No Giggity

[Bluewine]

I don't  have a gig until March 8th. What an appropriate time to discuss dry spells. 

Here are a few discussion points.

 

1. Why you don't have any gigs?

2.Do you rely on an agent ?

3.Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs?

4.  Are you or any band members in this for the money?

5.How much do you want to gig?

 

This discussion can go anywhere. 

 

Daryl

Edited February 3 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

I'll start.

 

I'm really ok with a month off. I'm not worried . Our summer schedule is starting to fill up with some good gigs.

 

The reason we don't have any gigs this month is, we've slowed down by choice. We use to play around 70 gigs annually.  We've cut back to about 50.

 

Here's the main reason, we no longer play late night bar gigs. I'm not sure why. However, I turned 70 today and I've really played enough bar gigs for my lifetime.  Give me theatres, festivals and special events.

 

Daryl

[bigthumb]

10 Years ago I was gigging every Friday and Saturday, some Sundays too, earned a good few quid. Now only a few times a year. Times have changed and not for the better. 

[markbunney]

We had 15 gigs booked for this year, our drummer decided he wanted a minimum fee from gigs and so we had to cancel 4 gigs because they weren’t paying what he wanted, a week later he quit with no notice which has meant we’ve had to cancel several more, which means I’ve lost out on around £600 which I’m not happy about!

 

currently looking for a second band or dep opportunities in the mean time.

 

I have been going to the local jam night though, just to keep my playing going

 

 

[Rosie C]

1. Why you don't have any gigs? -  I'm recovering from laryngitis, and we have winter and summer set lists, so a few weeks to put together some new songs is welcome

2.Do you rely on an agent ?  - no, most of our gigs come through recommendation

3.Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs? Me - band leader, lead singer

4.  Are you or any band members in this for the money? Not really, we're happy doing community events - carnivals, fund-raisers, etc.

5.How much do you want to gig? - very much, I love the buzz from live performance 4 or 5 summer gigs and 1 or 2 Christmas gigs for our renaissance band. But I also dep. in a friend's cover band as needed 2-3 times a year and perform at folk clubs.

 

 

Edited February 4 by Rosie C

[Lozz196]

For me it’s:

 

1. Why you don't have any gigs? - We don’t have that many as our singer had part of his leg amputated at the end of 2022, hopefully he doesn’t need any further surgery so we’ll start getting more soon.

 

2.Do you rely on an agent ? - No

 

3.Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs? - Generally the singer.

 

4.  Are you or any band members in this for the money? - No

 

5.How much do you want to gig? - The general feeling of my band (The Spacewasters) is about 10/12 a year. The others are also in other gigging bands so balancing the calendar is a task.

 

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

I'll start.

 

I'm really ok with a month off. I'm not worried . Our summer schedule is starting to fill up with some good gigs.

 

The reason we don't have any gigs this month is, we've slowed down by choice. We use to play around 70 gigs annually.  We've cut back to about 50.

 

Here's the main reason, we no longer play late night bar gigs. I'm not sure why. However, I turned 70 today and I've really played enough bar gigs for my lifetime.  Give me theatres, festivals and special events.

 

Daryl

Happy 70th @Bluewine, you’re doing bloody well to be gigging like you do my friend, hope you enjoy many more years of the same 👍

[stewblack]

Luckily enough I'm in enough bands or on dep lists so something usually comes in. 

We work with a few booking agents who always need someone at short notice. 

I'm on stage right now in Bristol actually, but the gig only just came in. We were free so here we are.

Unfortunately my regular singer is so good she's in great demand so I have more free weekends than I might like.

Whoring myself out on Facebook sometimes works too.

[woodyratm]

My next gig is next Saturday. It’s the only show we have booked this year. Last gig was like October maybe. I’d love to do more gigs, but we’re an originals metal band and only one venue near us puts shows on. 
 

The band won’t likely gig out of our city due to family constants. I could potentially push for an hour away, but that would be it…. But alas, struggling to get promotors to get back to us. 
 

No agent or anything, no one else except me tries to get shows generally. 

 

Money would be great… but £40/£50 is often the max places pay. With 4 of us, and usually a cost to get the venues video footage. We all know that we do this as a break from reality. 
 

[Bluewine]

3 hours ago, markbunney said:

We had 15 gigs booked for this year, our drummer decided he wanted a minimum fee from gigs and so we had to cancel 4 gigs because they weren’t paying what he wanted, a week later he quit with no notice which has meant we’ve had to cancel several more, which means I’ve lost out on around £600 which I’m not happy about!

 

currently looking for a second band or dep opportunities in the mean time.

 

I have been going to the local jam night though, just to keep my playing going

 

 

 

That was not cool,quitting with no notice.

 

With no February gigs, I'm down about 500 bucks.

 

Datyl

Edited February 4 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

1 hour ago, woodyratm said:

My next gig is next Saturday. It’s the only show we have booked this year. Last gig was like October maybe. I’d love to do more gigs, but we’re an originals metal band and only one venue near us puts shows on. 
 

The band won’t likely gig out of our city due to family constants. I could potentially push for an hour away, but that would be it…. But alas, struggling to get promotors to get back to us. 
 

No agent or anything, no one else except me tries to get shows generally. 

 

Money wo

In uld be great… but £40/£50 is often the max places pay. With 4 of us, and usually a cost to get the venues video footage. We all know that we do this as a break from reality. 
 

In my part of the Midwest the agencies only handle the big name cover bands. They won't touch us. We do ok on our own and we don't have to give anyone else a cut.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

2 hours ago, stewblack said:

Luckily enough I'm in enough bands or on dep lists so something usually comes in. 

We work with a few booking agents who always need someone at short notice. 

I'm on stage right now in Bristol actually, but the gig only just came in. We were free so here we are.

Unfortunately my regular singer is so good she's in great demand so I have more free weekends than I might like.

Whoring myself out on Facebook sometimes works too.

 

I wish I could dep. Nobody calls me for anything. 

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

2 hours ago, Beedster said:

Happy 70th @Bluewine, you’re doing bloody well to be gigging like you do my friend, hope you enjoy many more years of the same 👍

 

Thanks Beedster

 

I can handle 3 hour gigs with a break. We don't book 4 hours any more. 

 

Dsryl

 

Daryl

[dclaassen]

1. Next one is in March

 I’m done with bands doing months of weekly rehearsals and zero gigs, so am only dipping for foreseeable future.

2. Nope

3. not me

4. no

5. Probably once a month or so. 

[Leonard Smalls]

Our next one is April 27th! But gives us time to work on arrangements for new stuff.

Singer gets most of our gigs sorted, she wants to do loads, I'm happier with no more than 1 a month, unless they're very local (though that's unlikely unless you're playing "All The Hits of The 60s Right Up to Now!", or you're a StatusQuo/Wurzels trubute act).

And we make no money out of it - we jokingly justify this to ourselves by saying we're preserving our artistic integrity 🤣

Though many years ago I was in a Grotowskian theatre company. We were very keen on our "Artistic Integrity" (or at least the director was!) to such an extent that, while doing a 2 week run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival successfully playing to audiences of 5 or less with great adherence to our principles, we discovered that a journo from the Telegraph was coming to review us. We (sorry he, the director) were (was) so appalled at the possibility of selling out to The Man that we (i.e. he) found a reproduction of the Man Ray photo of an eye, put it in a nice wooden frame, and carved the words "Do Not Use The Sign Of The Eye Until You Yourself Can See" into the frame. Then he (for it wasn't us!) summoned the chap who'd championed us (Richard Dimarco), presented the picture to him and promptly put his fist through it. Then we all left the Festival.

We (not him so much) thought this was all rather bizarrely hilarious, but then we had been drinking lots of barley wine over bitter in Jeannie Dean's Tryst next door!

[JapanAxe]

1. Why you don't have any gigs?

I didn't have any gigs in January, mainly because I managed to convince the pub band that I was depping with a lot that I wasn't going to be nearly so available as I had been- that was the band that prompted some rather grim posts from me in 'How was your gig last night?'

2. Do you rely on an agent?

The tribute band that I dep with has a decent booking agent, and the tribute that I belong to really needs one! Otherwise the bands I play with tend to sort out their own gigs.

3. Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs?

I don't care as long as it's not me. I have done this in the past, and found it a soul-destroying slog.

4. Are you or any band members in this for the money?

Personally, I do it for the enjoyment, but I also want my skill and hard work to be suitably rewarded. The pub band folks I mentioned do it for a living - care homes mid week, pub gigs at the weekend.

5. How much do you want to gig?

I love a good gig, but I won't do just any old gig. Yesterday I turned down a dep gig where the money was low, plus I knew there was nowhere to park legally within at least half a mile of the venue - just not worth it.

[Franticsmurf]

January is a slow month for the Hulla band - it tends to play weddings, anniversaries and other private functions locally and they tend not to happen in the cold, dark months. That said, we're playing the village 'Full Moon Party' in Feb. As the band is based in what is effectively a village of retired folks, gigs are all word of mouth/friend of a friend stuff and are usually well paid. By mutual agreement the band plays for a nominated charity every year so we collect the fees which go mainly to the charity with a small percentage being used for band gear and expenses. Last year we collected enough for the local school to buy a much needed minibus.

 

I want to gig more frequently than they do (last year they played 8 gigs), so I'm also available for other things; I'm on the dep list for two bands and I'm currently dipping my toes in the rhythm guitar role in a mates band. The latter has five gigs lined up between now and July with more on the cards. Those gigs are usually obtained by the singer and bassist who between them have a lot of contacts in the area. While I wouldn't say I was in it for the money, I believe strongly that bands should be paid what they are worth and have rejected playing gigs where the reward is 'exposure' or 'beer tokens' as this undervalues me and makes things harder for the next band. The money from gigs goes towards kit and expenses. I definitely couldn't live off it.  

[police squad]

before covid struck, I was gigging at least twice a weekend, then came lockdown and no gigs.

I realised that I dont need to gig and enjoy the weekends off (I work full time, running my own business)

I book nearly all my gigs but I don't need the money (but it's handy and I wont play for peanuts)

I only do gigs I want to now, I'm 56 this year and have played every hell hole in Kent/south east.

 

Happy birthday to you bluewine, keep on rockin' brother

[tony_m]

The only gigs we (Rascallion) have got booked so far this year are at one of our regular village hall venues on April 27th, an outdoor charity festival on July 13th (middle of the nine-band bill), and another outdoor charity festival on August 18th (we're actually headlining this one, but as there's only one other band on, it's not exactly a major coup!).

 

1. Why you don't have any gigs?

 

Our frontman and rhythm guitarist are both recuperating after recent operations, so we can't commit to anything just yet.

 

2. Do you rely on an agent ?

 

No. 

 

3. Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs?

 

Usually either the frontman or drummer as they've got the most contacts, so tend to get the enquiries.

 

4. Are you or any band members in this for the money?

 

Nope, just for the fun of it.

 

5. How much do you want to gig?

 

When we started, we agreed on once a month at the most (and no pubs!), but tbh it's turned out to be less frequent than that. On the plus side, even if we haven't got any gigs actually booked, we do seem to have become the first-call substitute band for a couple of venues (i.e. the village hall we're playing at in April, and the pub we're playing in August) if someone lets them down and they need a replacement (though obviously this isn't an option at the moment).

 

[pete.young]

12 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

Here's the main reason, we no longer play late night bar gigs. I'm not sure why. However, I turned 70 today and I've really played enough bar gigs for my lifetime.  Give me theatres, festivals and special events.

 

 

 

Happy birthday and many happy returns to you Daryl. You're looking good, must have had an easy paper round 🙂

 

I've just joined a band where I thought the drummer booked the gigs. Not so - it turns out that we are all expected to take an area and chase up bookings. I'm not thrilled about that, it's not one of my favourite things. But I guess it's not unreasonable.

[Dan Dare]

Happy 70th. I was 70 last November.

 

1. Why you don't have any gigs?

I do, but only around 2 a month in the book at present. 

 

2.Do you rely on an agent ?

Yes and no. There are a couple who offer me/us gigs - I play in a couple of bands, plus the odd gig as a dep' - and I or band members look for gigs, too..

 

3. Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs?

Band members, agent or me.

 

4.  Are you or any band members in this for the money?

Yes and no. We/I are retired from our main jobs and reasonably comfortable, so don't need to earn from music. However, extra money is always nice to have, so, unless it's helping out a friend, family member or similar (say by playing at their birthday party, wedding and so on), we/I won't turn out for nowt. If travel involved, has to be decently paid.

 

5.How much do you want to gig?

Wouldn't want to do more than two, maybe three exceptionally, a week.

[BigRedX]

Both my bands play originals and gig as and when suitable slots are available. Most of the time this means supporting someone reasonably well known, so we don't have any regular schedule. I've had no gigs in January but have 3 in February. So far for 2024 I have 10 gigs booked and will probably finish the year having done at least 20. At the moment the majority of these are "festival" slots - luckily all indoors because IME the UK weather isn't conducive to outdoor festivals. Last time a band I was in did a series of festivals in one year it rained at all of them apart from the one where we played indoors when there was a heatwave...

 

Neither band has an agent but both will are on the radar of well-known promotors on the Goth/Post-Punk scene. The singer in one band and the drummer in the other are the main gig getters. We don't do it for the gig money alone but will expect to sell a decent amount of T-shirts and CDs when we play. Having said that several of the gigs already booked are paying a significant amount.

 

I like gigging. 10 years ago I was in an originals band that gigged almost every weekend, and could have probably been out ever Friday and Saturday night had the money and logistics been right. At the moment I'd be happy with 2-4 a month split between the two bands. Both bands are currently also working on writing and recording songs for our next albums, so there is plenty for us to be doing when there are no actual gigs coming up.

[Paul S]

1. Why you don't have any gigs?

I'd say for us it is 'many' rather than 'any' because we have some.  We don't have loads because of what we play.  My lot are a blues rock trio, with a leaning to the rockier side of blues - lots and lots of guitar solos, so not everyone's cup of tea!  In the vast majority of 'general' pubs we go down like a lead balloon because we don't play what the punters want to hear.  We have a fairly regular 'residency' in one music pub in one town, which has given us 9 gigs for 2024 - without those we'd be struggling to flesh out the diary.  We usually pick up a festival or two and also a support slot or two.  We have a gig at a labour club in the summer, no idea how that will pan out.  The two best gigs are one at a dedicated blues club, where we have previously gone down a storm, and also a Harley Davidson party and bbq - these last two are good payers and balance out the not-so-good ones.

 

2.Do you rely on an agent ?

No but it increasingly seems like a good idea.

 

3.Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs?

Bandleader - guitarist/singer.

 

4.  Are you or any band members in this for the money?

Not really.  Two of us are retired so the money is useful.

 

5.How much do you want to gig?

If it balanced out at a couple a month that would be ideal.

[NHM]

1. Why you don't have any gigs? - we do about 25-30 a year, but sometimes that's three in a week and then nothing for 6 weeks!

2.Do you rely on an agent ? no

3.Who finds coordinates and confirms gigs? - we are a four piece and we all have good contacts. We each take a lead on allotted venue/area of the county, so once an offer comes in the lead person take it through to payment, inc. publicity materials, all liaisoning etc.

4.  Are you or any band members in this for the money? - no, it's a hobby band, albeit at a reasonable standard (he says modestly).

5.How much do you want to gig? - I'd like to play 50 gigs a year, but I'm retired from full time work now whereas the others aren't , so a gig a fortnight on average isn't too demanding for them.

6 BONUS QUESTION: How often do you rehearse?: Weekly when we are adding new material and when there is more than two weeks between gigs.

 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

For about as long as I can remember, January has always been fairly quiet on the gig front in whatever bands I’ve been in. This year was no exception. Our first gig of this year was Jan 27th and we’re consistently busy for the rest of this year. I’m cool with having most of January off. It gives me a chance to chill and refocus looking at new material.