What are your roles?

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I own the PA, so I get to gigs an hour early, and stay an hour late. Some day I'll insist on being paid for my extra work.

A fairly common arrangement in bands that supply their own PA is a double share of gig proceeds for the person who owns, hauls, and operates the PA. And that still doesn't usually begin to cover initial purchase, repairs, replacement cables and such.

The other thing that few people running their own PA consider and they really should, is liability insurance. Someone trips on a power cable running to the PA and breaks their hip, or a speaker stand falls on someone... you'd better hope you're under the venue's liability coverage if you don't have your own.

Anyway, band members who own and operate the PA are usually doing it as a labor of love because they're the only ones who know how, or care enough about good sound. It's still better than having the band jointly own the PA, where you get into arguments over what gear to use, and you might have to buy out a band member who leaves the group. Band divorces are never fun, but it's worse when there are property settlements!

[JeffLearman]

I play mando with a core group that includes 3 acoustic guitar players; one who mostly plays washtub bass and another who sometimes doubles on banjo. The 3rd guitar player has trouble with timing, so one of my roles is to beat on him.

How does that sound? Is he a good percussion instrument, at least? I bet the crowd has fun with that.

[JeffLearman]

A fairly common arrangement in bands that supply their own PA is a double share of gig proceeds for the person who owns, hauls, and operates the PA. And that still doesn't usually begin to cover initial purchase, repairs, replacement cables and such.

Yeah, I demand double pay, but 2 times 0 = 0.

[Michael H Geimer]

All I wanted was to be the 'dumb mandolin player', but two years in my roles now include: Playing keyboards too, hosting practices at home, creating band flyers and social posts, carrying PA equipment in the 'Dad Van' (every band needs one), and most importantly.... drummer wrangler! Our talented drummer is quite the free spirit, and for some reason we connect personally. So, day or so before the show I'll reach out and you know... remind him we have a gig maybe offer to pick him up, too. lol