So I book musical acts for a bar on weekends, a few weeks ago I went against my better judgement and hired a kid who had been begging me for a spot for months. He is decent but overall his music is not very energetic. I told him he could play but it had to be 3 sets of really upbeat tunes, and painstakingly explained that the job of a pub musician is to sell beer/make people sing along and dance.
I had to fire him halfway through his first set as he was starting to empty the bar and completely missed the musical mark.
I felt bad and told him I would pay him for the full night out of my pocket since the bar owner was mad and I had to offer to refund the night to save my own (measly paying) gig. I told him to expect the pay sometime this week.
Today he messaged me and started demanding the pay this instant, I do not have the money yet as I am waiting for the payment from the bar. After I explained this he told me he would be getting his money today ‘one way or another’. At this point I told him I would pay him for the one set he did and asked him to not treat me like shit, reminding him that I am paying him out of my pocket and that he cost me most of my paycheque.
Now I want to be a good boss here and pay him the whole evening but his approach makes me want to send him the pay for 1 set and tell him to fuck off.
When I was his age and got fired from a gig they just turned the stereo in the bar on louder than my PA and embarrassed the shit out of me, then didn’t pay me. I want young musicians to have it better but I don’t know what to do here.
Do I pay in full or for the one set?