Quantity VS Quality

[Newfoundfreedom]

Define "quality". 

 

One man's dream gig is another man's nightmare. 

 

For example, I can't imagine anything worse than playing at a wedding. For many this would be considered a quality gig. 

 

Drunken afternoon barbeque in someone's back garden, I'm all over it. 

[tegs07]

25 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

Define "quality". 

 

One man's dream gig is another man's nightmare. 

 

For example, I can't imagine anything worse than playing at a wedding. For many this would be considered a quality gig. 

 

Drunken afternoon barbeque in someone's back garden, I'm all over it. 

I would hate to play Oasis covers to p1ssed up football fans even if it paid well. Some would love this.

Edited August 19, 2022 by tegs07

[Paul S]

The answer for my circumstances is 'it depends'.  My band is a blues rock trio and a good gig for us is one where there are punters who are into this genre and you get that wave of appreciation back.  Money/size of venue are side issues - none of us in the band play for the money but for the enjoyment. 

 

This year we've had a couple of marvellous gigs supporting pro blues bands who are touring - we get to play on big stages with fab sound to a larger appreciative crowd than at a small pub.  But for very little money - we only just cover our costs.  We've also played a couple of gigs at a very small music pub where the management and the punters like us a lot and they are great gigs that pay 3x the support gigs. 

 

But put us in a town centre pub where the usual pub fodder is expected and we get zero interest - one place guitarist Alan was putting his heart and soul into a solo and there was a punhter stage left playing a fruit machine.  So we've stopped doing them.  

[Stofferson]

The few years leading up to Covid, we we're doing average 100 gigs a year, that combined with a full time job and the usual life stuff was very difficult.

Started a new band over lockdown, averaging around 30 gigs a year now, I've done my time, I'm still tired from 2018! 

That and combined with rising costs, gigs need to be worthwhile, enough pay to cover fuel etc. This is all originals mind, this year has been quite good.

[SteveXFR]

I was at a festival yesterday and decided that's what I want. Genre specific music festivals where crowds are much, much bigger than normal shows and you're earning new fans as well. As a bonus you get to watch the othe bands.

Every band I saw seemed blown away by the size and response of their audience and quite obviously had a great time playing. 

[mikel]

For me a gig is a gig.  I have had well paid gigs that were poorly attended and had little interest from the punters,  and pub gigs that were a storm for the punters and the band where it cost us more to get there. Its the gig itself that matters to me not the quality of the venue. I would play every weekend,  Fri to Sun given the option,  its why I play an instrument. 

[Lozz196]

3 hours ago, Stofferson said:

The few years leading up to Covid, we we're doing average 100 gigs a year, that combined with a full time job and the usual life stuff was very difficult.

Started a new band over lockdown, averaging around 30 gigs a year now, I've done my time, I'm still tired from 2018! 

That and combined with rising costs, gigs need to be worthwhile, enough pay to cover fuel etc. This is all originals mind, this year has been quite good.

Whilst we never managed 100 a year, 50 was enough when all over the country & Europe, I still shudder at my 2018 work-load too. Combining 50 long-distance gigs a year with a full-time job and being in my mid 50s was just too much, something had to break, and it was me!

[Boodang]

20 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

I was at a festival yesterday and decided that's what I want. Genre specific music festivals where crowds are much, much bigger than normal shows and you're earning new fans as well. As a bonus you get to watch the othe bands.

Every band I saw seemed blown away by the size and response of their audience and quite obviously had a great time playing. 

I was in a jazz groove trio (no vocals) and we ended up doing only festivals... not Glastonbury size ones but small festivals up and down the country and sometimes Europe. In a small venue we wouldn't go down that well, unless it was a jazz club, but the same audience at a festival would love it. Mainly I think because you've got a variety of music so now they have time for you. So we put our energies into doing odd ball small festivals mostly in the summer. Quality gigs and a responsive audience, plus as you say, you get to enjoy the other bands.

[Bluewine]

On 19/08/2022 at 23:18, Boodang said:

I was in a jazz groove trio (no vocals) and we ended up doing only festivals... not Glastonbury size ones but small festivals up and down the country and sometimes Europe. In a small venue we wouldn't go down that well, unless it was a jazz club, but the same audience at a festival would love it. Mainly I think because you've got a variety of music so now they have time for you. So we put our energies into doing odd ball small festivals mostly in the summer. Quality gigs and a responsive audience, plus as you say, you get to enjoy the other bands.