Gigs - What do you "get" from them?

[xilddx]

After you've had a quick run through the tricky bits you always get wrong on the night, packed up your gear, loaded it in your car or got it on the bus, unloaded it and set it up at the venue after waiting nearly three hours for the sound guy to arrive because you turned up at the time the venue told you soundcheck would be. Then tearing down so the other three bands can soundcheck. Setting it up again except you've got half the room you had before because two of the bands need to leave their keyboards on the stage. Not hearing yourself properly in the monitor mix and being blinded by one of the spots on the low pub ceiling which you can't get out of the way of because of those f***ing keyboards. Playing your gig knowing those eight friends who promised to turn up have not done so AGAIN. Finding stinking stale beer all over the arm of your expensive stage jacket as you realise the support band's guitarist knocked his pint over while you are coiling your cables. Having to get your gear off stage straight away instead of being able to enjoy a pint (which you had to pay for because the band don't get free drinks) and people telling you your tone is immense and you are the next Alain Caron. Hauling your gear to the bus stop for the long journey home where you have half an hour to enjoy a glass of wine while taking the strain off your back and feet and reflecting on the few parts of the evening's performance you CAN remember, before going to bed and setting the alarm for 6 hours' time to get up for your day job.

Be honest, do you REALLY get a massive enough buzz playing in front of people for an hour to make all this worth it? What do you REALLY get from it? Do you think you have a choice? Music chose YOU remember, you have to do it anyway don't you?

[PaulWarning]

but the occasional good one makes up for all the bad ones, doesn't it?

[neepheid]

Having only done 9 gigs in my life so far I have to say that it's all still pretty exciting to me and well worth the effort. I am lucky in that I've only had to humph gear to 3 of them as most of the venues I've played in have house backline then DI into the PA (which doesn't bother me as long as I can hear myself on stage). The other times it's just been a case of turn up with bass/bag o' bits 'n' pieces, soundcheck, nurse a Guinness, play, tidy up then drink more Guinness.

Ask me in 91 gigs time to see if I've revised my opinion

[Doddy]

I'll keep out of this,because my gigs are nothing like that.

[Cat Burrito]

I've done hundreds of gigs over 20yrs+ and definitely gone through a lot of the sentiment of the OP. However lately we're getting a lot of decent gigs so it keeps things really fresh. I agree take the rough with the smooth. Also we play a lot of different places so I like the fact I show up in anywhere from Reading to Manchester to London to Newport. It it stops being fun I would stop doing it. Simple as. I've probably enjoyed playing live more now as I'm older than I did when I was younger and that is quite something

[Delberthot]

I don't love every gig but I look forward to each one.

Its bizarre but I'm always hearing stories about 4 or more bands on the same bill and moving/sharing gear etc but I haven't been in the situation of supporting or being supported by a band for 16 years ay least.

Every gig I've done since then has been my band only and that's it so I can set my stuff up knowing that only my band will be on stage.

I get an immense buzz from playing and a greater one when the crowd are getting into it as well.

I played a 40 minute slot at the singer in my rock band's retirement do a couple of weeks ago in Waxy O'Connors in Glasgow. it took longer to get there and I did it as a favour for petrol money and he bought us all drinks ( I was driving so I was on the cola)

The only time I can't be bothered is when there are loads of 'singers'. It makes for a very disjointed night, especially when they're still coming up with 10 minutes to go at the end of the night and I'm wanting to get things cranked up for the last few tunes before we finish.

Other than that I generally have a good time at most gigs.

We're more interested in having a laugh than talking about gear or songs etc - luckily we're all good musicians so we can do this without it affecting our performance

Our last practice for the wedding band must've been at least 6 years ago and 8 months for the rock band

[xilddx]

[quote name='Doddy' post='958513' date='Sep 16 2010, 04:40 PM']I'll keep out of this,because my gigs are nothing like that. [/quote]
A fair amount of mine are at the moment Still love doing them though! And the pleasure for me is playing really good original music with really talented people to an audience that really appreciate it, which is most of the time. I probably get two or three magic moments every gig.

I think some of the pleasure of gigs has waned for me after playing live for a long time because I get absolutely no nerves at gigs anymore. Whereas in my youth, I have been known to piss myself before going on stage. I used to be petrified waiting to go on. Pre gig nerves are so nice, I miss them.

[wateroftyne]

In no particular order, and not necessarily present at every gig...

Achievement, money, the joy of seeing smiling / dancing punters, meeting new people and old friends, being told the gig has sold well, laughing with fellow band members about daft / rubbish / scary gigs, travelling, learning new things, camaraderie, listening to great songs over and over again, marvelling at musical colleagues, punters coming up to tell you they enjoyed it, laughing at their / my mistakes, and - above all - those magic moments when the band is cookin'.

For all of the above, I can forgive the bad times.

[spinynorman]

If it was that bad, I think I would give up.

We rarely play with support bands or a sound guy, so that's a lot of the stress gone. Drive my own car to the venue and, since I bought a Markbass combo I can lift with one hand, most of what I do at setup is the lights (I bring) and the PA (singer brings). Gave up asking friends to come years ago - even if they do come, they hide at the back because their wives "don't like loud music". Daughter sometimes brings her friends, which is really good.

We play a few pubs where the landlord makes a big effort to cultivate a clientele that enjoys live music. Those are the best gigs. The ones where the landlord sits on his backside talking to his half dozen regulars, who leave before the band starts, aren't worth bothering with.

[Low End Bee]

I only do it for the sex and the money.

In all seriousness though. Every single gig I've done with the current band has been fun. We've got better every single time and the thrill of seeing people dance and clap their hands to a tune I've written/co-wrote and performed for them just knocks my socks off. Plus I really like my bandmates. They're two of the nicest blokes I've ever known. If I didn't enjoy it I would pack it in. I don't even mind all that settting up and breaking down stuff. It's all part of rock n roll and getting out there to me. I just wish we could do more.

[parker_muse]

Watching boobies bounce.

[matski]

After 20 odd years of playing gigs, I can't remember a single time when I've been on stage and not enjoyed myself.

Sure, there have been some gigs with terrible sound, a long slog to the venue and back, a distinct lack of audience, embarrassing mishaps and what have you - but I just get a kick out of playing live.

[Delberthot]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='958526' date='Sep 16 2010, 04:50 PM']In no particular order, and not necessarily present at every gig...

Achievement, money, the joy of seeing smiling / dancing punters, meeting new people and old friends, being told the gig has sold well, laughing with fellow band members about daft / rubbish / scary gigs, travelling, learning new things, camaraderie, listening to great songs over and over again, marvelling at musical colleagues, punters coming up to tell you they enjoyed it, laughing at their / my mistakes, and - above all - those magic moments when the band is cookin'.

For all of the above, I can forgive the bad times.[/quote]


Have you been moonlighting with my wedding band?

That pretty much sums up what I enjoy as well but you worded it better

[the_skezz]

Done fourteen gigs in my life, there's only been one with my current band that I haven't enjoyed...that was largely because we were all tired and got messed about by the venue, leading to us playing poorly. The rest of the time, I've absolutely loved them, because people seem to genuinely enjoy watching us, which is an all-round great feeling.

My previous band, however, never seemed to be that well-received by the audience, and the guitarist would speak as if everybody in the crowd was watching him and ONLY him. When I stopped getting the feeling that I was useful, I knew it was time to leave.

[sshorepunk]

I always look forward to it and always enjoy it
Most of our gigs are playing origanil material, but every now and then we'll put out for a pub gig and play some covers
Some times you get that feeling when the whole thing wasnt as tight as what it could be, or the sound wasnt just right, we know the venues where it is always gonna be great round Manchester and we also know those where it can be hit and miss
We get to play with some great bands and we have a few guys play with us on occasion (for a few tracks) that give me a real buzz
I love playing live, cant beat it and you never know whats around the corner, what you are going to get offered!

I played my first live gig in 1980 I think, was 14 and I was playing in punk bands, funk bands and even the local youth jazz band, lots of gigs, lots of fun and a great way to learn!

We've just had a break over the summer, back at it tomorrow night, two rehearsals then a gig at Joshua Brooks in manchester, part of Freshers week I think lol. Then between now and xmas, we are supporting both Sham 69 and flock of Seaguls (scary hair!) amongst other things! Lots to look forward too and lots too enjoy

Tony

[Lozz196]

I simply love playing live, as much today as when I started some 20+ yrs ago. It`s much better nowadays, as with my band, we generally play 2 sets in an eve, so are the only band playing, eliminating all the problems of changeovers/over-running sets/accidents with instruments & clothing etc. However, even when I was in bands that were playing at "well known music venues that only have 6 people in the regular crowd so are expecting you to drag punters in 50 miles from home" I still loved it. I suppose because I`m naturally quite an introvert, it`s about the only time I like to stand up and be noticed. The fact that I now, for the first time in my life actually get home from gigs with more money than I started with is a bonus, I just love gigging.

[Bassassin]

Being in the position of watching my band's gig schedule dwindle to the point that we have played twice in the last year, and there being little or no prospect that things are likely to improve particularly without major (and potentially catastrophic) trauma within the band, I feel like I'm viewing this from the wrong end of a telescope.

Bands are supposed to gig, doesn't much matter if the experience is good, bad or indifferent, if you're not playing you have no right to call yourselves a band. I can't find words for how much I miss it. It feels like I've lost a limb, or part of me's been cut out.

Jon.

[bh2]

Blimey silddx... the improv thread and now this... you need a holiday.

Edited September 16, 2010 by bh2

[SteveK]

[quote name='silddx' post='958490' date='Sep 16 2010, 04:22 PM']After you've had a quick run through the tricky bits you always get wrong on the night, packed up your gear, loaded it in your car or got it on the bus, unloaded it and set it up at the venue after waiting nearly three hours for the sound guy to arrive because you turned up at the time the venue told you soundcheck would be. Then tearing down so the other three bands can soundcheck. Setting it up again except you've got half the room you had before because two of the bands need to leave their keyboards on the stage. Not hearing yourself properly in the monitor mix and being blinded by one of the spots on the low pub ceiling which you can't get out of the way of because of those f***ing keyboards. Playing your gig knowing those eight friends who promised to turn up have not done so AGAIN. Finding stinking stale beer all over the arm of your expensive stage jacket as you realise the support band's guitarist knocked his pint over while you are coiling your cables. Having to get your gear off stage straight away instead of being able to enjoy a pint (which you had to pay for because the band don't get free drinks) and people telling you your tone is immense and you are the next Alain Caron. Hauling your gear to the bus stop for the long journey home where you have half an hour to enjoy a glass of wine while taking the strain off your back and feet and reflecting on the few parts of the evening's performance you CAN remember, before going to bed and setting the alarm for 6 hours' time to get up for your day job.

Be honest, do you REALLY get a massive enough buzz playing in front of people for an hour to make all this worth it? What do you REALLY get from it? Do you think you have a choice? Music chose YOU remember, you have to do it anyway don't you?[/quote]
In all my years of playing every conceivable type of gig, I've never experienced [i]one[/i] such as you describe, except maybe in the odd nightmare.

[Tdw]

sometimes it can seem a lot of effort for little reward but if you believe in the band your playing in (or are young and new to gigging) its worth it. If you really dont enjoy gigging perhaps a different band, or a break might be in order

[xilddx]

[quote name='bh2' post='958601' date='Sep 16 2010, 05:52 PM']Blimey silddx... the improv thread and now this... you need a holiday. [/quote]


I'm doing most of my gigs with Kit at the moment, we are at the stage of building an audience and getting attention, and we've had a few like the one I described. But not many and it's really an amalgamation of some of the things that happen. We play most of the Camden Hoxton type venues and often with a couple of other acts. They are small but generally good venues with good sound.

[ogrimark]

Personally i have only been playing about 4 years, after 6 months of learning i got thrown on stage to play 7 or 8 songs at my mates wedding. Frikin Shaat myself. and the next few times i was exactly the same, crapped my pants that much it was not a fun thing.
then i started playing bass for the Glam Gitz which was a fun glam rock thing and started to get over the nerves and the 'what if i make a mistake' and feeling sick and going very funny colours if i did.

Now i play with Black Nasty, which is me and 2 of my best mates. we do rock covers which are songs that we like, thats important, if we like it then other folk will get the vibe.
We go from gig to gig looking for that 'BUZZ' that you get when everything is falling into place and the crackle from the crowd is spot on.
This last weekend we travelled from wiltshire on the Thursday night to Elmpt in Germany to do a gig at my mates bike clubs summer party on friday night and even though by time we went on friday night we had had shag all kip from the travelling we played a blinder and got the 'buzz'.
bad point for everyone else when the buzz decends is all three of us are on a high and won't shut up jibbering untill the alcohol overtakes the ability to stand and talk

if i have a bad night though the flip side is wanting a massive guillimot swooping down and freeing me from the hell.

[JTUK]

must admit ..getting very picky.

In the past I have been spoiled a few times so after a burn-out not so long ago, I do gigs on the basis of what I and the band want. We were lucky in that all the right components came together, IMO, at the same time and we agreed
to a set of parameters for the gigs that we would take.
Basically, if comes down to this..if we fancy it and it suits us, we'll do it. Money is secondary to a good gig but the drummer deps the most and we have to mindful that money is more of an issue there. Having said that, we are raising our rates. We vet the venues and just as I am all for binning certain populist numbers, I am also in favour of
not doing return gigs that didn't work.
I accept that we have to take a crowd but as we are a new-ish band ( under a 1yr ) we have given up flogging our friends to get to gigs. Most ask us now but you can't do that everytime. If a venue doesn't have a following then I doubt we will be much help to them but once we get there with a crowd, I think we can easily do the job.

Not being fussed about it helps... done too many gigs to be desperate about it all.

[The Bass Doc]

Beats the hell out of staying in the house.

[Pete Academy]

Good post, Nigel.

I recently posted a thread about our band going to Ireland for two gigs and the amount of effort involved for just 4 hours of actual playing. People don't always realise the amount of effort involved for a relatively short amount of performing, especially the rehearsals that have taken place beforehand. But when it stops becomg enjoyable, that's maybe the time to take a break.

I agree with most of the posters - the audience appreciation makes it all worthwhile.