GTribeMag

The T-Shirt War: Fighting the 20% House Fee Venues often demand 20% to 30% of your merchandise sales just for “allowing” you to sell in their lobby. This is a massive hit to an artist’s bottom line. A key agency obligation is to negotiate these “House Cuts” down or eliminate […]

Day 18: Performance Royalties (PROs): Getting Paid Twice

The Geometry of Fame: Understanding Radius Clauses A “Radius Clause” prevents you from playing another show within X miles for X amount of time. While it sounds restrictive, your agent uses this to protect you. If you play three bars in the same neighborhood in one week, you “dilute” your […]

Tika Hemingway Presents Pittsburgh Girls Laugh Fundraiser

The “No Tape” Rule: Guarding Your Digital Likeness In the age of iPhones and Twitch, venues often try to sneak a clause into the contract that gives them the right to record your set for “promotional purposes.” Your agency’s job is to strike that out. Your live performance is a […]

Day 15: The Technical Rider: Safety as an Obligation

Week 2 Review: Is Your Money Moving Correctly? This week was all about the flow of cash. If you are represented, ask yourself: The Bottom Line: If your agent isn’t making you more money through better negotiation and protection than they are taking in commission, it’s time to re-evaluate. 23 […]

Day 13: International Withholding & CWA Headline: Crossing Borders: Don’t Let Foreign Taxes Kill Your Tour Touring internationally? Most countries (like the UK, Germany, or Japan) automatically withhold 15%–30% of your pay for taxes. A sophisticated agency works with “Central Withholding Agreements” (CWA) or local accountants to reduce that withholding […]

The Agency as Your Collection Department What happens if a promoter’s check bounces or they “forget” the wire transfer? Individual artists often feel awkward chasing money—they want to stay “cool” with the promoter. The agency takes the heat for you. They have a “Blacklist” of promoters who don’t pay. If […]

When Life Happens: Your Paycheck vs. Acts of God “Force Majeure” is French for “Superior Force.” It covers things like floods, riots, or global health crises. A primary obligation of the agency is to ensure your contract has a robust clause that protects your deposit if the show is canceled […]