Pubs or Clubs ... what's the difference?

[Happy Jack]

When we set up to play in a pub, the people who are there have chosen to be there. They could have gone somewhere else, but this is where they want to be. Some (a few, a very small number) are there specifically to see us, some are there to check out the music because it's a music pub, and some are there for all sorts of other random reasons.

Once we start playing, those punters who don't like rock music will leave. Those punters who don't like our particular brand of rock music will also leave, but not so quickly. Meanwhile, those punters who DO like what we're doing will be texting or phoning their mates and saying "great band on tonight, you should come down here".

By the time we play our last set, the people in the pub will have self-selected to be only those who actually like what we're doing, and who will respond to the music ... dance maybe, or sing along, or at least applaud after each song. The gig is far more involving for the band, far more fun for everyone, far more likely to bring repeat bookings.

************************************************************************************

When we set up to play in a club (Social, WMC, whatever), the people who are there are always there. Most of them cannot imagine going somewhere else on a Saturday night, and if they do their friends will ask where they were. They are there for the venue and to see their friends, and the music is almost incidental. They sit there with their arms folded, staring at us, and daring us to entertain them. It's THEIR club and we are the intruders.

Once we start playing, those members who don't like rock music will complain. Those members who don't like our particular brand of rock music will also complain, but not so quickly. Meanwhile, those members who DO like what we're doing will NOT be texting or phoning their mates and saying "great band on tonight, you should come down here", because the club is Members Only.

After the first set, one of the members (almost invariably a guitarist, allegedly) will buttonhole a bandmate and explain in enormous detail what we are 'doing wrong', advise the lead guitarist and the drummer to play louder because no one can hear them, and then disappear into the smoker's paradise for the rest of the evening. After the second set, there will be a 30-minute hiatus while everyone pretends they've joined the Jarrow Hunger March of 1936 so that they can get excited about the Meat Raffle. Have these people never heard of Sainsburys?

By the time we play our last set, most of the people in the club will be sitting grim-faced and glowering their sense of entitlement at us, waiting for us to finish so that they can return to playing Abba on the jukebox (last Saturday it was Phil Collins!). Those who actually enjoy what we are doing and want to dance will be intimidated off the dancefloor by the drunken poseurs trying to throw shapes while playing air guitar, and stumbling into the PA.

The club gigs are well-paid and the venues are usually excellent ... big stage, loads of power, built-in lightshow, etc. But in truth if I never play another club I won't miss it. Silvie and I do all the gig-getting for my main band, and we have already decided not to bother with clubs at all for 2019. Life's too short.

 

[PaulWarning]

29 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

When we set up to play in a pub, the people who are there have chosen to be there. They could have gone somewhere else, but this is where they want to be. Some (a few, a very small number) are there specifically to see us, some are there to check out the music because it's a music pub, and some are there for all sorts of other random reasons.

Once we start playing, those punters who don't like rock music will leave. Those punters who don't like our particular brand of rock music will also leave, but not so quickly. Meanwhile, those punters who DO like what we're doing will be texting or phoning their mates and saying "great band on tonight, you should come down here".

By the time we play our last set, the people in the pub will have self-selected to be only those who actually like what we're doing, and who will respond to the music ... dance maybe, or sing along, or at least applaud after each song. The gig is far more involving for the band, far more fun for everyone, far more likely to bring repeat bookings.

 

 

nail on the head there, last Saturday we played a pub, full to start with, a few left at the sound check, some more left at half time to check out the band down the road, the ones that were left gave us a great shout for an encore and came up to us at the end saying what a great band we were.

You can't please all the people all of the time, but you can please some of the people all of the time (well very nearly)

Edit, we are actually playing a working mens club this weekend, a long break in the middle where they do the raffle and sticky 13's 

Edited May 11, 2018 by PaulWarning

[bertbass]

Don't forget the bingo!  God forgive you if you make a sound.

[PaulWarning]

1 minute ago, bertbass said:

Don't forget the bingo!  God forgive you if you make a sound.

thanks for reminding me 

[petebassist]

Hey there's nowt wrong with a good meat-draw in the middle of set!

Had to laugh at @Happy Jack's post. The last club band I saw were The Kill in the Belvedere in Bishop Auckland, County Durham a couple of years back, amazing band, since gone on to better things I heard.

[Linus27]

Interesting, as my experience has been the total opposite for clubs. We play a lot of clubs, the punters love us, always ask us to join in for the raffle and bingo, always up dancing and singing in the first set and always get a repeat booking. We love playing clubs equally as much as playing pubs although we do more clubs than pubs.

[bigjohn]

Meat raffles? Bingo?

What sort of clubs are you guys playing? 

[MacDaddy]

2 hours ago, bigjohn said:

Meat raffles? Bingo?

What sort of clubs are you guys playing? 

[skidder652003]

2 hours ago, bigjohn said:

Meat raffles? Bingo?

What sort of clubs are you guys playing? 

you aint from round these here parts are ya?!!! 

[petebassist]

2 hours ago, bigjohn said:

Meat raffles? Bingo?

As Scotty purportedly said, "It's life, Jim, but not as we know it"   ;-)

[martthebass]

I think a fair bit depends on the type of band you are.  If you're a archetypal 'pub rock' band then your average WMC reception (in these parts at least) will be tepid in general.  I go out with a 70s themed Glam Rock outfit and have always gone down well in WMCs as it seems to gel with the age demographic.  Totally true about the absolute silence required during bingo though.....

Edited May 11, 2018 by martthebass

[christhammer666]

ive been in ciu/wmc for years. always made me grimace when people used to turn away from the band and try to shout over them. They would be the first to complain if there was no entertainment.

I remember there used to be a rock covers band called savannah and people moaned that much they put a sound limiter in my local club. After that whoever played, their sound cut out at least 10 times a set

[Lozz196]

On the originals circuit the main difference is if there isn`t a charge to get in - usually more likely in pubs than clubs - there is a mix of those who came there specifically for the band, those that go there for live music irrespective of who is playing, and those that go there all the time and don`t really care about music or not. If paying to get in then virtually all are there for at least one of the bands on the bill, and usually more - at least it`s like that on the punk circuit, can`t speak for any other genres.

[TheRev]

We stopped playing  WMCs in 2015 and have been a much happier band ever since.

[spike]

I generally find playing pubs is fun and playing social clubs is work. And meat raffles, why?

[Norris]

We gave up the clubs many years ago. We do it for fun, and they just were not that fun to play. Since then our set has drifted into heavier stuff and we enjoy it far more.

Funnily enough we do the occasional club now, but only if they've seen us in a pub first. Then we don't have to water it down too much, if they know what to expect. There are a few clubs out there that appreciate music - most are not affiliated, so are private member's clubs. Still we keep them to a minimum

[drTStingray]

The difference is Bingo - usually in the interval - and if you're playing at a holiday camp club - that even more esoteric of activities - linked Bingo - where all the sites around the country are linked by tv to play massive games of bingo with big prizes!!

The biggest challenge Ive come across with these is when the whole audience leaves after the Bingo....... 

[ahpook]

Have you ever tried to beat a seal to death with a pub ?

 

 

Edited May 12, 2018 by ahpook

[gary mac]

Totally relate to everything you've said Jack.😀 

I'm facing the prospect of loading up,the car tonight and then a forty five minute drive for a social club gig🙄 The evening will also include Mustang Sally and 500 miles. 

[grumpyguts]

During the meat raffle we left to get some fish n chips. Made the mistake of taking it back to the club and eating in a side room  - this didn't go down too well. We are playing the same club later this year, the chippy down the road is rather good...

[bonzodog]

I play in a mod covers band who do a bit of punk. We would never dream of playing a club

I used to do a solo Neil Diamond tribute. I would have never dreamed of playing a pub

 

[T-Bay]

20 hours ago, bertbass said:

Don't forget the bingo!  God forgive you if you make a sound.

When I was a kid we used to go to ‘the club’ on a Weekend. My abiding memory is of the bingo which the whole family, parents included, detested. As a 7yr old the kid the idea of standing still and not breathing for half an hour was torture.

The place was a bear pit like the OP describes for performers. They were of variable quality, my favourite was a large lady who turned up with a portable tape deck with songs on a cassette, still with the original voices on and possibly taped form the radio (probably not but I like the idea). She then proceeded to murder each and every one of these songs. Halfway through the second set the batteries began to fail mid song and we had to wait for her to put four more D cells in and away she went. She was t even the worst. There were some amazing ones though but god forbid any band to be ‘a bit loud’.

[Trueno]

16 hours ago, martthebass said:

I think a fair bit depends on the type of band you are.  If you're a archetypal 'pub rock' band then your average WMC reception (in these parts at least) will be tepid in general.  I go out with a 70s themed Glam Rock outfit and have always gone down well in WMCs as it seems to gel with the age demographic.  Totally true about the absolute silence required during bingo though.....

This. I played most of my WMC gigs as a sax player in a 7 piece soul band plus sound guy and too many lights. We used the gigs to fill in between functions. A lot of these places usually had a solo artist or duo playing the week before and when we turned up it was a bit of a culture shock. Sound limiters were a bit of a problem, but there weren't many of them in those days... once me and the trumpet player jumped off the stage and played unplugged until the sound came back on. We learned to be quiet and respectful during the bingo.

I found a lot of these places were full of regulars who all sat in the same seats... they were there to drink beer, play bingo and watch the turn... nothing was going to stop them doing that.

[T-Bay]

5 minutes ago, bonzodog said:

I play in a mod covers band who do a bit of punk. We would never dream of playing a club

I used to do a solo Neil Diamond tribute. I would have never dreamed of playing a pub

 

Weird question, but you don’t sell Capri parts by any chance as well? I know an ex Neil Diamond tribute act who is a Capri parts dealer now.

[chris_b]

There are quite a few clubs around our area (30 mile radius) mainly featuring blues, funk and soul based bands. They'll take over a sports clubhouse or WMC for regular night(s) a month and put on gigs. They charge (£5-£10) to get in and are well attended with a knowledgeable audience who wants to be there. They are being run by music fans for music fans. These clubs have a great vibe, are a joy to play and are popular with every musician I know. One of the promoters said to me, I've got a list of 200 bands trying to get in here and we're booked up for 2 years.