slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 i f***in detest pubs who put on 'Battles Of The Bands' total scam, sorry typo.. TOTAL SCUM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 it's not what you play. it's how many family members you take along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 yeah, the band with the most members wins just had a telephone blast from a club thats on its 3rd heat of who knows how many, has FIVE bands on tonight with yep you've guessed it 'cheap drinks promos' and the prize for the best band at the end of it all is.... wait for it... £400 i happened to mention it was a scam on their Facebook site f*** OFF!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Got cheated out of first prize once in one of these. The limit was 3 covers, which we stuck to. However, the crowd knew the words so well to one of ours the judge decided it must be a cover as well, and therefore we cheated. The judge, resident of a small gaelic country near here, gave to another band from the same neck of the woods, who he happened to be friendly with. Our lot were so pi**ed off after singing so well the bouncers had to escort the judge driving out of the car park like he was in the movie In the Line Of Fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Only ever played one fair one, £50 per band free drinks and a good prize, we won it in the end but there was none of the usual BOTB bitterness from anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1234795' date='May 17 2011, 08:00 PM']Only ever played one fair one, £50 per band free drinks and a good prize, we won it in the end but there was none of the usual BOTB bitterness from anyone.[/quote] that's agig, not BOTB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='slobluesine' post='1234799' date='May 17 2011, 08:02 PM']that's agig, not BOTB[/quote] Not many gigs send you to a £600 a day studio after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1234800' date='May 17 2011, 08:03 PM']Not many gigs send you to a £600 a day studio after.[/quote] so how many heats and bands did they get for £600? bear in mind the club i'm talking about normally pay £400 for bands on busy nights they're a scam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 My band were in and won one on friday, didnt have to pay a thing to play, got an 8 hour studio session and CD production out of it. Another one we played was supposably rigged, which was believable, so they arent all good. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='slobluesine' post='1234804' date='May 17 2011, 08:08 PM']so how many heats and bands did they get for £600? bear in mind the club i'm talking about normally pay £400 for bands on busy nights they're a scam[/quote] We did 2 heats got paid £50 a time and free drinks all night, we are an originals band and usually happy with free drinks, most of them just want you to bring loads of people they are awful but there are a few that are about talent, very few and far between though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmonkey Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1234807' date='May 17 2011, 08:10 PM']We did 2 heats got paid £50 a time and free drinks all night, we are an originals band and usually happy with free drinks, most of them just want you to bring loads of people they are awful but there are a few that are about talent, very few and far between though.[/quote] The latest scam in my neck of the woods is the so called "charity" all dayer - a few bands play for, no one gets paid, a paltry amount goes to charity, the boozer takes a small fortune across the bar.....we get shamelessly asked regularly. We're always too busy or away that night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='Bassmonkey' post='1234822' date='May 17 2011, 08:18 PM']The latest scam in my neck of the woods is the so called "charity" all dayer - a few bands play for, no one gets paid, a paltry amount goes to charity, the boozer takes a small fortune across the bar.....we get shamelessly asked regularly. We're always too busy or away that night![/quote] YES!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1234807' date='May 17 2011, 08:10 PM']We did 2 heats got paid £50 a time and free drinks all night, we are an originals band and usually happy with free drinks, most of them just want you to bring loads of people they are awful but there are a few that are about talent, very few and far between though.[/quote] free drinks are no good if you have to drive and £50 a gig ( i take it that was between the band and not each?) doesn't even cover petrol, so you played for free, just like all the other bands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 BOTB is not alone.... [url="http://dontgetjacked.blogspot.com/2008/11/battle-of-bands.html"]http://dontgetjacked.blogspot.com/2008/11/...e-of-bands.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bidd Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Personally, I think BOTBs as an original concept is a good thing - varied bands trying to outplay each other to maximise audience appeal. HOWEVER, these days promoters (I hate that phrase, as they never actually do promote) see BOTBs as an excuse to exploit young, novice original bands. A lot of the previous posters mention small-time pub events, but the worst are the national ones like "Live & Unsigned" and "Surface Festival". Take my mate's band for example - they decided to sign up to Live & Unsigned. First of all they had to pay a £20 admin fee or something stupid like that. Next they have to attend a regional audition. Doesn't sound too bad, but each band got less than 2 minutes, so they could get as many bands in as possible. It's not even a full song ffs. After having to piss around for several hours waiting for a 2 minute audition, my mate's band were invited to take part in the first heat in Manchester. This part made me lol. They had to play a Sunday afternoon, could only play three songs, and had to charge fans something daft like £10 a ticket. They decided to turn up at all. The problem is, there are so many bands these days that will do anything to get signed - I dread to think how much money these promoters got from desperate bands hounding their mates and fans to come and watch them and to help them get further in the stages. The bands literally don't get any money on the pretense that they might win the final prize of getting signed. The worst thing is that the actual music is not even a factor anymore. Things like this are literally the cancer of the music industry. So to reiterate my random rant - BOTB's are not necessarily scams, but are great tool for cowboy promoters to exploit young, inexperienced bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) Many years ago our then drummer - a well-meaning but mentally negligible chap - booked us into a pub BOTB. The £5 entry wasn't the problem. It was playing to an audience young enough to be our kids. Frankly, we looked like a gang of paedos on the prowl. Edited May 17, 2011 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) it's the pubs and scammy clubs that are onto it now that i detest it's 'Quiz night' mentality, NOTHING to do with helping young bands or promoting live music total crap, it just totally pisses me off...... NEVER PLAY FOR FREE Edited May 17, 2011 by slobluesine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironside1966 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I will play the devils advocate here but you are in a band that can't pull in more than a dozen people then the band has no financial value and many venues are doing bands a favour by letting them play, it doesn't matter how good you are if you can't sell the tickets. BOTB are a good way of getting your music to different people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1234880' date='May 17 2011, 09:03 PM']He didn't go by the name of Frank Gadd by any chance [/quote] Banbury's only-ever pop star. Not much of a tribute market for him round here, strangely enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskimoBassist Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 [quote name='slobluesine' post='1234883' date='May 17 2011, 09:04 PM']it's the pubs and scammy clubs that are onto it now that i detest it's 'Quiz night' mentality, NOTHING to do with helping young bands or promoting live music total crap, it just totally pisses me off...... NEVER PLAY FOR FREE[/quote] Never play for free? Although I follow most of your line of thought with regards to BOTBs, especially together with the animosity that they breed amongst bands and the near impossibility for the judging to be impartial, I do not support your idea of NEVER playing for free. An inexperienced or new band need a venue to showcase their music and gain stage time, who is going to support a band, especially if they have little/no following and do not have the reputation of a more established act? I have been in a band for nearly 5 years now and have indeed played our fair share of BOTBs, with a good level of success, mostly when we first started. Through such showcase events we have been put in touch with a number of promoters and events organisers, which has led to a great deal of other, paid performances. It does sound like you've got the sh###y end of the stick, for which I am sorry, but don't let your bad experience cloud your judgement. In all fairness, if your pay packet doesn't cover all the incumbant necessary costs of your performance then indeed you have, in some way or another, paid for the right to play. Some of the best and most worthwhile gigs that I have ever played have barely contributed to the cost of our performance. Perhaps it is charity, but if you are in the position to afford it and you judge the experience to be worth the personal expense (adjusted for the altruistic value gained from the event) then I see no wrong in it. Remember, we've all got to start somewhere and to be honest if I was the promoter who first bravely put on the 14 year olds that my band once were, then I probably wouldn't have offered to buy them a few drinks, let alone cover their transport costs. Just my opinion, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 i've never played in a BOTB and never will, cos.... they're a scam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) Surely BOTBs is an audition in front of a crowd and an opportunity to get your music out to new people. The world doesn't owe musicians a living. The whole music industry is a scam. Imagine. Getting to number 1 in the charts is nothing to do with how good your music is or even how good a musician you are, it's all to do with how popular your music is and how pretty you are. Sorry folks it's the real world. BOTBs does what it says on the tin. If you don't need it then don't do it. If you do need it then do your own promotion, meet and greet at the door, give out free CDs, tell everyone when your next gig is at every opportunity and SMILE LOTS. oh... and listen to criticism. You are not the best band to ever walk the earth. Edited May 17, 2011 by TimR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) I think BOTBs have their place and can perform a useful function, but you have to go in with your eyes wide open. If you don't like what you see then walk away. My lads band have just got through the second round of Surface Festival. Yes it's a money making scheme, but the experience has improved them as a band, and they have made contacts with lots of other bands with a view to mutual support spots etc. Also, as someone else said, success at this level is about promoting yourself and bringing people to gigs. Trying to be objective (as much as a father can be), they are very good, but they did seem to be hanging around 'waiting to be discovered'. The surface festival has made them realise that there's a lot more to it than being good musicians, so it has served a purpose. As long as you go into a BOTB knowing what it is, and how it works, I don't see a problem. Edited to add: And in another local BOTB, run by a 'Youth Club' they won a day in a recording studio, for no outlay whatever. Nothing wrong with that that I can see. Edited May 17, 2011 by Count Bassy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 why does it HAVE to be a competiton? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) [quote name='slobluesine' post='1234771' date='May 17 2011, 07:48 PM']i f***in detest pubs who put on 'Battles Of The Bands' total scam, sorry typo.. TOTAL SCUM[/quote] Were you not to the judges taste/gig you not have enough mates with you A laugh if you win, or come second and end up with more prize money than the winners 'cos you took best song as well, but a PITA and always fixed otherwise Won one in a new town to a packed pub.....went back a fortnight later to tumbleweed, so that was worth the effort Edited May 17, 2011 by WalMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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