Headline/First on/Somewhere in the Middle

[TimR]

Playing a gig tomorrow. Nothing big, a few hundred people at an outdoor village gig.

We're first on. I'm aware of how "well" we've played in the past and this is my 3rd year of playing. The organisers ask us back every year and the crowd and other bands seem to love us. We play covers. The event runs from 2pm till 10pm in 30min slots with 15mins between bands for changeover.

I was discussing going on first with the drummer who sees it as a good thing. He says the organisers really like us and the songs we play. They know a lot of people will make sure that they are there right at the start to see us. Hence they want us to be the big openers. The crowd starts to diminish at around 8pm.

I'd always seen it as "Stick them on first because we can put the better bands on later", however, looking back at some of the other bands/acts they have been very poor. I have quite high standards and although compared to bands I've played with in London, I think we're not great, we're definitely better than quite a few of the other acts.

The headline act is a local celebrity/famous musician from the 60s and his band.

I'm going to try and video the gig tomorrow to see how good/bad we really are. Since last year I think I have managed to drag the musicianship and performance of the other guys up a few notches.

Thoughts anyone?

Edited September 3, 2011 by TimR

[Lozz196]

I think being the opening act depends on the time the event starts, and 2pm isn`t a bad time, but given the option with the times available, I`d prefer a 4 or 4.30 slot, as that time of afternoon many people have ventured out after lunch etc. Plus, the event is already going, people have probably had a few drinks, so already enjoying themselves.

[Ross]

The thing about being a headliner is people are usually f***ing knackered by that point, I hate being the last band on. It does however have the perks of being able to do an encore.
I've walked back from seeing a headliner band late at night and literally been bowed over sideways limping like the hunchback of notre dame I'm that crippled from it before.
Best spot in my opinion depends on what kind of band you are but me personally i prefer around 5/6/7pm in an open aired local music festival is a good slot, usually the crowd are warmed up and not too knackered by that point.

Thing is about being a covers band you aren't anything special (no offence intended), people have heard it all before. It's nice to dance to and it's good to get the crowd warmed up so you're likely to be early in the day.

[Doddy]

'Headliner' is a bullshit term that promoters and bands use to make them feel better about themselves because they are last on.

[dc2009]

I don't like being made to turn up at 5pm for a sound check that doesn't happen, and then have to pay for your food and drinks at said establishment for 5 hours until you go on stage.

[SteveK]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1361475' date='Sep 4 2011, 01:37 AM']'Headliner' is a bullshit term that promoters and bands use to make them feel better about themselves because they are last on.[/quote]
Eh?
'Headliner' is usually a term that describes a band that the majority of punters want to see: They are the main attraction.
Most of the shows that we do are as headliners and often there will be a band, or bands, on after us. The last band on is usually considered to have the 'graveyard' slot.
We won't usually go on much after 9 to 9:30.
Nobody wants to go on when the punters are knackered and pissed.

[Delberthot]

We did the headline slot of the last day of the Scottish Beatles weekend a few weeks ago and we were on at 9pm as it was seen as the best slot. I think there were one or two bands on after us but it started emptying a bit after we finished.

[Doddy]

[quote name='SteveK' post='1361480' date='Sep 4 2011, 02:02 AM']Eh?
'Headliner' is usually a term that describes a band that the majority of punters want to see: They are the main attraction.
Most of the shows that we do are as headliners and often there will be a band, or bands, on after us. The last band on is usually considered to have the 'graveyard' slot.
We won't usually go on much after 9 to 9:30.
Nobody wants to go on when the punters are knackered and pissed.[/quote]

But you're playing in a big band which people want to see,where the 'headline' is totally legit.On a 'lower' level,lots of bands class themselves as 'headlining' just because they are on last on a multi band bill.

[rOB]

I think the word headliner means different things in different situations. At big festivals e.g. Leeds or glastonbury the best known/most popular acts are on last. At smaller events headliner slots are dependent on when the crowd is at its best.

As mentioned above people get tired and drunk this isn't necessarily the last slot.

We like to play middle slots on evening gigs to give people time to get there but not time to want to go home.

P.S. does the term actually come from poster design? As in the act you put on the top line of the poster?

[dc2009]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1361666' date='Sep 4 2011, 12:01 PM']But you're playing in a big band which people want to see,where the 'headline' is totally legit.On a 'lower' level,lots of bands class themselves as 'headlining' just because they are on last on a multi band bill.[/quote]

My band play last/headline about 50% of the time, but I call it the former rather than the latter because I feel the latter would make me a dick, given the level of my band. I tend to dislike playing last as punters are often pissed or have been cleared out by a poor support act.

[icastle]

The problem I've always found with these 'multiband' setups is that you are always at the mercy of the band that's been on prior to you.

If they're really cr*p then the audience will either have melted away and have to be enticed back, lost interest and have to be re-engaged, or will have overplayed their time slot and leave you with a reduced set slot (unless you're a bunch of egotistical tossers as well - at which point you nick the next bands slot and exacerbate the situation still further).

We used to do quite a few of these small scale multiband things but, after having all of the above happen one afternoon, we tend to steer clear of them.

[Green Alsatian]

We've played plenty of times when we've nearly outnumbered the audience when we've been told to go on at 7pm, when the main act is on around 9pm. I'd rather play sooner, rather than later. I remember one gig (an all-dayer) where we were told that we were due on at 10pm. We ended up on at 12:30am and by that time, everyone (including our mates who turned up) were absolutely bladdered. Some loved us, some booed us, all fuelled by a solid night's drinking.

What made it worse for me, was that I was in work the next morning. I was goosed.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='TimR' post='1361303' date='Sep 3 2011, 08:55 PM']The headline act is a local celebrity/famous musician from the 60s and his band.[/quote]
I guess they'll have the last word on their billing position then - who are they BTW?

The problem with one of my bands playing later on any billing is that the singer and harp player tend to be fairly 'well oiled' by then.

I entirely agree with the pain of having to arrive early for a soundcheck and then hang around for ages to play. Maybe not so bad for pros who get looked after in a decent green room but down at my level of playing . . . .

[JTUK]

Headline... the stage should be set up for you and you get the most money.
That is assuming you can justify being said act.

Know the event..!!

[Lfalex v1.1]

One band I was in (which unfortunately dissolved due to band member emmigrating) was pretty good. Our frontman was superb, and took all of the pressure of the rest of the band. He could even massage a partisan crowd into liking us more than they'd have liked. This meant we always performed at least well, and sometimes very well indeed, just from a musical perspective. We'd try to suss the other bands/audience/the venue out and tailor our performance/song choices to suit. We'd go on first or second (out of 4 or 5) and a lot of bands grew to dislike going on after us. It's all relative.

[Chris2112]

As long as no-one else asks to use your gear it's all good! That said, I'd prefer a middle slot. The crowd is warmed up but not smashed and you're not last out, which guarantees a late finish!

[mep]

Our band is opening Fishstock in Brixham next weekend, an outdoor yearly event. The original opening act are now on in the early evening. We are then to play a local pub that night. We are ok with being first at 11.15am. Previously it has always been busy during the day with the Kids etc, but later on it gets a bit quieter as people want to head out and go to the pub, where we will be, again! On to a winner I think!

[rOB]

[quote name='mep' post='1362317' date='Sep 4 2011, 10:02 PM']Our band is opening Fishstock in Brixham next weekend, an outdoor yearly event. The original opening act are now on in the early evening. We are then to play a local pub that night. We are ok with being first at 11.15am. Previously it has always been busy during the day with the Kids etc, but later on it gets a bit quieter as people want to head out and go to the pub, where we will be, again! On to a winner I think![/quote]

Sounds like a great plan.

[TimR]

It absolutely tipped down at the point where we were supposed to start. We ended up going on 1 hour late. Played to about 50 people who had braved the weather. By the time we had finished the rain had cleared and more people were arriving. The next few bands had pretty good weather.

The 'headliners' played 3 from the end at about 8pm. I didn't stay but watched about 5 of the bands. Some pretty good, for a couple it was their first gig so I'm going to believe the organisers about the "good draw" factor we have. All played covers. I think that 50 people coming to watch in torrential rain is pretty good. Probably had a total of 250 people arrive as the afternoon progressed.

Incidentally one band that had been recommended to me, and had the 5:30 slot, made a very bad decision. Their bass player bought a 15" and a 4x10" with two power amps. The band consisted of drums, bass, two guitars, keys and vocals. The sound out front was appalling. At the beginning of the last song the singer complained that all they could hear on stage was mush. That's pretty much all we could hear. The bass was bleeding into all the drum mics, the guitar mic and the vocal mics it must have been impossible for the engineer to control. I was surprised he didn't just walk onto the stage and turn the bass player down. Awful, ruined it and they probably had the best time slot as far as audience numbers were concerned.

I'll try to bag their 5:30 slot next year

My 2x10" was more than adequate for our on stage monitoring and most of the other bands were using 1x15" combo amps.

We played a good set and the people that were there moved about a bit.

Edited September 5, 2011 by TimR

[dan2112]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1362291' date='Sep 4 2011, 09:46 PM']As long as no-one else asks to use your gear it's all good! That said, I'd prefer a middle slot. The crowd is warmed up but not smashed and you're not last out, which guarantees a late finish![/quote]
+1 to that one!

[derrenleepoole]

Given a choice at the beginning or middling is best for me. Being on last means you sound check first and then wait right till the end of the evening before even playing, and then rigging down. Being one first or middling means you can do you thing and then enjoy the rest of the evening or bugger off if it's a rubbish event

I suppose being on first means that they'll likely not be a crowd there. Especially so at larger festivals when people get bladdered the night before. That is at least the perception. However, a recent gig I did at the Limetree Music Festival near Ripon dispelled that myth for me totally. First on at the JB Jazz and Blues stage at 12pm and the whole place was rammed full. Best gig I've played in a very long time and one that will live in the memory for years to come.

I suppose it depends on the event I guess.

[TimR]

I was impressed by the soundcrew. They had is sussed and had all the bands requirements written down. We were the only band to soundcheck and it sounded pretty good out front. The rest of the bands were adjusted on the fly and sounded pretty good too.

[derrenleepoole]

[quote name='TimR' post='1362931' date='Sep 5 2011, 03:01 PM']I was impressed by the soundcrew. They had is sussed and had all the bands requirements written down. We were the only band to soundcheck and it sounded pretty good out front. The rest of the bands were adjusted on the fly and sounded pretty good too.[/quote]

Do you mean Limetree? Which stage did you play? We did a small sound check as we were first on.

[TimR]

No it was just a small local gig. About 9 bands in total. Just a small stage.

I was just impressed with the whole set up. Especailly as there are a number of threads here where people complain about on stage sound and bad sound guys.

The only band that suffered was the band with too much bass gear on stage

[derrenleepoole]

[quote name='TimR' post='1363153' date='Sep 5 2011, 05:50 PM']No it was just a small local gig. About 9 bands in total. Just a small stage.

I was just impressed with the whole set up. Especailly as there are a number of threads here where people complain about on stage sound and bad sound guys.

The only band that suffered was the band with too much bass gear on stage [/quote]

Same with Limetree. Very, very professional.