Cabal are the latest heavy band to stage a public protest against a venue’s merch rates. The Danish post-deathcore group announced this morning that the merch cuts in place at their show tonight, June 17th, at the Analog Music Hall in Budapest, Hungary would leave them operating at a financial loss. As such, they’ve opted to give some free merch out from the stage during their set. Silent Planet staged a similar protest earlier this month, albeit at a Milan, Italy show.
Cabal said on social media today, June 17th, of the situation:
“Making money as a stupid little metal band is pretty damn hard, merch sales is basically the only way we make any profit, it’s our bread and butter and what keeps the lights on. But due to a pretty wild merch cut at tonights show we won’t be selling any merchandise, with the percentage we would have to pay, we could just as well give the merch away for free, so we will be doing just that, by throwing some free stuff out to you all from stage tonight.
If there’s some specific stuff in certain sizes you were hoping to get, we do apologize, but it makes no sense for us to take any of your money unless it goes directly into keeping our silly little band going.”
Merch rates (aka merch cuts) refer to the practice of a venue enacting a clause that entitles them to a percentage of all merchandise sold within their premises while hosting a band’s concert. Generally, the practice would see the venue entitled to a 20% cut of the gross on average, however, some venues have chosen to dig deeper into band’s pockets, leading to protests such at the one above.
What’s more, some venues also stipulate that their own staff are to oversee merch sales for the bands, despite most touring artists employing a person specifically to handle that role.
