The Callous Daoboys Protest 47% Merch Cut In Milan, Italy (Updated)

Update: January 29th, 2024 09:29am:

The band opted to sell their merch from out of their trailer on the street, thus escaping the merch cut:

Original Story:

The Callous Daoboys are the latest artist to protest the practice of merch cuts, citing a particularly egregious % allegedly being enforced by a venue in Milan, Italy. Speaking via their X account today, January 28th, the band announced that they would not be selling merch amid today’s show at the venue Alcatraz in protest of the latter requiring a 47% merch cut.

Merch cuts are often perceived as an onerous cost of doing business among artists—especially amid the post-pandemic rise in costs of touring. The practice usually involves a venue stipulating that they are entitled to a % of the gross sales of all merch sold in the venue while hosting an artists performance.

Typically, the industry average hovers around 20%, with some venues going so far as to ensure that their own staff are tasked with overseeing the selling of the merch. Generally the % of the cut is contractually agreed upon in advance.

This latest development is similar to an experience which Monuments had in the aforementioned city this past February. That band also decried a 47% merch cut being inflicted upon them, in that instance by the venue Fabrique.

Presumably this situation somewhat mirrors that, in which the outright merch cut wasn’t entirely 47%, but rather the end result of a 25% merch cut and the regional 22% value-added tax on goods applied. Ironically, The Callous Daoboys‘ current tourmates TesseracT have had some merch-related controversy themselves in recent months.

The Callous Daoboys‘ European/UK tour with TesseracT and Unprocessed continues as follows:

01/28 Milan, ITA – Alcatraz
01/30 Zurich, SWI – Komplex 457
02/01 Prague, CZE – Palac Akropolis
02/02 Munich, GER – Backstage Halle
02/03 Vienna, AUT – Simmy City Festsaal
02/04 Budapest, HUN – Barba Negra
02/06 Berlin, GER – Columbia Theater
02/07 Warsaw, POL – Progresja
02/09 Tampere, FIN – Tavara
02/10 Helsinki, FIN – Tavastia Club
02/12 Stockholm, SWE – Klubben Fryshuset
02/13 Oslo, NOR – Vulkan Arena
02/15 Copenhagen, DEN – Amager Bio
02/16 Hamburg, GER – Docks
02/17 Cologne, GER – Carlswerk Victoria
02/18 Utrecht, NET – Tivoli
02/20 Nottingham, UK – Rock City
02/21 Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute
02/22 Bristol, UK – O2 Academy
02/23 London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
02/24 Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz
02/25 Glasgow, UK – Galvanizers Yard
02/27 Dublin, IRE – The Academy