Stylon Pilson Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 31 minutes ago, odysseus said: My experience of playing originals is that you get to play festivals in front of people who want to see original bands, not some bunch of Man U shirts squawking for Wonderwall all night. If I wanted money I'd be playing Agadoo (and possibly Wonderwall!) in some function band. Nowt wrong with that, if you're in it for the wedge. We all got our motivations. Vive la difference and all that... 🙂 Don't take my original post too seriously. It was intended as a light-hearted poke at both sides, from the perspective of someone who has seen both sides. I was hoping that I'd represented both angles reasonably well. S.P. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseus Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Stylon Pilson said: Don't take my original post too seriously. It was intended as a light-hearted poke at both sides, from the perspective of someone who has seen both sides. I was hoping that I'd represented both angles reasonably well. S.P. Fair play, mate, I've been on both sides too. As long as everyone's happy doing their thing, then all is good! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 3 hours ago, Stylon Pilson said: Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear. I don't mean 6 hours driving each way. I mean I leave the house sometime around 6:30pm (plus or minus half an hour) and get home at about 1am (plus or minus half an hour). S.P. We had a monthly gig in Milwaukee, the hours we're 9:30-1:30. Home by 3:00. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 2 hours ago, odysseus said: My experience of playing originals is that you get to play festivals in front of people who want to see original bands, not some bunch of Man U shirts squawking for Wonderwall all night. If I wanted money I'd be playing Agadoo (and possibly Wonderwall!) in some function band. Nowt wrong with that, if you're in it for the wedge. We all got our motivations. Vive la difference and all that... 🙂 Depends on what the originals scene is like where the band is playing. Festival gigs would be far and few in-between for local originals bands in my neck of the woods. I've seen it from both sides. Blue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseus Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 18 minutes ago, Bluewine said: Depends on what the originals scene is like where the band is playing. Festival gigs would be far and few in-between for local originals bands in my neck of the woods. I've seen it from both sides. Blue Yes indeed. There seems to be quite a lot of variance between areas. Fortunately, the festival scene is predominantly original where I am, and small festivals seem to growing in number year on year, which is pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 40 minutes ago, odysseus said: Yes indeed. There seems to be quite a lot of variance between areas. Fortunately, the festival scene is predominantly original where I am, and small festivals seem to growing in number year on year, which is pretty cool. I think you also have to consider the level of an originals band The guys that have been around a particular scene for a while, the act is solid with a large number of fans can get good festival bookings. I'm not sure how it works for new guys starting out Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 It wasn't like it is now back in the 90s. We (as unknowns) could play two sets of original material to a pub and everyone was happy - we even used to get invited back! Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Yeh, in the 80s when you went to a pub and there was a group playing, it tended to be all originals with maybe a cover of something in the same style thrown in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilly Posted July 22, 2019 Share Posted July 22, 2019 Yep...the only reason for me as far as I’m concerned. Nothing feels like playing to an audience that’s into what you’re at and getting that energy back, it’s like a synergy and it feels fantastic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseus Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 9 hours ago, Bluewine said: I think you also have to consider the level of an originals band The guys that have been around a particular scene for a while, the act is solid with a large number of fans can get good festival bookings. I'm not sure how it works for new guys starting out Blue For sure. In my experience, established bands would be further up the order while newer bands would be playing earlier in the day, or possibly on one of the smaller stages if it is a multi-stage event. Where I am it is common for more established band to take a newer band out with them as a support act, and the whole networking thing kicks in with bands recommending each other for festival slots or multi-band events like biker rallies etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilly Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Even if you have one of those terrible gigs , you just have to chalk it down to experience and learn from it for the next time. I can’t understand why for some musicians it’s a breaking point moment and they quit. It’s happened a lot with bands I’ve played in . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Quilly said: Even if you have one of those terrible gigs , you just have to chalk it down to experience and learn from it for the next time. I can’t understand why for some musicians it’s a breaking point moment and they quit. It’s happened a lot with bands I’ve played in . I totally get it. We had a stinker on Saturday night. Although we went down really well and the audience didn't seem to notice.(and we raised a good wedge for the charity we were supporting) But for me it was 2 hours of hell. I couldn't wait for it to be over. We've got loads of gigs coming up and I'd be quite happy if they were all cancelled. Although I wouldn't / won't quit and drop the rest of the band in it, if I'm still not enjoying it by the time the gigs we already have booked are done I think I'm just going to call it a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 For me, the only real stinker has to have three things go wrong at the same time: a bad performance, a bad sound and an indifferent/absent crowd. Any two of those three doesn't really count, as I enjoy the other one enough to not bring me down. And, thinking on, I'm not sure I can recall the last time that was the case... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 I haven't played a bad gig for ages. I only do original stuff, and my busiest band has a decent following that sings along etc A couple of the projects I do I'd happily just jam in the studio all day long, but I do love gigging too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 17 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: I’m not in your shoes, so I don’t fully empathise with all the pressures you’re under to persevere, but reading that, my initial thoughts are that life is too short to tolerate something you hate that much for so long. I would have been gone weeks ago. The weird thing is, I actually really enjoy being in a band. We're all mates, we get on great, I love the making music part of it. I just don't enjoy gigging. While for most people, gigging is the pinnacle, or even the whole reason for being in a band, for me it's the least enjoyable part. I'm still fairly new to it all so I'm hoping it's something that will change with experience. Maybe I just need to relax more and enjoy the process. As things currently stand I just find it really stressful. Which kind of defeats the point as it was supposed to be just a fun hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Playing live, gigging, performing and losing oneself in the musical moment is my therapy and lord only knows I've needed it this year. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 12 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: Is it a kind of ‘stagefright’ or performance anxiety thing you’re suffering from then? Not really. I get slightly nervous before we go on, but not to the point where it's unbearable. I just don't seem to be able to relax into the gig. It just doesn't come naturally which maybe I hoped it would. I do spend a lot of the gig worrying about cocking things up. So maybe I'm just overthinking things too much. I'm hoping it's something that will improve with experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said: Not really. I get slightly nervous before we go on, but not to the point where it's unbearable. I just don't seem to be able to relax into the gig. It just doesn't come naturally which maybe I hoped it would. I do spend a lot of the gig worrying about cocking things up. So maybe I'm just overthinking things too much. I'm hoping it's something that will improve with experience. if I worried about my kock ups, I'd never set foot on a stage again , truth is, hardly anybody (in the crowd) notices them Edited July 23, 2019 by PaulWarning 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 40 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said: Not really. I get slightly nervous before we go on, but not to the point where it's unbearable. I just don't seem to be able to relax into the gig. It just doesn't come naturally which maybe I hoped it would. I do spend a lot of the gig worrying about cocking things up. So maybe I'm just overthinking things too much. I'm hoping it's something that will improve with experience. An old band of mine suffered a bit from, not exactly this, but a fear that when something goes wrong everything would fall apart (largely driven by the two least experienced musicians) We cured it by consciously working on what to do when somebody made a mistake - if the singer misses a cue (about 95% of the mistakes) then we go with him even if it means missing a solo or middle 8; if the drummer misses a beat then we carry on but listen to him and pick up the beat if he doesn't immediately catch up with us; if the bass player starts in the wrong key then the guitarist will shout in his face until he gets into the right key (me being the guitarist in that band), etc. Just knowing that the band could cope with whatever happened released a lot of the tension, especially from the singer, who then made fewer mistakes as a consequence. It happens to everybody, 90% of the time the audience don't spot it (unless the singer really messes up a song that they know) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilly Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 I hate those gigs where you just want it to be over. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Just now, Quilly said: I hate those gigs where you just want it to be over. I've only had one of those. I've no idea how long it lasted, I imagine my band mates cut it short. I was on drums and kept going out of time due to a severe concussion 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilly Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 1 minute ago, cheddatom said: I've only had one of those. I've no idea how long it lasted, I imagine my band mates cut it short. I was on drums and kept going out of time due to a severe concussion I played a gig in Jan and the LG and signer were seriously out with each other. The tension was unbearable, I thought it was going to come to blows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 30 minutes ago, cheddatom said: I've only had one of those. I've no idea how long it lasted, I imagine my band mates cut it short. I was on drums and kept going out of time due to a severe concussion You're not supposed to start the gig by headbutting the Chinese Gong. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: You're not supposed to start the gig by headbutting the Chinese Gong. Nope. That's a finishing move surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseus Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 3 hours ago, Quilly said: I hate those gigs where you just want it to be over. Only had one of those, and that was when the singer/guitarist was as p!ssed as a mattress.... fortunately, so were most of the punters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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