Singapore creates little/none original music. Discuss...

[expatguitarist]

Pay for auditions or pay to play...NO. What ever happened to music as an art form. Even bands at big break through festivals like South By Southwest don't really pay. They pay a registration fee but thats it. At least when my friend's band played there that was the situation. A festival like South By Southwest gives bands a real break through opportunity, as well. I can't imagine anything presenting an equivalent opportunity here in Singapore. I can't see how it is justified for bands to pay. Can you?

 

[fgl]

Pay for auditions or pay to play...NO. What ever happened to music as an art form. Even bands at big break through festivals like South By Southwest don't really pay. They pay a registration fee but thats it. At least when my friend's band played there that was the situation. A festival like South By Southwest gives bands a real break through opportunity, as well. I can't imagine anything presenting an equivalent opportunity here in Singapore. I can't see how it is justified for bands to pay. Can you?

Never ever in my book bro - I've been playing gigs since 1985 & professionally since 1991 - I started off the hard way with lots of studio time then lotsa free shows to pay my dues ... and I still do the odd charity show ... never ever had to PAY TO PLAY in any gig before ... to me the idea is fundementally, ethically & morally wrong.... p2p organizers will beg to differ but that's my stance.

 

[theblueark]

Just to cover all the bases, did your band and the other bands in DC bring all their own equipment to gigs, or were they provided with a drumset, guitar amps, bass amps and a PA system?

 

[fgl]

I think most bands in usa / europe / australia bring in their own heavy equiptment most of the time ..

 

[expatguitarist]

Every time I played out in the East Coast of the USA we brought our own drums, amps, guitars but the PA and microphones were provided. When I play out here I bring my own amps and guitar. I do not believe use of the PA justifies charging bands to play. The house supplying a good PA makes the house a music venue. The better the PA and room the more the house gains a reputation as being a good music venue.

 

[lordie]

There were not any pay and play. In fact, if an organizer got involved that usually meant the band would get paid much better. I was in an original music band in DC. If we play small places as a headliner we would usually get a percentage of the bar and/or free drinks or a set amount of cash. If we opened, we would get free drinks and maybe just a little cash. Some of the more artist oriented bars (places where musicians would play to try out different or new music) would not pay and just give a few beers to the band. Generally, bars paid cover bands better unless the original music band had a following. Often, if the band had a following, the band would be booked on a weekend and a small cover charge would be applied at the door. In my opinion, it is ass backwards having to pay organizers to play. It should be the other way around.

thts why overseas music scene flourish and sg suck major balls, everyone out to screw the musicians

 

[loldude333]

Because Singaporeans are so damned money minded.

 

[bf0502tr]

Because Singaporeans are so damned money minded.

while i'm against some organisers who just want to earn a few miserable dollars and not give a damn abt the bands, sometimes u just cant help it...everyone needs to bring food to the table. just my 2 cents

 

[fgl]

while i'm against some organisers who just want to earn a few miserable dollars and not give a damn abt the bands, sometimes u just cant help it...everyone needs to bring food to the table. just my 2 cents

In soceity ..thieves & robbers who go to jail, come out.. can reform .. they have to .... there's always an alternative to making money without ripping off bnads ... this applies to organizers, concert promoters, club owners, band agents and especially BAND LEADERS themselves ...

 

[bf0502tr]

eee why u bold the band leader?? my band leader so good to us lol...

 

[fgl]

eee why u bold the band leader?? my band leader so good to us lol...

coz sometimes BAND LEADERS can be the biggest crooks of all .... not all band leaders of course .... but I know some who really RIP OFF THEIR OWN BAND MATES HEAVILY ....

Thank god RG got ME ... heee heeee heee

 

[theblueark]

I would expect if the organisers do not need to supply any amplifiers and especially drum kits (which get destroyed so often over here), they would save a lot on equipment rental. And the equipment rental fee would not be passed down to the bands.

Assuming an organiser sets up a gig, where any fairly good bands are free to sign up and play without having to pay any fee, from what I know of typical SGians, I doubt many would sign up. In fact many would complain "where got organiser never supply drum kit and amps one? How they expect us to bring our own? They think we all so rich got van ah?"

Hands up who thinks bands are more willing to "bring your drums and amps to play" than "pay to play" over here?