Making a Living as a Musician: Band Dynamics & Marketing

It is hard to beat a live band. The full sound, the atmosphere, the performance - a live band can truly make for a memorable evening.

Traditionally, three to five piece bands have been a staple of night-life across bars and nightclubs in New Zealand. However, for the members of these bands, making a living off their chosen profession can be a real struggle. 

With most bars only willing to pay between $400 NZD and $600 NZD for a live band, there has been a steady decline in bands with greater than three members as it is simply not financially sustainable. 

The most prevalent cover bands for hire in New Zealand - Duo Bands. 

“Bars aren't interested in three or four piece bands any more,” explains Jay Dowling, a member of Auckland based duo band, “The Dobros”. 

“With bars providing only minimal space, and with talent agencies clipping the ticket, two-piece bands are the only way you can really make a living from music".

With increased competition, coupled with the face that most musicians also work another job, many bands use talent agencies to find gigs. Though this saves musicians time, it usually comes at a hefty cost as agents take a large cut of the musicians profits.

“We left our entertainment agency after it was revealed just how much they were profiting from our gigs,” say Dowling.

“We decided to manage all of our own marketing, turning to the web, building our own website and getting our name out there”.

Making a living as a musician in New Zealand is tough. However, through decreasing the number of band member, and taking the time to take ownership of your marketing activities, becoming a professional musician can be a reality.

Rock on.