Live Music Pubs In And Around London Area

[Hobbayne]

I have recently put together a rock/blues band playing everything from Ac/Dc to ZZ top, via Bad Company and Thin Lizzy.
As the band founder, the guys are looking at me to find the gigs, something I have never had to do before!!
Can anyone give me the heads up on some venues in and around London, Surrey, Berks and Bucks?
I dont mind playing for free at first, just to get a foot in the door.
Cheers, Hobbayne.

Edited April 26, 2012 by Hobbayne

[chris_b]

Check out Lemonrock.

You might have to wait as many gigs will have filled their 2012 dates at the end of last year.... and [b]don't[/b] play for free. You don't need to in order to get gigs at any of the good places so don't set a precedent.

Sometimes you can play at jam nights and impress the guy running it. That might get your name around and generate a few gigs.[font=Arial][size=2] [/size][/font]

It will be a slog, unless you’re the best band anyone’s ever seen, and you could be working regularly next year if you start now.

Good luck.

[Lozz196]

In Bucks, there`s The White Swan in Aylesbury. A good rock crowd, and has it`s own in-house PA.

[gary mac]

Play for free?

[christhammer666]

in south london you have the new cross in and the amersham arms literally across the road from each other. both have gig nights fridays and saturdays always have new bands and bands that have been gigging for years

[dannybuoy]

The Oval Tavern and The Ship in Croydon always have rock/blues cover bands in too.

[Hobbayne]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1335507536' post='1632230']
Play for free?
[/quote]

Only once mind you, the other guys in the band are up for it. Its not something I would like to do on a regular basis.

[chris_b]

Don't even do it once. It won’t get you any more gigs. You don't need to and you can guarantee that any blues/rock pub gig that asks you to play for free, the landlord is pocketing the fee.

[Lozz196]

Yes, have a look at venues which put on similar bands, and approach them. Additionally, actually go to those venues a few times, seeing different bands, to see if it has a local crowd, or only people brought by the bands. Most pubs pay around £200 (plus) for a covers band doing 2 sets on a Fri/Sat night. There`s no reason why, just because you`ve never played there before, that you shouldn`t get the same - unless they work on a payment related to bar sales basis, and no-one turns up at your gig.

[Killerfridge]

There's bloody hundreds of the places in and around Guildford - maybe check out The Star, or the Robin Hood

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Try lemon rock

[pete.young]

Good luck. All these things can be done for little money or effort, and will help your cause:

Get some business cards done, you can get 250 for free if you don't mind not choosing the design.

Get a facebook page up, and update it regularly.

If you have the facilities, record a couple of numbers at a practice and burn some CDs to distribute.

+1 to not offering to play for free. If you're feeling generous, tell the landlord what your fee is and offer him a discount for the first gig.

[louisthebass]

In Surrey:
Windsor Castle, Carshalton.
The Kings Arms, Dorking.
The Castle, Chertsey.
The Barley Mow, Shepperton.

In Berkshire:
The Swan, Arborfield.
The Hope & Anchor, Wokingham.
The Bier Keller, Bracknell.

In Bucks:
The Red Lion, High Wycombe

If you don't mind travelling out to Hampshire:
The Swan, Farnborough.
The Fox & Hounds, Fleet.
The Beehive, Aldershot.

[Musky]

Good luck on getting in at the Windsor Castle - most of the bands are the same handful that have been playing there for the best part of a decade.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1335556035' post='1633235']
....Good luck on getting in at the Windsor Castle - most of the bands are the same handful that have been playing there for the best part of a decade....
[/quote]

+1

You won't get into the WC. I play there in one band and I can't get any of the others in.

[louisthebass]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1335666766' post='1634437']
+1

You won't get into the WC. I play there in one band and I can't get any of the others in.
[/quote]

It's very much a "closed shop" there - they've got their 8/9 bands that revolve around & that's it.