Architects drummer Dan Searle is the latest musician to speak out against the unfair merch cuts that venues have been taking from bands. He tweeted the following:
Hey @bands when are we gonna go on strike and get rid of these insane venue merch cuts? Or maybe we don’t play until we get a cut of the bar? Can we just get this done asap please?
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 19, 2023
I believe CDs and Vinyl are often a smaller cut but we tend to sell those items as cheaply as possible. On clothes arenas often charge 25% of gross + VAT + card fee + ‘business rates’. They walk with £10,000-£100,000 and we pay for printing, shipping, designs etc. small margins. https://t.co/4v3rdXDO6r
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 20, 2023
We make very little from touring. And if bands just agreed to not play any shows for 1 month, say in 18 months time, the big venues would lose hundreds of thousands, if not millions, and I’m pretty sure they’d change their tune pretty quick.
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 20, 2023
Firstly I don’t think there’s a single 30k cap arena on the planet but if there was then they’re probably going to be taking £100,000 from the artist for one night of work. Should just about cover the workload of counting in and out I imagine? https://t.co/FIeUJCIEBg
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 20, 2023
Not allowed. Venue grounds – if it were that simple it’d have been done for many years by now
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 20, 2023
the promoter is already paying to use the venue….which is ultimately paid for in ticket sales…ticket sales that only exist because of…..oh yeah, the band.
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 20, 2023
There’s not a single band that wouldn’t have their finances completely transformed if things were to change. Theres no fathomable reason not to act other than apathy. And all it takes is everyone to say ‘no, we’re not doing this anymore, you need us to exist.’
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 20, 2023
Fans would see bigger, better shows and pay less for merchandise. Or we can keep making billionaire dollar corporations richer.
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 20, 2023
I genuinely believe so https://t.co/a9LGaSYsml
— Dan Searle (@danarchitects) February 20, 2023
[via The PRP]
Metal Anarchy 