Jakester Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Why is so much about playing music in public so a pain in the posterior? A few months back, not able to find the sort of night I wanted to play at, I decided to set it up myself. I found a venue which was reopening, and it just so happened my ‘night’ was the sort of thing they wanted to put on, so I booked a few evenings in and set about promoting it, and finding some musicians. I managed to get two (supposedly) likeminded fellows together, and we had a couple of rehearsals, and the first night was decently successful - hire costs for that evening covered, a good dent in the rest of the costs. The second one wasn’t as good - COVID meant only one rehearsal, so the focus we had on new or original music was necessarily put on the back burner in favour of some standards, and numbers were wildly down. Costs weren’t covered, so I’m a bit out of pocket. Oh, well, on to the next. Despite the date being in the diary for more than three months, and the knowledge of the last session fresh in our collective minds - but one of the other guys wouldn’t be pinned down, meaning even greater reliance on standards even if we had one rehearsal. As it turned out, he bailed on that, meaning we had to perform without any practice beforehand at all. Despite a renewed push on promotion, we had barely double digits turn up, so I was out of pocket again. I had been up front with the guys that if we didn’t break even I couldn’t keep subsidising it, so after three sessions I decided to knock it on the head, but with a view to us all playing together still, doing some recording of original music and trying to get gigs the old fashioned way. Anyway, I got contacted by someone who attended who said he was looking to put something similar on himself, so I dropped the chaps a line to see if they might be interested - only to get a response from the guy that couldn’t make rehearsals that he was not interested in just doing standards! I mean - the only reason we fell back on standards was because he couldn’t make any rehearsals - the plan from the outset was to perhaps do some weirder covers and original music, but because we didn’t have any time together that simply didn’t work. Just to cap it off, this evening I’ve had a couple of angry (and abusive) emails from people who clearly didn’t listen to the announcement at the last session saying we weren’t going ahead in August - there’s nothing online or on the venue’s website to say it was on, so not sure where that has come from! It’s been a bloody thankless task - I brought the backline, monitors, mics, did the sound at the gig, and basically ended up paying for other people to have a good time, and it has reminded me why I very much like being in other people’s bands, rather than trying to run my own. It was supposed to be fun but, other than the short time on stage, actually ended up as anything but. 5 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franticsmurf Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 First of all, well done for trying. If people didn't try things wouldn't happen. I don't think I would have the energy to form a band and arrange and promote a regular gig night. And that might be the issue here - working on all three at the same time. In my experience (just left a band, working to put a new project together) it's hard enough getting all the band elements in place, weaving practice and rehearsal into work and family schedules, agreeing on a set etc. I'm fortunate in that two thirds of the current project were in the last band so the set is pretty much agreed and I know their abilities and levels of commitment. But they both work and so far we've only managed one marathon set building session and a couple of rough run throughs of songs. We have one legacy gig lined up but I wouldn't be looking to get new gigs until we've rehearsed a few times, just so we're all comfortable that its working. Add to that the role of promoter and sound engineer and it becomes a lot of work for little extra return. Maybe you should get the band together first and get a couple of gigs under your belt with that line-up, generate a bit of interest etc? Look for like-minded bands to share a bill (and costs) and to bring extra punters in to the venue. They could also share to workload. At that point see about organising a venue. And if you're covering venue hire and backline costs then they need to be factored in to the fees for the bands - yours included. The danger with you as band member also being band manager and promoter is that the three roles do not get recognised properly and you end up out of pocket. Music should be fun (even if the rehearsals are sweaty, noisy and occasionally tense 😀). Wherever you go from here, good luck. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 Sorry to hear that Jake. Don't give up mate 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 Sorry to hear of your woes Jake. As has been said - well done for trying. If you hadn't done so, you'd be wondering about a "might have been", plus you are now forewarned of some pitfalls. In my experience, you do eventually come across some decent, reliable musicians - you just have to go through some time wasters initially. Don't give up - give it another whirl. Perhaps a slight change of approach, as Franticsmurf suggests. Best of luck 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 There just doesn't seem to be the demand just now for smaller artist gigs. My experience right now is that people are happy to pay £100+ to see the major artists, but unwilling to pay £10 to see local bands. Just the way of the world just now, people can only afford a night out once in a while so they make it special. Also I totally understand how you feel, the first gig you get lots of people in, but that very rarely lasts. I always find that with bands, there's only so many times that friends & family will show up, and if you don't get an organic following really quickly the band has a very short life span for effective gigging. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StickyDBRmf Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Allways look for the bright side. I am right now. May have found a bloke and space to crack a few nuts. We'll see. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakester Posted August 8, 2022 Author Share Posted August 8, 2022 Thanks everyone. I think it’s as much I would like a more creative outlet but simply don’t have the musical skills or knowledge to do it all myself, so necessarily need to collaborate with others, which I guess then inevitably steers me away from what I was aiming for in the first place! Don’t get me wrong, I like playing covers in covers bands or standards in jazz - it gets me out there, the audience is reasonably receptive, but after a fair few years of doing the same thing it’d be nice to have that outlet to explore beyond the ‘usual’ stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Ah, don't worry. According to members on here, a dep is very easy to get in at the last minute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 25 minutes ago, Supernaut said: Ah, don't worry. According to members on here, a dep is very easy to get in at the last minute! Good. You'll be first to be notified and offered the position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Still trolling me I see. 👌🏻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Paranoia /ˌparəˈnɔɪə/ noun A mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically worked into an organized system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a serious condition such as schizophrenia in which the person loses touch with reality. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 dementia /dɪˈmɛnʃə/ A chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Pipe down, you two! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakester Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 (edited) 10 hours ago, Dad3353 said: Good. You'll be first to be notified and offered the position. 10 hours ago, Supernaut said: Still trolling me I see. 👌🏻 10 hours ago, Dad3353 said: Paranoia /ˌparəˈnɔɪə/ noun A mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically worked into an organized system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a serious condition such as schizophrenia in which the person loses touch with reality. 38 minutes ago, Supernaut said: dementia /dɪˈmɛnʃə/ A chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning. Thanks lads for spamming the topic...🙄 Maybe get a room? Edited August 9, 2022 by Jakester 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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