Given the current state of the industry, it’s being progressively tougher to make it as a musician today. Among the many issues keeping artists from getting their dues is concert venues taking a cut of merchandise sales when performers pass through. Virginia metalcore group Bad Omens are the latest to take a stand against this practice and call out participants of the music space to change the culture.
A fan recently posted a photograph of a cocktail menu at one such venue that was hosting a Bad Omens show, and all their drinks were named after songs by said group. Captioned “Y’all wild, cheers,” the tweet showed alcoholic drinks being sold for unreasonably high prices.
“That’s dope, artists still don’t get a cut from bar sales tho even if the venue gives cocktails cute little names after your songs, but still take 15-20% of touring artists’ gross merch sales every night,” Bad Omens replied by quoting the tweet. “‘Nowhere To Go’ punch does sound delicious though, tip your bartenders.”
“Just to be clear — we don’t want a cut of your bar sales. We just don’t want to give you 20% of the merchandise we design, pay for, manage, set up, carry and sell ourselves because you gave us 24 square feet of floor space in your venue we sold out,” they wrote soon after.
The band subsequently quoted another tweet about booking agents and show guarantees: “When you pay more in merch % than your guarantee = play for free.”
NME recently reported that over 400 UK-based venues joined a campaign by the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) to not take merchandise cuts from artists.
“The discussion regarding punitive fees on merchandise sales is now very much a public one, with fans increasingly voicing their displeasure at such practices. The FAC will continue to advocate for a fairer approach and a more equitable system that allows artists to develop and grow,” FAC CEO David Martin said.
Photo Credit: Stephen Hoffmeister
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