Landing a gig is exciting. But so many artists I know have shared the sinking feeling that accepting something was a big mistake.
There are a lot of reasons why you'd want to accept or decline a gig, not all of them have to do with money. But when money is the driving factor, it's important to know objectively where you'll stand when all is said and done.
Because a healthy guarantee on paper doesn't necessarily translate into a profitable weekend once travel, hotels, fuel, commissions, crew, taxes, merchandise costs, and countless other expenses are factored in. Hence, many performers still rely on rough estimates (or optimism) when deciding whether to say yes.
A new platform called GigLogic wants to change that. GigLogic describes itself as the first "gig intelligence platform" designed to help artists, managers, and entertainment professionals determine whether a performance opportunity will actually make money before contracts are signed.
Instead of building tour budgets after dates are confirmed, GigLogic asks artists to start with a simpler question: Is this show worth taking in the first place?
Users enter the details of a potential engagement — including performance fees, travel expenses, accommodations, commissions, taxes, and other costs — to generate a projection of what they'll actually earn once the gig is over. The goal is to replace spreadsheet guesswork with a clearer picture of profitability before committing to a date.
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This is so prevalent NOW. We're always talking about the live touring industry's rising costs: fuel prices, lodging, crew wages, equipment transportation, and venue expenses have all increased. Yet many independent artists continue to face pressure to stay on the road in order to grow audiences and maintain momentum.
The result is a reality many musicians know well: being busy doesn't necessarily mean being profitable.
Both veteran performers, founders Craig A. Meyer and Gary Arbuthnot built the software after experiencing firsthand how promising opportunities could become disappointing paydays once every expense was accounted for.
Plenty of software exists to help artists organize schedules, route tours, manage settlements, and track accounting after a show is booked. GigLogic focuses on the decision that comes before all of that.
Should you take the gig at all?
That question may sound simple, but it's one many artists rarely calculate with precision. It's easy to compare guarantees. It's much harder to compare net earnings once every hidden cost enters the equation. Every show represents an investment of time, money, and opportunity cost.
As independent artists increasingly operate as their own managers, accountants, booking coordinators, and business managers, financial decision-making has become just as important as creative decision-making. This is the tool for the modern creative indiepreneur.
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