With every show offer, Side Door asks if you have any complimentary guest list requests to pass along. These are for both the Performer and Host's family/friends that may be interested in coming that are worth extending a complimentary invitation to! However, it's important to keep in mind that every ticket that is not purchased is technically a loss for the Performer. That's not a detriment - just something to stay conscious of!
For example, if you're going to be requesting complimentary tickets (comps) that end up lowering the capacity of the venue, then that would definitely be something to discuss with the Performer ahead of time. A few comps here and there is a standard expectation in the music industry, but smaller venues can make things more complicated. For example, if you're looking for 5 comps in a 30 capacity venue, the capacity for that show effectively becomes 25 and may impact the Performer’s decision to play there in the first place.
However, if you factor potential comps into the space's capacity, then there's nothing to worry about! Hosts aren't expected to pay for tickets for any family members that may live in the space, but it's important to keep them in mind when determining how big of an audience can fit in your space! If you have a family of 4 and your space has a capacity of 25, listing that space as a capacity of 20 or 21 to accommodate for your family being around is a good idea. You can always add a few more spots back to the capacity if the comps don’t end up being used.
And as always, if you're not sure, don't hesitate to ask! Discussing capacity and comps with an artist during a show offer is the easiest way to figure out the most agreeable course of action.