Unfortunately these days, it is almost a must for promoters to charge beginning acts ( not OPENING ACTS ) a fee...if you're a no-name that is trying to get some shine, you should JUMP at the chance to pay for exposure, for the same price of paying for flyers that people toss, pay to open with a big name in front of a big crowd. Not only do you get exposure, you get to work on your stage presence in front of an actual crowd of concert-goers, instead of 10 of your friends and an old drunk couple at club nobody.