To begin, I will state of the testimonies in this blog series if any is more subjective then objective it will be this one. It began around April 2011, I was contacted by a Gigmasters representative via email. The rep told me if I signed up for a membership in a short amount of time (less than a month) then I would be eligible with a code that the rep provided in the email. I contacted the rep back expressing interest because Gigmasters was a popular site for book entertainment that I had heard about years ago. I let the rep know that I would be interested in the future, at the current time I was just beginning my transition into the independent music industry as a professional artist. There, I did not have enough songs (that I had recorded professionally) to do a full show. It was August 2011 when I was again contacted by a Gigmasters rep via email offering a discount for membership. I took the offer & purchased the professional membership. The membership was good for a year. A few weeks ago I received a email about renewing my account, again offering a discount if I renewed my account. My immediate reaction…..HELL NO, how dare they try to rob me again! Why? In the past year that I have been a member on Gigmasters I have received many offers for shows but most of those offers included people that want me to do cover songs & play instruments for their event. My profile clearly stated that I’m a original artist, not a cover artist. & that I am a vocalist/rapper, not a instrumentalist. My music, photos, & videos also made that clear. Clientele that offers money for booking artist that haven’t even checked out their work? Now that sounds suspicious. There were about 3 legit clients that contacted me for events. They all were interested until the check out phase for the down payment. They knew my price before that stage, but keep in mind paying entertainment is a push now a days with the recessions aftermath & a lot of the pay can vary depending on the clients income. So what makes it even worse on the client financially? Gigmasters also charges them a few when they book someone through their website if I remember correctly it was about $20-$30 per booking paid to Gigmasters. Aren’t we (the entertainers) already paying Gigmasters? Why should the clientele have to also? Just to make independent entertainers waste their money? Seems like it to me. Any show I got paid for this past year has booked me through Facebook messages & emails, not Gigmasters. Oh, & Facebook & email is free? No wonder I didn’t renew my Gigmasters membership. Later this week....Testimony 2, things get a little more interesting.
