Ask these before you say yes. Even for a free show.

The night itself

Get the shape of the night in writing, even if it's just a text thread. A screenshot of an agreed text has ended more arguments than any handshake.

• Load-in time, soundcheck time, set time, set length, hard curfew
• Who runs sound, and is there a house PA or do you bring yours
• What backline is in the room, if any
• How many other acts, and where you fall in the order
• Day-of contact: a name and a cell number, not an email

The money

Ask how much, and then ask the question bands skip: how does it get paid, by whom, and when. A $400 guarantee that shows up three weeks later as a check from an LLC you've never heard of is a different deal than $400 cash at settlement.

If it's a door deal, ask what the split is, who counts the door, and whether the count happens with you in the room. If there's a minimum before the split kicks in, get the number.

• Guarantee or door deal, and the exact split
• Paid day-of or invoiced, cash or check or app
• Who hands you the money, by name
• Deposit for private events: half up front is normal, not rude
• Cancellation terms both ways, in the same text thread

If the show is free, you still get paid

A free show is a trade, and a trade has two sides. If the room gets your set for nothing, decide what you're taking home instead and say it out loud before you confirm.

• Your fan list: table or QR by the door, and you announce it from stage
• Video: permission to film your set with decent light
• The venue posts you to their following, not just a calendar line
• Food and drinks for the band, agreed up front
• A real conversation about the next paid date before you load out

Merch, before you get there

Ask about the merch table while you're booking, not while you're loading in. Most bars take nothing. Some theaters and listening rooms take 10 to 25 percent. You want that number before you price your night, because for a working band the table often out-earns the stage.

• Can we sell merch, and where does the table go
• Does the house take a cut, and how much
• Is there light at the table or do we bring a lamp