Merch cuts have been a hot topic among bands in the last year, and for good reason – they suck and they're expensive. Especially now when touring costs are already through the roof and inflation is kicking everyone's ass. Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci and keyboardist Jordan Rudess recently weighed in on merch cuts during an interview with the THAT Rocks! podcast, basically agreeing with the overarching opinion.
Petrucci suggests bands "be on top of your shit and your business" with proper representation, while Rudess simply feels for the younger bands that are out there trying to make a living.
"That's a typical thing that venues will do," said Petrucci. "I think that if you're in the position, you should try to negotiate that as much as you can. I mean, 30 percent, that's way too high. I think it's more typical [for it to be in] the 15-to-20 [range]. And I think also it might be different for soft goods and physical things, like records and stuff like that. So there might be a difference there as well.
"But it's all reasons to be on top of your shit and your business and have people representing you that know what they're doing, because a young band might not know that they can negotiate that. They just kind of [go], 'Oh, I guess it is what it is.' And I guess in some circumstances, if you have no leverage, then it is what it is. But you can look at that and be conscious of that. Because it sucks. 'Cause then you're in that position — well, what are you gonna [do]? [Are you] gonna jack up the price of your shirt? Then somebody is paying 50, 60 dollars for a t-shirt? That's ridiculous. And you feel like you're gouging your fans, and that's not cool."
Rudess added: "And it's also sad, because a lot of these younger bands, they're working so hard to get out there and play, they finally show up at a venue and they stand a chance of making a little money maybe at the merch booth, and then you've got these venues — clubs, theaters, whatever — that wanna take money out of their pockets, basically. You see it all the time. It sucks."
Dream Theater is on the road with Devin Townsend and Animals As Leaders for their inaugural Dreamsonic traveling festival. Get those dates below and get your tickets here.
6/25 Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theater
6/27 Washington, PA @ Wild Things Park
6/28 New York, NY @ Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden
6/30 Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
7/1 Philadelphia, PA @ The Met
7/2 Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
7/4 Laval, QC @ Place Bell
7/5 Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Centre
7/7 Gary, IN @ Hard Rock Casino
7/8 Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion
7/9 Newport, KY @ MegaCorp Pavilion
7/11 Detroit, MI @ Masonic
7/12 OshKosh, WI @ OshKosh Arena
7/13 Cedar Rapids, IA @ Alliant Energy Power House
7/15 Denver, CO @ Mission Theater
7/17 Spokane, WA @ First Interstate Center
7/18 Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle
7/19 Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta Jubilee
7/21 Vancouver, BC @ Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
7/22 Redmond, WA @ Marymoor Live
7/24 San Jose, CA @ San Jose Civic
7/25 Inglewood, CA @ YouTube Theater
7/26 Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre
