Bar Gigging, Why Do We Love It? / Why do We Hate It?

[blue]

[size=4][font=Arial]This has always been an interesting topic and discussion for me. We all love playing bass , but we also are different ages,health and physical ability differences, different tastes in music, different socioeconomics, different musical training, cultural differences, educational difference, came into music in different time periods and some live in regions conducive to gigging opportunities and some not. I think and I might be wrong, these factors have something to do with why some of us love gigging at the bar level and some don't care for gigging at all.[/font]

[font=Arial]For me, it's simple, I am a product of the 60s and when I saw your Beatles on American TV in 1964, that was it. I knew I was going to learn to play rock and perform. It really took over my life. Now at 61, I'm still gigging 4 hour shows every weekend and love it just as much as I did as a teen.[/font]

[font=Arial]Why do some of us never connect with performance live performance especially at the weekend warrior / bar level? I know some will say you out grew it. Then I will ask why do you think that happens to some of us and not to others. I mean I don't like a lot of things about bar gigs;[/font][/size][list]
[*][size=4][font=Arial]Long hours[/font][/size]
[*][size=4][font=Arial]Pay is not great[/font][/size]
[*][size=4][font=Arial]Unappreciated[/font][/size]
[/list]
[size=4][font=Arial]None of these factors are big enough issues for me to stop or cut back. So my question, why do some of us have a disconnect with this level and performance environment?[/font]

[font=Arial]My second discussion point is why do some of us love it and look for more of it? Some might say because [i]you never grew up[/i], which would be a good point and or argument.[/font]

[font=Arial]I am expecting that opinions will be all over the place, which is ok.[/font]

[font=Arial]Much Respect[/font]

[font=Arial]Blue[/font][/size]

Edited November 4, 2014 by blue

[peteb]

I'm a musician and I like to play. Obviously we all look forward to the bigger and better gigs (in my case bigger clubs and the occasional motorcycle rally) but the majority of the work is in the pubs (or bars). If I'm playing with a decent band to a decent audience that's fine by me - playing the right pub gigs can be a lot of fun.

I rarely play to an unappreciative audience. Both bands that I am in concentrate on playing places where we are likely to get a crowd that will be into the stuff that we do and we do our best to make sure that we deliver a convincing performance. Picking and choosing gigs may mean that we are not out every weekend or have to travel a bit, but we still keep reasonably busy.

As far as the money is concerned, I am always aware that times are hard for both punters and pubs alike. I don't make as much as I have done in the past, but we still do ok (ie. It wipes it's own a*se as we say over here). I don't think that anyone can make a reasonable living playing at that sort of level...

Edited November 4, 2014 by peteb

[Freddy Le Cragg]

Because I am never more than 10 steps to a bar.

[blue]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1415059996' post='2596358']
I'm a musician and I like to play. Obviously we all look forward to the bigger and better gigs (in my case bigger clubs and the occasional motorcycle rally) but the majority of the work is in the pubs (or bars). If I'm playing with a decent band to a decent audience that's fine by me - playing the right pub gigs can be a lot of fun.

I rarely play to an unappreciative audience. Both bands that I am in concentrate on playing places where we are likely to get a crowd that will be into the stuff that we do and we do our best to make sure that we deliver a convincing performance. Picking and choosing gigs may mean that we are not out every weekend or have to travel a bit, but we still keep reasonably busy.

As far as the money is concerned, I am always aware that times are hard for both punters and pubs alike. I don't make as much as I have done in the past, but we still do ok (ie. It wipes it's own a*se as we say over here). I don't think that anyone can make a reasonable living playing at that sort of level...
[/quote]

Excellent commentary!

I like where your heads at.

I wish I could say my band doesn't play to those unappreciative crowds. We still book as much as we can and there's a price to pay for that business model.

Blue

[DogHammer]

By bar gigging do you mean a weekend pub covers gig lasting a good few hours?

If so then the reason my band do the covers gigs is to make a bit of cash torwards recording costs. Plus it can be good fun and gives me a chance to work on some backing vocals.

[blue]

[quote name='DogHammer' timestamp='1415060884' post='2596367']
By bar gigging do you mean a weekend pub covers gig lasting a good few hours?

If so then the reason my band do the covers gigs is to make a bit of cash torwards recording costs. Plus it can be good fun and gives me a chance to work on some backing vocals.
[/quote]

When I say [i]"Bar Gigging"[/i] I mean guys that love playing bar level gigs because that's where [i]"Rock"[/i] ( I know the term is no longer universal and means something different to everyone.) has lead them. Over here were called [i]"Weekend Warriors"[/i]. But yeah guys that are no full time and making a living from gigs. The guys that are out there playing different types of covers. My band plays covers but not in the traditional sense. We play hard rock and blues covers ( Peter Green, Mayall, Cream, Mountain, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck ect..)

Blue

[lojo]

[quote name='DogHammer' timestamp='1415060884' post='2596367']
By bar gigging do you mean a weekend pub covers gig lasting a good few hours?
[/quote]

Yep bar gigs translated = pub gigs

I wouldn't want to pub gig every weekend (although I have done) but do enjoy a dep, a one off (test out a new set) or a pub booking with a reason (pub or private function)

I enjoy a party atmosphere, so gigging for me is all about fun, if I get a musical kick out of most the set as well then happy days.

[blue]

At my age, I no longer arrive at gigs with goals or expectations, That gets too involved. Now it's all about having fun. If it's not fun why do it.

Blue

[skidder652003]

stopped arriving at gigs with any expectations a few years bavk as too many were a let down! Now I arrive with a mild sense of dread and am usually quite pleased, ocassionaly even surprised!

[FinnDave]

I like pub gigs as it's the best time the band spends together. We are well rehearsed but rarely play the same song in the same way twice, it is the creation of music in front of an audience that does it for me.

For example, last Saturday our guitarist called out 'Rock Me Baby' but Jenny (singer) said she didn't want to do it, so we played it very slow and a little funky, she was getting into all sorts of vocal tricks with it and the audience were captivated by the effect of such as well known song being torn apart and rebuilt in front of them. It helps that we have a very good vocalist, of course.

[interpol52]

If I look back at all the gigs I have done, from the Hammersmith Apollo to the Slug and Lettuce then I can put gigging into some kind of perspective. I like everything up until the last note is played, good crowd or bad crowd, bad sound or good. There tends to be something that you have a good natter about after, and isn't that what its all about? The bad gigs make the good ones feel even better.

[Muzz]

I love to play live, probably more than any other part of being a musician. I'd do it for nothing, the money's always a bonus (wedding and function money even more so), so I look forward to even the smallest pub gig. Have had very very few gigs I havent enjoyed in some way or another, whether it's been a really good crowd, or the unalloyed joy to be had playing with inspirational musicians - I'm lucky enough to play with a lot of those...

[flyfisher]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1415085387' post='2596418']
Now it's all about having fun. If it's not fun why do it.
[/quote]

I reckon that's the basic answer to the original question and, of course, different people have different ideas of what's fun.

Ask 100 people, get 100 different answers.

[karlfer]

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1415088580' post='2596438']
stopped arriving at gigs with any expectations a few years bavk as too many were a let down! Now I arrive with a mild sense of dread and am usually quite pleased, ocassionaly even surprised!
[/quote]

This. Those gigs where there are 6 disinterested punters in 1st set, then at the end, packed out, dancing on tables
I'm 56, in one originals and one busy covers band.
I'd love to get in a functions band with decent money, but I love playing pub gigs.

I think for me, it's that after a seriously mis spent youth, I'm surprised I'm still alive
And I don't see the point in being able to play something and NOT share it. Every weekend we bring back happy memories to some punters.

[JTUK]

I'll do bar gigs but the band is better than that, tbh...or rather, it is too much work for the money.
To get the players and show we/I want, costs more than a bar can afford so you can only flog that
cat so many times. If it is a nice gig, then we will want to do it, but you can only realy pay £50's
to the players and so getting the gig together becomes fraught and stressful... Exactly what the
bar/pub gig is NOT about.
I have a few really nice gigs and they will pay well but to get the band fixed up together is going to take
a bit of work. All the people I will want to call in can say to me now, they'll want to do it, but they also
have other committments, and may have to pull out nearer the time. This is understandable etc etc but
it doesn't help plan things. So, if I get that 'hassle' on a proper gig, I'll certainly get it on pub gigs..
but then it wont matter so much if the gig is more 'seat of your pants' type thing.
My regular band..which I am leaving... will take pub dates to tick over and use as a shop window
but will not take pub gigs on a saturday during the summer.

[Norris]

Throughout my "career" I've predominantly played in pub bands. There again we tend to be quite casual, enjoy a bit of banter with the crowd, and like the freedom to be able to "prat about" at the less-inspiring gigs (which means we visibly enjoy ourselves & which can turn around an indifferent crowd by doing so).

My day job means I'm unlikely to start doing stadium tours, especially at my age/obscurity and the fact that unless you are famous it doesn't really pay [i][b]that[/b][/i] well.

I am quite content to be a "Weekend Warrior"

[ubit]

It's the meat and potatoes gig. We do it because that's all we can get. Every now and then a bigger, more prestigious gig will come around, but pub gigs are where you hone your skills, because no amount of bedroom practice can make up for playing right in people's faces, getting abuse, drink spilt on your gear etc, but the joy of people dancing and enjoying your set makes it all worth while

[icastle]

When I started out playing... erm... a few years ago, pub gigs were pretty much the norm for me.

In the intervening years I've got used to bigger and better gigs.

Times are harder now and, although I'm still playing the bigger and better gigs, I supplement them with pub gigs.

Even with the smoking ban, I'd actually forgotten how much I hate going in pubs.

[casapete]

My playing mainly consists of theatre gigs to a seated audience. Whilst I really enjoy it, I find that also
playing in my weekly pub residency is the perfect balance for me. Keeps things a bit more 'real' and
sociable, both with band members and punters.

[ubit]

Trouble is, round here, pub gigs are getting scarcer as the recession put paid to all things jolly !

[blue]

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1415082952' post='2596404']
Yep bar gigs translated = pub gigs[/quote]

The thing that gets me is, as I understand it, your pub gigs are not 4 hours with two 15 minute breaks nights like ours.

We are doing a Legion Hall thing this weekend, so we get a break. It's a 7-10 deal.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1415105319' post='2596675']
It's the meat and potatoes gig. We do it because that's all we can get. Every now and then a bigger, more prestigious gig will come around, but pub gigs are where you hone your skills, because no amount of bedroom practice can make up for playing right in people's faces, getting abuse, drink spilt on your gear etc, but the joy of people dancing and enjoying your set makes it all worth while
[/quote]

Yeah, I feel the same way. During the Summer we get our share of the big stages at festivals and Fairs, however getting the premium time slots is another story. Bar/Club gigs are our meat & potatoes too.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1415105319' post='2596675']
It's the meat and potatoes gig. We do it because that's all we can get. Every now and then a bigger, more prestigious gig will come around, but pub gigs are where you hone your skills, because no amount of bedroom practice can make up for playing right in people's faces, getting abuse, drink spilt on your gear etc,[/quote]

Yeah, I haven't tried it yet but I should. I see some guys will put some kind of plastic/saran wrap over their pedals to prevent damage from drink spills.

Blue

Edited November 4, 2014 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1415098439' post='2596569']
I reckon that's the basic answer to the original question and, of course, different people have different ideas of what's fun.

Ask 100 people, get 100 different answers.
[/quote]

I like the attention, you know even at the bar level, people love approaching musicians for a chat.You have all heard this one; [i]" I use to play in a band"[/i].

You know what I say about fun; [i]I have fun while playing, however I don't play for for fun. I play for money.[/i]

You really have to understand that very few people get paid to do something they truly like doing. I remember some guy that worked in a retail store was telling me he loved his job. My response; [i]No You Don't[/i].

Blue
.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1415130335' post='2597094']
You really have to understand that very few people get paid to do something they truly like doing. I remember some guy that worked in a retail store was telling me he loved his job. My response; [i]No You Don't[/i].
[/quote]

Perhaps you simply could not understand why he would love such a job? Perhaps he would hate to play the same songs in the same bars for his whole life? Each to their own.

For all the musicians on here who proclaim to love gigging, there seems to be few who will happily do so without being paid. Seems to me that it's what people do when they're NOT being paid that they really love.