How Soon is Too Soon?

[Nicko]

We played a gig a few weeks ago. The LL wants us back to play another. We have a couple of new songs sorted, but essentially we'll be playing the same covers set 5 weeks after the last gig at this boozer.

I'm dead chuffed they want us back, but it looked mostly like regulars in the pub. Do you reckon its too soon?

[bonzodog]

A rule of thumb for my covers band is 3 times a year max at same venue. LLs sometimes see you go down well and think same will happen again but the last thing you want is punters to get bored of you

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Well, it's great that you've been asked back .
You're doing more songs . Also good.
The only problem I see, is if you don't go back soon , someone else may nab it .
Don't leave it too long .

[RockfordStone]

if you are going to be paid for it i'd do it, but if you are not being paid i would avoid playing so soon

[BassBus]

Touring bands play largely the same set every night of a tour. If someone goes to see them twice on that tour they will see much the same music played. I would say five weeks is not too soon to play the same set. Go for it.

[Truckstop]

Really?!

Take the gig! If you've not got anything else on then do it for gods sake.

[Rich]

Take the gig, definitely.

[FuNkShUi]

Take it. No doubt

[mikegatward]

Take the gig and look for about 3 new songs in the meantime. Look for quick wins if need be. If you can 'bench' 3 songs and replace with 3 new ones you'll keep things fresh

[mcnach]

I don't see a problem... if you don't take it another band will (possibly playing mostly the same songs? )
Do it. Just keep working on expanding your repertoire as much as you can.

A lot of what makes a cover band "good" is not the setlist, but how they play and their attitude and interaction with the audience. Some bands are great at getting a (positive) reaction while others don't. The former get called back. Maybe that's why you got called back. I'd not be worried about playing 95% the same songs.

Edited August 28, 2015 by mcnach

[Phil Starr]

As above, accept the booking but when doing so let the landlord know it will be very similar to your last set.

The LL may have good reasons for wanting a band he likes to fill an open slot at fairly short notice. Most decent LL's understand this much about bands, use this as a way of getting booked through the year at even spacings so you can bring him a freshened set each time. He/she will probably appreciate your professionalism in wanting to do the best for his/her venue

[gapiro]

Weve had this discussion with a LL recently, did a gig a month ago, went down fab, did another last friday. He's booked us 3rd friday of every month until xmas. We're concerned that each time its going to get less busy, but we shall see! Personally every 2 months works.

[mcnach]

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1440765589' post='2853648']
Weve had this discussion with a LL recently, did a gig a month ago, went down fab, did another last friday. He's booked us 3rd friday of every month until xmas. We're concerned that each time its going to get less busy, but we shall see! Personally every 2 months works.
[/quote]

Do people go to that bar on that Friday to see your band specifically, or do they go because they like the pub and it has good bands on? I suspect it's mostly the latter, so I don't think you have much to worry about.
My originals band plays once a month in a well known music bar in town. Our sets can vary a bit as we have more material than the required 2x45' slots, but we only add songs slowly so the difference between the songs we play this month and the songs we will play in three months time will be mostly the order, and a handful of changes between old material and some new stuff. It makes no difference in the end. We have some people who are unrelated to the band who come to see us. Some wear our T-Shirts which fills our hearts with joy but most people in the bar just go there because they know there'll be decent bands playing. We just try not to disappoint and have people dancing, having a good time, and drinking more beer (although we play our own songs, we generally do one cover: "Beer", by Reel Big Fish )

Edited August 28, 2015 by mcnach

[Bilbo]

In the US, bands used to have residencies where they played the same venue every night for two weeks. Alternatively, you have people like Mike Stern who has played the 55 Club every Monday for decades. Take the gig.

[JTUK]

Yep..5 weeks for a regular gig is too soon...
I'd want 2 weeks minimum between the same town and Breweries who pay the ultimate cost of bands can and try to dictate
how often you play... but it is often the Landlords that will stop very good draw bands from playing too often in rival pubs and effecting their business
rather then the Brewery. The Brewery just has to be seen they support the LL... especially if that Brewery supports/supplies 99%
of the town's pubs..

[phil.c60]

Take the gig. Try and bring on some new songs if you can - do you rehearse regularly? If so it shouldn't be too difficult to find some you can put together fairly swiftly. If not, book some rehearsal slots now!

[chris_b]

Take the gig (never turn a good gig down) and change the set around.

Back in the day I used to play several weekly residencies (Bob's Goodtime Blues and the Carnarvon Castle). If you're good enough then you can carry it off.

These days we usually figure on 3 or 4 gigs per venue per year, but at the moment we're doing several 2 week turnarounds. It's OK if they like you.

We change the set a lot and add new numbers.

[blue]

If it's a paying gig take it. If not, don't and don't get in the habit of giving your efforts away free of charge.

Blue

Edited August 28, 2015 by blue

[JTUK]

I have to say that even a good band can overplay their hand. Unless the band is very very good, I wouldn't want to see the same band back there
within a few weeks.
This is why and how bands get stale in the eyes of an audience...but by the same token, I wouldn't use that as an arbiter too much anyway..
But certainly bands play anywhere and everwhere and then wonder why they don't get the same crowd levels as before.

I can think of very few bands around here that you want to see twice a month for example.. very very few, in fact, not one springs to mind, but then I'm not a typical punter either.

Taking the money just because is there is a pretty tacky stance as well... so if that was your goal, I'd doubt the band would be considerate to what thye audeince wants anyway... as long as they get the money..??

[goingdownslow]

Just looked at this local bands gig list and they are playing at the same bar every Wednesday, even in 2016 and more.
[url="http://amazingkappaband.com/gigs/4589791928"]http://amazingkappab...gigs/4589791928[/url]

[lurksalot]

For cover bands , it might even be argued that even if its a different band every night , the set-list will probably be the same

Take the gig

[EssentialTension]

As soon as the audience will turn up and the gaffer is happy then it's not too soon.

There's been a long tradition of bands playing weekly residencies or even playing every night - e.g. The Beatles at the KaiserKellar.

Check out all these residencies at The Marquee - [url="http://www.themarqueeclub.net/timeline"]http://www.themarqueeclub.net/timeline[/url]

Between Feb 1961 and Aug 1963 The Beatles played The Cavern over 250 times.

[Slipperydick]

Take it. But start and finish with different numbers.
Most punters will remember the first two and the last one, plus any that mean something to them personally.

[Skybone]

Take the gig, maybe work in the new songs you're all confident with, any older songs you've done previously and shelved? Maybe time to dust them off.

The last set must have gone down well, so even if you play the same songs, but in a different order, it should go well.