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#235564 - 06/07/08 05:17 AM Price Increases for your Gigs
hammer Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/27/08
Posts: 2397
Loc: Texas
I play only senior gigs now but play up to 4 times weekly. Most of my venues require me to travel up to 85 miles round trip and gas prices are eating me up. Has anyone here had to go up in pricing to make up for the gas prices?

Hammer

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#235565 - 06/07/08 09:08 AM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
DonM Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/25/99
Posts: 16735
Loc: Benton, LA, USA
Yes.
DonM
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#235566 - 06/07/08 10:49 AM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
asafar Offline
Member

Registered: 08/13/01
Posts: 374
Loc: New York
Yes we should add Gas surcharge for Long trips.
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#235567 - 06/07/08 11:18 AM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
Diki Offline


Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14182
Loc: NW Florida
I would say take a look at the venue...

Is it still packed? Have the management raised prices on their customers (to cover the increases in costs for THEM) and the venue is STILL doing a good business? If so, then I'd say you are in a good position to negotiate.

But don't forget, those pressures on you are also the same pressures on your employer, AND his customers. If he is hurting too, higher food wholesale prices, trucking costs, etc., and his customers are hurting to find discretionary income to go out to a restaurant (they've got to drive there, too!) only to find higher menu prices and the like, it may not be the best time to try and squeeze him tighter!

A lot would depend on how secure do you feel in the job? If you raise prices, are you SURE they won't just try and find someone more local, or do without live entertainment at all...?

It's your call. Maybe there's no harm in asking (not demanding!), but if they refuse, right now, with the economy tanking, I wouldn't push the point....
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#235568 - 06/07/08 03:00 PM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
keybplayer Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/27/03
Posts: 2417
Loc: CA
Somebody has to take a hit and it shouldn't be you. You do what you have to do in today's economy. Gas here in So. calif. is hovering around $4.40 a gallon for regular unleaded and some say it will hit $5.00+ by the end of summer. I really feel for those who have an RV or an SUV. As we speak, 5 major oil consuming countries including the U.S.A. are asking, or rather I should say pleading, with the oil exporting nations to increase oil production immediately, and their reply was oil production will in NO WAY increase until AFTER the oil summit on September 9th in Vienna.

Yeah, you will need to increase your gig prices if you have to because you are a service being rendered to the public i.e. musical entertainment, and gas prices i.e. driving to and from gigs, are all factored into the price of the service. When the cost in the price to deliver those services goes up, your prices have to go up accordingly to be able to offset the higher price that it costs to provide those services. >> Even though you may not want to because of kindheartedness or the possibility of them turning you down or losing the contract if you did happen to raise your prices. Like I said, you do what you have to do.

Best,
Mike

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 06-07-2008).]
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#235569 - 06/07/08 06:50 PM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
cassp Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/21/03
Posts: 3748
Loc: Motown
Right out of the clear blue sky, the funeral directors in my area have seemed to increase the stipend I receive for funerals; I'm not complaining. I raised my wedding service fee this year to. Costs are going up all over.
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#235570 - 06/07/08 07:22 PM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
I agree with Diki....if you aint got the musaical goods to "command" a raise in the first place better watch yourself or you wont need to raise prices because you wont have a gig to drive to anymore..

dump the gas guzzler & buy a smaller 4 banger makes more sense.

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#235571 - 06/07/08 11:35 PM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
eddiefromrotherham Offline
Member

Registered: 03/21/02
Posts: 788
Loc: Rotherham,England.
Quote:
Originally posted by keybplayer:
[B] Gas here in So. calif. is hovering around $4.40 a gallon for regular unleaded and some say it will hit $5.00+ by the end of summer.

Can you send some of that to us here in Europe,please?!!!!
Most of us here have been paying over $10 for some time now!


------------------
Eddie from Rotherham
Skype:eddiefromrotherham
www.yamahakeyboards.info

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Eddie from Rotherham
http://www.music2myears.plus.com

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#235572 - 06/08/08 12:59 AM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
Diki Offline


Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14182
Loc: NW Florida
And rarely having to drive 2-300 miles to get to a 'local' gig.

Count your blessings...
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An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!

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#235573 - 06/08/08 07:16 AM Re: Price Increases for your Gigs
zuki Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/20/02
Posts: 4716
It's not a bad idea to drive 60mph in the slow lane and look for addtional meager jobs in the same area, on the same day, to at least pay for gas.

I'm not too proud to play for $50 or so (at a facility which has no/little budget). And don't think this lowers the bar. I keep my job pricing private. The folks there deserve music as much as anyone

There are many facilities that allow me to play whenever I want at a reduced price when in the area - that's a good thing.

Look at it this way. I know some who work all day (GC, etc) for $8 hr - $64 a day? I count my blessings every time I turn on the keyboard folks. Life is short.
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