Sorry... That should be $4500 a show.
That's the absolute minimum you can pay to hire BDE. We don't do too many shows for minimum. Each band member needs to make $500 a show and the roadies each get $100. Plus, there are other expenses that need to be covered - from gas to a few types of insurance. That doesn't really even put anything in savings, so we don't work for that amount very often.
Sometimes, they'll agree to work for less - but it's a much different show. They bring in minimum gear, have no effects really, and don't even have a sound booth. That's only if they're desperate for a gig. That's really not BDE so much as it's just them.
They are cheaper than I thought
They make $500 a show, so they also have to make enough money to cover weeks when they don't perform. They do very few shows in the $4500 range. We clear $15k or more (usually a goodly amount more) at just the bar I usually play at with them. So, they're more likely to do that venue than they are others - but they can't be tied to just one venue because then the band's future is dependent on that venue. If the venue fails, so too wouldn't the band as they'd not have work lined up.
They don't really want to be known as that venues house band either probably
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