold once it’s met. The cover is $10. So you need 15 paying people through the door just to earn back the money you already paid to the venue, and the same email asks you to promise, in writing, that you will bring at least 20 fans. You are financing the night and carrying the risk, and the house is paid before the first beer is poured. Speaking of which, you earn no money from beverage sales.

Now there are six slots per evening at 6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, 9:00pm, 10:00pm and 11:00pm. Fill them and that is $900 to the venue before the bar sells a thing. The musicians have already covered the room, nd then some.

Here is the part that turns a bad deal into an impossible one. Each act gets a 45 minute set with 15 minutes to change over between bands. The room is strictly 21 and up, so every guest is carded, and the cash runs through one door person. Fifteen minutes is 900 seconds. A clean transaction, greeting the guest and marking the tally sheet, checking an ID, taking a ten and making change, runs about 35 seconds a head when nothing goes wrong, and something always goes wrong. That is 26 people in the window, and only if the line never stalls. One group paying together, or one large bill to break, drops it to 20. To move the 20 fans the contract demands, that single door has to hit 45 seconds a head, with no gaps, with everyone already lined up the instant the last band stops.

Here is the part that turns a bad deal into an impossible one…

In fairness, the clock is not a hard wall. Someone who pays twenty minutes into your set still counts, so across a full 45 minutes a determined crowd can get inside. But people do not arrive in a neat trickle. They come in a rush right before the act they know, and that rush slams into the next act’s rush at the same cash box. The line spills onto the sidewalk. Your own fans are still outside when you start, the room looks half empty during the exact 45 minutes you are being judged on, and the tally that decides whether you are ever asked back is just a count of whoever one person could physically process in time. The cap on your crowd is the venue’s schedule, not your music.

The changeover fails the bands on stage, too. In those 15 minutes you are meant to strike the previous act’s gear and set up your own. A proper sound check happens only if you request an early slot, something like 4:30 in the afternoon, at least a week and a half ahead. Most bands playing at nine or ten at night will not be at the club at 4:30. So you walk on cold and spend your first three songs fixing your own monitor mix in front of a paying room.

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The offer is honest about one thing, and it is the most revealing line in the document. The night is a relay of short sets, each band importing its own people, each crowd leaving before the next one arrives. You are not playing to the venue’s audience. There is no venue audience. You are playing to the people you personally talked into coming, and you paid $150 for the chance.

There is a leash as well. Sign, and you agree not to play any other local show for two weeks on either side of the date. The one operation collecting your cash also decides where else you may work for most of a month.

It is worth asking who that operation is. The promoter books these nights under a brand name and nothing else (the domain redirects to a Facebook account). No owner, no booker, no registered company turns up on its website or its social pages. The booking contact is an address on a bare web domain sitting next to a free Hotmail account. None of that is illegal, and many honest promoters keep a low profile, so it settles nothing on its own. But you are being asked to guarantee a crowd, front cash, and sign away your options for a party that will not put a name to the paperwork.

The musician is the customer, not the audience…

Venues defend all of this. A draw requirement, they say, forces lazy bands to promote, and booking unknowns is a gamble that someone has to cover. That is a real argument. But a partner who takes no risk is not a partner. A room that believed in the night would pay its sound engineer, promote the show, and split the door after its own costs. Those rooms exist. The tell is which direction the money moves before anyone plays. When it moves from you to them, you are the customer, not the act.

The TRS MIDI Debacle

So run the numbers before you sign anything. Add the fee to the gas, the parking, the strings you will break, the hours spent talking friends into a weeknight out. Ask who promotes. Ask who gets paid no matter how many people walk in. If the only guaranteed earner is the person standing at the door, you already have your answer. Keep the $150 and go play somewhere that wants your music more than it wants your deposit.

Keep the $150 and go play somewhere that wants your music more than it wants your money…

This is the actual email received from FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC verbatim:

Hi there,

Thank you so much for writing and we’d love to have you at The Delancey! With that said, here’s everything you need to know to book your show, just let me know, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

How to Book Your Show

To confirm, please complete the form below. Once submitted, we’ll get back to you shortly. Please note that your booking isn’t official until you receive a confirmation letter from us.

Artist/Band Name:
Link to Your Music:
Social Media Links (Instagram, Facebook, etc.):
Preferred Date/Time (Available Dates below):
Backup Date (optional but recommended):
City/State:
Instruments You’ll Use:
Number of Vocal Mics:
Length of Set:
NYC Show History (Where and size of crowd)
Estimated Crowd Size:
Promotion Plan (social media, flyers, texting, etc.):
Phone Number:
Email:
Age of each band member (Are all 21+?):
Number of band members:
First and last names of each band member (this helps us at the door for guest check-ins):
Audience Draw Commitment: Do you agree to bring 20+ fans?
Non-compete Agreement: Do you agree not to book other local shows two weeks before or after this date?
Attendance Understanding: Do you understand that if you draw zero fans, there’s no guarantee other audience members will stay for your performance, and we won’t be able to rebook you?
Cancellation Policy: Do you understand that unless there’s a legitimate emergency, we won’t be able to rebook you if you cancel last-minute?
Have you read and do you agree to the door deal and show info?
3 hashtags that describe your music:

Available Dates:

Please choose from the dates below that best suit your schedule:

August

August 6 at 11pm (Thursday)
August 13 at 6pm, 11pm (Thursday)
August 14 at 445pm (Friday)
August 15 at 545pm (Saturday)
August 21 at 545pm (Friday)
August 22 at 445pm (Saturday)
August 27 at 6pm, 930pm, 1030pm, 1130pm (Thursday)
August 28 at 430pm (Friday)

September

September 4 at 445pm, 845pm (Friday)
September 5 at 430pm, 945pm (Saturday)
September 9 at 6pm, 7pm, 10pm, 11pm (Wednesday)
September 10 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Thursday)
September 11 at 545pm (Friday)
September 12 at 445pm, 945pm (Saturday)
September 17 at 6pm, 8pm, 9pm, 11pm (Thursday)
September 18 at 545pm (Friday)
September 19 at 445pm, 545pm, 945pm (Saturday)
September 24 at 6pm, 9pm (Thursday)
September 25 at 530pm (Friday)
September 26 at 445pm (Saturday)

October

October 1 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Thursday)
October 2 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 845pm, 945pm (Friday)
October 3 at 445pm, 845pm (Saturday)
October 8 at 6pm, 7pm, 10pm, 11pm (Thursday)
October 9 at 545pm, 645pm, 845pm, 945pm (Friday)
October 10 at 430pm, 630pm (Saturday)
October 14 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Wednesday)
October 15 at 6pm, 7pm, 10pm (Thursday)
October 16 at 530pm, 630pm, 945pm (Friday)
October 17 at 430pm (Saturday)
October 22 at 6pm, 11pm (Thursday)
October 23 at 545pm, 945pm (Friday)
October 24 at 445pm (Saturday)
October 28 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 11pm (Wednesday – Costumes Mandatory!)
October 29 at 6pm, 7pm, 10pm (Thursday – Costumes Mandatory!)
October 30 at 430pm, 530pm (Friday – Costumes Mandatory!)
October 31 at 445pm, 545pm, 945pm (Saturday – Costumes Mandatory!)

November

November 5 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Thursday)
November 6 at 545pm, 645pm, 945pm (Friday)
November 7 at 445pm, 645pm (Saturday)
November 11 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 11pm (Wednesday)
November 12 at 6pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Thursday)
November 13 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 945pm (Friday)
November 14 at 545pm, 845pm, 945pm (Saturday)
November 19 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Thursday)
November 20 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 845pm, 945pm (Friday)
November 21 at 445pm, 845pm, 945pm (Saturday)
November 25 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Wednesday)
November 27 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 845pm, 945pm (Friday)
November 28 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 845pm, 945pm (Saturday)

December

December 2 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Wednesday)
December 3 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Thursday)
December 4 at 545pm, 645pm, 845pm, 945pm (Friday)
December 5 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 845pm, 945pm (Saturday)
December 9 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Wednesday)
December 10 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm (Thursday)
December 11 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 845pm, 945pm (Friday)
December 12 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 945pm (Saturday)
December 16 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Wednesday)
December 17 at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Thursday)
December 18 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 845pm, 945pm (Friday)
December 19 at 545pm, 645pm, 845pm, 945pm (Saturday)
December 23 at 6pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm (Wednesday)
December 26 at 545pm, 645pm, 745pm, 845pm, 945pm (Saturday)

Venue Info

Location: 168 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002
Capacity: 200 standing, 50 seated
Subway: J/M to Essex St, or F to Delancey St
Website: www.thedelancey.com

Door Deal / Draw Requirements / Merch / Ticketing

20+ Fans: We ask that you bring at least 20 fans to create an energetic crowd
Non-compete Clause: To keep your audience excited, avoid booking other local shows two weeks before and after your date at The Delancey.

Default Cover: $10 (But you are welcome to adjust this to any other price, as long as it’s a multiple of 5 – just let us know).
Door Guarantee: The door keeps the first $150 in ticket sales; after that, you keep 100% of the remaining sales.
Upfront Payment: To ensure confidence in drawing 15+ fans, $150 cash is paid upfront to the door person before your show. Beyond this, all ticket sales are yours. To clarify further, once you give the $150 in cash to the door person, they will keep that, and from there you will receive 100% of the covers collected from your individual audience. The minimum and the maximum that we would be taking is $150.

Post-Show Payment: You will receive your earnings in cash immediately after your performance from the door person.
Merch & More: Sell merch, hire a videographer, or snap some epic photos—there’s space for everything!
Online Ticket Sales: You’re encouraged to manage your own online ticket sales. Just provide an alphabetized guest list of your pre-sold tickets to the door person before your guests arrive.
Note About Our Door Person: Our door person will ask each guest upon arrival who they are there to see and will record your audience on a publicly displayed tally sheet for transparency. You and others can monitor the count throughout the event. After your show, the door person will pay you any proceeds you’ve earned, in cash, immediately after your performance.

Set Times, Sound Checks, and Load-in

Set Length: You’ll have a 45-minute set with a 15-minute changeover between acts.
Load-in Time: You can load in anytime after 515pm. We recommend arriving 30-45 minutes before your set because the venue runs a strict schedule, and we don’t want you to miss your show!
Early Sound Checks: Early sound checks (e.g., at 430pm) are available upon request, provided you submit your request at least 1.5 weeks before the event date. If you’d like to schedule an early sound check, just let me know!
Performance Start: Shows start exactly on time, and we keep a very tight schedule. Promote your show to start at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before your actual set time, as people tend to arrive late!

Age Rules

For guests, the venue is strictly 21+ with no exceptions. If any of your band members are underage, they are allowed to perform under the following conditions:

Notify us of underage performers by sending me their legal first & last names at least 2 weeks in advance. This is required so that we can notify the venue.
Underage members can only be inside 15 minutes before/after your set to set up and break down.
If they do not leave after their set, the next act will not be allowed on until they do.
Underage performers will be marked with an X on their hands and are not permitted to have anything other than water.

Production Specs

Audio System

PA: 2x Passive JBL SRX point source speakers powered by Crown amplification., 2x active QSC point source speakers.
Subwoofers: 2x passive EV 2×18 powered by QSC amplification
Stage Monitors 4x Active JBL speakers
Mixer: Midas M32R with DL32 on stage

DJ Equipment

1x XDJ-AZ controller

Lighting System

Fixtures: An assortment of moving head washes and beams, spots, and washes.
Control: MyDMX5 or WMX-1 controller
Customization: Preset scenes and color washes are available. Advanced programming requires the hire of a dedicated lighting designer.

Video System

Source: Dedicated video PC with vMix. We have an HDMI port available to plug in your device from the stage. Please bring any appropriate adapters needed for your device. If you are unable, please advance your content at least 1 week in advance. We can accept common formats such as JPEG, PNG, BMP, AVI, MP4, H.264, WMV, MOV, and QuickTime.
Displays: 1x 85” OLED Display center stage

Backline

Drums: Red 5pc Yamaha Stage Custom. **Drummers must provide their own Snare, Cymbals, HiHat Clutch, Kick Drum Pedal.**
Bass Amp: Ampeg RB-210 combo
Guitar Amp: 2x Blackstar HT-40mkIII
DI: 6x Whirlwind IMP2
Microphone: 4x Shure SM58, 3x Sennheiser e604, 2x Shure SM57, 1x Audix D6
Stands: 8x K&M tall boom, 8x K&M short boom, 2x Keyboard stands, 2x Music stands

Stage

Wood construction stage, 14’x11’x1′

Additional Info

Professional House Sound Engineer Included
No green room
The venue cannot provide stools, but they do have 1-2 folding chairs
Audio recording services are currently unavailable, but you are welcome to have someone come in and plug-in to the board – just bring a device capable of recording audio and the sound man will send you a feed via XLR or 1/4 cable
For backtracks, please bring your tracks on a laptop or a flash drive (but not a phone!)
You are welcome to create your own flyer, and if you send it over once it’s ready, we’ll be happy to share it
The venue does have some lighting capabilities, and you are welcome to ask the sound engineer what may be possible on the night of your show before it begins
Parking: There are paid garages/lots nearby, and street parking may be available, but please read all posted street signs carefully since NYC parking rules vary by block, side of street, day, and time. We recommend allowing extra time or using public transit/rideshare if possible.

Special Tips to Promote Your Show

Space out your gigs: Avoid booking local shows more than once every 4-6 weeks.
Core 7 Strategy: Commit at least 7 friends to come, and you’ll always be up for great slots.
Make it an event: Set up a Facebook event and text your friends directly—get them excited!
Promote early: Announce your gig 2-3 weeks ahead and keep the buzz going.
Flyers & Fun: Make creative posts or flyers to build the hype!
Book on your birthday: Because it’s already your day!

Dress Code & Disclaimers

Dress Code: Performers are exempt from the dress code. But for guests, after 1030pm on the weekends, no ripped jeans, sweats, or any gym attire (tank tops, etc). And at all times, no hats or sunglasses. Hats can be checked with security for free at the door.
Cancellation Policy: While cancellations are rare, they can happen due to unforeseen circumstances.
Confirmation: You’re only confirmed once you receive a formal confirmation email.

Our Promotion vs. Your Promotion

We’ll promote your show by listing it on the venue’s official website calendar, as well as our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fortheloveofmusicproductions) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmusicproductions). You’re welcome to use our Facebook event page for inviting your audience, or you can create your own event—whichever works best for you.

Based on feedback we’ve received, we’ve found that using both is the most effective strategy. By creating your own event and utilizing our group event page, you can invite your friends at different times and reach a wider audience. You could also focus on your personal event while simply having the group event listed on your page for added visibility.

Let’s make your show epic! If you have any questions or are ready to lock in a date, just let me know.

Support Ambient Music

StretchMetal and the Atmospheric Music Alliance are raising $5000 to support ambient music events taking place across the United States, and virtually with the Atmospheric Music Alliance. Contributions will go directly toward artist and venue fees, production support and the continued development of AMA. Please consider donating today!