I got invited to play music at this one place, but im under 18 and i dont know what restirctions, ect my apply because of that.I tried to google it but nothing came up, does anyone know?
Generally speaking, people under 18 aren't allowed to sign contracts, legal agreements etc. They might have to have a parent or legal guardian's written permission or signature. It depends. And as a precaution, you should have something written regarding your invitation to play music. How much are you getting paid? When will you receive the payment? Do you get paid even if the house does not make money (poor attendance or slow sales that night)? How long are you supposed to perform? Are you allowed any breaks, and are there time limits, places off limits to you (like the bar area), etc. If a fight broke out in the place, and you were hit by a flying beer bottle, were you there at your own risk or is the owner going to pay for your treatment? You don't have to have a big lengthy pile of papers, but a written SOMETHING that spells out the agreed-upon conditions would be of benefit to both you and the owner. What if you decide you get bored after 5 minutes and leave when you agreed to play for an hour (not that you would--just saying). You are a minor. Would your parents agree to be responsible? Then they need to sign something to that effect. There are many performers and bands that have gotten burned by verbal agreements to perform someplace (and not just minors) but then the owner didn't pay up as agreed. The other person covered possible problems with the venue itself (alcohol ordinances, etc).
There should be no problem if you have informed the owners of the place of your age. Keep a legitimate I.D. on you at all times.
As long as it is non-sexual in nature, performers under 18 generally have no restrictions that an adult would not have. Venues might have to take certain precautions (which probably involves no more than filling out a slightly different form), but there's nothing that says you can't do it.
Under age performers are subject to various restrictions in establishments that serve alcohol and are otherwise reserved for 21 and over clientele. Among these restrictions is that the performer is not allowed in the serving area and must stay in or on the stage area during the performance. The underage performer must exit the facility during any breaks or spend the break in an office area or other employee area away from the service area. Check with your local venue that you are playing at for any rules or restrictions that facility might have. The owner/operator has the final say as to who can or cannot be allowed into the facility. Many employer/operators are willing to work with you but it is there call. They are the one taking the risk. Some areas have a no tolerance policy regardless of performance laws and restrictions to underage performers.
