LiveMusic Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 Almost never... I mean NEVER do I see people tip bands around here. I don't even do it. And I love live music. It's just not something that is a practice around here. Maybe I should start a trend. Now that I think about it, many bands don't even display a tip jar. If you do get tips, are they appreciable. Of your total take for the night, what percentage is tips? ------------------ Duke > > > [ Live! ] < < < Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott from MA Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 Once a guy gave me a tip... he said, "Don't quit your dayjob!" http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif Seriously, though, it's not a common practice around my area to tip bands. It's never even occured to me to put out a "tip jar" or anything like that. Scott (just another cantankerous bastard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 I never put out a tip jar in any of my old bands, but with this one we started out acoustically playing coffeehouses, mainly for fun, and for little (if any) pay. So we put out a tip jar. Then we added a drummer and started playing clubs. The tip jar stayed. I figure it's more of a gesture than anything...I don't care monetarily if I get tipped or not, but when I see someone come up and toss a couple into the jar, I figure maybe they think we don't suck too bad. And it goes toward gas expenses and stuff. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 It kills me. Music seems to come completely naturally to me, but the business side of things is totally evasive to me... I just played friday night in a duet situation with a friend of mine, kind of a quickie-one off sort of deal for fun at a Border's Books to celebrate our mutual birthdays, and a tip jar would have yielded some nice string money that night. Dumb dumb dumb. Man, that was just a few days ago. I've done SOOOOOooo many gigs where I *should* have had a tip jar out but didn't. Ahhg.. I've been in so many situations where someone has come up and voluntarily plopped bills at my feet, making me realize "duhhhh.... where's the tip jar?"... Ahg.. and you can't use a gig bag like a guitar case for the tip jar at small gigs, ahg... Dumb. http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/ / "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Worthington Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 First of all, it depends on the club. I've been told some clubs don't like a tip jar on display, because it implies they don't pay the bands, or pay them much. On the other extreme, of course, are places that pay nothing and you either get "the door" or you pass the hat. Tips come unsolicited. This past Saturday, a woman who was dancing all night (in an odd, in-her-own-world trance-like tai chi way) came up onto the stage at the end of the night and dropped a $20 on the drummer's snare, as if to say "Thank you for providing the beat for me all night." Usually, it's implied that a tip is for the band, but in this case we let him keep it all because it was clearly earmarked specifically for him. Another time, I was in mid-song, singing lead vocal. (Side note: I can understand why an audient would come up to the one singing to make a request, but do they have to do it while you're singing?!?) The guy hands me what I thought was five dollar bil, which I quickly put away in order to not lose concentration. At the end of the night, I pull it out and realize it was a Fifty! A friend was in a band playing in Bermuda, where cruise ships will pull up and flood the club with eager party-goers. This guy comes up and requests Brown Eyed Girl, normally the bane of a musician's request list, among the most-requested songs of all time. But the guy, while requesting it, plopped down a hundred bill, to which the band leader said, "You got it....Brown Eyed Girl--all night long!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveMusic Posted April 23, 2001 Author Share Posted April 23, 2001 Many years ago, I learned a new golf buddy was also a musician. I wanted to hear his band, so that night we went to check 'em out. This guy didn't look like a musician... as if there is a stereotype... heehee. But he just didn't look the part. But man, this guy was good. At one point, he broke out a fiddle and played something... I don't remember what it was... some country classic... and it was awesome. In a moment of weakness (and a Miller Lite moment) I went up and tipped him $20. Many times, I've reflected on that and thought what an idiot I was for that. I mean, a buck, $5... but $20? BTW, this guy went on to become a top songwriter and picker for one of Nashville's top acts. He's co-written several big hits. Nice guy. > > > [ Live! ] < < < Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 We don't have a tip jar, but occasionally somebody will want to hear something and slip us a twenty or so. It's usually some dreaded tune we all love to hate. Or it's something we never heard of and we just comp the thing......can be very funny. Especially with our Lead Vocalist...Big Al. Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 >>>Side note: I can understand why an audient would come up to the one singing to make a request, but do they have to do it while you're singing?!?) Just goes to show ya how STUPID people are. But if they're going to throw money at me, they can be damn near as stupid as they please. Just like when I was working in radio. Now, radio stations for the most part don't have anyone but the DJ answering the request line...and there's no ringer on the phone, a light blinks (but even that can be distracting). You'd think people'd call while a song was playing. NEVER. They'll wait until you go into doing a live copy 60 second spot for Honest Irv's Appliance Warehouse to call. So you've gotta watch that damn light blink...and 60 seconds can be a really long time sometimes. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 I would definately go with the vibe that says ' it depends on the type of club' .... I have been doing some accoustic sets recently at some of the bigger Pubs around where I live.... and boy do they like to show their appreciation!! It is not unknown without putting a tip jar out to walk away with as much as £100.00 in tips.... Now this isn't usually my kinda thing, but ignoring the money it is real nice to have people chucking money behind the bar for you without asking for it.... makes ya feel kinda good!! TTFN Simon http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott from MA Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 When I did radio, the phone not only blinked, but it made a click in your headphones (although I'm not sure it was supposed to). Try getting through the weekend weather forecast, during the outro of a song, while setting up commercial carts, and hearing this damned clicking in your ears! Scott (just another cantankerous bastard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art Posted April 23, 2001 Share Posted April 23, 2001 I think tip jars are great. We have one at our gigs. We don't really push it by passing it around or anything but we do tell the crowd that we take requests and we encourage them to write them down and stick it in our tip jar. Usually, they'll drop a bill or two into the tip jar along with their request. Depending on the neighborhood, we've gotten as much as $150 just in tips. P.S. Did you hear about the doctor who didn't charge anything for circumcision? He only took tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 art wrote: >>P.S. Did you hear about the doctor who didn't charge anything for circumcision? He only took tips.>> LOL art!! Coolio Simon http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 We never get any tips.... http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/s/cwm2/cwm14.gif Although I get offered alot of weed. http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/contrib/ruinkai/smoker.gif I should have had this band when I was twenty. http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/contrib/ruinkai/nopityA.gif So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Originally posted by KHAN: We never get any tips.... http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/s/cwm2/cwm14.gif Although I get offered alot of weed. http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/contrib/ruinkai/smoker.gif I should have had this band when I was twenty. http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/contrib/ruinkai/nopityA.gif HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! How about the people that want to buy the band a round of kamakazies or something... And want drink them with you in the middle of your set... aren't they the same ones who scream "Free Bird" at every break between songs? guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Posted by guitplayer: >>>How about the people that want to buy the band a round of kamakazies or something... And want drink them with you in the middle of your set... aren't they the same ones who scream "Free Bird" at every break between songs? ============================================= Hehehehe. So true. I thought I'd write a song that would cover all the bases. I'll call it: **********____Stairway to Freebird by Seger____*********** So Many Drummers. So Little Time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Just gimme three steps to that old time cocaine sniffing free bird down in sweet home alabama where it's wonderful tonight at the house of the rising sun with a brown eyed girl named proud mary (I need to find her phone number so I'd better) turn the page. Play it at Blink 182 speed to a polka beat. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratman_dup1 Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 Tedster- HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ROTFLMAO!!!!! The bad part is I can really see you doing something like that Tedster http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif My only question is, Do you play accordian??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted April 24, 2001 Share Posted April 24, 2001 >>>My only question is, Do you play accordian??? Nope, but I'd learn just to piss people off http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Actually, hold on to yer socks...I'd really like to be able to play a bit of squeezebox...just to toss in at the right time, to add a Zydeco flavor to something. Used in the right context it can rock...but only in small doses. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpy Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 Well guys, down here it depends on the job....play couple of sit downs with acoustics..our pay is a guarantee...plus tips....and the tips usually equal the base or better.....now in the full band we don't put out a tip jar....however....we played last week at the Cabaret in Bandera, Texas and the crowd had the ticket taker find a tip jar and we did ok on it.....paid for the gas.....so like before ...just depends where the job is and how the crowd is reacting... laters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 <> "stairway to freebird" actually exists. check out the band who wrote it, 'dash rip rock' from new orleans. in their hey day (w bassist hoaky), probably the best, funniest, hard drinkinest, touring bar band ever. even more fun than nrbq... -d. gauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted April 25, 2001 Share Posted April 25, 2001 Originally posted by Eric Worthington: the stage at the end of the night and dropped a $20 on the drummer's snare, as if to say "Thank you for providing the beat for me all night." Usually, it's implied that a tip is for the band, but in this case we let him keep it all because it was clearly earmarked specifically for him. So I'm playing this solo one night, and a guy walks onstage, points at me and gives the "You're #1" sign, and puts a $5 bill in my t-shirt pocket. Later that night we're counting the tip jar (there *was* a tip jar) and the drummer goes "where's that $5"? Now, out of this trio I was in, I teach guitar, the bass player went to school and worked at a screen print shop. The drummer on the other hand, was an industrial engineer that made probably "a considerable amount more than the bass player or I made together". "I think the guy wanted me to have it..." I said... "No man, he was giving that to the band".. The drummer made a big deal out of it... So I said "whatever", gave them the $5. Lots of little things like that with that drummer, usually over miniscule things like that.... Another time, I was in mid-song, singing lead vocal. (Side note: I can understand why an audient would come up to the one singing to make a Man, I HATE that. That's another example of the fact that people today equate playing an instrument to being nothing much more than playing air guitar - literally. People think that's hyperbole, but I'm telling you, people are nuts. Then there's the people that get mad if you don't know the song. "What do you mean, you don't know Shooby Doober My Falooper" by Elmo Farstein and the Thin Purple Box? Come'on, you know it! Listen, it goes like this (sings monotone) "Shooby Doober..."" Then there's the table of bikers that sit right down in front of you that literally don't look too much unlike Klingons, and announce "you guys better be good!" before you play.... OK, I'll stop here.... http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/ / "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Worthington Posted April 26, 2001 Share Posted April 26, 2001 My favorite was when this guy came up to the band towards the end of the night, and said menacingly, "I don't like you guys.........but my girlfriend does, so you better play something she can dance to!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosespappy Posted April 26, 2001 Share Posted April 26, 2001 Tedster, that squeeze box'll have more application than you can imagine! The phrase...squeeze box always confused me. Kinda like "on the lamb...." If I heard, sayyyy, Tedsters' on the lamb, I'd think, boy, he needs a girlfriend NOW! Oh yeah tip jar.... hey, tip jar,....circumsision.....YUCK! On acoustic solo or duet nights outside of the church, always. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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