The Pretty Reckless are an American rock band from New York, formed in 2009. The band consists of lead singer Taylor Momsen, guitarist Ben Phillips, drummer Jamie Perkins and bassist Mark Damon. The Pretty Reckless are known for hits like “Make Me Wanna Die,” “My Medicine” and “Take Me Down.” If you’re looking to book The Pretty Reckless for a show or event, here is an overview of what you can expect to pay.
Booking and pricing overview
As an established band with a strong fan following, The Pretty Reckless do not come cheap. They typically charge within the range of $75,000 – $150,000 per show, depending on the specifics of the gig. This does not include additional costs such as travel, production, lodging, etc. Some key factors that affect their booking fee include:
- Type of event – Festivals, corporate events and private parties will be on the higher end.
- Location and venue size – Larger venues in major markets will warrant a higher price.
- Timing – Booking them during peak touring season or close to an album release will raise the fee.
- Set length – Longer sets or full headline concerts cost more than shorter festival appearances.
While six-figure fees may be out of reach for smaller events, it’s worth noting that The Pretty Reckless may consider a lower rate for certain special occasions or benefits. Overall budget, projected attendance and their availability during your event dates are key factors in securing an affordable rate.
Typical additional costs
On top of The Pretty Reckless’ booking fee, you’ll want to account for a variety of additional expenses associated with hiring them. These include:
Travel costs
Since the band is based in New York, you’ll likely need to cover the costs of getting them (and their crew) to your event location. This includes:
- Airfare or other transportation like tour buses
- Hotel rooms
- Meals and per diems
- Ground transportation
For a major festival or tour, these costs can easily add up to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the distance traveled.
Production costs
To deliver the best show, The Pretty Reckless will require certain production elements provided by you. This includes:
- Stage, barricades and fencing
- Sound equipment like PA speakers, monitors and consoles
- Lighting rigs, trussing and effects
- Video screens and projectors (for larger venues)
- Pyrotechnics and other special effects
You can incur anywhere from $10,000 to over $100,000 in production costs for a major Pretty Reckless show.
Crew and labor
You’ll need to account for the labor required to put on the event. This includes:
- Set up and tear down crew
- Electricians and riggers
- Audio, lighting and video techs
- Stage managers
- Security staff
- Catering
Depending on the scale, you may spend $10,000 or more on freelance labor for a single show.
Other costs
Some additional expenses to factor in:
- Insurance fees
- Equipment rentals (stages, barricades, etc.)
- Dressing room provisions
- Marketing and promotions
- Permits and licenses
All in, you could easily spend over $200,000 on top of the band’s fee for a major festival appearance.
How to lower costs
If your budget is tight, there are ways to potentially lower costs for booking The Pretty Reckless:
- Book them for a smaller private event rather than a huge festival
- See if they have any tour dates in your region to eliminate travel fees
- Provide local production gear and crew rather than renting everything
- See if you can get any sponsorships or donated goods and services
- Book an off-peak date rather than peak summer season
- Offer a lower base rate in exchange for a percentage of revenue
While the minimum fee to book The Pretty Reckless starts around $75k, taking efforts to minimize additional expenses can potentially lower total costs to the $100-150k range.
Is hiring The Pretty Reckless worth it?
At the end of the day, you’ll have to decide if booking The Pretty Reckless is a worthy investment for your event. Key factors to consider:
- Will they help drive greater ticket sales and revenue?
- Does your target audience match their fanbase demographic?
- Do they fit the brand and theme you want for your event?
- Can you realistically afford their minimum fee plus additional expenses?
For major festivals like Coachella or Rock in Rio where bands can boost draw and revenue, a six-figure booking fee for The Pretty Reckless is easily justifiable. But for events with lighter budgets or that skew to different musical tastes, the high cost may be harder to swallow.
Research how well The Pretty Reckless tickets have sold for recent shows in your area. If there is proven demand among your target market, their high booking fees will likely drive enough ticket sales and buzz to give you a strong ROI compared to cheaper bands. But if their fanbase doesn’t match well with your event audience, opting for more affordable talent is likely the smarter financial move.
Conclusion
Hiring major bands like The Pretty Reckless requires serious budgets. Between a typical booking fee of $75-150k and additional expenses for travel, production, labor and more, costs can easily exceed $200,000 for a single performance. Carefully evaluate whether their brand power justifies the premium price for your specific event situation. With strong expected attendance and revenue upside, The Pretty Reckless can deliver huge value despite steep fees. But for events that don’t match their target audience well, more affordable talent is likely the better financial bet.