Playing gigs at military bases?

[BrunoBass]

In my eternal quest to find gigs for my band I'm thinking of exploring gaining bookings in military bases. There are a few RAF bases close to us and I think it might be worth trying to get in. Has anyone done or is doing the base circuit (if indeed there is one), and if so do you have any advice on going about getting bookings?

[TimR]

We did a gig a long time ago that we managed to get into because the singer was married to one of the senior officers.

While we were waiting to go on I tried to engage the agent, who dealt with all the entertainment, in some conversation. She wasn't interested in even talking to me. I think it's a closed shop.

A pro drummer friend of mine played in a band that gigged regularly for the RAF. They flew the band all over the world for gigs.

Maybe other posters have different experiences. You'd certainly need to be vetted if you were regularly visiting bases.

[JTUK]

Only did them with certain band leaders, so I agree that they work with their chosen partners a lot. In that sense these aren't 'open' gigs.

They certainly have good budgets as even the Sargent's mess events are pretty spectacular food-wise.

[scalpy]

Did some of the RAF bases in Germany back in the day. Happy memories of turning up for breakfast in the officers mess as they were at there for lunch in full dress uniform. Great gigs too, poor folk bored out of their minds and looking to blow off steam big time.

In negotiations to do the local base next year. In reference to the thread I started earlier, we won't be filming that one- it's the sas.

[Les]

Like scalpy I did the bases in Germany back in the day but have done them over here.

They're not usually an every weekend affair but things like the summer ball etc. usually someone ends up being responsible for booking the entertainment for the do.

Bases are often quite big and you'll have squaddies (think 18th Birthday party audience) then corporals, sergeants, officers and so on. All will be independant of each other so it's not like the commanding officer of the base is the booker.

I don't really think it will be a closed shop controlled by agents these days unless things have changed as the bookers change quite a lot, if you book the summer ball and the xmas one that's probably it, someone else will take over.

That obviously makes it hard to get to the right guy but I would imagine if you send a nice package in addressed to The Sgts mess entertainment committee or something it will probably land at the right desk.

These things have great budgets and important things for them to get right, if you can't run a piss up it's isn't going to look good for you when promotion time comes up.

I haven't persued these things in this band though we've actuall had an enquiry from one via facebook, which we were not free for sadly.

Let us know how you get on.

Les

[oldslapper]

Did a gig for Royal engineer officers couple of years back in a marquee. They gave us a trail of linked extension leads going to one socket in the kitchen. This was feeding a 4 piece band, disco & massive drinks fridge. Electrics went the moment we switched on our gear. As the Sargent liaising with us said "you would have got a generator if this had been a sappers party, but the "Rupert's" haven't a clue.
No help with OPs question, but it always tickles me thinking about it.

[BottomE]

I've done a few down in Portland near Weymouth, Dorset. It was a long time ago but i remember the money was very good and that they provided dressing rooms and refreshment. There's obviously a drinking culture - we had a room full of seamen. If you can cope with that part its not a bad gig.

[Dan Dare]

In my experience, forces bases hire bands through agents, so you need to find out who your local bases use and try to get on their books. My experience has been similar to BottomE's. Very much a drinking culture, but they treat and pay you well.

[Happy Jack]

If you get nowhere playing gigs at military bases, try playing basses at military gigs.

[mep]

Played at a few many years ago in Hong Kong. Both the singer and guitarist were in the forces so they arranged them. Most were a blast but sometimes we had to wait a while before playing. A couple of times we even had to wear dinner suits.

[JapanAxe]

I have done Lyneham, Brize Norton, and Cirencedter. At Brize we were booked by someone who had seen the band at a pub.

A couple of random points:

(1) The band is a noise in the corner while the audience gat hammered and cop off with that night's shag;
(2) You need to have photo ID and send vehicle details in advance so that the guard house can be notified. Allow extra time for the faffage involved.

[mrtcat]

Played a wedding at Bicester Garrison officers mess last night. The groom and his father were both in the forces and we were booked on recommendation. We have also played in Cyprus for the RAF Christmas bash twice after the chap in charge of ents saw us at a wedding. As has been mentioned before, the person who books ents changes often and therefore it's usually a one off if you get booked. We were told that they prefer non rock bands mostly as squaddies get feisty quite easily so party bands with good humour are often picked.

[blue]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1473616979' post='3131704']
In my eternal quest to find gigs for my band I'm thinking of exploring gaining bookings in military bases. There are a few RAF bases close to us and I think it might be worth trying to get in. Has anyone done or is doing the base circuit (if indeed there is one), and if so do you have any advice on going about getting bookings?
[/quote]

I've never played a military gig, but I think it's a good idea.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1473624797' post='3131808']
Just watch out for radio interference if you use a wireless system!
[/quote]

The digital stuff should be fun. The older stuff Nigel was using was not that good.

Blue

[JamesBass]

Funnily enough I played a gig the other night and a recruiter was present and asked the band if they'd considered signing up, we all looked bemused and then he went on to say that the army have about 5-7 pop bands on the book, all of whom are part time soldiers but full time muso's!

[Grangur]

I've been to a number of bases. From my experience, the security for entry differs from base to base but has said before; photo ID is needed and getting in takes time.

Also, don't be surprised if each base has more than one resident band among the squaddies already.

[BrunoBass]

Thanks for all the comments people. Some good advice to explore there.

[BottomE]

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1473621019' post='3131750']
I've done a few down in Portland near Weymouth, Dorset. It was a long time ago but i remember the money was very good and that they provided dressing rooms and refreshment. There's obviously a drinking culture - we had a room full of seamen. If you can cope with that part its not a bad gig.
[/quote]
No smutty comments about my carefully worded innuendo :-(

Disappointed of Basschat

[Raggy]

Always great fun, (particularly the night we played for 300 Para's who were going on deployment the day after), but all our gigs came through agents.

[Raymondo]

Played at loads of them in the mid to late nineties, so things may well have changed by now but, everyone of them in Germany, England and Wales was booked via an agent.

An agent that we travelled all the way from Nottingham, to an RAF base near Newquay, to play three songs at an audition (for free ) for.

A real pain but well worth it in the end.


The gigs were very well organised 99/100 we were fed and watered very well indeed, just the occasional one where we were put in a dressing cupboard, with a few stale sandwiches and warm lagers, before being allowed into the room to perform.
These were exclusively Sergeants mess's. Officers and other ranks gigs were always fabulous. We had to wear black tie dress when not performing and they nearly always were long drawn out gigs but often we were put up in digs, on camp, or in nearby hotels.

If there is still such a circuit I can recommend it but, it is a "function" type gig, not a relaxed pub one.....


One day I must tell you about the Hawaiian beach party at Paderborn in the late December snow

[Muzz]

We've played RAF Leeming several times - first time someone who'd been to a wedding we played, the rest on recommendation after that. Fantastic gigs: always fed and watered, and given accommodation overnight - which was just as well, as the last time we were still playing (kind of...it had a been a long wild night) at about half four in the morning...just in time for the Survivor's Breakfast (complete with Bucks Fizz bar) before going to bed...

[NickD]

I did a lot of military bases in the mid 90s, mostly in Germany, through (If I remember correctly) Satellite Entertainments, a guy named John Metcalf (again IIRC) working out of Tungelroy in the Netherlands. After a while, on the back of the German gigs we ended up doing S.H.A.P.E in Belgium, and a number of gigs over here (RAF Waddington, RAF Linton On Ouse, Catterick, Hedley Court, Edinburgh, and a number of locations around Aldershot). For the German bases we always seemed to be on with other acts from the same agency, even the DJ, so I assume a handful of agencies had it pretty much sewn up at the time. The British gigs came off the back of the German ones, People moving between bases, copping for putting on entertainment and remembering us (it's a big deal to pull of a great event for those given the task, and they're very grateful when you make that easy for them), and also recommendations between related units.

Security was fairly heavy at first, but with the regular gigs once we were known, they know the van, they know what time you're coming, they know who's in the van, etc, we were usually through in 10 minutes. We were always really well looked after, fed, watered, accommodated if required, and had some fantastic times. Senior Ranks gigs can be a little stiff early on, junior ranks stuff is just carnage. A professional attitude will get you far, the guys tasked with putting the gig on have a lot of reputation riding on the outcome, and if you make it easier for them to pull off, they will go out of their way to do you favours. For example, as a result of going out of our way to help on a number of occasions and putting on a great show, we were adopted as the 'house band' for 17F Squadron (Black Knights) on RAF Brugen, they would book us for anything, and if they knew we were in the country with a day off they'd set something up. They'd take us down on the Squadron to see the Tornados, private parties for send offs, etc.

If you get chance to get your foot in the door, do it. Go in and do your very best job, follow any rules you're given (you won't take any flak for misbehaving, but some poor bloke who's already got a lot on his plate will), and they will remember you for it.

Also, you will never buy a drink... the notion that you would pay for a beer seemed almost offensive to them!

Edited September 12, 2016 by NickD

[Raymondo]

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1473682342' post='3132180']
We've played RAF Leeming several times - first time someone who'd been to a wedding we played, the rest on recommendation after that. Fantastic gigs: always fed and watered, and given accommodation overnight - which was just as well, as the last time we were still playing (kind of...it had a been a long wild night) at about half four in the morning...just in time for the Survivor's Breakfast (complete with Bucks Fizz bar) before going to bed...
[/quote]

Yes that happened many times to us too.....not just at Leeming either!

[lowdown]

I used to do quite a few of them. Both in the UK and Europe.
Also US bases here and in Germany, one complete with chicken wire around the stage.
In nearly every gig or tour I did, they were booked mostly through agents.

I later went on to do the CSE tours for quite a while, these were all over the World,
and those gigs we would be backing turns on a production show as a side band.
CSE was booked through a musical fixer from a pool of around twenty five musicians,
so yes, very difficult to get involved with.
I think there is another Basschatter who did sound and/or lights on them.

You tend to get looked after very well, social wise.
I have been in Helicopters, aboard ships, up mountains in the Falklands,
beaches in Belize, war zones in the Middle East, bandit country in NI during the troubles.
It ain't easy being a musician.

Things are very different these days, as said above, a lot of these military
gigs are booked from the entertainment secretary in charge of mess entertainment.
Why not just get a list of the establishments and Mail shot?
Or, get a list together of all agents up and down the country,
email them and ask if they book military gigs?

Good luck, it is entertaining to say the least.

[ahpook]

Only played one, filling in on bass for the drummer's cover band.

Lots of fun, well organised, everyone seemed to love the music.

Good luck to the OP