FireBird Blog

Gigging at the Spyglass and Kettle? Here’s some stuff you should know…
This is a pleasant gig in a pub overlooking Southbourne coast, the playing area is a bit odd, the band is tucked away in various little pigeon holes which, whilst being quaint, doesn’t really make for a tight performance.
On the plus-side, the staff are good and the customers love a bit of live music.
But unfortunately, when it comes to payment, things are done through another company, UK Events.
I booked a gig there, only to have some geeza call me after a while and say he was going to email a form to me which I had to fill in. When I saw the terms and level of information required I refused, only doing the gig on the basis it was as agreed before, cash on the night. I felt sorry for the staff as they had to sort it out.
Thinking that I was the only one to have this bother I didn’t publish my dissatisfaction widely, however, I know of at least 2 other bands (who shall remain nameless) that have taken issue with this.
We’ve all worked with agents before and to have money paid directly into a bank account is no hassle really, well, if the fee is substantial, but this arrangement requires a high level of personal information for little currency. It’s not the fee that irks but the fact that they don’t need the level of information they ask for; I’m sure it’s just to keep their noses clean with the bean-counters.
With the amount of identity theft around, information should be issued solely on a ‘need-to-know’ basis and not because someone seems to think they have a right to it.
The 2nd band I heard about are now in the ignominious position of being told “provide the info or you won’t get paid”!!!
These things need to be clarified before a gig, not presented as a ‘fait accompli’ after the event (if that isn’t a tautology).

So, nice place to play but if you get a gig here, find out what you are letting yourself in for first.