Anyone else just ready to give up?

[BigRedX]

Afternoon and early evening gigs are weird.

 

When I was in my covers band we used to do one that started late Sunday afternoon and was over before 8.00. The strange thing was that even though the pub was open all day it would be almost completely deserted until 5 minutes before we started our first set when the "rock crowd" would turn up en-masse, order their drinks ready to enjoy whatever band was playing that week.

 

The kind of music I'm playing at the moment doesn't really feel right being performed during daylight hours. Having said that we have at least two afternoon gigs booked for this year. One of them is in a large windowless venue so there's no real sense of time once you are inside. The other is in a brewery where they open the large glass doors along one wall so that the people in the courtyard outside can see and hear the bands too. I've been to this one as an audience member several times and it seems to work, although in the past it's always been as a "warm up" to the main events happening elsewhere in the town in the evening. This time around the evening entertainment is significantly less than normal, so it will be interesting to see if it affects the atmosphere in the afternoon.

[Bluewine]

4 hours ago, Paul S said:

My best two gigs for 2024 are both Sunday daytime.  Timing, playing to our target audience and both good payers!  Perfect!    Balances out the others...  

 

It's no secret that I love 3-7, warm weather afternoon gigs to the more mature sophisticated crowd. Getting paid well and home by the time most guys are just getting started. 

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

Afternoon and early evening gigs are weird.

 

 

 

There's a few variables involved. I'd be the first to admit some venues are better at presenting afternoon family friendly entertainment than others.

 

And like you said all genres are not a fit for outside family friendly afternoon gigs.

 

There are certain good main stage great production provided gigs that we don't fit. By the same token, the areas top rock cover bands are not going to get the afternoon Brewerys & Winery's. 

 

Does that make any sense ?

 

Daryl

 

 

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

 

Hi Pete,

 

The 3-7 action in my area is great. However it's something to get use to. It's not like a Yankee 8-12 bar gig. It's a different vibe. I personally think it's great for us in our 60s and 70s that have outgrown late night pub and bar gigs.

 

It's seems like out of nowhere all these Winery's and Brewery's opened and started booking bands. Unfortunately many bands will be left out of these gigs. They only book acoustic and small blues, folk and Americana .

 

Daryl

Easy listening or background music is what you want at a winery / brewery. 

I'd probably go to more gigs if they were Sunday afternoons. Just a better vibe for me.

Dave 

[Rosie C]

6 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Afternoon and early evening gigs are weird.

 

 

I kinda like playing in a church band - morning gigs, no drunks, daylight for loading & unloading, free coffee and biscuits. Home by 1pm.  

[Bluewine]

13 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Easy listening or background music is what you want at a winery / brewery. 

I'd probably go to more gigs if they were Sunday afternoons. Just a better vibe for me.

Dave 

 

Dave,

 

Some are definitely complete  background music gigs. The Harley .Motor Restaurant gigs are like that. However we occasionally get their attention and the crowd will engage us after a few pints.

 

Daryl

Edited February 8 by Bluewine

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

 

Dave,

 

Some are definitely complete  background music gigs. The Harley .Motor Restaurant gigs are like that. However we occasionally get their attention and the crowd will engage us after a few pints.

 

Daryl

No matter what the event i always engage with the band when they finish every song i'll applaude. Common courtesy in my opinion. If a band is good i get more enthusiastic in my response.

Dave

[neepheid]

I've played at a few beer festivals.  If you think people went there for the bands, you'd be very much mistaken - the beer's definitely the star here!  Still managed to get a few folk to hang around and have a listen/boogie, but most folk were enjoying our output subliminally I reckon...

[dmccombe7]

35 minutes ago, neepheid said:

I've played at a few beer festivals.  If you think people went there for the bands, you'd be very much mistaken - the beer's definitely the star here!  Still managed to get a few folk to hang around and have a listen/boogie, but most folk were enjoying our output subliminally I reckon...

I've been to a beer festival and you are spot on. People were there solely for beer and had no interest in the bands.

I was there sampling beer but fancy beers isn't really my thing so didn't stay too long.

Dave

[casapete]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

I've played at a few beer festivals.  If you think people went there for the bands, you'd be very much mistaken - the beer's definitely the star here!  Still managed to get a few folk to hang around and have a listen/boogie, but most folk were enjoying our output subliminally I reckon...

Same here. My acoustic duo have done a few and were just part of the background noise really.

Didn’t overly bother us TBH, not as much as the constant dad rock / folk music requests 😆

[TRBboy]

Well, some hope within my band situation; it turns out there are more musos looking for bands around here than I thought! We are having a rehearsal with a new drummer and guitarist next Thursday, so fingers crossed it goes well and we can start booking gigs again.

 

It will be very weird after 13 years with our old pals though.... 

[dmccombe7]

3 hours ago, TRBboy said:

Well, some hope within my band situation; it turns out there are more musos looking for bands around here than I thought! We are having a rehearsal with a new drummer and guitarist next Thursday, so fingers crossed it goes well and we can start booking gigs again.

 

It will be very weird after 13 years with our old pals though.... 

Nice one. Hope it all goes well and the new guy is a good fit for you.

Keep us posted.

Dave

[Bluewine]

7 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

No matter what the event i always engage with the band when they finish every song i'll applaude. Common courtesy in my opinion. If a band is good i get more enthusiastic in my response.

Dave

 

Me too Dave. I engage and applaud.  And if they're young kids like the jazz quartet I saw a few weeks ago, I'll talk to them all individually and congratulate them.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

4 hours ago, TRBboy said:

Well, some hope within my band situation; it turns out there are more musos looking for bands around here than I thought! We are having a rehearsal with a new drummer and guitarist next Thursday, so fingers crossed it goes well and we can start booking gigs again.

 

It will be very weird after 13 years with our old pals though.... 

 

I hope everything goes well next Thursday.

 

Daryl

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

 

Me too Dave. I engage and applaud.  And if they're young kids like the jazz quartet I saw a few weeks ago, I'll talk to them all individually and congratulate them.

 

Daryl

Its the little thank you or a comment on how well you played at the end of the night that makes you feel special that night. Not so much the drunks that slabber over you and can hardly talk but genuine folks that just appreciated the band. Those are special moments for me and i fully appreciate them.

Dave

Edited February 8 by dmccombe7

[MichaelDean]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

Its the little thank you or a comment on how well you played at the end of the night that makes you feel special that night. Not so much the drunks that slabber over you and can hardly talk but genuine folks that just appreciated the band. Those are special moments for me and i fully appreciate them.

Dave

Yup. I had a really nice comment about my playing on my first ever gig at 15 and it's really stuck with me. 

[dmccombe7]

43 minutes ago, MichaelDean said:

Yup. I had a really nice comment about my playing on my first ever gig at 15 and it's really stuck with me. 

Wish i could remember 15 

Dave

[snorkie635]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Its the little thank you or a comment on how well you played at the end of the night that makes you feel special that night. Not so much the drunks that slabber over you and can hardly talk but genuine folks that just appreciated the band. Those are special moments for me and i fully appreciate them.

Dave

I assure you Mr McCombe, I did not 'slabber' over you; merely fell through your bass cabinet, electrocuting the Entertainments Secretary and sang harmonies to Sweet Chile o' Mine in H flat. 'Slabber' indeed! 🫨

[dmccombe7]

5 minutes ago, snorkie635 said:

I assure you Mr McCombe, I did not 'slabber' over you; merely fell through your bass cabinet, electrocuting the Entertainments Secretary and sang harmonies to Sweet Chile o' Mine in H flat. 'Slabber' indeed! 🫨

I have no sympathy for you ya drunken b*m @snorkie635

My bass tech is currently working on a fix for your mishap 

With regards the Entertainment Secretary i have offered your condolences to his family. Mrs Kray said her sons will be in touch with you soon. Again i offer condolences. 

 

Had a drunk climb onto the stage at the end of the night and knock over my Sandberg luckily no damage. Following gig drunk guy fell over the edge of the stage across the monitors and broke the antenna's on one of the vocal mic wireless receiver and knocked the mic stand into the face of our female singer bursting open a major gash above her eye causing a stream of blood to flow down her face. Luckily she is a trained nurse and grabbed my sweat towel (clean of course) and we managed to stem the blood flow and carry on with the show.

That was all within a week right before Xmas. 

Happy days.

Dave 

 

[Bluewine]

6 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Not so much the drunks that slabber over you and can hardly talk 

Dave

 

Dave, I say never engage a drunk in a conversation without an exit plan. Lol

 

Daryl

[dmccombe7]

9 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

Dave, I say never engage a drunk in a conversation without an exit plan. Lol

 

Daryl

 

100% Daryl, we are quite lucky that our guitarist is an ex Royal Marine instructor trained in 3-4 martial arts. To be fair he is so chilled nothing seems to phase him.

I try not to get too close to drunks at the end of the night and once finished i'm usually off stage to get changed and all i want to do is get packed up and go home. Unfortunately with the Glam band we get a lot of requests to have pics taken with us but its usually women who are pretty respective about it and we've not had any issues with them but i'm always wary especially when wearing platform boots. 

Dave

 

 

[AndyTravis]

6 months on.

 

EP recorded with Band - just waiting on mixes.

 

Opposite of writers block; I’ve been writing continuously since December.

 

The output has been of a consistent quality but it’s too much for the band to keep up with (and there are 3 other songwriters in the band so it’s busy…)

 

3 Festivals booked for summer.

 

Have started a second project for my spare ideas with singer from new band.

 

No funk, so it’s a change - just come home from second rehearsal with side project.

[Burns-bass]

7 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

6 months on.

 

EP recorded with Band - just waiting on mixes.

 

Opposite of writers block; I’ve been writing continuously since December.

 

The output has been of a consistent quality but it’s too much for the band to keep up with (and there are 3 other songwriters in the band so it’s busy…)

 

3 Festivals booked for summer.

 

Have started a second project for my spare ideas with singer from new band.

 

No funk, so it’s a change - just come home from second rehearsal with side project.

I feel as soon as I’m getting bored with music I play with other people and inspiration returns.

 

While some may enjoy music as a solitary pursuit, I’m not one of them.

 

If you’re anything like me, I bet your mental health has improved too from being out and being creative. Love to hear some so post it here!

[SumOne]

1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

I feel as soon as I’m getting bored with music I play with other people and inspiration returns.

 

While some may enjoy music as a solitary pursuit, I’m not one of them.

 

If you’re anything like me, I bet your mental health has improved too from being out and being creative. 

 

I fully agree with this.

 

My first love of music is electronic stuff, but sitting at home listening to drum loops for hours and thinking about the finer details of which hi-hat sample to use just doesn't fill me with much joy. Meeting up with a few people who enjoy playing music is a lot more fun, getting their different viewpoints (and leaving the hi-hat nerding to the drummer!), and I find that having live gigs to look forward to (even if they sometimes turn out to be poorly attended) gives a focus that you don't get by just doing practise sessions. 

[martthebass]

On 09/02/2024 at 09:03, dmccombe7 said:

Unfortunately with the Glam band we get a lot of requests to have pics taken with us but its usually women who are pretty respective about it and we've not had any issues with them but i'm always wary especially when wearing platform boots. 

Dave

 

 

You're a braver man than me mate.  After a few 'platform related wobbles' early on with our Glam band (Meniere's can be a bitch) I decided to go with Silver and Sequin adorned Converse.....