"As an organiser, I expect the performer to send me suitable publicity material, then I believe it is my responsibility to sell the performer - through other venues in the area, through my own mailing lists, through the local press, through posters, etc. I know the area and the people - I should be able to get the people in to listen to a performer that I believe is worth listening to. And if I don't believe the latter, why should my audience?"

Well, this is obviously true once performers are working at a certain level, but when people are just starting out I think it helps enormously if they are willing to take on some (not all, but certainly a proportion) of the responsibility for getting an audience.

Many years ago I was the "girl singer" for an Irish band. The lead singer was brilliant at developing the fanbase we had (before e-lists and the like) and we had a core of dedicated family, friends and people who just liked our stuff who would turn up at most of our gigs and make a lot of noise and buy a lot of drinks. It was a momentum which eventually became self-perpetuating. Now, maybe the responsibility for providing that audience shouldn't fall on the performer. But if I were a young band starting out now, I'd want to use every tool in my power to create a buzz and to give a great impression. And those tools are much more accessible these days.

In other words, you can choose to play the game and market yourself, or not. But don't be surprised if the people who play the game and work to fill those seats are the ones who are getting the gigs.

PS: I've never paid anyone less than £200 for a gig.