Done reading? Pick your lane
The guides are free, the platform is too — create a free account or read up on the role that fits you.
Step-by-step for all 4 roles
Quick Start Guides
Everything you need to get up and running on GigXchange, choose your role below.
Artist
Get discovered & booked
6 steps
Venue
Fill your stage
6 steps
Agent
Manage your roster
5 steps
Promoter
Run your events
6 steps
Artist Quick Start Guide
Create Your Account
- Sign up with your email — it takes 30 seconds
- Verify your email address to activate your account
- Choose "Artist" as your role during onboarding
Build Your Profile
- Add your stage name, bio, and a great profile photo
- Set your genres, city, and performance type
- Upload media — photos, videos, and audio clips
- Add social links (Spotify, SoundCloud, Instagram)
Set Your Availability & Fees
- Set your fee range so venues know your rates
- Mark available dates on your calendar
- Block out dates you're not free
Get Discovered
- Your profile appears in Explore for venues and promoters to find
- Browse open gig listings posted by venues
- Quick Apply to gigs that match your style
Connect Stripe
- Go to Settings → Payments
- Complete Stripe Express onboarding (2 minutes)
- Receive secure payments directly to your bank
Land Your First Booking
- Receive enquiries from venues and promoters
- Negotiate terms — or accept right away
- Complete the gig, get paid, and leave a review
Venue Quick Start Guide
Create Your Account
- Sign up with your email and verify it
- Choose "Venue" as your role during onboarding
Set Up Your Venue
- Add your venue name, type, and a great cover photo
- Set capacity, equipment list, and house PA details
- Pin your location on the map
- Upload photos of your space and stage
Post Your First Gig
- Set the date, time, genre preferences, and budget
- Add any requirements (sound engineer, doors time, etc.)
- Publish and artists can apply instantly
Browse & Book Artists
- Search Explore by genre, location, fee range, and rating
- Listen to audio clips and watch showreels
- Send a booking enquiry with your offer
Connect Stripe
- Go to Settings → Payments and complete Stripe onboarding
- Accept secure deposits from artists and promoters
- All payments are handled safely through the platform
Manage Your Bookings
- Track all bookings in your dashboard calendar
- Message artists directly through the platform
- Confirm completion after the gig and leave a review
Agent Quick Start Guide
Create Your Account
- Sign up and verify your email
- Choose "Booking Agent" as your role
Set Up Your Agency
- Add your agency name, bio, and profile photo
- Set your commission percentage and specialities
- Define the regions and genres you cover
Build Your Roster
- Search for artists on the platform
- Send roster invitations to manage their bookings
- Manage your full roster from one dashboard
Find Opportunities
- Browse open gig listings from venues and promoters
- Apply on behalf of your artists
- Negotiate fees and terms directly
Manage Bookings & Commission
- View all bookings across your roster in one calendar
- Track commission on every confirmed booking
- Message venues and promoters through the platform
Promoter Quick Start Guide
Create Your Account
- Sign up and verify your email
- Choose "Promoter" as your role
Set Up Your Profile
- Add your company name, bio, and logo
- Set your event types and regions you operate in
- Showcase your experience and past events
Create an Event
- Set the event name, date, and budget
- Define venue requirements and artist slots
- Publish so venues and artists can see it
Book Venues & Artists
- Search Explore for the right venues and artists
- Send booking enquiries and negotiate terms
- Build your lineup from one dashboard
Connect Stripe
- Go to Settings → Payments
- Pay deposits and fees securely through the platform
- Full payment history in your dashboard
Run Your Event
- Track all bookings and logistics in one place
- Message all participants through the platform
- Confirm completion and leave reviews
What Is GIGXCHANGE?
GigXchange is a peer-to-peer live music marketplace based in the United Kingdom. It connects artists, venues, booking agents, and promoters on one platform so they can find each other, book live performances, and handle payments, all without relying on word of mouth, social media messages, or phone calls.
Getting gigs as a musician often means hours spent messaging venues, chasing leads, and negotiating over email. For venues, finding reliable artists who match their audience and budget can be equally time-consuming. GigXchange solves both problems by putting artists and venues in the same searchable marketplace, with built-in tools for booking, contracts, secure payments, and reviews.
The platform supports every step of the live music booking process: creating a professional profile, discovering the right match, communicating terms, confirming the booking, processing payment through Stripe, and leaving reviews after the performance.
Further reading: Why I built GigXchange · Peer-to-peer booking: the future of UK live music · Every UK booking platform compared (2026)
Who Is GIGXCHANGE For?
Artists
Solo musicians, bands, DJs, function acts, and performers of any genre. If you are a musician looking for gigs, GigXchange gives you direct access to venues and promoters who are actively hiring. Create a professional profile with your bio, genre, location, fee range, audio tracks, and video showreels. Set your availability so bookers can see when you are free. Get discovered through search, or apply directly to open gig listings posted by venues.
Example: A jazz trio in Birmingham sets their availability and fee range. A wine bar in the city searches for jazz acts, listens to their tracks, and sends a booking enquiry, all within the platform.
Venues
Pubs, bars, hotels, restaurants, function rooms, wedding venues, and any space that hosts live music. If you need to find and book artists for your venue, GigXchange replaces the back-and-forth of emails and phone calls with a single searchable marketplace. Browse artist profiles, listen to audio clips, watch showreels, read verified reviews, and send booking enquiries directly. Or post a gig listing describing what you need and let artists come to you.
Example: A gastropub in Leeds posts a Saturday night slot for an acoustic act under £300. Within hours, three artists apply with their profiles, tracks, and availability.
Booking Agents
Agents who represent and manage rosters of artists. GigXchange gives agents a centralised dashboard to manage bookings on behalf of their talent, find gig opportunities from venues and promoters, negotiate terms, and track commission across every confirmed booking. Instead of juggling emails and spreadsheets, agents handle everything from one place.
Example: An agent managing five acts in Manchester browses open gig listings, applies on behalf of the best-fit artist, and tracks the booking and commission through to payment.
Promoters
Event organisers who produce live music events, festivals, showcases, and private functions. Promoters use GigXchange to find both venues and artists, build lineups, coordinate logistics, and process payments through one platform. Whether you are organising a one-off gig night or a multi-day festival, the platform keeps everything in one place.
Example: A promoter planning a summer showcase in Bristol searches for four different acts across genres, books them through the platform, and manages the full lineup from their dashboard.
Further reading: How to get more gigs as an independent artist · How to book live music for your pub or bar · The booking agent's role in modern live music
How Does GIGXCHANGE Work?
The booking process on GigXchange follows five clear steps. Whether you are an artist getting booked or a venue hiring a performer, each step is handled through the platform so nothing falls through the cracks.
1
Create a Profile
Sign up for free. Add your bio, genre, location, photos, audio tracks, and video showreels. Your profile is your digital portfolio, it is how others evaluate you before reaching out.
2
Set Availability
Artists mark available dates on their calendar so venues can see when they are free to perform. Venues post gig listings with specific dates, genre preferences, and budgets.
3
Discover
Browse the Explore section using filters for genre, location, fee range, and rating. Listen to audio tracks, watch video showreels, and read reviews to find the right match.
4
Book
Send a booking enquiry, discuss terms through the built-in messaging system, and confirm the booking. Payment is processed securely through Stripe, deposits are held until both sides confirm completion.
5
Review
After the performance, both sides confirm completion and leave star ratings and written reviews. Reviews are public and help other users make informed booking decisions.
Core Concepts
Artist Profiles
An artist profile is a public page that acts as a digital portfolio. It includes the artist's bio, genre tags, location, fee range, uploaded audio tracks, video showreels, and photos. Venues and promoters use artist profiles to evaluate performers before sending a booking enquiry. Each profile has a shareable URL that can be linked from social media, emails, or websites, and is indexed by search engines so artists can be found online.
Venue Profiles
A venue profile describes the space, its name, type (pub, bar, hotel, function room), capacity, stage setup, available equipment, location, and the genres of music it typically hosts. Artists and agents use venue profiles to understand what a venue offers and whether it is the right fit before applying to a gig listing or accepting a booking enquiry.
Availability & Gig Listings
Availability is how artists signal when they are free to perform. Artists mark available dates on their calendar, and venues can see this when browsing profiles. Gig listings are the opposite: venues post a specific date, genre preference, and budget, and artists apply directly. Together, availability and gig listings create a two-way matching system, artists can be found by venues, and venues can attract artists.
Booking & Communication
All communication between artists and venues happens through the platform's built-in messaging system, no need for personal emails or phone numbers. Bookings follow a structured 14-stage workflow: enquiry, negotiation, confirmation, deposit payment, performance, completion confirmation, payment release, and review. Both sides can see the current status at every stage, so nothing is ambiguous.
Key Features
Shareable Public Profiles
Every artist and venue gets a public profile page with a clean, shareable URL. Profiles can be linked from social media bios, emails, and websites. They are indexed by search engines, which means artists and venues can be found by people searching for live music in their area, even outside the platform.
Media — Tracks & Videos
Artists upload audio tracks (up to 30-second clips) and video showreels directly to their profile. Venues and promoters can listen to music and watch performances before making a booking decision, without leaving the platform. This removes the guesswork from hiring a performer you have not seen live.
Direct Booking
No middlemen or external tools required. Venues send booking enquiries directly to artists through the platform. Artists apply to gig listings posted by venues. The entire process (enquiry, negotiation, confirmation, and payment) happens in one place, with a clear record of every message and decision.
Secure Payments
All payments are processed through Stripe, one of the world's most trusted payment platforms. Venues pay deposits securely, and artists receive funds directly to their bank account. The platform holds deposits in escrow until both sides confirm the gig is complete, protecting both the artist and the venue.
Flyer Generation
Venues and promoters can create promotional flyers for their gigs directly on the platform, using built-in templates. Flyers are ready to download and share on social media, WhatsApp, or print, no design software needed.
Invoice Generation
Artists can generate professional invoices for their bookings directly within the platform. Each invoice includes a sequential reference number, line items, and payment terms. Invoices can be downloaded as PDFs or sent directly to clients by email.
Further reading: How to create a killer musician profile · Digital contracts: why handshake deals are dying · Getting paid as a musician in the UK
Your Profile Is Your EPK
An Electronic Press Kit (EPK) is a digital portfolio musicians use to pitch themselves to venues, promoters, agents, festivals, and the press. Traditionally, an EPK was a PDF you emailed to bookers, or a static website you paid a monthly fee to host on platforms like Bandzoogle, Sonicbids, or ReverbNation. Both approaches have the same problem, they go out of date the moment you book your next gig, and they live in isolation, disconnected from the venues actually hiring.
A GigXchange artist profile is a fully featured digital EPK that solves both problems. It is free, it auto-updates as your gigs and content change, and it is built directly into the marketplace where venues are searching for performers right now. Every artist profile includes everything a venue, promoter, or agent needs to evaluate and book you, and every profile has a clean shareable URL like gigxchange.app/profile/your-name that you can put in your Instagram bio, on flyers, on business cards, and in emails.
What's included on every artist profile
Hero Photo & Bio
A full-bleed hero photo, your stage name, location, genre tags, and a long-form bio. The first thing a booker sees when they land on your page, the same kind of editorial framing as a label artist roster page.
Audio Tracks
Upload audio clips directly to your profile. Bookers can press play and hear you in seconds without being kicked out to Spotify, SoundCloud, or YouTube. Tracks live on a built-in player with track titles and durations visible.
YouTube Video Embeds
Add up to three YouTube videos (live performance footage, music videos, showreels) and they appear as a clickable thumbnail grid on your profile. Bookers can watch you perform without ever leaving your page.
Published Setlists
Build setlists in the platform's setlist builder, choose a template and colour, and publish. Each setlist becomes a shareable poster on your profile so venues can see exactly what you play before they book you. Have multiple setlists for different occasions, function band set, acoustic duo, festival hour, original showcase.
Tour Poster of Upcoming Dates
The tour poster builder auto-pulls every confirmed booking from your calendar plus any manual dates you add, and renders them as a print-quality tour poster in one of four templates (Modern, Bold, Minimal, Classic). It updates automatically as you confirm new gigs, no maintenance required.
Availability Calendar
A 12-week swipeable strip plus a full month grid showing exactly when you are free. Bookers see your live availability before they reach out, so the conversation starts with a real date rather than a fishing question.
Two-Way Reviews
Verified star ratings and written reviews from venues and promoters you have actually worked with. Reviews can only be left after a confirmed completed booking on the platform, which means they cannot be faked or bought.
Verified Badge
A trust signal across your profile and DMs once your account has been checked. Verified artists rank higher in search and stand out in messaging threads.
Fee Range & Booking Form
Your fee range is published openly so bookers can self-qualify. A built-in contact form lets a venue start a booking enquiry from your profile in one click, no need to hunt for an email address or DM you on Instagram.
Social Links
Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, your own website, all linked from one place. Every external profile can point back to your GigXchange page as the canonical hub.
SEO & AI Indexing
Every profile is indexed by Google and crawlable by AI search engines (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claude). When someone searches for "jazz duo Manchester" or asks an AI assistant for live music in their city, your profile is a real, structured answer they can find, not a private app behind a login.
Auto-Updating, Always
Confirm a new booking, upload a new track, change your fee, get a new review, your profile updates instantly. No PDFs to re-export, no monthly subscription, no manual maintenance. The page is always current.
How a GigXchange profile compares to traditional EPK options
If you have used an Electronic Press Kit before, you have probably tried one of three options: a static PDF emailed to bookers, a paid hosted site like Bandzoogle (£20+/month) or Sonicbids ($165+/year), or a manually built website on Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress. Each comes with friction.
- Static PDFs go out of date, can't auto-pull tour dates, can't host audio or video natively, and can't accept booking enquiries. They live in email inboxes and get lost.
- Bandzoogle, Sonicbids, ReverbNation charge monthly fees, are walled off from the venues actually hiring, and require you to maintain everything by hand. None of them connect directly to a live booking marketplace where venues post open gigs.
- Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress sites need to be designed and maintained by you, cost £100+/year, and have no built-in booking workflow, payment processing, or review system. You still need a separate platform to actually get hired.
- A GigXchange profile is free, auto-updating, SEO-indexed, and connected directly to a marketplace of venues, promoters, and agents who are actively looking to hire artists. It is the press kit and the booking platform in one place.
Further reading: How to create a killer musician profile · How to get more gigs as an independent artist
All Your Tools in One Place
Beyond the profile itself, GigXchange ships with a full set of tools designed to remove every piece of friction in the live music booking workflow. Every tool is free, built into the platform, and works on mobile and desktop. Here's what you get when you sign up.
Tour Poster Builder
Build a print-quality tour poster from your upcoming dates in seconds. Auto-pulls every confirmed booking from your GigXchange calendar, plus any manual dates you add. Choose from four templates (Modern, Bold, Minimal, and Classic) pick an accent colour, optionally add a background image and logo, and click Publish. Exports as a high-resolution PNG that lives on your public profile and can be shared anywhere. Updates automatically as you confirm new bookings.
Setlist Builder
Turn your song list into a shareable poster graphic. Add songs with title, artist, duration, and a cover or original tag. Choose from four poster templates, customise the colour and layout, and publish. Each setlist becomes a shareable card on your public profile, so venues can see exactly what you play before they book you. Build multiple setlists for different occasions.
Availability Calendar
A 12-week swipeable strip and a full month grid showing exactly when you are free. Sync with your phone calendar. Share specific dates straight from a message thread with a venue. Bookers see your live availability before they reach out, no more "are you free on the 14th?" back-and-forth.
Built-in Messaging
Direct messaging between artists, venues, agents, and promoters with read receipts, presence indicators, an offline queue, and full conversation history. Every booking conversation lives in one place, attached to the booking record, so nothing gets lost across email, WhatsApp, or DMs.
Stripe-Powered Payments
Take secure deposits and final payments through Stripe Connect. Funds are held in escrow until both sides confirm the gig is complete, protecting both the artist and the venue. Payouts go directly to your bank account. No invoicing back-and-forth, no chasing payments.
Auto-Generated Contracts
Every confirmed booking generates a structured digital contract with the agreed date, fee, deposit terms, set length, and any custom requirements. Both parties acknowledge it through the platform, no PDFs to print, sign, scan, and email.
Invoice Generator
Generate professional invoices for any booking with sequential numbering, itemised line items, VAT handling, and payment terms. Download as PDF or send directly by email. Your full invoice history is searchable from one dashboard.
Flyer Builder
Venues and promoters can build branded gig flyers using built-in templates. Drop in the artist, date, time, venue, and price, choose a style, and export a ready-to-share image for social media, WhatsApp, or print. No design software, no Canva subscription.
Searchable Explore Directory
Discover artists and venues across the UK with filters for genre, city, fee range, rating, capacity, equipment, and live availability. Audio plays inline, videos preview on hover, and reviews are visible from the search results, make a shortlist without ever opening a profile.
Discover Carousel
Get surfaced on the dashboard for venues, agents, and promoters browsing the platform. Featured artists rotate based on activity, completeness, and verification status, building a complete profile is the fastest way to climb the carousel.
Verified Badge
Once your account passes a manual verification check, a gradient verified badge appears on your profile and across DMs. Verified accounts rank higher in search and signal trust to potential bookers, especially for first contacts where neither side has worked together before.
Two-Way Reviews
Both sides leave star ratings and written reviews after every completed booking. Reviews are tied to real, confirmed gigs on the platform, they cannot be faked, bought, or left by random users. This makes them more trustworthy than star ratings on Google, Trustpilot, or Facebook.
Booking Agent Tools
Booking agents get a multi-artist roster dashboard with shared calendars, commission tracking on every confirmed booking, and the ability to apply to gig listings on behalf of any artist on their roster. One login, full visibility across the entire roster.
Promoter Event Tools
Promoters can build event lineups by booking multiple artists for one date or multi-day festival, coordinate logistics, manage payments to every act, and run the whole event from a single dashboard. Each event also gets a shareable public page.
Fan Support & Tipping
Fans and supporters can tip artists directly from their public profile with a single click. Every artist profile has a Support button that lets anyone show appreciation with a tip, whether they booked you through the platform or discovered you at a gig. Tips go straight to the artist's connected Stripe account. Artists can see who their fans are, track support over time, and build a direct relationship with the people who show up for them.
Community Feedback Board
A built-in feature request and bug tracker. Post ideas, vote on other people's requests, and watch them move through Open → Planned → In Progress → Shipped. The platform is built in the open with the community, you literally tell us what to build next.
Mobile-First & PWA
The whole platform is built mobile-first with a progressive web app that can be installed to your home screen and used like a native app. Push notifications for new enquiries, messages, payments, and reviews. Works offline for read access.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GigXchange?
GigXchange is a peer-to-peer live music marketplace based in the United Kingdom. It is a platform where artists, venues, booking agents, and promoters can find each other, communicate, book live performances, and handle payments, all in one place. Think of it as a marketplace specifically built for the live music industry, replacing scattered emails, social media messages, and phone calls with a structured booking process.
How do artists get booked on GigXchange?
There are two ways. First, artists create a profile with their bio, genre, location, fee range, audio tracks, and video showreels. Venues and promoters discover artists through the Explore search, filter by what they need, and send booking enquiries directly. Second, venues post open gig listings with dates, genres, and budgets, artists browse these listings and apply to the ones that match their style and availability. Either way, the booking is negotiated and confirmed through the platform.
How do venues find artists?
Venues use the Explore section to search for artists by genre, location, fee range, availability, and rating. They can listen to audio tracks, watch video showreels, and read verified reviews from previous bookings, all before making contact. Alternatively, venues post a gig listing describing what they need (date, genre, budget) and artists apply directly. This two-way system means venues can actively search or passively receive applications.
How does booking work?
A booking starts with an enquiry, either a venue contacts an artist, or an artist applies to a gig listing. Both sides discuss terms through the platform's built-in messaging system. Once terms are agreed, the booking is confirmed and a deposit is processed through Stripe. After the performance, both sides confirm completion, the remaining payment is released to the artist, and both parties can leave ratings and reviews.
Is GigXchange free to use?
Yes, signing up and creating a profile is completely free for artists, venues, agents, and promoters. There is no subscription or monthly fee. GigXchange charges a small platform fee only on confirmed bookings, which covers payment processing through Stripe and platform maintenance. You only pay when a booking happens.
What genres and types of performer does GigXchange support?
All of them. GigXchange supports every genre and performance type, solo acoustic acts, jazz ensembles, rock bands, cover bands, function bands, DJs, classical musicians, folk artists, and more. Whether you are a wedding singer, a jazz trio, or a heavy metal band, you can create a profile and get discovered. The platform uses genre tags and filters so venues can find exactly the type of act they are looking for.
Can I use my GigXchange profile as an EPK (Electronic Press Kit)?
Yes, every GigXchange artist profile is a fully featured digital EPK. It includes a hero photo, bio, genre tags, location, fee range, audio track player, embedded YouTube videos and showreels, published setlists, a tour poster of upcoming dates, an availability calendar, verified badge, two-way reviews, social links, and a built-in contact form. Each profile has a clean shareable URL like gigxchange.app/profile/your-name that can be linked from social media, emails, business cards, and websites. Unlike a static PDF press kit, it auto-updates as your gigs and content change.
How is a GigXchange profile better than a traditional EPK or Bandzoogle/Sonicbids?
A GigXchange profile is free, auto-updating, SEO-indexed, and connected directly to a live booking marketplace. Traditional EPKs are static PDFs that go out of date the moment your next gig is booked. Sites like Bandzoogle and Sonicbids charge monthly fees, are walled off from search engines, and require manual updates. A GigXchange profile pulls your tour dates, setlists, reviews, and availability automatically, gets indexed by Google so people can find you outside the platform, and lets venues book you directly without leaving your page. It is the press kit and the booking platform in one place.
Do I need a separate website if I have a GigXchange profile?
No. A GigXchange profile replaces the need for a standalone artist website for most working musicians. It includes everything a venue or promoter needs to evaluate and book you (bio, music, video, tour dates, setlists, reviews, availability, fees, and a contact form) and it has a clean shareable URL you can put in your Instagram bio, on your business cards, and on flyers. You only need a separate website if you sell merchandise or run a fan mailing list, neither of which are part of the booking workflow.
How does the tour poster builder work?
The tour poster builder lives on the Upcoming Dates page. It automatically pulls every confirmed booking from your GigXchange calendar, plus any manual dates you add, and renders them as a professional-looking tour poster. You choose from four templates (Modern, Bold, Minimal, Classic), pick an accent colour, optionally add a background image and logo, and click Publish. The poster is exported as a high-resolution PNG, uploaded to your public profile, and embedded with a shareable link. Tour dates auto-sync, if you confirm a new booking, the poster updates without any extra work.
How does the setlist builder work?
The setlist builder is in the Profile section under My Setlists. You add songs (title, artist, duration, cover/original tag), choose from four poster templates, customise the colour and style, and publish. Each setlist becomes a shareable poster on your public profile so venues can see what you actually play before booking you. You can have multiple setlists for different occasions, function band setlist, acoustic duo set, festival hour, original showcase.
Can fans support or tip artists on GigXchange?
Yes. Every artist profile has a Support button that lets fans and supporters send a tip directly to the artist. Tips are processed through Stripe and go straight to the artist's connected bank account. Artists can see who their fans are from the My Fans panel in their profile, track support over time, and build a direct relationship with the people who follow their music. There is no platform cut on tips, the artist keeps everything minus standard Stripe processing fees.
What tools does GigXchange give artists for free?
Tour poster builder, setlist builder, audio track upload, YouTube video embeds, availability calendar, verified badge, two-way reviews, built-in messaging, Stripe-powered payments, auto-generated digital contracts, invoice generator with sequential numbering, fan support and tipping, social link integration, community feedback board, and a fully SEO-indexed public profile that doubles as your EPK. Every tool is free, built into the platform, and works on mobile and desktop. There is no subscription. GigXchange only charges a small platform fee on confirmed bookings.
Does GigXchange have a mobile app?
Yes (GigXchange is a Progressive Web App (PWA), which means you can install it directly from your browser on iPhone, Android, Windows, or Mac without visiting an app store. On iPhone, tap the Share button in Safari and choose "Add to Home Screen". On Android, tap the menu in Chrome and choose "Install app". On desktop, click the install icon in your browser's address bar. Once installed, GigXchange opens like a native app with its own icon, full-screen view, offline support for key pages, and push notifications for messages and booking updates. There is no separate iOS or Android app to download) the PWA is the app.
Does GigXchange publish UK live music pay data?
Yes. GigXchange runs the GigXchange Index, a free public database of what UK live music pays. It aggregates anonymous fee data from real confirmed bookings on the platform, plus voluntary submissions from musicians and venues across the country. You can see average pay by genre (rock, jazz, function, covers, acoustic, DJ, classical, folk), by city (London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, and more), by venue type (pubs, clubs, hotels, festivals, weddings, corporate), and by act size (solo, duo, trio, full band). The GX Index is updated continuously and published openly so the industry has a transparent reference for what gigs should pay.
Can I see average gig fees by genre and city before I book or quote?
Yes, the GX Index at gigxchange.app/rates lets you look up median and percentile fees (25th, 50th, 75th, 90th) for any combination of genre, city, venue type, and act size. Artists use it to price their quotes competitively. Venues and promoters use it to budget realistically. Agents use it to benchmark roster rates. All data is anonymous, aggregated, and sourced from real bookings, not guesses or industry averages from decades ago.
UK Live Music — Industry FAQ
Questions people ask about hiring, pricing and running live music in the UK, with the short answers. For definitions of the specific terms used below (rider, PLI, door split and more), read our full UK Live Music Glossary.
- How much does it cost to hire a band in the UK?
- For a 2–3 hour evening slot, typical 2026 UK ranges are: solo acoustic £100–£250, duo £150–£350, 3–4 piece band £250–£600, 5+ piece or function band £500–£1,500+, DJ £100–£400. London runs 20–40% higher than regional rates. Weddings and corporate events sit well above pub fees. Live percentiles live on the GX Rate Index.
- Do I need a licence for live music in the UK?
- Most small venues in England and Wales don't need a specific live music licence for amplified music between 08:00–23:00 for audiences up to 500, thanks to the Live Music Act 2012. Larger crowds, later hours, or unlicensed premises may require a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) or variation to the premises licence. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ, check your local licensing authority.
- What is a door split?
- An arrangement where the artist's pay comes from ticket revenue rather than a flat fee. Typical UK splits are 70/30 or 80/20 in the artist's favour after venue running costs. It aligns incentives but puts promotional work on the artist, a weak draw means a weak payday.
- What is the Musicians' Union recommended rate?
- The Musicians' Union publishes minimum recommended fees annually. Recent UK guideline floors: solo act around £140 for a 2×45-minute set, four-piece band around £400 for the same. These are floors, not medians, most working gigs pay above them. Full rate card at musiciansunion.org.uk.
- How far in advance should I book a live band?
- For UK summer Saturdays (May–September) and weddings, book 9–12 months ahead. Off-peak or weeknight slots often secure 3–6 months out. The most in-demand function bands can book 18+ months ahead for peak dates. Pub residencies are usually 4–8 weeks out.
- What's a rider?
- A technical and hospitality checklist a band sends the venue before the gig. PA spec, stage plot, input list, load-in times, parking, backline if required, plus food/drink for larger acts. For grassroots pub gigs a rider is often just "two soundcheck slots and a round". For function and festival bookings riders can run several pages.
- Do UK bands bring their own PA?
- Usually yes for pub/bar gigs, acoustic acts, duos and small bands under 4-piece. Larger function bands (5+) often travel with a full PA and lights included in the fee. Dedicated music venues and festivals supply house PA and a sound engineer. Always confirm in writing, assumption is the #1 cause of gig-night arguments.
- What is PLI and do artists need it?
- Public Liability Insurance, cover against claims if you cause injury or damage (cables tripping a guest, equipment falling). Most professional UK venues require artists to hold at least £5m cover, and many function bookers require £10m. Musicians' Union members get £10m PLI included with membership; independent cover is typically £60–£120 per year.
- What's a typical deposit for a band booking?
- UK function and wedding bands usually take a 20–50% deposit on confirmation with the balance paid on the day (cash, transfer, or platform escrow). Pub/bar bookings often skip deposits and pay the full fee on the night. Deposits should be spelled out in writing with a cancellation schedule attached.
- How much commission does a UK booking agent take?
- Traditional UK entertainment agencies like Alive Network and Encore Musicians typically take around 20% of the artist's fee. Some function agencies stack the commission on top of the artist's quote (the client pays more); others take it out of the headline fee. Modern marketplaces charge 0–8%.
- What's the difference between a function band and a covers band?
- Function bands specialise in weddings, corporate events and private functions (usually 4–6 piece, slick dress code, predictable set, high fee ceiling, often with a DJ add-on. Covers bands play pubs, bars and events, typically 3–5 piece, lower fee range, wider repertoire, more room to flex the setlist to the crowd. Plenty of overlap) many bands work both circuits.
- What is pay-to-play and is it legitimate?
- An arrangement where artists are required to sell a minimum number of tickets (or hand over cash up front) in exchange for a performance slot. It's legal but widely considered exploitative in the UK grassroots scene. A door split is the fair alternative when a venue can't commit to a flat fee. Musicians' Union and Music Venue Trust both advise against pay-to-play.
- What other free tools and research does GigXchange offer?
- Alongside this guide hub, we publish a growing set of free UK live-music tools with no signup:
- UK Gig Rate Calculator, live market percentiles by city, band size and event type
- Venue Outreach Email Templates, 6 customisable pitch templates with auto-fill, logo upload and copy-to-Gmail
- Setlist Builder, drag-reorder songs, auto-calc set duration, design poster-ready setlists, share by link or PDF
- Booking Contract Generator, UK-compliant performance agreement, 8 standard clauses, dual e-signatures, instant PDF
- GX Index, the full open UK live-music rate dataset, refreshed nightly
- UK Musician Earnings 2026, data-backed report on what UK musicians actually earn (CC BY 4.0)
- UK Market Statistics, venues, fees and industry benchmarks
- UK Open Mic Finder, free directory of active UK open mics filtered by city, day-of-week and backline, with per-venue pages and per-city directories
- UK Gig Directory, free directory of upcoming UK grass-roots gigs — strictly filtered to independent venues under ~600 capacity (no arenas, no major-artist tours), with per-city listings, per-gig pages, schema.org/Event JSON-LD and a public submission form