Seth in the news

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

Disappointing to see Seth and IMP mentioned in the disturbing debate over venues taking a cut of merchandise sales from touring artists. I thought that was something Live Nation did and not IMP. How wrong I was.

Even worse to see the Black Cat mentioned as NOT taking a cut of merchandise sales while Seth and IMP is the most militant.

https://pitchfork.com/features/article/artist-merch-cuts-venues/

[grateful]

I guess you missed the whole rabbit debacle?

The fact that a band is playing your venue does not entitle them to come and conduct commerce on your property

What if they decided to try and sell groceries, or rabbits, or whatever they’d like because “people wouldn’t be here if we weren’t playing”

People wouldn’t be there if we didn’t build the venue either

We’re all in this together…all of the income streams like merch and bar and ticket fees go towards paying the band

I have always found that people accusing others of trying to make money are only upset because they want that money themselves

[analogfossa]

I guess you missed the whole rabbit debacle?

The fact that a band is playing your venue does not entitle them to come and conduct commerce on your property

What if they decided to try and sell groceries, or rabbits, or whatever they’d like because “people wouldn’t be here if we weren’t playing”

People wouldn’t be there if we didn’t build the venue either

We’re all in this together…all of the income streams like merch and bar and ticket fees go towards paying the band

I have always found that people accusing others of trying to make money are only upset because they want that money themselves

Classic.

[hutch]

Interesting article


That’s some crazy if it started with DC straight edge!


“Militaristic” seems like the wrong word…maybe “scrupulous”?

[nkotb]

Admittedly I had a few years off from the board, but based on the last time Seth was in the news, I wasn't sure what I'd find in this thread!

[hutch]

First off I am saying this in a personal capacity.

I just find this a bit silly. When you agree to play a venue you know the terms. Nobody is forcing anyone to play IMP venues …in fact judging by bookings at Atlantis it’s full of smaller acts (the kinds of acts that need merch income the most) wanting to play there…I don’t think any IMP venue has booked more shows in the past month and it’s not close.

At least in the DC area there are a lot of alternatives for venues.

But what I really wanted to say is isn’t money fungible at the end of the day? Would it make people happier if IMP adjusted other income levers for bands? Also, don’t headliners reach agreement with opening acts on $ and terms for openers? If getting 100% of the merch is a priority then don’t open for bands that play venues that take a cut.

It just seems like bands agree to play venues, then get there and want to debate the merch policy? If the merch policy is a big deal then bands need to make it a priority before agreeing to play a venue or agreeing to be an opening act! If enough acts make it a deal then the promoter will need to make adjustments.

And as far as 930 the merch booth is an area that could fit more people. It’s valuable real estate. It’s pretty nice for fans to be able to get merch there: unmissable and you can still be at show.  Compare to other venues where the merch is outside the live room or further removed from the action. Don’t bands benefit from fact hundreds of fans stream out by merch stand and see the goodies? Don’t they sell more and make up or more for venue cut?

I guess what I am saying is things are a bit more complex than might appear at first glance. Just looking at the cut percentage in isolation is misleading.

[Julian, White Poet WARLORD]

But what I really wanted to say is isn’t money fungible at the end of the day?

Known barter system enthusiast, Hutch, weighs in.

[Cock Van Der Palm]

Your argument is valid, it is just disappointing that everyone tries to get a cut of the band's potential income or the consumer's hard earned dollars where ever possible.  Convenience fees, promoters portion of merch sales, dynamic pricing, yada yada yada.  The "it's a business" excuse is just a lame rationale for screwing the talent and the customers, which is always followed by if you don't like it, don't buy a  ticket etc. 

[hutch]

But what I really wanted to say is isn’t money fungible at the end of the day?

Known barter system enthusiast, Hutch, weighs in.

It’s not barter if you’re getting the money through a different concert income stream, right?

[hutch]

But what I really wanted to say is isn’t money fungible at the end of the day?

Known barter system enthusiast, Hutch, weighs in.

Wait did you think I was referring to the 930 cupcakes as a revenue stream?

[Yada]

Everything that needed to be said in this thread has been said, but I was really hoping there was going to be a mention of a facility off of Rockville Pike somewhere...

[Julian, White Poet WARLORD]

But what I really wanted to say is isn’t money fungible at the end of the day?

Known barter system enthusiast, Hutch, weighs in.

It’s not barter if you’re getting the money through a different concert income stream, right?

I’m literally just making a joke that calling money fungible indicates the door is open to trading goods and services for other goods and services. I’m not suggesting anything about this situation in real life.

[nkotb]

Lol I missed this part before

all of the income streams like merch and bar and ticket fees go towards paying the band

"We have to take a cut of the profits you'd make off of selling your merch...how else could we pay you?"

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

I guess you missed the whole rabbit debacle?

The fact that a band is playing your venue does not entitle them to come and conduct commerce on your property

What if they decided to try and sell groceries, or rabbits, or whatever they’d like because “people wouldn’t be here if we weren’t playing”

People wouldn’t be there if we didn’t build the venue either

We’re all in this together…all of the income streams like merch and bar and ticket fees go towards paying the band

I have always found that people accusing others of trying to make money are only upset because they want that money themselves

I did miss this. So disappointing. Good for Dante for not pulling this.

[hutch]

I don’t know…I am a big believer in user fees….whoever uses something pays… It’s more transparent than shifting the cost to something else…

Think of it this way: you have two bands. One has merch and the other doesn’t…why should the band that doesn’t sell merch pay the same as the one that doesn’t? Cause it’s not like IMP knows who is going to sell merch ahead of time so it would take the same amount of $ from some other revenue stream (from both bands) instead of directly from merch.

Because it is a business…and hundreds of people depend on IMP for their paychecks. And it’s easy to say the “big evil corporation making the huge profit “  but ain’t none of us seen the books….I think.

And bands complaining about counting shirts or what have you? How else would you do it? Once you are charging commission or cut you have to count them to know what the commission , taxes etc are. So to me it sounds kind of sketchy to hear bands complaining about this…