Gigs - What do you "get" from them?

[bh2]

After thirty odd years I still get nervous... I quite like that.

[Mykesbass]

Nigel, just been listening to some of Kit's music - it is great stuff. I'm sure you get enough buzz from one gig were the audience really gets it and has a great time to make up for all the knocks along the way. I love playing - was most recently playing rock & roll standards with some C&W thrown in - I was getting a buzz from getting the root/fifth basslines to sit just right (not much else you can do with them)! But to be involved in something a bit special and with the level of artistic merit that Kit has must be very rewarding. Keep at it and I have my fingers crossed that some Umm and Err rep stumbles upon you one night!

[xilddx]

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='958773' date='Sep 16 2010, 08:21 PM']Nigel, just been listening to some of Kit's music - it is great stuff. I'm sure you get enough buzz from one gig were the audience really gets it and has a great time to make up for all the knocks along the way. I love playing - was most recently playing rock & roll standards with some C&W thrown in - I was getting a buzz from getting the root/fifth basslines to sit just right (not much else you can do with them)! But to be involved in something a bit special and with the level of artistic merit that Kit has must be very rewarding. Keep at it and I have my fingers crossed that some Umm and Err rep stumbles upon you one night![/quote]
Thanks mate!

Yes, I absolutely get a buzz, every gig, bar the odd one. Most of the time the audience really responds and we have a great time The gigs with Krupa are always great, the audience love her to bits, she looks fabulous on stage and can charm the bark off a tree. They are both a delight and an honour to play with. I sort of posted the OP to find out what it is that keeps us all going through some of the sh*t we have to deal with either side of the stage time. For me, what keeps me gong is that time on stage, making something lovely happen with people who deeply care about making great music and playing to people that are enjoying it. I just wish we played longer sets, we are usually on for 25-30 minutes and it flies by. I miss doing long sets with Doreen, they were often a journey that I got lost in, really magical most of the time. It's probably because I'm in my mid 40s and time goes so bloody quickly when I'm enjoying it

[Dave Vader]

I have officially sold out.
I like getting paid.

This is all (sad really )

[Toasted]

I don't take drugs, but if taking drugs makes you feel as good as I feel when I get off stage with my band I can see why people take drugs.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Dave Vader' post='959176' date='Sep 17 2010, 10:11 AM']I have officially sold out.
I like getting paid.

This is all (sad really )[/quote]
Not at all. Getting paid to do something you love is success.

It's when you do it ONLY for the money and do gigs you don't enjoy that it is sad. I never wanted to do that so I have a good day job career that is flexible enough to allow me to play in the bands I want to play in.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='silddx' post='959209' date='Sep 17 2010, 10:45 AM']It's when you do it ONLY for the money and do gigs you don't enjoy that it is sad.[/quote]
This is why I don't do covers - I spent about 3 years in a covers band (alongside an originals act) and while there's some satisfaction in performing well and getting a good response from the audience, I remember most of the gigs as depressing, harrowing (we played some of the roughest pubs in Glasgow) or a downright grind.

The question has to be "would I do this for nothing?" and as far as that's concerned, no, and the point I'm at with my "proper" band makes me doubt whether I'd want to gig at all, if covers were my only option.

J.

[Doddy]

[quote name='silddx' post='959209' date='Sep 17 2010, 10:45 AM']It's when you do it ONLY for the money and do gigs you don't enjoy that it is sad. I never wanted to do that so I have a good day job career that is flexible enough to allow me to play in the bands I want to play in.[/quote]

I don't think it's sad. I'd rather play a gig that I don't particularly enjoy than get a day job. If you are making a living from playing it can be hard work,the same way as any other job can,and the gig you may not enjoy may be the one that pays your phone bill that month.......and it's still better than stacking shelves or putting cones out.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Doddy' post='959247' date='Sep 17 2010, 11:09 AM']I don't think it's sad. I'd rather play a gig that I don't particularly enjoy than get a day job. If you are making a living from playing it can be hard work,the same way as any other job can,and the gig you may not enjoy may be the one that pays your phone bill that month.......and it's still better than stacking shelves or putting cones out.[/quote]
Understood. I just couldn't play in a band I didn't enjoy being in, or playing solely for the money. We are different kinds of musician in that respect. The idea of playing in a covers band is anathema to me, I would rather put out cones. I could possibly play in a tribute though. Luckily I have a career that pays me much more than I could earn being a musician, unless I was in a highly successful band. And I enjoy teaching health and safety much more than I would enjoy teaching music. I sort of need the bipolar life I lead, it keeps me sane. I bring my creativity to my day job and my organisational skills to my bands, and it makes both more fulfilling, I think.

[parker_muse]

I just love the buzz of looking up from the fretboard and seeing a room of people skanking their arses off. Knowing what your doing is making people dance is bloody satisfying!

[harvey1-8]

After reading the OP, I miss playing in an originals band.

[thisnameistaken]

I like hanging out with my band they're good company, and I think the songs are really good so I enjoy playing them to people, and it's good exercise isn't it? I need that at my age.

[howdoesitgoagain]

My present band has been going about 10 months and is really exciting to do gigs with, some of the stuff is fairly complex in places [ by my standards at least ] so I get a serious rush when it goes right and our dour drummer starts smiling

Our sax player is from a classical background [ very very serious proper highbrow ] and he can't believe his luck getting into a freak dance band where he can make hideous honking noises and wear shades on a darkened stage......

Last gig we did was headlining a small 3 day festival, after we finished a group of lads [ of a distinctly grungy appearance ] came up to us and said we were the best band they had ever seen, if that isn't a good reason to do gigs then what is?

At the end of a gig when 20 quid is stuffed in your hand for having a laugh and getting a load of people dancing in a freaky style..... well who could want more ?

Tell you what though; I would not like to do covers and weddings every week, it would have to be really well paid to make me even think about it. But then I struggle with other peoples music, I never learned scales properly and even get a bit lost playing 12 bar blues sometimes

[GarethFlatlands]

Love the time onstage, hate everything else about gigging, especially in the last 6 months or so. The only gigs I've really enjoyed recently have been Scotland (6 hours drive) and The Netherlands and Germany (even more). Sad really. Maybe it's time to bite the bullet and just play well paid gigs as a covers band....

[ElCapitan]

[quote name='silddx' post='958490' date='Sep 16 2010, 03:22 PM']Finding stinking stale beer all over the arm of your expensive stage jacket[/quote]


A stage jacket??

[gafbass02]

[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]


This is exactly how I'd say well over 90% of my gigs over the last twenty years have been. I've also given up asking friends, I just got sick of the 'six o clock soundcheck textathon' "sorry mate can't make it". Tbh I'm really not sure why I still do it. This summer has seen some four-six hour drives plus hanging around and kit moving all to play for twenty minutes to a nearly empty field/marquee. For free!
I suppose I do it because I really enjoy playing bass to others. Hence I play In an open mic house band every thurs for like three hours solid learning songs I've never heard of by ear/(power) chord watching on the spot infront of a busy pub and again all for free, just cause I like to play. I guess I always feel I'm collecting memories and I feel lucky that I get to do stuff that most people can only ever dream of. We've all met people that doing a karaoke once on holiday is their one claim to fame they endlessly bang on about, well at least I can endlessly bang on about selling 10,000 albums or supporting some famous bands in some huge venues or simply bore people to death with endless gig stories.
;-D

I can't lie though, lounge fly im not finding easy at the mo for various reasons, and it WILL be my last originals band, after this it's covers all the way!

[dougal]

It's the only time I can dance like "my Dad at a wedding" and have people applaud.

When the singer's in the middle of "Sit Down" and pointedly says "Those of you who are touched by madness" whilst giving you that look...

I've never had it as bad as the OP. Maybe I'm just not jaded enough.

[hitchy64]

I'v just got in from a gig, proberbly the best gig we'v played, and I'm on here now because me head's still buzzin. We played a rough and ready rock pub and everyone was headbanging and yellin how good we were.
To me, that is what it's all about, O, and £40 in me pocket

[maxrossell]

Not so long ago, my drummer amd I made the decision to stop playing sh*t gigs. Our definition of a sh*t gig:

- You're playing second of four bands but you have to supply all the backline because the other bands only have 20w practice amps and toy drums
- There's barely enough PA for the vocals let alone the guitars or drums so you can't hear a damn thing you're playing
- You can soundcheck in ten minutes flat but the other bands take forty-five minutes each because they don't know how to use your gear
- You're playing to an empty room, because even the other bands didn't bother to watch your set (and their crowd leaves when you start playing), or worse,
- You're playing to the same ten people you always play to because you only ever gig in one pub
- You're not getting a fee or a cut of the door or even a free drink, and the manager [i]still[/i] complains that you didn't bring enough people
- You get your gear home to discover that roughly £100 of pedals, cables and accessories has gone walkies from your kit bag

When you're an originals band, a lot of gigs involve some or all of the above. Eventually you get sick of being treated like sh*t and still being expected to behave like you're being done a massive favour. I do this because I like playing music, not because I enjoy moving amplifiers around.

There are other forms of sh*t gig as well. The other day we got offered a support slot for Pulled Apart By Horses. Pulled Apart By Horses are a sh*t band, the essence of NME flavour-of-the-millisecond hype, their music is trendy haircut rubbish and they're incompetent. We were told we could support them if we managed to get 30 people to pay £7 each for a ticket, of which we'd get a quid back. I don't know about you, but personally I think that expecting a local unsigned support band to do over £200 worth of ticket sales for a band with national distribution in exchange for £30 and a twenty-minute slot is f*cking pathetic.

[alanbass1]

I do get a buzz from playing and it really is a self funding hobby for me. My friends put in their spare time and pile money into their 'bikes, cars, boats and I do this with my band. The difference is I put aside the money I get at gigs to get some nice gear that I can then play at the gigs and we are in a great place at the moment where we do really good 'lesser' paid pubs/clubs with great crowds or we get some really nice higher paid 'function' type gigs where we sell ourselves as you get what you see. Strictly covers, but covers we like to play in the style we play them which is basically guitar/bass/drums.

Edited September 26, 2010 by alanbass1

[maxrossell]

Also, as well as being way more selective about the shows I play, I've all but stopped going to see bands.

The other night I went to see a jam, and I kid you not, it was the best live music I've seen in years. Just a bunch of good guys playing some tunes because they liked it. It was cool and relaxed and there was no pressure and it was just fun for the musicians, for the crowd, for everyone. I'm going back next time to join in.

But it threw a really harsh contrast over the other live music I've been seeing of, which has mainly consisted of a load of awful derivative metal bands playing stadium shows to ten people in pubs. There's such a noticeable difference now between the people who play music because they love music and the people who play music because they're pretending to be Ozzy/Metallica/Lamb of God/Dream Theater/etc. that going to most gigs has become an exercise in trying very hard not to cringe.

[JTUK]

[quote name='alanbass1' post='968139' date='Sep 26 2010, 09:14 AM']I do get a buzz from playing and it really is a self funding hobby for me. My friends put in their spare time and pile money into their 'bikes, cars, boats and I do this with my band. The difference is I put aside the money I get at gigs to get some nice gear that I can then play at the gigs and we are in a great place at the moment where we do really good 'lesser' paid pubs/clubs with great crowds or we get some really nice higher paid 'function' type gigs where we sell ourselves as you get what you see. Strictly covers, but covers we like to play in the style we play them which is basically guitar/bass/drums.[/quote]


almost 1000% exactly..

We will add some originals at some point as we have a couple of very good writers in the band..but they will have to stack up in the set, as does every other song we do.

We look at gigs as what will they do for us..look after us well, good slot, nice money etc tec .

We will do a poorly paid pub if it works for us, and we will do functions if they pay well...but we do what we do and everyone is clear about that. Mostly the function element
comes from someone seeing us in a pub and we tell them that more of the same, thank you and with take it or leave it attitude.

It sounds selfish to a degree and I wouldn't argue against that...but I think it is working. We vet gigs as much as they may vet us.
It is a nice position to be in..

[JTUK]

[quote name='maxrossell' post='968142' date='Sep 26 2010, 09:19 AM']Also, as well as being way more selective about the shows I play, I've all but stopped going to see bands.

The other night I went to see a jam, and I kid you not, it was the best live music I've seen in years. Just a bunch of good guys playing some tunes because they liked it. It was cool and relaxed and there was no pressure and it was just fun for the musicians, for the crowd, for everyone. I'm going back next time to join in.

But it threw a really harsh contrast over the other live music I've been seeing of, which has mainly consisted of a load of awful derivative metal bands playing stadium shows to ten people in pubs. There's such a noticeable difference now between the people who play music because they love music and the people who play music because they're pretending to be Ozzy/Metallica/Lamb of God/Dream Theater/etc. that going to most gigs has become an exercise in trying very hard not to cringe.[/quote]


Around here are a few pick-up bands that will play a broad blues bass set and staff the gig with players. The whole thing is a jam with jazz rounds for solos for all the lead instruments.
The band can cook up a storm and although they have cherry-picked the gig, pretty much, I have never known the band to dive. And the audience completely buys into it as well.

These bands are known under the bookers name and they hire in who-ever they know works and whoever is available. Great fun all round. The money may not go far with 5 plus on the gig..that is the only downside..

[thisnameistaken]

I hate listening to a bunch of people who haven't rehearsed playing extended blues jams, I've heard all the blues solo licks a million times. It's on my list of stuff that makes me go to a different pub including cover bands playing the cover band standards and self-absorbed solo singer/songwriter/guitarists with acoustics.

[maxrossell]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='968240' date='Sep 26 2010, 11:27 AM']I hate listening to a bunch of people who haven't rehearsed playing extended blues jams[/quote]

Let me tell you, when you've spent the past three years hearing nothing but sh*tty metal bands, a couple of hours of blues jam is extremely welcome.