Bass Player Wanted, No gigs

[blue]

Is local gigging officially over?

I researched 3 Bass Player Wanted ads and after a few conversations found none of the bands had gigs booked or any interest in gigging.The 3 opportunities we're all based in this "for fun only" mentality.

One response was " We gig around once a month at the local coffee shop for tips."

I do understand that any band that's truly in business for profit with a full schedule probably doesn't advertise publicly.

Blue

[stingrayPete1977]

It doesn't matter as long as the right player gets the gig (or lack of),those gigs might be just right for a player that wants the same as the people advertising the position.

[discreet]

I don't understand why you'd go to the trouble to learn an instrument, buy gear and rehearse songs with a band and then not do gigs, but as Pete says above, if that's what someone's looking for then he's the guy for the 'job'.

I've joined such a band more than once under the impression that they were gigging, only to be disappointed after a short while when it became obvious that they were not, nor had any intention to. I was lied to on both occasions. Now I make [i]quite [/i]sure that everyone's on the same page.

Edited October 9, 2017 by discreet

[T-Bay]

I guess it also depends what you are looking for. Our band plays about every 4-6 weeks. That suits me well, the lead guitarist is gigging every weekend with two other bands. We are doing it for the love of it and are all too busy to domtwo every weekend. It wouldn't suit a professional such as yourself Blue as it will never make much money but works for us. As long as the ads/ conversations are honest I don't see a problem. I can see a point to a band that plays for its own enjoyment but it's not for me. I like rehearsal but they are a means to an end and the end is gigs.

[FinnDave]

I expect to be playing 2-6 gigs a month, anything less is not worth bothering with. Ideally, two gigs per weekend, not always possible, but an ideal to aim for.

[stingrayPete1977]

Lots of people enjoy 'playing' at other people's jobs, I enjoy tinkering with old cars but I don't want to do it all the time, a bit of DIY at the weekend is a British institution with well paid people having a dabble at being a trades person for the weekend but they are normally glad to be back in the office for a rest by Monday.

[yorks5stringer]

There again you could always apply for this on JMB:

We are a Blues/Rock Covers Band and we unexpectedly find ourselves without a Bass Player for a gig in ******* on 28th October.

If you are up for a challenge, free food and all the beer you can drink I can send you our set list and we can arrange for you to meet the other members of the band and run through the set on 26th October.

So if you feel you can help out an ageing group of rockers contact ********** to be a part of the band for this Halloween gig.

Auditions are currently being held for a new Bass Player if you would like to be considered.

[dmccombe7]

Couple yrs ago i got sick of all the band hassle and decided to pack it in.
Few mths later i got a call from guys that just wanted to get together and play some songs they liked "just for fun."
They were all playing in various other bands anyways and not really too bothered about gigging but maybe a special occasion or the odd local festival.
Met with them as they sounded like a no hassle easy going bunch of guys.
Rehearsed for 6mths and we played guitarists birthday and after that they all decided the band was too good not to gig. All went well for the next few mths while we polished off the set then the guitarist decided it wasn't for him and he wasn't really into it. He was the one that originally contacted me too.

My point being that its funny how bands that start off as a bit of fun usually end up wanting to gig. Seen that on quite a few occasions now.

Dave

[blue]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1507577235' post='3386509']
It doesn't matter as long as the right player gets the gig (or lack of),those gigs might be just right for a player that wants the same as the people advertising the position.
[/quote]

Can't argue that, these days there are some guys that want to play but have no interest in the hard work of a gig schedule.

Blue

Edited October 10, 2017 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1507577674' post='3386521']
I don't understand why you'd go to the trouble to learn an instrument, buy gear and rehearse songs with a band and then not do gigs, but as Pete says above, if that's what someone's looking for then he's the guy for the 'job'.

I've joined such a band more than once under the impression that they were gigging, only to be disappointed after a short while when it became obvious that they were not, nor had any intention to. I was lied to on both occasions. Now I make [i]quite [/i]sure that everyone's on the same page.
[/quote]

Yeah it happens and for different reasons. A lot of good musicians are not good business people.

At the local level they have no understanding of the market where they fit in, even where they would play.

It's hard to get consistent re-booked gigs.

Discreet , for the guy that's looking to gig, he should really get hard details on the booking strategy;

*Where

*When

*How often

*Gig fee

Blue

Edited October 9, 2017 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1507578334' post='3386536']
I expect to be playing 2-6 gigs a month, anything less is not worth bothering with. Ideally, two gigs per weekend, not always possible, but an ideal to aim for.
[/quote]

Yeah,

Dave your out there in the gig trenches like me. Twice a week is great, 3 is better. And for the real hustlers in our summer fair & festival season you can gig 4-5 times a week. When you don't work a traditional job it's completely reasonable and doable.

I remember a time on New Year's Eve we would play a 3:00-7:00 pack up and go do a 9:00-1:00, loved it.

However, it's really something everyone in the band has to be on board with, 100/%.

Blue

Edited October 9, 2017 by blue

[peteb]

Me and a few friends are putting together a band with the intention of gigging once a month, playing quite indulgent blues stuff not much money. Three of us are gigging regularly with other bands and the singer wants to back into it after recovering from nodes on his vocal chords.

We are just doing it for a bit of fun, playing stuff we all like and getting the singer back on stage. It doesn't matter that we won't be working constantly or earning as much as we could doing something else.

[blue]

I think some forget that were all in it for fun. Some of us are in it for fun & money.

If your not having fun it's time to move on.

Blue

Edited October 10, 2017 by blue

[Les]

Having finished off a couple of drummers and a guitarist with our semi pro weekend warrior gig schedule I'd go to great lengths to
point out that we're busy so the "just for fun" guys wouldn't waste their time and ours.

I can't believe you had to research those ads and have conversations to establish that they didn't really gig or intend to.

Why did they not just say what they're about in the advert ?

[bazzbass]

some people just don't want to play for others

some people have no ego at all

I'm not one of them

I suffer from anxiety but still love playing to a crowd (using the term loosely)

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1507595920' post='3386694']
I think some forget that were all in it for fun. Some of us are in it for fun & money.

If your not having fun it's time to move on.

Blue
[/quote]

Think you've hit the nail right on the head there Blue.

Dave

Dave

[radiophonic]

I can definitely see the attraction in the 'practice' being the main event. You get together and you play. That's the event. I enjoy playing gigs but there's plenty about [i]gigging [/i]that's a total PITA. It's nothing to do with hard work, it's about tedium, getting messed around and dealing with idiots. Hours of hanging around for one. City parking restrictions near venues. Arrangements bearing no relation to what you agreed. Sitting around in bars not being able to drink because of the playing and the driving. Sound guys not following the rider even though they've had it for three months (no monitors??). I spent an hour of Sunday evening just sitting on my rig out in the street because the promoter had given us the wrong load-in time. Then he let the band before us significantly over-run and let them stand around chatting on the stage afterwards, preventing us setting up, so our set-time (in the printed and electronic listings - it was a festival) was completely wrong and very late. As the icing on the cake, just as we were due to kick off, he announced that some urban artists (his mates, I assume) would be doing a two song showcase before we played. This basically killed the audience who were there for a world-music type programme. Just playing and recording definitely feels attractive a lot of the time.

[musicbassman]

Back in the day there were what were called 'rehearsal bands'.
You met up with a regular group of similar minded players to work on material you liked just to improve your own playing, work together and learn from others.
Having just taken up playing again after a 16 year break I've joined a South Coast based 'musicians collective' - which is basically a rehearsal band.
It's great, an ideal way of making contacts and improving technique, and no big egos involved.
Yet when I've mentioned the term 'rehearsal band' to other people they've no idea what I'm talking about.
Maybe some musos think the term 'rehearsal band' is demeaning or sounds amateur.
To me, if a band is rehearsing regularly but has no intention of gigging then it's...............a rehearsal band!
So why don't people just say that?

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1507589711' post='3386674']


Can't argue that, these days there are a little guys that want to play but have no interest in the hard work of a gig schedule.

Blue
[/quote]

I don't think it's the lack of interest it's the lack of need if they've got a decent job.

[charic]

Internet bands are on the rise a bit at the moment. I think the mentality of these is : we will record and release stuff, posting regularly to social media and the like and if the demand calls for it we'll look at branching out to gigging if/when the need arises.

[Thunderbird]

I would like to do that kind of thing I don't like to gig and don't want to I don't see any problem with it

[Steve Browning]

Many years ago I was in a rehearsal band. It was a bunch of older guys getting together to play big band arrangements. We used to rehearse in a pub on a Sunday afternoon (in the days when pubs closed on Sunday afternoons). Many of the players were either retired or just keeping their hand in. Nevertheless, it was great fun and playing in a big band is a wonderful musical experience.

[peteb]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1507618330' post='3386734']


I don't think it's the lack of interest it's the lack of need if they've got a decent job.
[/quote]
The thing is that there are plenty of good players out there who want to play but are just to busy to commit to a full time band at the moment but want to keep their hand in and maybe play the occasional gig.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1507618247' post='3386732']
I can definitely see the attraction in the 'practice' being the main event. You get together and you play. That's the event. I enjoy playing gigs but there's plenty about [i]gigging [/i]that's a total PITA. It's nothing to do with hard work, it's about tedium, getting messed around and dealing with idiots. Hours of hanging around for one. City parking restrictions near venues. Arrangements bearing no relation to what you agreed. Sitting around in bars not being able to drink because of the playing and the driving. Sound guys not following the rider even though they've had it for three months (no monitors??). I spent an hour of Sunday evening just sitting on my rig out in the street because the promoter had given us the wrong load-in time. Then he let the band before us significantly over-run and let them stand around chatting on the stage afterwards, preventing us setting up, so our set-time (in the printed and electronic listings - it was a festival) was completely wrong and very late. As the icing on the cake, just as we were due to kick off, he announced that some urban artists (his mates, I assume) would be doing a two song showcase before we played. This basically killed the audience who were there for a world-music type programme. Just playing and recording definitely feels attractive a lot of the time.
[/quote]

Well there's gigging and there's gigging.

Taking part in any multi-band experience organised by others means putting your fate in the hands of people who may be highly-competent, well-organised professionals. And then again, maybe not.

I play these festivals from time to time, just for the craic, but I go in with eyes wide open and expecting sh*t treatment from brain-dead morons.

For me, "gigging" means the pub & club gigs that I book with my main band(s), where we are the only act, we do the organisation ourselves, we supply all the equipment, and all we want from the venue is a crowd and some money.

[radiophonic]

This wasn't just any old festival - it was the annual major music fundraiser event in Nottingham. 300 performers, from buskers up to full orchestra / 30 venues - record shops, bars, art galleries, restaurants. Some bands busked in the street in addition to playing regular sets. All supported by the council and a bunch of local charities. BUT... they physically closed all the streets (parked vans across the entrances) and the council let the parking enforcement intact so they were photographing vehicles during load in! Things like that do make the gig experience pretty trying. We played twice, so having loaded out we had nowhere to store the gear until the second load in. Promoter for stage #1 ran a really tight ship. Promoter for stage #2 didn't. I clocked him as an idiot immediately, but it was too late by then and it wasn't like we were going to let down a social justice charity and food bank just because one guy was useless. The PA people suffered the same load in issues as us, so it's not like bringing all our own gear - and we have everything except subs - would have helped. The music we play isn't really compatible with the pub circuit anyway, so events like this are worth doing to increase our reach a bit. Not singing in English seems to be a deal breaker for pub crowds. We go down well with more of an older / folkie crowd generally, although as I've said elsewhere our Black Metal fan drummer isn't exactly WOMAD material!