01
Start with all show revenue
Include , /overage, artist merch revenue, VIP or direct add-ons, and any reimbursed expenses that are genuinely incremental revenue.
Live Guide
Know Whether the Show Actually Makes Money
Turn guarantees, backend, merch, commissions, payroll, travel, lodging, and production into a show-level P&L.
Choose Your Lens
Why this matters
Current View
Fan
A $5,000 or $10,000 show fee is gross business revenue, not necessarily an artist’s paycheck. The show may be supporting musicians, crew, transportation, lodging, commissions, production, taxes, and the costs of the next date.
01
Understand
Start with what the concept means and why it shows up.
02
Work It Through
Move through the practical decisions, tradeoffs, and moving parts.
03
Ask Better Questions
Use the prompts to catch assumptions before they become expensive.
04
Take It With You
Finish with a checklist you can use outside the page.
02
Subtract direct show costs
Include commission, musician and crew pay, fuel/transport, lodging, or meals, parking/tolls, rentals, backline, production, merch commissions, payment fees, and other costs caused by playing that date.
03
Calculate show contribution
Revenue minus direct date costs equals contribution toward the broader artist business. It is not necessarily final profit because fixed overhead, taxes, salaries, insurance, recording, marketing, and future investment may still sit outside the show P&L.
04
Compare the date against alternatives
A lower on an efficient route can contribute more than a larger isolated offer that creates extra mileage, lodging, or a dark day. Opportunity cost belongs in the conversation.