You may or may not know but this blog is directed at beginner to intermediate musicians and bands that are just starting out. If you are in that situation, one term that you should be aware of is “pay to play.” Pay to play is a phrase that describes any scenario where your band gets booked for a gig but has to pay for having the gig. Sometimes you may be in a pay to play situation and not know it.

For instance, a common pay to play scenario is you get booked for a gig where the venue or promoter requires you to sell a certain number of pre-sale tickets. The booker hands you, say, 30 tickets, and says, “Just sell these and we’re good. We’ll settle up the day of  the show.” Sweet! Your band has a gig! Wait just a second, though. This is pay to play. Sure you didn’t have to pay anything to get the gig OR the pre-sale tickets, but what will happen is captured in that phrase, “We’ll settle up the day of the show.” When you get there on the day of the show, the booker says, “OK and from you I need the money for 30 tickets.” You pay him and play. That is pay to play. You, the band, paid the booker before the show.

Only you can decide if a pay to play scenario is right for your band, but, in general, this is a detrimental practice for bands. The venue or promoter is placing the cost risk for the show on the band. Struggling young bands already have enough on their plates without this risk being added.