bassicinstinct

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='518193' date='Jun 19 2009, 11:02 AM']If only every gigging band could be so picky...[/quote] In all honesty, I think [b]every[/b] gigging band can be as "picky" as they choose to be. I've been involved in bands where the prevailing attitude was very much "any gig is better than no gig" and, ultimately, it was always destructive. Vive la difference though eh?

[quote name='The Funk' post='518200' date='Jun 19 2009, 11:10 AM']Playing a lot of these gigs at the 'name' venues is not about: 1. making money, 2. building a fan base, 3. playing a good show. It's about building your CV so that you appear more credible. It's worth playing a few of these venues purely for that reason. Let's face it, they're all shitholes run by disorganised twats on behalf of rip-off merchants... with terrible sound and no/low pay.[/quote] Fair point. You're nearly as cynical as I am.

[b]"Off Topic and Site News are only visible to logged-in users. There might be other examples too. S.P. "[/b] Well I'll be damned - you learn something new [b]every[/b] day - even when you're as old as me. [b]"Well the point is that you might not get the gig if other venues think there’s a chance you’re gonna slag them off on here."[/b] If the venue was going to be slagged off on here, why would anyone [b]want[/b] to gig there?

Why would this thread be revealed by Google but and Off Topic thread wouldn't? I didn't know that. Still can't see the problem though personally. If a venue found itself mentioned in a "venues to avoid" situation, I would have hoped that they would want to know about it.

I would have thought that the point of this exercise was to try to prevent fellow BCers getting their "fingers burnt" - not to "get gigs". Only IMHO of course. FWIW, [b]The Railway Inn [/b]at [b]Ipswich[/b] would be my nomination.

Bought the DVD recently. Hardly been out of the player since - stunning stuff - over 2 hours worth.

[url="http://http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BERNIE-GOODFELLOW-SPITFIRE-BASS_W0QQitemZ320384472350QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item4a9867151e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1683%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C29"]Goodfellow Spitfire on eBay @ £1499 B.I.N.[/url] Sexy eh?

[quote name='farmer61' post='515340' date='Jun 16 2009, 02:55 PM']IMO you are correct, it's all down to personal experience. Btw you must win today's prize for the most liberal use of smilies [/quote] You aint seen nothing yet. Possibly...........

Released in October 1982. I remember the first time I played it through - I thought I was going to pass out it was so good. DLT certainly went up in my estimation immediately after his Nightfly obsession!!

Off to see the boys at Birmingham NIA on 29th June. Can't wait!! And you're [b]WRONG[/b] steve-soar, it's[b] ME [/b]alone they're talking to!!

I'm apparently particularly unlucky as every band I've ever been in has been pretty consistently been treated poorly by many venues who were paying peanuts and like royalty by those who were "paying through the nose" for the act. I guess that is the problem with this (and many other!! ) subjects - it is [b]TOTALLY[/b] subjective and we can all only make judgements based on our own experiences eh? Things can only get better as someone once said.

[quote name='crez5150' post='515101' date='Jun 16 2009, 10:57 AM']£350....!!!!!!!!! is that what you think you're worth as a band....c'mon.....[/quote] +1000!!! If you valued [b]yourselves [/b]at that level, you could hardly complain about being treated like trash by venues etc could you? Just IMHO and no offence intended, but really!!

[quote name='liamcapleton' post='514600' date='Jun 15 2009, 07:05 PM']I would agree with this a bit, although I think that if you're vigilant enough as a fledgling band then £500 is a fairly good starting off fee at a small club or pub venue. You just need to make sure you take on the private gigs off the back of public gigs at a more reasonable price for yourselves. We make a point of going out once or twice every month now and playing a slightly lower payed gig at a public venue for two reasons: 1. it's fun, and 2. it gives a chance for clients to come and see us perform and decide if they would like to book us. This is usually to our benefit, as they've heard of us through word of mouth and almost definitely book us anyway. From then on, we charge a fixed and competitive fee, and will add excess for travel, food, and accommodation should it apply. If the overall figure is considered too steep for a potential buyer, then we might consider doing the gig for less money should we not be particularly busy at that given time (a rarity), otherwise, that's it, and we'll politely tell them that they can't afford our band. Like it was mentioned, the business from people who can't affod you is expendable, at the end of the day you need to be a bit mercenary if you want to make money somewhere. Generally we have tapped into a market of 'word of mouth', that is to say we're pandering to an audience that we will almost 70-80% of the time get at least one booking off of, otherwise more.[/quote] We seem to be pretty much in agreement - except that if I [b]NEVER[/b] do another private gig in my life, it'll be too soon. I'm assuing that you mean private parties. If you're talking about corporate work then we are[b] TOTALLY [/b]in agreement.

I do tend to "get on my soapbox" a bit on this subject. In my experience, a band doesn't have to do too many gigs for £500 before they "become" a £500 band. It's not too bad if you remain ever conscious of it and vigilant about it, but it is horribly easy to drift into that situation - and many bands do. It seems fairly obvious to me that5, if a venue can't or, more likely, [b]won't[/b][i][/i] pay you what you consider you are worth, they won't be booking you and they should be looking at cheaper bands. I don't see that in any way as a failure as you will only ever price yourself out of a market you probably don't want to be in anyway!!

1 x Fender Jazz:[b] Japan[/b] 1x GB Standard IV: [b]UK[/b] 1 x Gibson SB450L: [b]USA[/b]

My last scheduled gig ( ) with [b]The Beautiful Sound [/b]is on Sunday 21st June at the Selby Fun Day - onstage at 3.45 approx. My new project kicks off at the Alexandra Theatre Birmingham on Friday 24th July.

[quote name='Stewart' post='506365' date='Jun 5 2009, 02:12 PM']Elixirs do last very well. I like them, but (to me) they do lose something in attack. I can't abide Rotosound roundwound (I like their rather strange Tru-Bass though...) - I always seem to get at least one 'dead' string, but others are obviously happy with them. For your requirements I think I'd probably go with Elites stainless roundwound. But given infinite time, you'll receive an infinite number of recommendations! [/quote] Stadium Elites - for the money, can't be beaten IMHO.

All sorted now and position filled. Thanks to anyone who expressed an interest.

Post Tunisian bump-fest.