Touring, as every artist knows, is a tough game. Uncertainty is high, margins are razor thin, and once an artist deducts piffling luxuries like, erm, accommodation and food from their income, tours often end in losses. It’s no wonder some bands are asking the 6 Music Dads to help wind up their cables after the show.
Enter GigLogic, a new platform founded by artists who have toured themselves, and wants help artists and teams make more informed business decisions before accepting a gig – by evaluating the profitability of performance opportunities before they commit to them. It’s initially targeting indie performers, artist managers, and small management firms.
Co-founder Craig A. Meyer said that he and co-founder Gary Arbuthnot “learned the hard way that the paycheck isn’t the profit. We’ve accepted opportunities that looked great on paper but turned out to be far less profitable once the real costs were accounted for. We built GigLogic to help artists understand the numbers before they commit, so they can make informed decisions before they say yes.”
So how does it work? Users enter details of a potential gig, build customised cost profiles, and evaluate projected earnings so that they can see the hidden costs before confirming dates. It’s designed to replace the higgledy-piggledy array of spreadsheets, guesswork and back-of-envelope estimates that artists – emerging ones – may find themselves using. Users can start using the platform for free, and then costs from $19.99 per month.
