Fees

AS LITTLE AS $200 (2 hours ) to as high as $3000 (4 hours). That is a wide range so I will try to break it down a little more. There is no exact amount as each job is different so the fee is based on variables. Some of the variables include:
DATE OF YOUR FUNCTION - For example, New Years Eve is worth a lot more than a Thursday afternoon in October. Bands are worth more on weekends than during the week.
LOCATION - Generally speaking, a hour to an hour and a half drive is considered a normal distance. If the band needs to spend more time than this on the road, you can count on having to spend a little extra.
SIZE OF BAND - The more players the less cost per player. All fees are based on 4 hours.

DUO on a Friday or Saturday night will generally be $500-600 for 4 hours or less.
QUINTET will range in price from $800 to $1100.
FULL BIG BAND (18 pieces) can run from $1500 to $2400 for a 4 hour function.
SINGER You will need to add for that depending on the singer.
SHOW BAND Is there a floor show that we are expected to back-up? If so, generally rehearsal time is something you can expect will add to the expense.

When charging a fee, other considerations can occur. Will the band be offered a meal? Does the band need to spend the night? Is transportation being provided? If so, consideration can be negotiated.

One last word about fees. Always speak with the leader. Fees can be negotiated. Nothing is a hard and fast rule. The above is fairly standard pricing but not written in stone. Fees could be negotiated down or up. It depends on the two parties involved. What you get are trained musicians who have spent a lifetime taking lessons, rehearsing as a unit and honing their craft. Most of them will never get rich but you are able to purchase their talent, experience and training for a fraction of what it is actually worth.

A good musician in a good band needs to perform several good gigs each week of the year and be paid $150-$300 to earn a living. Never think in terms of 'how much they are paid for only 2 hours of live performance in the night'. As with any professional team, a great unit is very hard to put together, to train, maintain and keep!

We are speaking here of highly specialized abilities acquired through long hours of study, hard work (some say that this is the 'anatomy of talent') and years of live experience.

Good established bands charge an average of $150-250 per musician for 4 hours of music excluding travel expenses. The best bands in the country have been established and built their reputation over many years and as a result are so high in demand that they charge much more than this.

As far as the management of the band is concerned, phone bills are high, postage, CD demos, rehearsal studio time, printing and advertisement weight heavy in the forecast and when one man deal with it all, the hours spent goes beyond 50 hours a week. The band management should be able to draw at least 20% off the gig's fee ... And since good musicians commend good money.... The client has to understand that S/he is dealing with a business, not just a bunch of guys that will go Plink-Plunk on a stage for a couple of hours.

On top of this Entertainment is at 80% responsible for the success of your party. People often spend thousands on their party and allow $400-500 to their entertainment. Wrong balance. If you plan spend $20 000 for your wedding, allocate at least 8% to your entertainment. People will enjoy the luxurious food and the landscape and they will enjoy your champagne, liquors and French wine. If later on the band is poor, they will leave and finish the night somewhere else. If the band is exceptional someone will have to through them out of the venue at 1:00 or 2:00 am, and they will call you the next day or so, each one mentioning 'What a fan-tas-tic band! Where did you find them?'. And this is what you want, isn't it?

I would personally save on the catering bill and make sure I have the right band. Caterers will hate me! They should not: it is a team work. A great party is remembered, and you caterers know the importance of the entertainment. Bad entertainment = mediocre party even if you did your best. And they will forget about the whole thing. Good catering AND good entertainment brings in more clients for both the caterer and the band...

Expect to pay between $1200 to $ 3600 for a 4-6 piece band and anything in between... and above.

What it includes:
The musicians' fee, the sound system, engineer and ambient stage lighting, CD compilations played during breaks, the bandleader's fee and on an average 2 hours of music over 2-3 sets during the evening.

What it does not include:
Travel expenses if outside a specific area, High-tech stage lighting and effects, very powerful sound system for very large venues, professional DJ. Any agents fee (usually 15% on top).

Total cost

We will take an example for a standard occasion with a good band.
6 piece .................................................................................... $ 2200
mileage outside the 75 mile limit Travel exp (100X.20X6).................$ 120 mileage
Total:..................................................................................... $ 2320

Negotiation:
Band fees are very often negotiable especially if your party is at short notice and the band is still available. If you want a particular band but think it will be - or it actually is - too expensive, speak with the bandleader and negotiate. There is nothing like personal contact.

AS LITTLE AS $200 (2 hours ) to as high as $3000 (4 hours). That is a wide range so I will try to break it down a little more. There is no exact amount as each job is different so the fee is based on variables. Some of the variables include:

DATE OF YOUR FUNCTION - For example, New Years Eve is worth a lot more than a Thursday afternoon in October. Bands are worth more on weekends than during the week.

LOCATION - Generally speaking, a hour to an hour and a half drive is considered a normal distance. If the band needs to spend more time than this on the road, you can count on having to spend a little extra.

SIZE OF BAND - The more players the less cost per player. All fees are based on 4 hours.

When charging a fee, other considerations can occur. Will the band be offered a meal? Does the band need to spend the night? Is transportation being provided? If so, consideration can be negotiated.