BNB71 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Turned up for my gig last night - 'feature band' following open mic - to find at the time we were supposed to be sound checking that the football was being shown over the stage, the promoter was nowhere to be seen and no one at the venue knew much about anything. So basically the promoter hadn't so much organised a gig as arranged for a band to turn up at a bar. One of the bar staff eventually started clearing the stage but we had to sort the PA as they had no idea what to do with it. As far as we could tell there'd been no promotion worthy of the name for it and we've had previous with this promoter not letting us know what was happening with a gig until 4 o'clock that day. The bar staff apparently also asked our drummer if he had pads as last week the band had to stop after 2 songs due to complaints about noise! By a hour after we were supposed to be soundchecking still no promoter so me and drummer walked. This was our 4th gig playing indie (loosely) originals and unpaid. Rest of the band stuck around and did a short acoustic set. So was I being unreasonable or is it time to take a stand against shoddy promoters??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 No. The whole band should have left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Name and shame! Appaling behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 If anything, I'm amazed the rest of the band stuck around! Were many people there for the open mic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Good for you, I'd say. Shame the whole band didn't walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNB71 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) When I left there was 1 person there for open mic (a stand up who as it happens was at one I went to last week to watch a former band mate (edit) - and asked us if we were organising the open mic (/edit)). From what the others have said it wasn't very busy! I suspect the difference is that I'm 45 and the others are in their 20's and just want to play whatever. Drummer's also that age but has played some fairly big gigs so also has higher expectations. Edited June 17, 2016 by BNB71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LewisK1975 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 You definitely did the right thing. Doesn't sound like you missed out on much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smaz Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 We were booked by a promoter to play a pub one Sunday afternoon (I think unpaid), 2 x 45 minute slots at around 2pm I think. When we got there, they asked us to play before and after the footie that was on at 3pm. Errrrm... Sorry, but we've got better things to do than sit there & wait for 2 hours before playing again. We offered to play for an hour before the footie, or we'll head home - they understood fortunately, and we played for an hour beforehand. Not worked with the promoter since, who was apparently told about the footie split. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I admire your principles - maybe "promoters" would up their game if more people did as you did.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) Was the promoter connected to the venue? I ask because my old acoustic covers band got booked to play at a bar a few years again and when we arrived there was no playing area or PA. The landlord (who seemed to be in charge of proceedings) when asked said something along the lines of 'just set up where you want lads, as long as it's not in the way'. When we asked about the PA (which we had been told would be provided) he responded with 'but you're acoustic, you don't need one do you?' The point I'm making being, some pubs/landlords etc like the idea of putting on live music but don't know anything about how to actually do it. I wonder if this is a similar situation? Edited June 17, 2016 by PaulGibsonBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNB71 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 No they're an independent promoter putting on shows in a few venues, including at least one on the 'want to play there' list. They're fairly new & I suspect they're doing more than they can handle and the smaller gigs like ours are being overlooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1466161197' post='3073756'] No. The whole band should have left. [/quote] This.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Wishbone Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Yep, been in similar situations and walked. You did the right thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I think you've got a problem there with your experience with age vs their eagerness of youth. You may need to steer them a bit and 'sense check' the gigs they're getting offered beforehand for them. It's very easy to take everything and anything in desperation for exposure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Looks like I'm going to be the lone voice of dissent then... No matter how unprofessional everyone else acts, as a band you should always do your very best. Don't stoop to the low levels of the promoter and venue, but get up there and play the best gig you can. If you don't play you get to be known as the band that couldn't be bothered to do the gig. It doesn't matter if you are "in the right" this is a battle you can only win by playing the gig. Then chalk it up to experience and have nothing to do with the promoter and venue again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1466172709' post='3073874'] Looks like I'm going to be the lone voice of dissent then... No matter how unprofessional everyone else acts, as a band you should always do your very best. Don't stoop to the low levels of the promoter and venue, but get up there and play the best gig you can. If you don't play you get to be known as the band that couldn't be bothered to do the gig. It doesn't matter if you are "in the right" this is a battle you can only win by playing the gig. Then chalk it up to experience and have nothing to do with the promoter and venue again. [/quote] I'm glad you said that Red. I was thinking the same thing Maybe it's because we have always found our own gigs, but if we are supposed to play and no one is there, we still play. One of the best gigs we ever did started off just us and the bar staff The show should always go on. Maybe someone would see you and you could get more gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNB71 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 Appreciate the alternative views - I honestly don't know if it was the 'right' thing to do or not, hence asking the question. I've never had the remotest thought to not play before and I've done some pretty lousy gigs, although rarely come across a promoter showing such an apparent disdain. I think it's probably for the best that the others did stay and play. The main lesson as a band is, as Tim says, to be more careful about what we say yes to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I suppose the promoter will have something to say about it at some point...? I'd be interested in the follow-up. I can't honestly say how I'd react having not done that sort of thing yet. I am quite sure it was a reasoned decision on the part of the drummer and yourself but have you any regrets about leaving part of the band to cover the gig? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 The rest of the band and their lack of unity shafted you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 [quote name='Number6' timestamp='1466178644' post='3073933'] The rest of the band and their lack of unity shafted you. [/quote] Depends on your outlook. I'm sure some of those who were watching thought the two who left shafted the guitarists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 [quote name='ubit' timestamp='1466178966' post='3073935'] Depends on your outlook. I'm sure some of those who were watching thought the two who left shafted the guitarists [/quote] Imho the guitards capitulated to accepting the very poor treatment from the promoter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I think we'd have probably stayed and done the gig, having already been there, especially as it was only your 4th gig, at the very least you should have all gone or all stayed, and seeing as some (most?) of the band stayed I think perhaps you should have as well, but then again I wasn't there so it's difficult to make a judgement tbh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Did the Promoter get paid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I wonder if the promoter was testing you out, our first gigs in and around Leicester were similar situations, small PA's with no monitors, a seeming total lack of organisation with the promoter only turning up ten minutes from the end of the night, I have to say my first thoughts were "what a waste of time" and "this promoter is just small fry" A couple of weeks later we start getting offered decent supports with known acts at Leicester's "proper" music venues. Promoters like to see that bands turn up on time, with reliable kit, play with an air of professionalism and stay until the end of the night to support the other acts. As a 4th gig I would have stayed and played but would still have been a little peed off with the apparent lack of organsiation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I would have played it. Broadly, a booking's a booking as far as I'm concerned. We've played more ill-organized, unpromoted gigs to the soundguy and a stray dog than I care to remember - but at the end of the day, at worst it's a free rehearsal. However, if for whatever reason, a decision is made to blow a gig, for me it would have to be 100% democratic, with the assent of the entire band. Situations like this risk bands looking unprofessional & therefore jeopardising their reputations, and also risk creating schisms within the band. Speaking as someone who's been involved in booking gigs (in the past my band did a lot of gig shares & arranging our own nights) word does spread, and you soon learn which bands are reliable and who to avoid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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