On Booking Sidemen: A must-read for bandleaders of any type

“You free on Friday?”

“Well, that depends….”

“Got a gig, you free?”

The above is an example of how not to get professional musicians by your side on stage. As a career sideman, it’s hard to overstate how much it really matters that bandleaders and personnel managers communicate effectively. If finding out the details of every gig someone offers is like pulling teeth, they’re not going to be working with the best people for very long.  Here’s a list of the BARE MINIMUM amount of detail that should be in any initial offer:

·         Date

·         Timeframe

·         Location

·         Music

·         Instruments required

·         Pay

That’s the minimum amount of information someone needs to know if they are “free on Friday.” It might seem pedantic and a little too obvious, sterile even, but let’s go into more detail about each one.

Date: straightforward, right? Usually. A lot of gigs don’t need rehearsals, but, if the music calls for one before the show, just say so. I’ve seen bandleaders go off the rails when people don’t have time the day-of or day before to “get together real quick to run some things” after only asking for availability on the show. If the gig includes a rehearsal date, the sidemen need to know upfront so they can make room in their schedule and calculate if the pay is going to be worth the time and effort.

Timeframe: Working musicians can’t dedicate an entire day to a $100 gig. “that depends…” on if they can get to another downbeat at 9:00 the same night. The hit is from 2-3 in the afternoon? Perfect! The more we know, the more informed our answer can be. If people see a chance to “double dip” they will usually take it pretty quick.

Location: Just tell me where it’s at!!! This one coincides with timeframe. Can I finish the show and get to my next thing on time? Again, the more we know the more informed our answer can be. And, if the gig is 3 hours away the in-town rate of $150 won’t cut it. Travel time is an important consideration for working musicians. Additionally, is it an indoor or outdoor venue? Some musicians might not want to expose their tools to inclement weather and will back out when they learn it’s a 3-hour Christmas caroling event in North Dakota where their thousands of dollars of equipment will inevitably be destroyed by the cold. If the gig can’t pay for replacement gear three times over, it’s not worth the risk.

Music: What are we playing? Is someone going to have to learn and memorize 20 new songs by tomorrow? – Musician’s availability often depends on the feasibility and if the $$ is worth the stress (more on pay later). Is it a style I’m uncomfortable with? – some of the best musicians in the world aren’t great at everything. If I know that I’m not a good fit for the gig based on what music we might be playing, then I’m more than happy to point you to someone that will do great (more on finding alternates later). Hard to say if I’m qualified for the gig if I don’t know what we’re playing! Also, are there charts, and are they good?

Instruments required: For bass players that do both, woodwinds, pianists, and even some drummers this is important. Does the keyboard player need to bring their own rig, or is there a piano at the venue? Is this an upright bass or electric bass gig? What’s the backline situation? A lot of times these are details that can be hashed out later, or implied by the type of music and venue, but it is helpful to be sure everyone is on the same page, especially with multi-instrumentalists. Don’t want your kazoo player showing up with a banjo!

Pay: This one can be a bit contentious, but – did you consider salary/hourly wage when you took your day job? For pros, every gig starts with a job offer. “that depends…” on how much the gig pays! Am I free this Friday… to play a 4 hour gig 75 minutes away for $50? No. Absolutely not, but for $600 and a room, count me in. Am I free this Friday to play a 15-minute set at 2:00 in the afternoon a 3-minute walk from my house for $75? Sure, count me in. I’ve been met with a decent amount of pushback on this from various folks, ranging from “if you care about the music the money shouldn’t matter” to “I don’t want to hire people that are just in it for the money” to “sometimes we don’t know yet.”

To that last one, sometimes an estimated range can be helpful. For example, “not sure what pay is yet, but hoping to get everyone $150-175. Worst case scenario $100/person that I’ll pay you out of my pocket.” For folks that make their living, or at least a chunk of side-hustle cash, pay does matter – even if it doesn’t to you. I won’t toss up the old plumber analogies, but you get the idea: professional musicians need to know what you’re offering before they can commit. If you’re a great hang, but the gig is free, don’t be offended if they take a guarantee elsewhere, or leave the date open for some potential income.  

“What if I’m not hiring full-timers like you? Then pay doesn’t matter as much!” – don’t be part of the problem. The #musicianlife is already a race to the bottom and the world of professional musicians shouldn’t be taking a pay cut for you to do your hobby. Either get with the program and start demanding or manufacturing some decent bread for gigs and pay your people appropriately or stop playing shows. Period. “But I love music and playing out fills my cup.” Great, get paid while you’re at it and stop pitting your passion project against the bank accounts of creatives. “This is all the venue can offer.” Sounds like the venue can’t afford live music. And, to “I don’t want to hire people that are just in it for the money” – I guarantee you no working sideman is in it for the money, but they also have rent and car payments due. And while we’re at it, yes, in 2023 $100 is a CHEAP gig. ($100x5showsperweekx52weeks=$26,000 before expenses and self-employment taxes, which is not enough anywhere in the US) Alright, bit of a ranty tangent there. Back on track…

Here are a few other things that can be helpful to a potential sideman:

·         Attire

·         Other Musicians

·         Type of gig

·         Reason

These can all usually be discussed after the initial offer, but if you’re sending an email instead of a text – why not throw them in? Attire: If I must wear a tuxedo it also must pay at least $300. But in all seriousness, it’s helpful to know if the gig requires catsuits or pool floaties, because that needs to be included in a budget somewhere for the gig. Other Musicians: who else is on the hit? Nothing worse than showing up to find out you’re playing with your arch nemesis. Wouldn’t you hate it if you were assigned to share a cubicle with your ex or that guy who always smells really bad? Type of gig: This kind of ties in with the whole “Music” category, but is it a wallpaper gig or headlining a ticketed 700-person show? Reason: kind of like the type of gig thing, but is it for a benefit or fundraiser of some kind? Assisted living home? Flat Earthers Rally? I’d probably not want to do the last one, so just be honest upfront if the opportunity is even remotely in support of something controversial. Fortunately I was otherwise booked, but a few summers ago a gig I would’ve normally done turned out to essentially be a rally for a very controversial politician. The other musicians that got hired were pretty unhappy to say the least, and have yet to take another show with that band.

Another tangent incoming: “Take a chill pill, Jo, this isn’t Red Rocks or Madison Square Gardens.” No, it’s not, but it is my time, energy, and talents, and if that doesn’t matter enough to you to make an effort to craft a clear offer, then find someone else. It’s about respect and efficiency, and making the whole process smoother and more enjoyable for everyone involved. “The more we know, the more informed our decision can be.”

Keep all that in mind the next time you reach out to someone for a gig!. To wrap up, here’s an example of a perfect email:

“Hi Cindy,

                Wondering if you’re available/interested in playing slide melodica with The Great Puffin Excursion on 7/31 at The Gaylord of the Rockies for a wildlife foundation fundraiser on the main entrance patio. The set is 5-7, load in at 3:00 – no charts on stage. Dinner and room provided, pay is $450. We’d play all 12 songs on the record plus these 4 (demos attached). Xavier isn’t able to do this gig, so we’ve got Shelby subbing in.

Thanks, and let me know by May 10th if you can!”

Let’s go through the list:

·         Date: 7/31

·         Timeframe: 3:00-7:00

·         Location: Gaylord of the Rockies - outdoors

·         Music: The band’s album and attached songs – no charts

·         Instruments required: slide melodica

·         Pay: $450

Extras:

·         Attire – not specified, but implied based on the band

·         Other Musicians – Shelby subbing on drums

·         Type of gig - fundraiser

·         Reason – wildlife foundation

·         Hidden Bonus: Accept/decline timeframe: By May 10th

That type of email checks all the boxes, and makes it easy for someone to respond with a “yes or no.” If every gig offer you throw out there comes with 20 minutes of back-and-forth questions, consider revising your approach and making sure all the important details are checked off. “The more we know, the more informed our decision can be.”

Oh, and two more things 1): if someone gets asked to do a gig and they are unavailable, it is not suddenly their responsibility to find a sub. This rarely happens, but don’t expect to only have to reach out to one person and have them find a player if they can’t do it. People saying “no” to something will often freely suggest other players and provide contact info, but it’s not on them to reach out unless they’re getting a cut. 2) Don’t call. Or, if you do, don’t expect an answer right away. Text, email, messenger are all great options to lay everything out clearly. No one talks on the phone anymore, and it’s easier to confirm details of a gig in writing.

Okay, that is all! A long and pedantically winding road to just say one thing: the more informed we are the more informed our answer can be. Make offers to sidemen as informative as possible.

about the term sideman: I hate it. It’s not gender neutral, sideperson and accompanist don’t really fit the vibe yet and contracted musician is too clunky, and it implies a “lesser than” value to the people who make the magic happen. I’m sure I’m missing something and there’s another popular term already in use - let me know what it is?!