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Thread: Rehearsal Space

  1. #1
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Rehearsal Space

    Where are you getting deals on rehearsal space?

    We're looking for a new space and so far the best I can do is 20'X20' for $300/month.

    It's getting impossible to break even in this business anymore.

    Look at typical month:

    2 shows, $2000 income

    Lights, sound (2x $500) $1000

    Rehearsal space rent $300

    Promotion (printing, grease, etc.) $100

    Profit: $600

    Split 6 ways - that's paying each guy $60/show.

    Why do we bother at this point?
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  2. #2
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Rehearsal Space

    That's a pity. When you think about all the time you put into rehearsal, gas to and fro to practice, etc, you're just about breaking even.

    Man, I guess the only payoff is that you love doing it.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  3. #3
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Rehearsal Space

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    That's a pity. When you think about all the time you put into rehearsal, gas to and fro to practice, etc, you're just about breaking even.

    Man, I guess the only payoff is that you love doing it.
    Nah, It's not fun. It's a grind. I'm seriously considering retiring from playing live and strictly sticking to recording.

    Either that or re-tooling the band to a trio and just doing small bars. I'd actually be making more doing that.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  4. #4
    Forum Member Laker's Avatar
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    Re: Rehearsal Space

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    Where are you getting deals on rehearsal space?

    We're looking for a new space and so far the best I can do is 20'X20' for $300/month.

    It's getting impossible to break even in this business anymore.

    Look at typical month:

    2 shows, $2000 income

    Lights, sound (2x $500) $1000

    Rehearsal space rent $300

    Promotion (printing, grease, etc.) $100

    Profit: $600

    Split 6 ways - that's paying each guy $60/show.

    Why do we bother at this point?
    In my days of more serious gig time I owned my own PA system and midi controlled lighting system, I owned the truck to haul the show and we practiced in my home space. I paid a one-time charge for photography and printing to produce promo so the band made money and I got all the tax benefits. I made money!

    Today we just play music as a four-piece in a jam setting with no real promo cost, no equipment costs, and no transportation costs so my guys make money with no investment and we enjoy making music. I don’t think I’m ready to walk away yet.

  5. #5
    Forum Member dirtdog's Avatar
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    Re: Rehearsal Space

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    Where are you getting deals on rehearsal space?

    We're looking for a new space and so far the best I can do is 20'X20' for $300/month.

    It's getting impossible to break even in this business anymore.

    Look at typical month:

    2 shows, $2000 income

    Lights, sound (2x $500) $1000

    Rehearsal space rent $300

    Promotion (printing, grease, etc.) $100

    Profit: $600

    Split 6 ways - that's paying each guy $60/show.

    Why do we bother at this point?
    Oh, man, you made the critical mistake and started doing the math/accounting for a weekend warrior band! Once you factor in gas, bevvies and food, I bet you're cutting hard into that $60/man.

    In my last band, we were doing not too bad - about $1500/month revenue - average 2 gigs a month. I owned and supplied all the production (PA, lights), drummer owned practice space, very little admin overhead (webpage, FB, minimal direct promo costs). Each of the four of us would take home about $125/show. And even at that, I wondered why I was doing it - taking all that hassle of gigging for what amounts to a very poorly paid part time job. Once I did that math, I quit the band in order to focus on more musically satisfying projects.

    I have fantasies about renting some sort of light industrial space as a personal jam/recording/project space. maybe split the costs with a few of mu buddies - but it wouldn't be a "band" space per se. But given the costs, not bloody likely!

  6. #6
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Rehearsal Space

    Rehearsing space is indeed a bit more expensive in the US than it is down here.


    Unfortunately anyway, playing in a gigging band on weekends gotta be thought of as a hobby, not a part time job (though we all know it IS a job), or it's just not worth the effort.

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