The £150 quoted is not for 2 hours work, in effect it's for a day's work, it may even be for 2 days work depending on how the gigs work out. It could even be most of a week's work. If you read one of Vin Garbutt's article he reckons 3 nights a week is the max hw can do. Ok so Vin gets more but even so it's not a fortune. Dick Gaughan reckons he earns, over the year, not much more than national minimum wage. You can't work every night or even every week.

The labourer is worthy of their hire. If you can do it by running singers' nights at £2.50 and a guest every 4th week then great, your punters are getting a class act for approx £10 plus a lot of bonus music. Doesn't always work like that. Especially in urban areas where there are free sessions and lots of choice, club nights can be poorly attended and as more pubs are putting on free music (often with bands)it's a lot of competition Some places have to work differently, good luck to them as well BUT the artist has a life to finance and a limited number of occassions a year when they can do it, you cannot blame them or their agent for trying to ensure the best deal for them. If you can't agree terms then ce la vie, it's a shame that your customers won't see them at your club but it happens. If the economics don't stack up it can't be done on either side.

All the best

Steve Ogden