WHAT IS PAY-TO-PLAY?
Paying to Play is the practice where independent promotion companies (not affiliated with any specific club) exploits young, inexperienced musicians for their profit. These promoters rent "dead nights" at local clubs to host pay-to-play shows. They typically send flattering spam emails through myspace to new bands notifying them of shows they can play, either straight shows or Battles of the Bands (BOTB). Many of these new bands have barely formed. In order to play these shows, the company requires that the band sell a quota of expensive tickets with all the money being turned over to the representative before showtime (or obligates the band to purchase tickets outright). The band sees a very small percentage, or often times nothing, for all their hard work. The promotion company pays the club rent and takes the biggest profit for themselves with very little effort and no promotion. These pay-to-play companies are acting as unnecessary middlemen. FYI: This practice can also be intiated by the club itself. Any time a band is required to sell tickets, they are paying to play.

WHY DO PAY-TO-PLAY COMPANIES SEEK YOUNG MUSICIANS?
Since older, established musicians will not fall for this practice, these companies primarily target the young, new band who is just starting out. These targeted newcomers don't realize they are being exploited. We feel that if this practice is allowed to continue it will ruin the scene for the next generation of musicians. Paying to play is an exploitation of musicians that should be discouraged. Please help us spread the word...

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WHAT DOES PAYING TO PLAY SAY ABOUT YOUR BAND?

These pay-to-play companies will tell you that doing their shows is a way to let people know how hard you can work, that you are a go-getter, that you want to be successful. THAT IS A LIE. In reality, no real hard-working band would ever think of doing a show like this. They know they are a huge waste of time, effort and money...not to mention they'll do damage to your image. The image your band (or you as a solo act) projects can be as important as the music you play.

So you need to ask yourselves a few questions. For instance, who plays these shows? Aren't these shows typically filled with beginners and bands who need more practice time? Do your favorite bands ever pay-to-play? Of course not! No legitimate band would ever fall for doing these stinky gigs. They'd never consider selling tickets and handing all the money they collected over to some "company rep". Older bands view this practice as pathetic.

It's important to consider what your image will be and how people will view you. What does paying to play say about your band?

* We're not good enough to do a real show.
* No real club will book us.
* Our music isn't worth anything.
* Nobody really wants to see us so we have to resort to selling tickets.
* We are desperate.
* Our band isn't the real deal.

Paying to play sends the wrong message. Doing these shows makes a bad impression. Paying-to-play can do more damage than you think!






WE ARE MUSICIANS OPPOSED TO THE PRACTICE OF PAYING TO PLAY. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE A MUSICIAN OR A FAN, PAYING TO PLAY WILL RUIN YOUR SCENE! PLEASE JOIN OUR CAUSE. THANKS AND KEEP ROCKIN'!





10 WARNING SIGNALS IT'S A PAY-TO-PLAY SHOW




1. UNSOLICITED SPAM EMAIL: You typically receive a friendly email from a company you've never heard of, with show dates to choose from, or how to sign up for their Battle of the Bands (BOTB) contest. Their websites are usually professional looking/elaborate. No matter how new your band is, or if you even are a band, they'll claim they are interested in your music and want to work with you. Typically they don't even listen to you.

2. THEY CLAIM THEY ARE NOT PAY-TO-PLAY: The pay-to-play company goes out of their way to mention many times over that they are not. No legitimate booking company has to make this claim. These companies are constantly doing damage control on blogs and message boards, trying to defend themselves against unhappy musicians. Always google first to see what other bands are saying on musician forums/blogs (FYI: "glowing praise" on their pay-to-play site does not count).

3. YOU ARE GIVEN TICKETS TO SELL: Whether it's a requirement to play a show or suggested in order to win a contest, a bands' role is not to be in charge of pre-ticket sales. Promote the hell out of it, but let the club (or promoter) do the actual ticket selling. You are "the artist" and your role is to put on a good show that people will want to see.

4. YOU HAND MONEY OVER BEFORE YOU PLAY: If you hand any money, no matter where it comes from (your friends, family, your own pockets, the sofa cushions) to a company representative before the show, you are paying to play. The representative keeps a detailed tally of who came to see which band either by asking at the door or counting hands at a BOTB. This is never the way real shows are produced.

5. THE COMPANY TAKES THE BIGGEST CUT: You get none (as in BOTBs) or a small percentage back from the money you turned in. No matter what the situation, the company always takes the biggest cut for themselves. They are acting as unnecessary middlemen.

6. ONLY VERY NEW OR INEXPERIENCED BANDS ARE ON THE BILL: Pay-to-play companies work with inexperienced bands. Notice who's on the bill (if they can even tell you) and see if it's anybody you've ever heard of. Established bands are hip to this con job and won't do these shows. In fact, ask any established band what they think of paying-to-play (unless you are profanity sensitive) and see how they view this practice.

7. CRAPPY SHOWS: Too many bands on the bill, a mismatched lineup of acts, too short of time on stage, admission price higher than normal, and an audience that won't stay for the whole show (or are only interested in the band they came to vote for).

8. BIG PROMISES, BIG PRIZES: If you play this show your band will be on the road to Fame and Fortune. You'll play in a venue you'll never get on your own, you will win a chance to do a major tour, play at a major festival, get a million dollar recording contract, receive free recording time at a major studio, have major label A&R reps to evaluate you, etc. The percentage of any of this happening through these shows is remote at best.

9. NO PROMO: The company doesn't print flyers for the show, there are no special print ads in the local music papers, no mention in the free concert calendar. The only promotion is done by the bands. Only the club might list it on their website and that's it. BECAUSE...

10. YOU DO ALL THE WORK - THEY GET ALL THE MONEY. And if the show doesn't turn out well and you complain, you get the blame for not working hard enough, or for being a band that will never make it in this biz. In addition, pay-to-play promoters will always stress what a big favor they do for bands, how much they are sacrificing to help you obtain success, how they too are musicians who's only unselfish goal is to "help other musicians".