Quantity VS Quality

[Bluewine]

I thought this would generate some good discussion.

 

What do you gigging guys think?Would you rather play allot of gigs at questionable venues with low pay and poor logistics. This is where you'd be gigging 6 to 8 times a month.

 

Or play premium gigs 2 times a month. Show case classy gigs with great pay and amenities?

 

Bkue

[odysseus]

3 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

.... questionable venues with low pay and poor logistics.....

 

My entire musical life in a nutshell. 😄 That said, I've really enjoyed most of it.

 

I have no experience of the other option, but it does sound good!

[odysseus]

DP

Edited August 15, 2022 by odysseus

[BassBunny]

10 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

Would you rather play allot of gigs at questionable venues with low pay and poor logistics. This is where you'd be gigging 6 to 8 times a month.

 

Or play premium gigs 2 times a month. Show case classy gigs with great pay and amenitie.

Had many years playing option 1

But now Option 2 all the way. 18 - 20 gigs a year in good venues is perfect.

That said I'm with a 10 piece band now, so Option 1 is not going to happen.

[gjones]

The days of playing toilets are far behind me.

 

Not that I play super, well paying, gigs all the time. I just play venues where we don't have to drive for miles, the audiences are enthusiastic and the sound engineers know what they're doing.

[Barking Spiders]

Option 2. I've played in various bands of one sort and another - wedding bands, samba & other drum groups, festival bands... -  and in some the organisers fair overdid it with their bookings, with us often playing 3-4 gigs every weekend throughout the spring to autumn.  Way OTT. In one group we played 120 in one year...and most of us had regular full time jobs. After that I now much rather do a dozen choice gigs a year. 

[neepheid]

Option 2 all the way. Except in my reality it's the frequency of option 2 with occasional forays into the quality aspect of option 1.

 

As it's a side hussle/hobby that pays for itself, I'm maybe a bit more tolerant of the occasional stinker of a gig.

[Dan Dare]

Option 2 of course, but I'm fortunate in that I have a choice nowadays. With a couple of pensions, some money in the bank and my home paid for, I don't have to worry financially. In the days when I did need every penny, I'd play virtually anywhere. Toilets full of animals who hated me, four hour drives, load ins up 14 flights of stairs - you name it and my answer would be "What time do we start?".

 

I'd go back to that tomorrow if I could magically be 40 years younger.

[Nail Soup]

Option 2. I don't want to do too many gigs anyway.

 

In fact the only thing to persuade me to do a lot of gigs is if they were particularly prestigious.

[stewblack]

I just want to play. It's what I do. If it's a 50 quid sweaty pub gig getting changed in the toilets, that's 50 quid more than I'd get satcat home.

If it's a 250 quid souless function playing to a bunch of suits who don't give a damn, I'll take it.

I'm a musician. I want to play all the time.

[Drax]

Quite a loaded question  

 

If the choice was a straight high number lower paid gigs vs low number of high paid ones - I’d probably be up for playing more than less, regardless of remuneration.

 

My reality is a mix of the two. And often, it’s the lower paid gigs that can be the most enjoyable.  
 

 

[Lozz196]

Option 2 at my current age of 56, just haven’t the energy to do more nowadays 

 

Option 2 when I was younger, the more gigs the better 

[BlueMoon]

Maybe depends on whether music is a hobby or if it’s the job that puts food on the table.

 

Most would go for option 2, given the choice I’d suppose.

 

For me, it’s definitely option 2.

[leroydiamond]

When 2 gigs will pay better than eight, then its a no brainer

[Dad3353]

14 minutes ago, leroydiamond said:

When 2 gigs will pay better than eight, then its a no brainer

 

For those that play for money. Some folk just like playing, for little money, or even for none. 

[SteveXFR]

I play in a grunge band. I want to play dank, grubby bars and pubs.  The last thing I want is to play classy venues.

I play to have fun, not make money. 

[BigRedX]

Again I think there is a difference if you are playing covers or originals.

 

For originals bands while the gig itself is important so too are the merchandise sales afterwards, and IME they quality of the venue/gig has little bearing this. I've played some great gigs at quality venues supporting well-know bands and got paid for it, but have struggled to sell more than a handful of CDs afterwards. Conversely one of the best gigs I have ever done in terms of merchandise sales was in the upstairs room of a crappy pub in the back of beyond, where our "welcome" consisted of one of the locals offering our driver/roadie out for a fight within minutes of us turning up because he didn't like the look of him.

[Boodang]

Quality audience is my preference. An audience that's into what you're playing and reacts well will overcome many shortcomings of a venue or low pay.

[leroydiamond]

2 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

 

For those that play for money. Some folk just like playing, for little money, or even for none. 

I play for no money,  Confine my playing to jamming out with my mates and enjoy it.

However in terms of gigs I have no interest. After many years, it is a chore for me. If I had to, then the two gigs that pay more than eight, will always get my vote.

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, gjones said:

The days of playing toilets are far behind me.

 

Not that I play super, well paying, gigs all the time. I just play venues where we don't have to drive for miles, the audiences are enthusiastic and the sound engineers know what they're doing.

 

We will drive, however that drive will be included in our fee. And it's going to be expensive.

 

Blue

[Bluewine]

3 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

I play in a grunge band. I want to play dank, grubby bars and pubs.  The last thing I want is to play classy venues.

I play to have fun, not make money. 

 

For me at 69 years young and been in the gigging game since age 12, classy gigs with premium pay upscale patrons with money is where I'm at. 30 years ago I'd play anywhere. Lol

 

Blue

[Bluewine]

3 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Again I think there is a difference if you are playing covers or originals.

 

For originals bands while the gig itself is important so too are the merchandise sales afterwards, and IME they quality of the venue/gig has little bearing this. I've played some great gigs at quality venues supporting well-know bands and got paid for it, but have struggled to sell more than a handful of CDs afterwards. Conversely one of the best gigs I have ever done in terms of merchandise sales was in the upstairs room of a crappy pub in the back of beyond, where our "welcome" consisted of one of the locals offering our driver/roadie out for a fight within minutes of us turning up because he didn't like the look of him.

 

We play originals and covers. We also have an acoustic offering.

I use to think cover bands had it easy. But now, in my area even the good cover bands are struggling.

 

Blue

[chris_b]

I'll play anywhere if the drummer is good.

[Bluewine]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

 

 

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

.

 

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

I'll play anywhere if the drummer is good.

I can't argue that one. Lol

 

Blue

Edited August 16, 2022 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

7 hours ago, Drax said:

Quite a loaded question  

 

If the choice was a straight high number lower paid gigs vs low number of high paid ones - I’d probably be up for playing more than less, regardless of remuneration.

 

My reality is a mix of the two. And often, it’s the lower paid gigs that can be the most enjoyable.  
 

 

 

Agreed , any gig where the crowd is decent and they're into tbe band is ideal.

 

Blue