Small room, 60 people
- Ticket: $8 at the door
- 3 bands, $75 guarantee each
- Sound engineer: $100
- Venue rent: $150
- Split: 70/30 after expenses
Projected promoter profit: about $41. Per-band payout: $104.
Small venue gig budget worksheet
Know your numbers before the first note hits.
GigSheet helps local bands, small promoters, and DIY venue organizers plan a show, see the break-even point, and settle up fairly after the night ends. No spreadsheets. No guesswork. Just a clear worksheet you can save, copy, and print.
Gig budget worksheet
Fill in your expected numbers below. Everything updates live. Save this gig to your browser to copy it for future shows or compare projected versus actual after the event.
Common door-split presets
Pick a preset to load typical numbers for small rooms. Adjust from there.
Example gig scenarios
These two scenarios show how the same worksheet plays out at different scales. Use them to sanity-check your own numbers.
Mid-size room, 150 people
- Ticket: $12 at the door
- 4 bands, $150 guarantee each
- Sound engineer: $200
- Venue rent: $300
- Security: $120
- Split: 80/20 after expenses
Projected promoter profit: about $284. Per-band payout: $276.
Common mistakes in DIY show budgeting
- Forgetting hidden costs. Security, cleaning, ice, and cash-box float add up fast. List every line item before you set the ticket price.
- Overestimating attendance. Use your last three similar shows as a baseline, not your best night ever. Run a low-attendance scenario too.
- Mixing up split order. Splitting before expenses versus after expenses changes every payout. Agree on the order with bands before the show.
- Ignoring guarantees. If the door is weak, you still owe the guarantee. Make sure your projected profit can absorb a shortfall.
- No written settlement. A printed summary signed by the promoter and each band prevents arguments later. Use the print button below.
Printable settlement summary
Print this section before the show. Fill in the actual numbers after the doors close and share a copy with each band.
Friday night at The Basement
Settlement date: _______________
| Actual attendance | 80 |
|---|---|
| Ticket price | $10 |
| Gross door | $800 |
| Total expenses | $380 |
| Net after expenses | $420 |
| Venue share | $84 |
| Band pool | $336 |
| Per-band payout | $112 |
| Total guarantees | $300 |
| Promoter profit | $120 |
Promoter signature____________________________
Band representative____________________________
Troubleshooting low attendance nights
Even well-promoted shows sometimes come in under. Here is how to handle it without losing trust or going broke.
- Talk to bands before doors open if the crowd is thin. Honesty early beats excuses later.
- Reduce non-essential expenses first. Skip the extra print run or the after-party food.
- Offer bands first call on the next show instead of promising money you do not have.
- Keep a small reserve fund across multiple shows so one slow night does not wipe you out.
- Record the actual numbers and compare them to your projection. That is how you get better at booking.