pbasspecial Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Hi BC'ers, Had a great gig last night (playing wise). We had a pro keys player with us for the previous nights rehearsal and gig. Sounded fantastic. Hyped it up to friends on Facebook, etc. However, hardly anyone turned up. It was a little bit embarrassing to be fair. Feeling quite flat today, even though I know we played our socks off. Trying to be stoic about it but it's hard when you know how hard you practised, the gear sounded great and we were on point. Just wondered how you guys deal with gigging set backs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 I have another drink, blame it on the landlord/promoter/time of year take my money and stop worrying about it. These things happen. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 2 minutes ago, Dave Vader said: I have another drink, blame it on the landlord/promoter/time of year take my money and stop worrying about it. These things happen. yep I'm with Dave on this one. Some you win........ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbasspecial Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 Yeah, I hear you guys. Just frustrating. The venue actually did fail to promote, the football was on in the other bar, etc It was the first gig the wife had seen me play in a while and I was really hoping to impress her as I have significantly improved over the last few years (practise, practise, practise) but there was only about 10 people there. They loved it but..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 14 minutes ago, Dave Vader said: I have another drink, blame it on the landlord/promoter/time of year take my money and stop worrying about it. These things happen. I'm also with Dave Vader on this. It is a big shame, I know. I've had this happen too I've also had gigs where things don't go quite so well; either I'm not quite on form, or the overall sound isn't that good etc So how is it when I play perfectly, no one is there to witness it? Just put it down to being one of those things... at least the whole band sounded good - look on it as a sort of "live practice" Next time will be busier..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyP Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 I remember Eric Morecambe telling the story of one of their early gigs. Eric and Ernie did the whole show to one old man in the hall. After they had finished he asked if it was OK for him to put the chairs away - he was the hall caretaker! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 It's a bummer pal but it does happen. Dust yourself off and look forward to the next one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Where I live anything other than a Friday or Saturday night is pointless, 10 people would be impressive! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 (edited) We did a pub gig a couple of months ago where at best we had five people watching us, two of whom spent the whole night watching the Anthony Joshua fight on their iPad. You try to adopt the attitude of playing your best whether it’s one person or one thousand, but bloody hell it’s hard sometimes. Ironically we played really well and we got an enquiry for s 21st party so all was not lost! Luckily nights like that are rare but they do happen! Edited March 16, 2018 by PaulGibsonBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 So the venue doesn't make any attempt to attract an audience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 55 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said: Where I live anything other than a Friday or Saturday night is pointless, 10 people would be impressive! Open mike Tuesdays at the Feathers usually have a decent turn out, not a payer obviously but well attended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Just now, chris_b said: So the venue doesn't make any attempt to attract an audience? No. Amazing isn’t it? No attempt from the venue to promote that particular gig whatsoever. We shared the hell out of it on social media like we always do but nothing from the pub, not even a poster or an A board outside. They were still happy to hand over £250 at the end of the night though. Not good economics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 1 hour ago, T-Bay said: Open mike Tuesdays at the Feathers usually have a decent turn out, not a payer obviously but well attended. Yeah jam nights are the exception, but the audience is mostly made up of the players that will be out gigging on friday/saturday night! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 It used to annoy me in a previous band when I'd spend time designing & money printing posters for the pub to put up, a band member would take the posters in a week or two before the gig, and we'd see the posters are all still rolled up behiund the bar when we turn up on the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Must be really annoying but at least you did your part to the best of your ability. In this situation it really is everybody else... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Paid rehearsal, innit? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 I remember going to a see a musical duo at the Edinburgh Fringe, a few years ago, with a friend. We were the only two people there! My friend went to the toilet and they put the gig on pause until she got back 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 7 hours ago, pbasspecial said: Hi BC'ers, Had a great gig last night (playing wise). We had a pro keys player with us for the previous nights rehearsal and gig. Sounded fantastic. Hyped it up to friends on Facebook, etc. However, hardly anyone turned up. It was a little bit embarrassing to be fair. Feeling quite flat today, even though I know we played our socks off. Trying to be stoic about it but it's hard when you know how hard you practised, the gear sounded great and we were on point. Just wondered how you guys deal with gigging set backs? we just have fun and play for ourselves if that's what happens... our first time at a venue in Glasgow that we wanted to get into, we were given a 4-7pm slot on a Sunday. Fair enough, it will not be terribly busy but... hopefully there'll be enough people and the venue will like us and we'll get better slots. The problem is there was some major football match going on. There were about 10-12 people at best, and there were periods where we just played to the two guys behind the bar and one guy who came out of the kitchen for a bit... So we used the opportunity to play a couple of our newer songs twice and use it as practice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 "thank YOU, you're a lovely audience, Wayne" true story. Wayne might have been a record company A and R rep, or a festival booker so play like he is. He wasn't, he was our friend "If I said it once I said it a thousand times, Spinal Tap ABOVE Puppet Show" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The59Sound Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 15 hours ago, pbasspecial said: Hi BC'ers, Had a great gig last night (playing wise). We had a pro keys player with us for the previous nights rehearsal and gig. Sounded fantastic. Hyped it up to friends on Facebook, etc. However, hardly anyone turned up. It was a little bit embarrassing to be fair. Feeling quite flat today, even though I know we played our socks off. Trying to be stoic about it but it's hard when you know how hard you practised, the gear sounded great and we were on point. Just wondered how you guys deal with gigging set backs? Welcome to being in an original band, plus you don't get paid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LITTLEWING Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 9 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: It used to annoy me in a previous band when I'd spend time designing & money printing posters for the pub to put up, a band member would take the posters in a week or two before the gig, and we'd see the posters are all still rolled up behiund the bar when we turn up on the night. If I had a quid for each time, I could retire now. The number of times we played to the three bar staff cos some local had a birthday/anniversary/whatever going on. Paid rehearsal I always say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickmew Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 (edited) 8 hours ago, mcnach said: we just have fun and play for ourselves if that's what happens... Absolutely the way to go. Have played quite a few 'live rehearsals' and the next gig is all the better for it. Sometimes a poor audience showing works out well. We played on 2nd March where, if you remember, there was a tiny bit of a weather issue. Had to source some new monitors last minute the night before, collect various bits of PA and then get to the venue all whilst Jack Frost was chucking whatever he could at us and the weatherman was saying "don't travel, danger of death and blood". As we sat in the empty room wondering if anyone would bother, we got a rare chance to have an extended chat as a whole group about what we wanted to do rather than just panicked practice for the next gig. As a bonus we also got to get to know the headline act who is a genuinely nice chap. In the end we did get about 30-40 people which were mostly his dedicated fans who were staying in a hotel around the corner, but more than we were expecting. Spent the evening mercilessly taking the p*ss out of Paul Weller for cancelling at the NEC down the road just because of a little bit of snow, and we're all doing it again next month with free tickets for those who bothered the first time. Edited March 17, 2018 by nickmew edit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SH73 Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 I don't go out often, but when I go out the pub is packed for gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 16 hours ago, pbasspecial said: Hi BC'ers, Had a great gig last night (playing wise). We had a pro keys player with us for the previous nights rehearsal and gig. Sounded fantastic. Hyped it up to friends on Facebook, etc. However, hardly anyone turned up. It was a little bit embarrassing to be fair. Feeling quite flat today, even though I know we played our socks off. Trying to be stoic about it but it's hard when you know how hard you practised, the gear sounded great and we were on point. Just wondered how you guys deal with gigging set backs? Like the rest of the folks above I've had my fair share of gigs like that. As has already been said, try and make the best of a bad situation; have fun with the band, try new songs and variations to your bass lines, try to build a repertoire with those that are paying attention etc. While it can be disheartening after you've put in all the time and effort there's no point beating yourself up over it as it doesn't change a thing other than how you feel. Try and learn from it so that when it happens again - which it almost certainly will if you're gigging regularly - you and the band accept it for what it is and get through it in a positive way. Our gig last night was similar, playing to a crowd of around 20 in a big pub so it felt pretty empty but we still had fun and got some banter going with the small but appreciative crowd. A little self depreciation goes a long way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiophonic Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 We've all been there! I chalk things like that up to experience. Playing on a stage is worth a hell of a lot of rehearsal time and no band ever got proper tight in the practice space. When the audience does show up, you'll be ready for them. The flipside is that if even one person did show up, then somebody is interested and there' no point moaning at them that other people didn't show. I have been that person on more than one occasion and it often beggars belief how disinterested the general public is about any music that they haven't already had rammed down their throats. Plus you never know who that person is and how they might influence your future - I once drove to Utoxeter in sheeting rain to play to a folk club audience consisting of the promoter and his wife. He liked us anyway and recommended us to another promoter in Birmingham and that one was full. Great bands in empty rooms has always been a thing! I recall Hooky saying in his autobiography that he'd play to an audience of 1, on the grounds that Joy Division played to an audience of 0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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