[buddy lee]

Thoughts on gigs where they want to pay the band via check on Net 30 terms (meaning they'll mail you a check within 30 days)?

Last one my quintet did was for a hotel. Guy who booked it with the hotel didn't know we weren't going to be paid in cash at the time, found out after the fact that (shame on us).

How common is this? Do you do these gigs? We ended up getting paid 2 weeks later than they said we would, of course.

If nothing else, we're very clear with our communication and expectations upfront about being paid at the time of the gig now...

 

[turf3]

Never had that.

Have had individual band leaders give me a check days after the gig, but these have been folks I knew and trusted, and I haven't been burned (yet).

Net 30 for a hotel gig sounds like arrant BS to me.

 

[10mfan]

I wouldn’t play a gig where I had to wait 30 days to get paid.
If they expect me to be there on time, play, and do my job that day, they will pay me that day.


When I started getting dealers for my mouthpiece company almost 7 years ago, they all wanted to pay net 30. I told all of them that I won’t run a business like that and I expect to get paid upfront.
NONE of them gave me any trouble. They said it’s not how they normally do things, but they will do it my way, if thats how I do things.
They’ve been doing it my way for almost 7 years now, and everyone has been happy.


Sometimes you just need to be adamant, and set your own rules.
If the guy on the other side doesn’t want to play by your rules, I'd walk away.

I would never take a gig or sell my mouthpieces at net 30....ever.

 

[StanVI]

It’s corporate cash flow...the key is to add 50% surcharge as a choice....they can pay at the conclusion of the gig or 30 days later adding 50%...

 

[notes_norton]

It depends on the gig for me.

How reliable is the entertainment purchaser? How much does it pay? How much fun will the gig be? What kind of audience will there be?

I've done this, but it's rare. I'd much rather get paid for the gig on the gig, but some accounting departments don't work like that. It also may involve submitting an invoice as well as your contract.

Notes

 

[JayeLID]

If I was approached with such terms, and the money was NOT really, really (really) good...and the venue/event was really good....I would simply decline the gig.

otherwise 30 days is bullsh#t, regardless of what payment delivery method is used, IMHO.

But indeed Buddy, your leader probably slipped up a bit in not clarifying terms of payment. I just did this myself a few weeks ago; after the gig at a venue which really 'looked' like it'd be a cash-paying venue, manager asked if we'd prefer Paypal or check ? It was MY bad, on that one. And she did paypal w/i 24 hours and throw in the fee amount as well...but it was a reminder I had been lazy.....

 

[JL]

This is the corporate way with certain venues. I've only encountered it a couple of times. My band had a good, reliable monthly gig at the San Jose Fairmont for a couple of years. Pay was good, always a crowd and full dance floor. So it was a fun gig as well. I always, without fail, pay my band mates in cash the night of the gig. So I would pay them, then had to wait 2 or 3 weeks to get my pay. At first I was highly skeptical about it, but since the check always arrived, I just looked at it as money in the bank. And it worked out OK, far better than not having that gig and not getting the pay at all. Eventually, after a couple of years, under new management they stopped having dance music and went to classical quartets, so that was the end of it.

Having said that, I HATE that system and probably wouldn't do it again unless, as Jaye says above, the money is really, really good. There aren't that many gigs at the corporate level any more, but if you get one, this is how it will likely operate.

 

[hakukani]

I remember working sound gigs for universities. Net 30 would have been nice. It was usually more like net 60 or net 90. I just learned to factor the delay into my expected income.

 

[jgreiner]

I wonder if that same hotel would take a "net 30" payment for rooms. Obviously I'm being flippant. It's asinine and I refuse to do business with a client who won't pay me (AND my fellow musicians) upon completion of my obligation to them. When I lead gigs, I have it clearly stated in my contract that payment is due upon completion of the gig, with a $20 late fee for each calendar day payment is late. I've only had to remind maybe 2 clients of that late fee when they told me "we'll get a check out to you next week" song and dance after the gig. I promptly got the contract THEY signed out and showed them that little tidbit. Amazingly, I got a check immediately or the next day. Actually, one client took about 3 weeks and after multiple heated phone conversations, I finally got a check. By that point, I was relieved to finally get paid and didn't feel like talking to that moron again so I didn't even bother to attempt to collect more. I always pay my band members immediately after a gig, no matter if I get paid that night by the client or not. I'm always clear with a client about payment. Unfortunately, there are some clusterf***s that happen along the way.

 

[whaler]

No matter what, I pay my sidemen out of pocket, then chase the ******** down. I tell the guys who hire me this and sometimes they’ll pay quicker.
That being said, I’m waiting on a check from December.