Getting gigs in Brisbane and beyond

Why play live at all

Streams are lovely. A room full of people singing your chorus back at you is something else. Gigs are where strangers become fans, where you sell merch, and where you learn more about your songs in 30 minutes than in a month of tweaking a mix.

Brisbane has a busy original music scene, from small bars and band rooms in Fortitude Valley and West End to suburban pubs, plus a run of regional towns that love a touring act. Nobody walks into a headline slot. You start with a support or an opener, play well, bring people, be easy to work with, and get asked back. That's the whole game.

This guide covers the deals, the emails, the paperwork and the money. It's general information, not legal or financial advice.

Before you ask for a gig

Bookers (the person who chooses who plays a venue or night) get dozens of emails a week. Make it easy to say yes. Have these ready before you send anything.

• Two or three songs online, recorded well enough to show what you sound like live.
• One short live video, even a phone clip from a rehearsal. Bookers want proof you can play.
• A three-line bio and one good photo, landscape and portrait.
• An honest idea of your draw (how many people will actually buy a ticket). Ten real people is a real number.
• A set ready to go: usually 25 to 30 minutes for an opener.
• Your ABN if you have one. If not, know about the ATO statement by a supplier form (more below).

How to approach venues and bookers

1. Go to shows at the venue first. See who plays there, how big the crowd is, and who's running the room.
2. Find the right contact. Most venues list a booking email on their site or socials. Promoters who run regular nights often book separately from the venue.
3. Pitch for a specific night or a support slot with a named act whose sound fits yours. 'Any gig' is hard to say yes to.
4. Offer to build a bill. Bookers love a ready-made three-band lineup with a combined draw.
5. Follow up once after a week. Then move on and try again in a month with new news.
6. Once you've played, thank the booker and the sound engineer. Get asked back.

What to put in a booking email

Short beats clever. Here's a template you can steal.

• Subject: Support enquiry, [Artist], [genre], [preferred dates]
• Line 1: who you are, where you're from, what you sound like (two sound-alikes).
• Line 2: what you're asking for, a specific night or support slot.
• Line 3: your proof, a live clip link, your best track, recent shows and an honest draw.
• Line 4: what you bring, your own backline (amps and drums), a tech rider and stage plot ready, and your promo plan.
• Sign off with one phone number and one email.

Door deals, guarantees and ticketed shows

These are the deal types you'll see. Music Victoria, a state music industry body, describes the main three ^[1]:

A guarantee is a fixed fee the venue agrees to pay you. A door deal gives you a percentage of ticket sales. A versus deal (often written 'guarantee vs door') gives you a fixed fee plus a share of the door once ticket sales pass an agreed amount ^[1]. MusicNT's best practice guide adds that guarantees are most common for festivals, corporate gigs, weddings and free-entry venues ^[2].

On a ticketed show, there are often costs taken out before the split, such as the sound engineer, door person, ticketing fees and sometimes the room hire. Always ask what comes off the top, in writing.

• Example door deal, from MusicNT: the artist gets A$17.50 of a A$20 presale ticket ^[2].
• Example versus deal, from MusicNT: a A$2,000 guarantee, plus a share of sales once gross ticket sales pass A$3,500 ^[2].
• Worked example (our numbers, for illustration): you're on an 80% door deal at A$15 a ticket, after A$300 of costs. 60 people come. Gross is A$900. Minus A$300 is A$600. Your 80% is A$480, split across a three-band bill however you agreed beforehand.
• Musicians Australia campaigns for a A$250 minimum fee for a three-hour call, made up of A$150 to A$200 for the call and A$50 to A$100 in allowances ^[1]. That's a campaign figure, not a legal minimum, but it's a useful benchmark for paid guarantee gigs.

Put it in writing

A contract is strongly recommended. If there isn't one, at least get the deal confirmed by email ^[1]. Music Victoria points artists to the Live Music Office for contract templates ^[1].

Get these in writing: booker and venue contacts, load-in and set times, cancellation terms, fee or split, ticketing details, payment date and method, merch arrangements, tech and backline, production costs and comp tickets ^[1]. A common payment term is 50% when the gig is confirmed and 50% within 14 days after, or 100% within 14 days after ^[1].

MusicNT explains the difference between the performance agreement, which is legally binding and usually signed about four weeks before the show, and the worksheet, which comes closer to the date with production, soundcheck, set times and rider details and isn't legally binding ^[2]. A common guest list guide is one comp per band member ^[2].

Tech riders and stage plots

A rider lists what you need. The technical part is your gear and sound needs. The hospitality part is food and drinks. It's negotiated as part of the booking, and the venue should say clearly what it will and won't provide ^[2]. Musicians usually bring their own instruments; venues usually provide the PA and a sound engineer, and ideally decent backline ^[2]. Water on stage and backstage is a basic ^[2].

A stage plot is a simple drawing of where everyone stands and where the amps, mics and monitors go. An input list is a numbered list of every channel the engineer needs to plug in. Venues and engineers often ask for both, alongside the riders ^[2]. Keep it to one page each. Small venues love a short rider.

• Input list example: 1 Kick, 2 Snare, 3 Overhead, 4 Bass DI, 5 Guitar amp mic, 6 Keys L, 7 Keys R, 8 Lead vocal, 9 Backing vocal.
• Say if you run backing tracks, and how (laptop, stereo DI, who controls it).
• List monitor needs simply: 'two wedges, vocal and keys in both'.
• Name one person as the band's contact on the night.

Promoting your gig

The venue will post about it. That isn't promotion, that's a listing. Selling tickets is your job too, and bookers notice who brings people. This bit is our opinion, from experience:

1. Announce three to four weeks out with a poster, ticket link and the full lineup tagged.
2. Message people directly. A personal text sells more tickets than ten posts.
3. Post a short clip of a song you'll play, a rehearsal moment, or a behind-the-scenes look.
4. Get on local gig guides and community radio gig lists.
5. Remind people the week of, then the day of, with set times.
6. After the show, thank everyone and post a photo. That's promotion for the next one.

Getting paid properly

Send an invoice. Music Victoria lists what a tax invoice should include: the words 'tax invoice', your name and ABN, an invoice number and date, GST shown separately if you're registered (or a note that no GST has been charged if you're not), bank details and your super details ^[1].

No ABN? The ATO says a business paying you more than A$75 (excluding GST) generally has to withhold tax unless you give them a statement explaining why you don't have to quote an ABN, for example because it's a hobby ^[6][7]. Without an ABN or that statement, they must withhold 47% of the payment ^[6]. The ATO form is called 'Statement by a supplier not quoting an ABN' ^[6].

Super is a big one people miss. The ATO says payments to individual musicians for performances are usually covered by super guarantee, even if the performer has an ABN or calls themselves a contractor ^[5]. Payments to a band set up as a partnership, a company or a trust work differently, and private gigs like a wedding where you work under 30 hours a week generally don't attract super ^[5]. Put your super fund details on your invoice and ask the venue about it.

If you're paid cash on the night, both sides should sign a receipt or reconciliation sheet ^[2]. If a venue doesn't pay, Music Victoria points to Arts Law, which offers lower-cost legal help including free 20-minute advice sessions for eligible artists ^[1].

Claim your live royalties from APRA AMCOS

If you wrote the songs, you can be paid every time you play them live at a licensed venue. You claim with a Performance Report through the APRA AMCOS app or Writer Portal, listing the songs, venue, date and set time ^[3]. Include covers too ^[3].

Venues pay a OneMusic licence that goes into a shared pool, and for non-promoted gigs your earnings are the same whether you play a corner pub or a 500-capacity room ^[3]. You have one year from the gig to claim, extendable to three years with evidence such as posters or tickets, though new members can only claim the 12 months before they joined ^[3]. Royalties are paid quarterly in February, May, August and November, and processing takes about six months ^[3].

Private functions like weddings and private parties can't be claimed, and busking in public places can't be claimed from 1 July 2026 ^[3]. Joining APRA AMCOS is free if you write songs and at least one has been performed live, broadcast or made available to stream ^[4].

Public liability and all-ages shows

Public liability insurance covers you if someone is hurt or their property is damaged because of your activities. Music Victoria notes it isn't required by law but recommends it, and some venues and festivals require it in their contracts ^[1]. If a booking contract asks for it, sort it before you sign. MusicNT also suggests musicians consider equipment insurance ^[2].

Under-18 fans and band members, Queensland rules: it's illegal for unaccompanied under 18s to be on licensed premises unless they're exempt minors ^[9]. A licensed venue can run an under-age or all-ages event only with approval from the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, and the licensee applies ^[9]. Under Guideline 11, applications must be lodged at least 21 days before the event, under-age events must finish by 10pm and all-ages events by midnight, liquor can't be sold or consumed in the under-age area, licensed crowd controllers are required (two for up to 200 people) and staff and volunteers need a blue card, with some exemptions ^[8].

If your band includes someone under 18, raise it with the booker at the very start. It's the venue's licence on the line, and they'll know what's possible. Other states have their own rules.

Common mistakes

• Agreeing a deal over Instagram DMs and nothing else.
• Not asking what comes off the door before the split.
• Bringing a 12-page rider to a 100-capacity bar.
• Forgetting the Performance Report, so the live royalties never arrive ^[3].
• No ABN and no supplier statement, then wondering why 47% was withheld ^[6].
• Leaving the bill as soon as your set ends. Stay, watch the other bands, make friends.

Questions people ask

Sources

General information, not legal or financial advice. Last checked 2026-10-26.

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