Music Performance Agreement Guide + Form

       It's important to have a Music Performance Agreement between you and the venue so the terms are clear and there's no gray area to figure out during or after the gig.  Send this form ahead of time to the booking agent, talent buyer or music coordinator at the venue if they don't send you one first. 
    On the form you will of course include all of your Contact Information.  If your act has multiple members then this is a good way to have one member be the point person.  It is very important to have a phone number that the talent buyer can use to reach you easily for updates to the gig or contact when you are on the road. 
   The performance Date is helpful to keep clear for scheduling, travel and information for publicity and obviously showing up on the right date for your gig and making sure the venue doesn't double book you.   Pinpoint the location / address of the venue to plug into your maps app.  so you can arrive in a timely manner and plan your travel time.  If your venue is in your home town and you play there a lot then maybe mapping it out isn't important but this contract is still important.  If the Event has a name, like if it is part of a certain music festival, a series, showcase or something along those lines, it is helpful for publicity to indicate that.   All of these items ensure that you and the venue are on the same page. 
  The Services section covers a lot of useful information to the venue so they are clear about what to expect: what services you are providing / your genre, band members, or any notes about what you are delivering, so that the venue isn't expecting a full band when you show up solo.  The Performance Details are often filled by the venue and can include: the performance order and where you're placed on the bill, how long your sets are, breaks, if there's more than one act performing, what time you're expected to arrive and load in and do sound check.   You can ask about these details in this section if they haven't been previously arranged. 
   It's good to have the venue write down PA / Equipment Details so you know what you need to bring and what the venue has.  You can also put your tech. / stage plot requirements here. 
  Payment: this is good to clarify your compensation,  wether it's a guarantee, percentage of the door cover or ticket sales.  Does it include food & drink?  Are you getting paid a portion of the money upfront (“deposit”), and if so, what is that amount, and when is it due to be received?  Are you being paid before or after the show?  How are you getting paid – cash or check?  There are a lot of variables in how artists are compensated so it is good to get those details taken care of before the gig. 
  Seems like I may have forgotten something, right? Other Info. to include could be an agreement as to what happens if you are sick or the event gets rained out or anything else that is unique to the performance. 
   After you and the talent buyer sign and date it, and you get their contact info. so you can text them when you get to the venue, you'll have taken care of business and you'll be able to focus on the performance.  Download the complimentary form below! Have fun!

chime in  :  Do you you already have a form you use? How does it differ from mine? Have you noticed using a Performance Agreement helps ? How often do you use them? 

​kindly, Mike Caruso ( MAGNETIC WEST MUSIC ) 

DOWNLOAD Perofrmance Agreement