Managing Those Tough Gigs

[blue]

[size=4][font=Arial]You arrive at the pub/bar, it's small, difficult to get your gear to the stage (postage stamp size area on the floor) and your dealing with a small uninterested crowd.[/font]

[font=Arial]It's happened to all of us. You can take a piss attitude which will only make things worse or you can get creative and figure out ways to make the best of it. I use to let these types of gigs really get to me.Now as soon as I get to one of these stinkers I;[/font][/size][list]
[*][size=4][font=Arial]Approach each band mate, greet them and put out a positive vibe [/font][/size]
[*][size=4][font=Arial]Start telling jokes [/font][/size]
[*][size=4][font=Arial]Advising everyone to have have fun even though things don't look promising [/font][/size]
[*][size=4][font=Arial]Keep a smile on my face[/font][/size]
[*][size=4][font=Arial]Remember your getting paid[/font][/size]
[/list]
[size=4][font=Arial]And you know, what if it's one of those nights where your playing is really on, your going to have a good time regardless.[/font]

[font=Arial]Please share your ideas for making these gigs tolerable.[/font]

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

[size=4][font=Arial]Pic, digging my new T-Shirt[/font][/size]

Edited June 29, 2015 by blue

[JTUK]

I really really try and avoid these gigs in the first place... I don't see the point of doing them and if caught will only be caught once.
We try and do our homework first and foremost and ask very pertinent questions of the gig.

But assuming we did all that and still stuffed up, we'd try and enjoy ourselves and take any positives out of it we can..
This is the reason why the driver of choosing the set is that it is short (2x45's) and we don't do songs we don't want to do..
so we wont be there for ages, and we play stuff we like.
If I'm standing there thinking WTF am I doing here, that is very dodgy ground to be on and pretty much the beginning of a deathknell..IMO.

[gjones]

I'm in the position that I don't need to do crap gigs to feed myself anymore. If the bar is a dump and the audience are knuckle draggers, I won't be going back.

But if I am forced to play a dive, I just look on it as a paid rehearsal.

[blue]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1435602920' post='2810511']
I really really try and avoid these gigs in the first place... I don't see the point of doing them and if caught will only be caught once.
We try and do our homework first and foremost and ask very pertinent questions of the gig.

But assuming we did all that and still stuffed up, we'd try and enjoy ourselves and take any positives out of it we can..
This is the reason why the driver of choosing the set is that it is short (2x45's) and we don't do songs we don't want to do..
so we wont be there for ages, and we play stuff we like.
If I'm standing there thinking WTF am I doing here, that is very dodgy ground to be on and pretty much the beginning of a deathknell..IMO.
[/quote]

Me, many times that gig makes a 3 or even 4 gig weekend. I like $400.00 weekends and I need the money. And for me and many of my local peers who do this for a living, we say, any paying gig is better than no gig.

Blue

Edited June 29, 2015 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1435602980' post='2810513']
I'm in the position that I don't need to do crap gigs to feed myself anymore. If the bar is a dump and the audience are knuckle draggers, I won't be going back.

But if I am forced to play a dive, I just look on it as a paid rehearsal.
[/quote]

Agreed, paid rehearsal attitude is a good way to approach these gigs.

Blue

[blue]

Here's a story;

A few weeks ago my band added a Sunday afternoon bar gig at a questionable bar ( wrong side of the trcks and somebody was shot there a few months ago). And there was going to be a $5.00 ( we never charge a cover ). I told them I didn't think it was for us, however I was over ruled and we played the gig.

Turned out to be a beautiful Sunday afternoon, 80 people showed up and we collected 5 bucks from every single person which was all ours the bar got the booze sales and they killed on booze.

My point, [i]"You Never Know"[/i]

Me, I just don't see myself getting [i]"uppity"[/i] about any gigs at this stage in the game ( close to 50 years ). As long as we get our $100.00 a man minimum.

Blue

Edited June 29, 2015 by blue

[BobVbass]

I think you've a got a great attitude to it - I really enjoy playing, if it's a great audience with a good crowd its brilliant - if not then I'm still playing with a couple of good friends and we'll just laugh it off and have a good time anyway - and still get paid

[Freddy Le Cragg]

I play every gig like its Knebworth, whether its 3 blokes and the bar staff, or a festival in front of 2000 people. Balls to the wall everytime.

[JTUK]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1435604318' post='2810535']
Here's a story;

A few weeks ago my band added a Sunday afternoon bar gig at a questionable bar ( wrong side of the trcks and somebody was shot there a few months ago). And there was going to be a $5.00 ( we never charge a cover ). I told them I didn't think it was for us, however I was over ruled and we played the gig.

Turned out to be a beautiful Sunday afternoon, 80 people showed up and we collected 5 bucks from every single person which was all ours the bar got the booze sales and they killed on booze.

My point, [i]"You Never Know"[/i]

Me, I just don't see myself getting [i]"uppity"[/i] about any gigs at this stage in the game ( close to 50 years ). As long as we get our $100.00 a man minimum.

Blue
[/quote]

My rule is not to gig a place I wouldn't go to as a punter... call me picky, I guess.

[Graham]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1435604318' post='2810535']

Me, I just don't see myself getting [i]"uppity"[/i] about any gigs at this stage in the game ( close to 50 years ).
[/quote]

You've clearly spent too long on this forum, as that strikes me as a remarkably English phrase

[Lozz196]

I think Blue is spot on here. Many a time in my old punk covers band we turned up to places that had a bad vibe in them on the day, but putting on a good show for the punters turned it around and the atmosphere changed. Whereas if we`d gone on with the attitude it was going to be rotten, and just put a shift in, well chances are it would have stayed rotten.

[blue]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1435607624' post='2810590']
You've clearly spent too long on this forum, as that strikes me as a remarkably English phrase
[/quote]

Hence the t-shirt. lol

Edited June 29, 2015 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1435607305' post='2810582']
My rule is not to gig a place I wouldn't go to as a punter... call me picky, I guess.
[/quote]

[i]"Gigs To Decline"[/i]

That might be a another good thread topic.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1435607902' post='2810598']
I think Blue is spot on here. Many a time in my old punk covers band we turned up to places that had a bad vibe in them on the day, but putting on a good show for the punters turned it around and the atmosphere changed. Whereas if we`d gone on with the attitude it was going to be rotten, and just put a shift in, well chances are it would have stayed rotten.
[/quote]

Exactly Lozz, experience has taught me the same line of thought.

We had a drummer a while back that would bring that piss attitude to gigs and get it all over the other band members. He's no longer with the band.

Cool

Blue

Edited June 29, 2015 by blue

[Norris]

At gigs where the audience isn't really interested we tend to mess around musically, putting in accents, rhythms and recurring themes to keep ourselves amused. Nothing that the punters would notice unless they were actually listening of course. It can make a dull gig fly by and have us in stitches

[blue]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1435608872' post='2810624']
At gigs where the audience isn't really interested we tend to mess around musically, putting in accents, rhythms and recurring themes to keep ourselves amused. Nothing that the punters would notice unless they were actually listening of course. It can make a dull gig fly by and have us in stitches
[/quote]

Spot on!

At these gigs it's not unusual for us to try new material we have been working on but not quite ready.

Blue

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1435608872' post='2810624']
At gigs where the audience isn't really interested we tend to mess around musically, putting in accents, rhythms and recurring themes to keep ourselves amused. Nothing that the punters would notice unless they were actually listening of course. It can make a dull gig fly by and have us in stitches
[/quote]

This is the kiddie, excellent approach

[Norris]

You'd be surprised how well the start of the Blue Peter theme tune (blue: a hornpipe) fits into most songs

[peteb]

These days we try not to play bad gigs, but if you have a run of a few shows away from home you don’t want a dead night and any gig that's going (even if it’s one that you wouldn’t normally play) might pay for your hotel / diesel and be the difference between making a few quid or losing money.

If it is obviously not going to be a great night you just try and make the best of it and have a laugh with (or occasionally at) the audience. I remember playing a grim little pub in Burnley (god knows how we got booked there) and at the beginning of the second set the guitar player announced that he would like to buy everyone in the audience a drink – he still had change from a tenner…!

And as for playing dives and the rougher establishments – I find that years later when people are sitting round talking about old gigs and places, they are the ones that you tend to remember and have the best stories attached…

Edited June 29, 2015 by peteb

[dadofsix]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1435621546' post='2810812']
I remember playing a grim little pub in Burnley (god knows how we got booked there) and at the beginning of the second set the guitar player announced that he would like to buy everyone in the audience a drink – he still had change from a tenner…!
[/quote]

Proving, yet again, that some of the smarmiest gigs provide for some of the most delightful stories. I'm still laughing!

[lojo]

We played an old working mans type club a few years back, there was enough people who came to see us to make a good atmosphere (they did entrance fee on door as it was private members) , but there was a fair few locals on a large table at the back and we thought our audience and them where after conflicting evenings .

Anyway , they sat there all night , 20 + of them , but after 2 sets at the end a guy came up to me who had sat still all night and said "that was the best f/Ing evening here in 25 years

You never can tell

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1435621546' post='2810812']

And as for playing dives and the rougher establishments – I find that years later when people are sitting round talking about old gigs and places, they are the ones that you tend to remember and have the best stories attached…
[/quote]

Bang on.

The Battle Of Bethnal Green where that skinhead tried to glass a black guy and damned near cut his own hand off, the White Horse in Ruislip where there was a stage invasion by drunken pikeys (no, really, this happened) who threatened violence if we didn't let their 12 year old sing ... I wouldn't go through those gigs again for love nor money, but they're astonishing memories to have for a nice, quiet, middle-class professional.

[KevB]

Yep, paid rehearsal. I perform reasonably as well as I can but internally allow myself a bit more close examination of what we're doing and what needs to be worked on for future gigs. With a bigger crowd I'll tend to focus a bit more on the crowd interaction and less on what we're doing so long as it's going down well. We have a rescheduled gig this weekend, never played there before. Just got a message from band member who has called in to drop off posters. he says 'It's tiny, we'll be playing on each others shoulders' so I'm already thinking 'paid rehearsal' before even getting there. But its a new band, need the gigs to iron out some stuff.

[cheddatom]

I just drink as much as possible

[Silvia Bluejay]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1435644985' post='2810847']
Bang on.

The Battle Of Bethnal Green where that skinhead tried to glass a black guy and damned near cut his own hand off, the White Horse in Ruislip where there was a stage invasion by drunken pikeys (no, really, this happened) who threatened violence if we didn't let their 12 year old sing ... I wouldn't go through those gigs again for love nor money, but they're astonishing memories to have for a nice, quiet, middle-class professional.
[/quote]

Jack it was the White Bear, not the White Horse - wrong animal! (And that's before we get to the other animals, those who were threatening the band but luckily leaving their roadie/photographer sitting undisturbed in a dark corner...)

Edited June 30, 2015 by bluejay