Tip Jars- Unprofessional?

[Mule]

Is having a tip jar in front of the band considered unprofessional? I play in a rock-blues band that makes about $400 a show. (give or take a few $$) We’ve been together for about six months and have been playing mid size clubs for various events and functions. I have a lot of people complement the band during breaks and after the show. I'm sure if we put a tip jar out front we would make some extra money in tips. I recently read that having a tip jar is for amateurs and is not something a professional band should do. Any opinions?

[HerrRentz]

Unless you're playing a piano bar, I think it's tacky.

[travisvwright]

Originally Posted by Mule

Is having a tip jar in front of the band considered unprofessional? I play in a rock-blues band that makes about $400 a show. (give or take a few $$) We’ve been together for about six months and have been playing mid size clubs for various events and functions. I have a lot of people complement the band during breaks and after the show. I'm sure if we put a tip jar out front we would make some extra money in tips. I recently read that having a tip jar is for amateurs and is not something a professional band should do. Any opinions?

I said depends, but it sounds like in your case it would be a bad idea.

[billyguitar]

It's more common in jazz and blues clubs. I think it's ok.

[Jarrett]

Depends on the venue/band, I think. We have an acoustic trio that does pub gigs and we use a tip bucket. The other couple of bands I play in are more of a full band doing music venues and we don't set them out there.

[musicofanatic5]

I have been playing full-time for nearly forty years and got nothing against a damn tip jar. It sometimes makes the difference between a typically sh*t-ass paying gig and an acceptable paying gig. I talk the damn thing up plenty on the mic, too, attempting to "humorously" shame folks into contributing. I notice an inertia effect as well: as soon as one person sees another approach the bandstand to contribute, they follow one by one. Why should some pianobar schmuck be the only one getting tips??

[AJ Love]

in most of the Blues bars I play at, a tip jar (though we call it a "ducket bucket") is very common

[AJ Love]

Originally Posted by musicofanatic5

I talk the damn thing up plenty on the mic, too, attempting to "humorously" shame folks into contributing.

yep, me too

[teleking36]

Some of the well-booked clubs use tip jars to generate income for the band(s) playing. We just played Rockwood Music Hall in NYC over the weekend and that's how we got paid. Same with many of the NYC and Boston joints these days. Now it's a totally different ballgame if you're playing in a cover band, but for original acts such as ourselves, it's very difficult to get a guaranteed flat rate for a 45 minute set. We rely on either a cut of the door or tip jar cash.

In our case with the Rockwood gig, the tip jar helped cover some gas and a few drinks after the gig. Not a lot of dough, but we got a great response and sold some merch, which is an excellent way to generate band profit. Every little bit helps at this stage.

[AJ Love]

If there is No Cover charge, you can end up getting quite a few duckets in the bucket... as the very wise musicofanatic5 said: a tip jar can be the difference between a low paying gig and a reasonable night's pay

[AJ Love]

when hyping it over the mic though, don't use the word "tip", use the word "donations". You'll make more $$$. If there is no cover charge, hype that up: "as you might have noticed when you came on in the bar tonight, there was nobody standing at the door asking you for your money..." etc etc

[niclake13]

My old band used to put an empty gas can on the merch table, and a big sign saying "gas tips". We'd often get more than enough money to cover gas to and from venues we played at, and the remainder was our "tip".

[GCDEF]

We put one out. If we don't, people ask where it is. I've been at clubs where we didn't put it out and somebody from the club would put one on stage for us. Seems it's normal and expected around here.

[bearbike137]

I saw one at a wedding once and thought "you gotta be kidding me"...

[bseamus]

I'm going to start, we play some small places that give a small percentage of the bar and we make nothing. we play jazz and I agree that its more accepted in that world.