We do understand that performers would prefer a guarantee - we just can't afford to pay it out of our pockets if the gig flops. We advertise and usually pull in a respectable audience. The problem nights have mostly been beyond our control, such as bad weather, or a competing event in town that we didn't know about when we made up the schedule. Benefit concerts for seed money? Good idea, but we're stretched awfully thin time wise as it is. We've also had performers suggest that we apply for grants in order to afford them. We just don't have time. I think we'll have to stick with no guarantee, or a minimal guarantee.