Looking For Musicians To Play At Starbucks

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Permalink Reply by Chris Sullivan on December 24, 2008 at 3:25am

I am interested. I've played a few Starbucks before, and play at Borders in the cafe, and another south side coffee shop. I look into the Camby Starbucks in the past, but never followed it up. I have a few shows lined up in Jan. and early Feb, so maybe mid Feb. or sometime in March. I have a few others who play with me, including a cellist, and I would like her to be able to play, so I like to check with them to make sure some or all of them can make it.

You can get a hold of me here. I can stop out sometime to talk about it some more. Thanks much.

Chris

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Permalink Reply by Nicki Laycoax on December 25, 2008 at 1:25pm

Hi Chris!

Thanks for your response. If you'd like to send me your contact info to nicki at squishdesigns.com, I'd be happy to forward your info on to the manager!

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Permalink Reply by Joh Padgett on December 25, 2008 at 7:50am

The number one reason this coffee shop will continue to have trouble attracting musicians to perform is the third criteria that the musician cannot sell CDs in the store. Based on previous personal experience, a lot of times the management is going to ask the musician to play for free in exchange for a limited number of free coffee drinks day of the show instead. That being said, I know a few folks who successfully make a financial deal wherever they play and bring a crowd with them when they perform.

If a small cafe or coffee shop wishes to have live musicians they should either allow them to transact commerce in the form of CD or merchandise sales or if they wish to ban sales of products should pay the musician or musicians a decent wage for their services. Imagine if a client in your business came to you and asked you for a whole package of services to be performed for free with no reason given. You would laugh them out of your office!

I understand some musicians starting out will go along with this policy, and this is a big problem in our business. Musicians and other creative types sometimes have a fear of asking to be paid for their creative endeavors. Some even call it "selling out" to justify their refusal to stand up for themselves in business transactions such as engaging someone for their services.

This situation has more to do with the musicians' individual confidence level in their abilities and a burning desire to be heard. What these folks fail to understand is that it is precisely that desire to be heard is the point at which a musician has "sold out". The moment a composer or performer asks someone else what they think of it that they have abandoned the value of the composition or performance.for its own sake. Succumbing to the desire to perform for free is simply a drag on the economy of the local market for musical performance services and hurts every musician in that market.

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Permalink Reply by Nicki Laycoax on December 25, 2008 at 1:24pm

So, I'm assuming from your post that I can count you out? :)

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Permalink Reply by Joh Padgett on December 25, 2008 at 2:23pm

Yes, you can assume I'm not interested. And you can also assume professional musicians will not be interested. Why is it that it seems like the average American consumer feels entitled to be entertained by musicians for free these days? Why do you think this arrangement offered by management at the coffee shop would be fair for the performer(s)?

In marketing, a flyer campaign can only count on maybe 3-5% ROI. If that location is busy and sees 150 people in the time that the performer spends there, he or she or they can only expect 5-7 people to take a flyer. Out of those who take a flyer, maybe 1 person will visit the website. It's not likely they will purchase a CD, but just browse what is available on that musician's website for free.

Please don't take this criticism the wrong way, this is a business networking site and so I am simply trying to represent my point of view from a music professional's vantage point. I wish you luck in finding someone to play there, and in all likelihood you will find someone who will take the opportunity as is. That is sad for my friends who could use the work if it were a paid opportunity and my only motivation for speaking out. I will write a lengthier post on here soon to better explain my rantings here.

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Permalink Reply by Nicki Laycoax on December 25, 2008 at 7:02pm

I'm actually not interested in a more lengthy explanation. It was simply an invitation to those interested in playing.

If someone came to me asking me to perform my services for free, depending on the exposure it would give me, I would certainly seriously consider it.

For example:
~We do work either pro-bono or at a very low rate for select non-profits. I think that's along the same lines.
~I blog about products that I like. I do not get paid for it. It is selfless and I enjoy it.
~I have blogged a few times on Compendium's Indy Restaurant blog not only to help them out with growing the blog, but also to get exposure for my abilities and my company.

I think that people that are only driven by the dollar, and how they can benefit, are in the end, not going to be very happy with what they do, nor will they be looked at as someone that is a resource but instead unapproachable.

I didn't post this asking for Kanye West, Cher, or Tim McGraw to come in and play. I was inviting artists that would like to come in and play to get some exposure. Nowhere in my post did I mention that it was a paid gig.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Candlish on December 30, 2008 at 11:26am

Nicki: I have been playing "professionally" for 30 years and know a lot of musicians who have passed the point of "I'm gonna make it" and would welcome the opportunity you posted. I still play in a rock band with two of my buddies (we're all over 40) and we do mostly paid gigs but we also do free gigs for fun or charity. We have booked many paying gigs from the exposure at these "free" events. I'm sure there are a lot of solo/duet artists out there who will welcome a place to play to improve their performance skills or just to impress their friends and family! If I were new and trying to land some paying gigs in the area where this Starbucks is I would certainly book myself there and then invite the local decision makers for paying gigs to come see me live. Music is fun to listen to and play. Thanks for putting this out there. I'll plug my little band here too. We have some videos posted on YouTube that my son took of us at a local mexican restaurant. Search The Time Travelers or Kevin Candlish. Just 3 old dudes having fun! Happy New Year!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Nicki Laycoax on December 30, 2008 at 11:53am

Kevin,

Thank you for your response! I'd love to see some of your videos!

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Permalink Reply by Bob Sullivan on December 31, 2008 at 2:09pm

Joh,

The "problem" you speak of in regards to pro bono or underpaying talent is not confined to the musical industry. Fiction writers are often asked to solicit stories to "for love" publications for no pay, and business writers such as myself happily accept difficult or ambitious projects for very little or no pay to get the exposure. When you are starting out, you will take what you can get. On the other hand, there are always places and individuals who will take advantage of that. Some of my early pro bono pieces added much to my portfolio when I essentially didn't have one--one significant piece is still in my portfolio and continues to open several doors for me, so I have never looked back and complained I didn't get paid.

Opportunities are exactly that. If you want a chance to prove your talent and develop relationships, then such gigs are your opportunity. If you're more established, then it might not be the opportunity that fits you. Remember, non-paying gigs work both ways. Companies are also taking a risk every time they take on untried talent and greatly increase their chances the situation could be a huge disaster in the making. But you get what you pay for. :)

Just my four cents. But I won't charge this time. :)

Bob

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Permalink Reply by Joh Padgett on December 31, 2008 at 4:04pm

Perhaps I need to better explain myself for clarity purposes. I am not opposed to musicians working for free on occasion. Even huge stars do charity concerts and perform for free for ceremonial purposes and so on. I myself have organized numerous charitable events where musicians were performing for free.

My ranting above does not apply to those rare occasions where it makes sense from a charitable or strategic career point of view to perform pro bono. I am simply referring to the disturbing trend whereby musicians are being asked to perform in a commercial capacity such as entertaining everyday customers for no wages and with no opportunity to sell their CDs and merchandise to make up for no wages paid. This is a very specific and narrow scenario which I am talking about.

Some friends of mine a few years ago even organized our own charitable organization through which we raised money for a variety of charities including the VDay Foundation, Coburn Place Safe Haven, the Red Cross, Adopt A Minefield and for families of IPD policemen killed in the line of duty. Everyone performed for free and this included several well known local performers.

My main criticism is that if there is no charitable benefit from a free performance then there is no reason why a musician should not ask to be compensated either by a fee for their performance or allowing them to sell their music or their tshirts or other products at the venue after the performance.

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Permalink Reply by Nicki Laycoax on December 31, 2008 at 2:14pm

All, I am meeting with the manager of the Starbucks Monday. I will have more details and updates after that meeting.

Thank you all, and have a safe and happy New Year's Eve!

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Permalink Reply by Nicki Laycoax on January 6, 2009 at 10:58am

Hey everyone!

I met with the Starbucks manager yesterday, and we have set our first official date. It will be Friday, February 13 from 7-9 p.m.

She did say that she will make up a cool tip jar, you can pass out flyers or business cards, and you will also get drinks.

Please let me know if you are interested in playing the February date, and we'll get it set up!

Thanks in advance!

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