This is a really great thread. It is remarkable to me that we all seem to be charging somewhat the same thing around the world. If anything, we seem to play for free a lot. I have a comment on that.

We do a lot of gratis events and we do not charge a nominal fee. We take it off on our taxes and I set my rate based on our Arizona Commission on the Arts rate of $38 per hour (or part of an hour) per person. My tax guy told me that this is an advertising expense, and that is how I write it off. I firmly believe that this is advertising. I also take off festival performances,if they don't pay me, and workshops that I teach at festivals. If you are a working musician (no matter how nominally) you must pay taxes on your income and this can cause some dramatic insult to your pocket on April 15. You need something to weigh against your earnings.

I agree that nonprofit groups tend to take you for granted. I recently played for a reception, where I had to go and scrounge chairs for my band to sit in because no one was there to help. I think I may start sending contracts or letters of understaning to those people too.

Bookstore gigs: Yes, they are the mainstay of many local musicians. The bookstore generally pays in trade or a small fee and they do it to provide entertainment for their customers. I love these gigs because you meet all sorts of people that you wouldn't meet otherwise.

Reaching people with our music is really what it is about. A local producer would prefer it if we did not play bookstores or local pubs that don't charge covers. This is because he feels that it potentially undercuts any shows that he produces with us. Why would they pay if they could see you for free in a few weeks? Our band's perspective is quite different. Why would we want to charge, if we have to give up all the fun playing out and meeting great people. We reach a compromise and resist the free gigs before a big show.

Happy tunes to you all. Claire

PS. Hey Ken, see you at Sharlotte Hall!