Advertising for a band member of a specific gender / age group

[stingrayPete1977]

The gigs I've attended as a guest where high standard highly paid mixed gender bands performed were "across the UK".

If you're with an agency that sounds like they specialise in same gender indie bands then that's not a surprise, you'd need the stats from across all gigs and agencies to know what's most popular, of course if you're a scruffy all male indie band then you're probably already with the right agency and you need another scruffy front man! 

Edited October 26, 2020 by stingrayPete1977

[EBS_freak]

  On 26/10/2020 at 21:28, stingrayPete1977 said:

The gigs I've attended as a guest where high standard highly paid mixed gender bands performed were "across the UK".

If you're with an agency that sounds like they specialise in same gender indie bands then that's not a surprise, you'd need the stats from across all gigs and agencies to know what's most popular, of course if you're a scruffy all male indie band then you're probably already with the right agency and you need another scruffy front man! 

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They're with the largest agency in the country - so the stats are probably good.

However, the stats will be somewhat screwed because any agency that has managed bands will push those bands when asked for a recommendation from a client, at which point, it doesn't really what the lineup is. Unless the client really wants a mixed gender band, they'll tend to go with what the agency pushes, so the lineup becomes less important. In reality, as long as the client likes the sound of the singer/singers, then you are good.

This is where changing the singer could be a problem as all the promo features the current bloke.

I already know what's going to happen. As the clients see the videos (both old and new), they'll say, we want the band with the old singer, who is still in the band, to sing.

Edited October 26, 2020 by EBS_freak

[stingrayPete1977]

I'm surprised any agencies are still in business after this year! 

[EBS_freak]

  On 26/10/2020 at 21:38, stingrayPete1977 said:

I'm surprised any agencies are still in business after this year! 

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Give it another 6 months and they'll all be falling. A lot of the periphery ones already have fallen by the by.

[stingrayPete1977]

Sadly if gigging was my main profession I'd be looking at recruitment agencies rather than entertainment ones 😪

[mrtcat]

  On 26/10/2020 at 21:47, stingrayPete1977 said:

Sadly if gigging was my main profession I'd be looking at recruitment agencies rather than entertainment ones 😪

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Agree. My bandmates have suffered significantly. The reason I'm not an LLP partner is that I own my own business and thankfully that has grown significantly this year.

[mrtcat]

  On 26/10/2020 at 21:43, EBS_freak said:

Give it another 6 months and they'll all be falling. A lot of the periphery ones already have fallen by the by.

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This is so true. Even the big boys are going to struggle when covid starts to hit 2021 peak season bookings. 

[mrtcat]

  On 26/10/2020 at 21:35, EBS_freak said:

I already know what's going to happen. As the clients see the videos (both old and new), they'll say, we want the band with the old singer, who is still in the band, to sing.

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This was mentioned quite early on in the original discussion. The replacement is going to have to be pretty special if this is to be avoided. 

[Happy Jack]

At the risk of extracting the urine, why not just recruit the best singer and, if it's a lady, ask her to dress like a bloke?

If you're challenged, you can wave the LGBT banner in their general direction.

 

[EBS_freak]

  On 26/10/2020 at 22:02, mrtcat said:

This is so true. Even the big boys are going to struggle when covid starts to hit 2021 peak season bookings. 

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Im glad I'm out that game

[Ricky 4000]

 

[yorks5stringer]

Why not be subtle and advertise for 'Band member with member'?  That should get around the regulations...

[mcnach]

  On 26/10/2020 at 15:46, Mykesbass said:

That was quicker than expected - when I originally saw this there were plenty of comments to show this was no one off.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-42280212

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Of course I do not know this, but I suspect this originated from a couple of comments by somebody, not a general feeling. Or maybe the landlady didn't like the competition

My personal experience (no statistical significance implied, just what I personally have seen) is that having females in the band does not get in the way, if anything the opposite: the band looks friendlier when it's mixed. 

Frankly, if I hear a pub has a rule against bands with female singers, I doubt it would be the kind of bar I'd enjoy.

[fretmeister]

  On 26/10/2020 at 23:39, Ricky 4000 said:

 

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That was really working up until the chorus. Then it wasn't.

[mcnach]

  On 26/10/2020 at 20:27, Nail Soup said:

I'm another one who is surprised at the restriction.

But if you choose to comply with it (and no judgment if you do) I guess the best way is to use the "Chippendales" clause for the female singer.... for the age thing just say in the ads what your age range is - and where you would normally say "but we don't care what age you are", don't.

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Yeah, I wouldn't state the gender restriction on my ad, you never know (and I am very surprised at having such restriction to start with), same with age.

Late last year I started a new project, 8 of us, all above 50 except one trumpet player who is 27. Then we needed a drummer. One guy that got in touch was 18. I was not really keen, I admit purely on prejudice... too young, likely flakey, likely no transport, etc etc... but I'm so glad we asked him to audition. Not only he's a really good drummer, he fits in personality-wise very well, and he's just a really decent, mature for his age, reliable and considerate human being. I feel terrible I considered not even giving him an audition based on his age. 

 

[Mykesbass]

  On 27/10/2020 at 11:41, mcnach said:

 

Of course I do not know this, but I suspect this originated from a couple of comments by somebody, not a general feeling. Or maybe the landlady didn't like the competition

My personal experience (no statistical significance implied, just what I personally have seen) is that having females in the band does not get in the way, if anything the opposite: the band looks friendlier when it's mixed. 

Frankly, if I hear a pub has a rule against bands with female singers, I doubt it would be the kind of bar I'd enjoy.

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Likewise. Not my experience, but I do remember at the time there was a fair bit of anecdotal evidence that this was not a one off.