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

[Phil Starr]

That sounds so familiar. There's not many clubs I'd willingly go back to.

[bonzodog]

1 hour ago, T-Bay said:

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.

Not me I'm afraid. There are a lot of ND tributes about or at least there were 😁

[T-Bay]

6 hours ago, bonzodog said:

Not me I'm afraid. There are a lot of ND tributes about or at least there were 😁

Thought it was unlikely, but had to ask!

[lojo]

I remember a start up band doing Local club as we told them we'd bring a crowd and worked out the temp memebership few quid on the door thing. There was a large few tables of regulars and I was slightly worried we would ruin their night , but the funny thing was whilst they hardly left the table ,  at the end of the night  one of them said it was the best night in the bar for 25 years 

sadly that working mans club building has now been sold 

Edited May 12, 2018 by lojo

[dave_bass5]

Totally agree about the WM Clubs. Can be really depressing to play, but they pay well. 

Ive still got contacts with Agents that book these places, so getting the gigs isnt a problem for my new band, but we have decided we will try and avoid them. Even though pubs pay a lot less they are generally more enjoyable. With clubs we tended to find those that sat near the stage (decade after decade) would moan that we were too loud, yet those at the back would shout out for us to turn it up. You really cant win at soem of the clubs

 My old band actualy got barred from one club because our singer suggested over the mic that those that cant hear us come to the front, and those at the front that wanted to talk move to the back. Basically swap seats. It was said in jest, but those at the front kicked up such a commotion to the Ents. Manager  that he had to ask our agent, reluctantly, not to book us again. 

Over the past 10 years we have seen a huge decline in WMC memberships, its almost as if they are just waiting for thier members to die and then shut shop. Its strange considering the booze is cheap, you get tot see live bands and there is never any trouble. If there was a WMC near me I’d actualy join it for those benefits. 

[Deedee]

On 11/05/2018 at 11:50, bertbass said:

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

Exactly this. The band is still basically there to fill the voids between bingo games (and the last bus) at many places.  I remember years ago my brother coming to see me play and almost being ejected from an ex-servicemen’s club for daring to raise his voice to barely audible levels between sets 🙄

[Bluewine]

I'm not sure what the difference is.

I know we play a few places where people go to specifically hear  live bands and in some cases specifically to hear us.

We also play some places where people go to socialize and chat with friends and family. When the band starts to play they leave.

Blue

[T-Bay]

1 minute ago, Bluewine said:

I'm not sure what the difference is.

I know we play a few places where people go to specifically hear  live bands and in some cases specifically to hear us.

We also play some places where people go to socialize and chat with friends and family. When the band starts to play they leave.

Blue

That’s the USA, over here they are VERY different venues

[skankdelvar]

51 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

I'm not sure what the difference is.

In terms perhaps more easily understood: A working man's' club is a bit like a New York Mafia social club without the Mafia but with bingo, meat raffles and dodgy live acts. In terms of atmosphere, layout and audience it might resemble an American Legion club.

WMC: A possibly unrepresentatively young and diverse gaggle of punters

WMC: That's more like it

Edited May 12, 2018 by skankdelvar

[Norris]

Funnily enough we played a club tonight. It's a post-CIU club, so actually had some people in. We played Frankenstein. We played War Pigs. They booked us on the strength of a pub gig, so that's what they got. Pretty good night and money wasn't bad either 

[PaulWarning]

well we played our club gig last night, slow start but finished up ok, people up and dancing, the usual half hour break for bingo and sticky 13's, got the end, the usual "Thank you very much we've been Verbal Warning" get the expected encore shouts, then a first, the MC announces over the PA not the expected "Thank you very much Verbal Warning, do we want another one?",  no it was "Alright, who wants another game of Bingo then?"  we did an encore anyway, then they had another game of bingo while we were packing away 

[Bluewine]

On 5/12/2018 at 18:03, skankdelvar said:

In terms perhaps more easily understood: A working man's' club is a bit like a New York Mafia social club without the Mafia but with bingo, meat raffles and dodgy live acts. In terms of atmosphere, layout and audience it might resemble an American Legion club.

WMC: A possibly unrepresentatively young and diverse gaggle of punters

WMC: That's more like it

We play a local American Legion Club once or twice a year. Not a bad gig, always refreshing doing a non- bar gig. Lots of 4 prong walkers and oxygen tanks.

Good money.

Blue

Edited May 14, 2018 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

On 5/12/2018 at 16:04, dave_bass5 said:

Totally agree about the WM Clubs. Can be really depressing to play, but they pay well. 

 

Same with our American Legion Club gigs. Not the most fun gig, however if we don't do them there are other bands that will and gladly accept the money.

Blue

[Graham]

I think genre has a lot to do with it, ska bands for example, seem to be loved in WMCs

[Linus27]

 

5 hours ago, Graham said:

I think genre has a lot to do with it, ska bands for example, seem to be loved in WMCs

We do 50's and 60's rock and roll and always go down a storm with groups up singing and dancing. We always get repeat bookings.

[petebassist]

On 5/12/2018 at 22:04, dave_bass5 said:

Over the past 10 years we have seen a huge decline in WMC memberships, its almost as if they are just waiting for thier members to die and then shut shop. Its strange considering the booze is cheap, you get tot see live bands and there is never any trouble. If there was a WMC near me I’d actualy join it for those benefits. 

I've been a member of a WMC in my home village for years up in the NE, but unfortunately I live down south now, but it's handy to call in when I'm visiting. Being a members-only club, you get to avoid the trouble & aggro that you sometimes get in the local pubs, the beers cheap & it's a very friendly atmosphere. Agreed these places are in decline, though as a lot of the village pubs have closed the private clubs are becoming some of the few places left to socialize.

And yes punk, mod and ska bands are very popular up there.

[Happy Jack]

But in London I still think that the relative handful of genuinely good music pubs are the best call.

Saturday night was an almost perfect illustration of my theory regarding the audience self-selecting.

We started off playing to an empty dancefloor in a huge but only quarter-filled pub.

We finished like this:

 

 

[musicbassman]

8 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Saturday night was an almost perfect illustration of my theory regarding the audience self-selecting.

We started off playing to an empty dancefloor in a huge but only quarter-filled pub.

We finished like this:

Ha ha  - well done HappyJack.

I detect that your band's playing these numbers with tongues firmly in cheeks......

Great! - You've had a laugh playing them, the punters have enjoyed singing along, and everyone goes home happy. Job done