My lovelies of Las Divas have posted a blog entry on their page that is a must-read for bands/performers/managers/venue owners, etc. Read it below:
When Bands Cancel
Lately, everyone is complaining about the lack of attendance at shows as well as venues or promoters screwing bands over. But let’s turn the tables here, for just one moment, and look at it from the other angle: when bands bail.
There are consequences when bands cancel or simply don’t show up to gigs. And it doesn’t matter if its at what you might consider to be a shitty or dive venue, because after all, you agreed to play there in the first place. So bands, let’s examine the consequences:
1. Promoters and venues do talk about the bands they’re working with and who they will NEVER work with again. So, you not only ruin your chances of working with one promoter, but with multiple promoters at multiple venues.
2. You burn your bridges with the other bands and band members who may have some serious contacts, or could have liked your set so much that they would have invited you to play at bigger and better gigs in the future.
3. You let down your fans. If you play music for a living, don’t you live to make your fans happpy so that they can worship you some more?
4. You overlook an opportunity to make new fans.
5. You force the show and set times to be re-arranged, causing major headaches and confusion for everyone that’s a part of the production, including bands that drive out from very far… This is a major, major inconvenience and EVERYONE remembers the band that fell thru.
6. You become the laughing stock of the bartender, the light and sound guy, the stage manager, the bookie, the venue owner, the waitress, the cook, and the maintenance dude or dudette.
7. You miss out on making money from merch, tips or pay out at the end of the night.
8. In some cases, it causes venues to stop booking shows all together.
9. There may be legal stipulations, and in some cases, you can get sued.
10. “Now, when bands cancel gigs, ‘due to unforeseen circumstances’ I normally read it as, ‘due to nobody giving a shit.’” – Music Snobbery (April 20, 2007)
11. You have just created bad press for yourself. Perhaps a news station or magazine or blogger shows up because your band name was on the flyer, and you’re nowhere to be found. There go your chances at a sweet plug that you could use for your press kit or website. You may even Google your band one day only to find, “[INSERT BAND NAME HERE] CANCELED SHOW!” in bold with a link to a report on how your band failed.
If you’re going to cancel a gig, do so with courtesy:
1. First of all, think twice about all of the above.
2. Call, don’t just email, the promoter, appologize, and give a damn good explaination, even if its the same day of the show.
3. Promoters and venues typically have bands on call who can fill your spot. Or find a replacement band to cover your slot. If you offer to find a replacement band and you don’t, you still look like a sorry waste.
Consider contacting an old band member or playing your set with fewer member. Believe it or not, everyone will simpathize with you and give you mad props for NOT bailing on your gig.
4. Write a blog and post a bulletin stating why you had to cancel or pull out. Your fans and business partners want explanations and this is a good time to save face.
5. Call your promoter after the gig that you missed out on to find out how the show went. Appologize again, and ask if there’s an opportunity to get on another upcoming gig.
And, here’s more for your reading pleasure:
“It is time bands learned to respect the promoting agency booking them in, and it is time, agencies and venues stood together to share with each other which bands are and are not, professional. I have had bands cancel within 2 hours of a show, one band who walked out of a show without telling me (after they arrived at 8:15 for a 8 PM show and wanted us to set up around their needs as opposed to the band which was booked as the headline act), and bands not even show up at shows that have been booked without ever even making a phone call. Let me make it clear, these are not the actions of bands that will “make it” in this industry.” (Unprofessional Attitudes Hurt Bands and Venues, September 30, 2009)
We at Las Divas work very hard to take care of our bands and make our venues happy. More often than not, we go home with tired feet and broke. We also have connections and bring the consistent bands that we work with multiple opportunities (those of you that have worked with us for years can attest to this). We do this for you, the bands and for the music that you produce, that we love so much. But, it is our policy, that if a band bails on one of our shows, we may not work with them ever again. Ever.
We welcome all comments and testimonials, both here and on our Myspace blog.
