session leaders

Subject: session leaders
From: GUEST,Lisa
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 07:10 PM

I wonder how many of you are responsible for "holding down" or hosting song circles, Irish sessions, open mikes or jam sessions. I'm about to negotiate and was curious to know what other folks are making doing this sort of thing. You can't really look up the numbers as with other professions.

Currently I'm making $30 to host a three-hour session, drinks included in one venue and at a discount at another. In this town, bar gigs for local groups are generally in the $50+ range depending on venue and number of band members.

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: GUEST,Janice in NJ
Date: 04 Feb 02 - 10:18 PM

I've done it for free. Does that make me Ms. Shnook or what? On the other hand, it was for a U-U coffee house, not a bar.

U-U: After the shit happens, wine and cheese will be served.

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: smallpiper at work
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 09:35 AM

We tend to do it for the privilage of playing in a pub but I do understand that some people get paid lucky them!

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: Les from Hull
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 11:15 AM

I've never heard of someone getting paid for this. I would be very surprised to hear that it happened in the UK. The best I've seen is free beer or refreshments for the participants.

On the other hand what we sing and play is entirely our own choice. Ideally the session doesn't have a leader, but works well enough so that everybody gets a go. We're just happy that pubs allow us to meet and play, but don't advertise the session to the general public so that we're 'on show'. That gives us the freedom to try something new and not worry if it doesn't work. If people want to come in and listen, that's fine. It's better than hiding our music away where the general public can't get at it.

I'm sure that 'paid for' sessions are equally valuable. The more exposure we get for our music gets the better for all of us.

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: GUEST,Jenny the T
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 01:19 PM

The tiny bar where we have our session has never paid anyone, and none of the participants have ever asked. I think if we did, we'd lose the informality of it all, or we'd think we'd lost it, which is the same thing. The owners do keep the free drinks coming the whole time, though; that's enough for us.

There's a monthly session about an hour south of here, hosted by a fairly well-known whistle-and-flute player. It;s my understanding that he only makes about $50 for two hours' hosting. He used to make more. That session's at a mega-corporate chain bookstore's coffee shop. They just keep getting cheaper and cheaper while growing larger and larger ...

JtT

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 01:33 PM

Quite a few people get paid to lead sessions, though it's usually a fairly modest fee.  If a pub landlord (pubs are the usual venues for such things in the UK and Ireland) feels it will bring in significant extra business, it can be a good investment.  I ran sessions for a number of years; some I was paid for, others were for drinks (which I ensured were fairly distributed!), others just for the fun of it.  The point of having a "leader" is to ensure that things happen; a good session will pretty much run itself, but you can't guarantee it'll happen every time.  I have to say, though, that it can become wearisome in time (if I never have to play Fanny Power again it will probably be too soon), and I just sit in on sessions run by other people nowadays; all the fun and none of the sense of obligation.

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: weepiper
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 03:42 PM

The main session I go to has 2 players who are always there, they get £30 each plus £20 beer tab to be split amongst the players who turn up. Some other sessions I go to the only payment is one round of drinks.

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: Alice
Date: 05 Feb 02 - 03:51 PM

You mean you can make money doing this? We don't even get a free pitcher of drinks anymore at our instrumental session - the new owners of the location are so..., well, I guess we are just lucky they still let us meet there. It's a session that's been going since '94, but the building recently was sold to not-so-nice people.

For the song circle I started, I never imagined I could get paid for it.

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 01:32 AM

Paid for sessions is a big ha ha where I am. Our session is supposedly "open to the public" and (very minimally)advertised as such, but.......

We are a "club", not a band. Our winter monthly session is held in the public meeting room of a local bank. It is always just "us"........10 of us at most. We NEVER have drop ins.......and since it is on a Sunday in a bank, we have no alcohol and no audience. Our session is more of a very laid back rehearsal. Since we never, ever actually rehearse, this could be a good thing.

The bars/pubs where I live are all TV, sports, biker or juke box places. (Read--The Kuntry) There is no such thing as a live session in a pub less than a 4 hour drive from here. We have tried to start one and have been run off because we were "bothering" the TV/sports crowd.

I can't imagine being paid to run a session.

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 05:45 AM

I know someone who makes some portion of his living from paid session-running, so it does happen in the UK. I must say that it makes for a good session because he has to keep reasonable quality control & make sure its good fun enough that people keep on coming. This contrasts with one other session I go to where the leader is not paid, and he tends to lose control a bit and change his mind all the time about the format.

Kris

Subject: RE: session leaders
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 05:58 AM

I do sessions in Sheffield at various venues. As has been posted the lead or anchor muso in most of the Sheff sesh's gets an amount of dosh starting at around £20 upwards. One pub I play at pays me in beer (bad move I hear people who know me say) and taxi home , landlord there has been known to bring a tray of drinks round but always provides sandwiches for everyone. I think most pubs should pay but it depends on whether you've asked to play there or been approached by a landlord.