Hey Guys!
This is a great topic!!!
It all comes down to the artist's overhead cost i.e. room and board, food, emergencies....you name it the list can go on....bottom line alot of bands "pay to play" which is completly backwards. Right?! The artist is providing a service for the purchaser and the artist ends up paying at the end....our industry is completly turned around right now and a lot of us are hurting!
Most headliners usually never travel with a PA System to cut costs on gas and transportation. Its easier that way and makes more sense money wise.....PA systems are considered an expense. An expense that the purchaser has the choice of picking up..... if they opt out of providing a PA then the price for the show will obviously go up in order for the artist to cover their end. Remember with out a PA, the show becomes an "unplugged" show and those usually are not fun to dance to! lol
If the artist must provide a PA, they usually call a sound company from around the area to once again cut costs......no sense in doing a show in West Texas and having a PA system come from Houston! But alot of times it can be difficult to find a sound company who is available or "up to par". Remember that the PA is there to amplify the show.....its a reflection of the artist....if the sound company doesnt do their job correctly, the sound sucks and it effects the artist's performance and the audience's experience. Thats why artists are picky with who is running sound and thats why they are not quick in hirning just anybody.....hence why there is a delay sometimes in finding a system last minute!
As for some big artists charging so much......once again the artist is there to provide a service! Its what we do for a living.....not a hobby....but a career.....we too have to pay bills and our employees need to get paid. IM IN NO WAY SPEAKING FOR LITTLE JOE but speaking on behalf of what Ive learned being in the business....... You cant tell me that Hanna Montana charges $18,000 for a 90 min set! Or how about Justin Beiber or Usher......Lady Gaga.....or George Straight?! Why should our artists be any different then these artists? Thats why our industry is backwards! We treat our artists like they are just any other local band looking for a gig! Sure when you compare A Tejano Artst's, like Little Joe or Ruben Ramos, record sales to lets say George Straight or Justin Beiber's, of course there will be a huge difference! But why? Our industry has gone down significantly because we treat our artist like wanna be rock stars who are just looking for work.......I guess it all comes down to supply and demand......we need to start demanding again! I guess if you want cheap then you pay for cheap! You get what you pay for...... These are real recording artists just like Mr Straight and Mr Beiber.....not local garage bands.
Why is it that a band from Mexico can charge $50 to $75 a ticket for a show and its completly sold out?! Yet a tejano artist comes in and does a show at $20 at the door and people complain and not show up?.......WE do shows in California and people pay $100 to see the a 90 min show and its sold out!!!! yet come back to Texas and play a show for $20 and its no way compared to Califas!.......SUPPLY and DEMAND!
Anybody would want a top artist to perform at a show but if you want the best.....you have to pay for the best and there are times when we cant affford the best. Its like saying......We would all love to drive a LEXUS or MERCEDES but sometimes we can only afford a FORD or CHEVY! The LEXUS dealer is not going to come down on the price of the car and diminish the value of the car.....same thing happened in our industry....many of our top artist began to lower the price of a show and it lowered the value of the artist...... I know times are rough but the price of a LEXUS will always be higher than a FORD...... nothing against FORD! haha When it all comes down to it.....A car is a Car! haha
I hope i dont offend anyone by this post....but i thought it would be nice to hear from somebody on the other side of the biz......
Id love to take this conversation further if anybody has any questions! 432.816.5231
Please support your local artists and ofcourse your favorite Tejano Stars!
Buy our music and get on the dance floor!!!!
Chicano music lives in WEST TEXAS!!!
John Ontiveros
LOS HOT HORNS! Entertainment
432.816.5231
Thank for your comment Sir,
Yes it does come to cost, but I can’t believe rooms and food should come to play on the customer’s expense. There are Hotels rooms with kings size beds and can room 4 people comfortably at an affordable price and how much does it cost to eat? As far as emergencies, that itself should not be put on the customer. If you are implying that it’s added to the contract.
You say the list goes on. Wouldn’t mind to see the list to see what’s put on to the customer, but it is a business to the artist and they need to pay their musicians, but from the price they are charging additional charges in my opinion shouldn’t be added.
As for PA system, yes the artist needs to sound their best but 15k/18k that should be more than enough to use their system.
Tejano fans go to dances to see Tejano artist/bands because they are in the area. We might not pack the ballrooms but we go to support that’s in town and to compare Califa’s to small West Texas Town’s, there’s no comparison with Califa’s population.
In another note, Tejano is not in demand as Norteno that’s why they play for the amount they ask for and if you notice the demand for Norteno in the basin is high. As for English artist as you mentioned. Well, the fan population is higher than Tejano, its nation and international and it has to do with the age population not just because the young population is of Hispanic means they listen to Tejano, They listen to Hip Hop more than Tejano. I’ve also noticed young Hispanic adults are adapting to Norteno as well because it’s what is playing on the radio or that’s what’s in. I guess they haven’t discovered internet radio, but they sure discovered do Face Book…ha ha (a joke).
Tejano Artist isn’t any different as you mentioned, but the population is not there like the English top artist.
What I’m trying to say after I vented my opinion ha ha, is that no matter if you’re the older professional musician, The demand for those artists, our young generation is not there, but for the new young artist that are coming out they will be the ones to turn the table around and it’s not just up to them it’s has to do with radio playing and of course playing Tejano music in homes and family gathering in the back yard. Play it loud so the young generation can listen to what is out there and what is their culture as a Tejano. You have them listening to Tejano and then you’ll see the Supply and Demand.
Thanks for your post.
I know the topic was simple, but you did throw out a curve and well like I said. It’s a good topic.
More to come….lol
Thanks TV for the post page.
