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How bands actually get paid
Splitting a fee, travel, deps, statements and the paperwork around a gig — written for the people doing it, not for a search engine.
How cover bands split gig money (and where it goes wrong)The real arithmetic of a band fee for a US cover or wedding band: what comes off the top, why travel should come out before the split rather than after, how a sub gets paid, and the mistakes that cause arguments.What to pay a sub, and who actually pays themThe band pays you, you pay the sub. That arithmetic with round numbers, the four things to agree before you ask, and what a longer drive costs everybody.HMRC's mileage rate is now 55p — what it means if you gigThe approved mileage rate rose to 55p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles from the 2026 to 2027 tax year. What that means if you drive to gigs.How band members get paid — and what you should be able to seeWhat happens to a gig fee before it reaches you, why your total and the bass player's differ, what a statement should show, and how deps change the maths.How bands stop double-booking themselvesThe three calendars every band accidentally keeps, why a date falls between them, and how to make one of them the one that actually decides.How to start a function band in the UKThe practical order: the line-up, who is in charge, the material, the kit venues ask about, getting booked, what to charge, deps, the day and the records.What a dep actually costs you, and who pays whomThe band pays you, you pay the dep. Here is that arithmetic with round numbers, what to agree with your dep beforehand, and the record worth keeping.What a good day sheet contains (and how to keep one)Everything a day sheet has to answer before the band leaves the house — call time, load-in, parking, set times, who to ask for — and where to keep it.What is a dep? How depping works in a UK function bandWhat a dep is, how depping works in a UK function band, what a dep should be told before saying yes, what to agree about money, and who pays whom.How UK function bands split gig money (and where it goes wrong)The real arithmetic of a band fee: what comes off the top, why travel should come out before the split rather than after, how a dep gets paid, and the mistakes that cause arguments.PAT testing for bands: what venues actually ask for, and how to keep the recordsWhat PAT means for a function band's PA, lighting and backline, what venues and agencies ask to see, how often gear gets retested, and the simplest way to keep the records straight.The musician's invoice in the UK: what it has to say, and what it doesn'tWhat a self-employed musician's invoice must include, what to leave off, how deposits and balances work for a band, and a plain template you can copy.Why we built Event Band ManagerBand money goes wrong in the same place every time — the travel. Here is the order the arithmetic has to happen in, and why a spreadsheet keeps getting it wrong.