Pay to play to... help promote your band?

I received a message the other day via my band's Facebook page asking if we'd be up for supporting a band who were touring and playing Liverpool. Apparently it would be a "great opportunity" as their "record label will be travelling with them and their PR teams". All we'd have to do to have this opportunity is spend £300 getting 75 tickets off them and selling them on at £6 a go. If we managed to sell them all we'd get £150 profit!

"This is the way we do all our gigs", they said.

Wow.

My reply?

Hey, sorry but this sounds like the worst idea I've ever heard. You shouldn't be taking part in such a shameful scheme aimed at conning local bands into doing all the hard work promoting your events for you. I recommend you take a step back and realise what you've become a part of.

Stephen.