redbandit599 Posted October 13 Share Posted October 13 (edited) I've just (probably) finished booking my band up for next year. We're a pub band with the occasional fair or small festival thrown in - our singer is also in a function/wedding band, so we avoid clashes as much as possible. Families mean we also avoid school and bank holidays too. So, we have 25 decent gigs booked for next year and that'll do nicely. Just wondering how many gigs you like to do? Are you gig beasts who need to be out every night, or is once a year on your birthday enough? ( Yes, I'm still talking about gigs...😘) Edited October 13 by redbandit599 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted October 13 Share Posted October 13 We have averaged 18 a year in the last three years - which for a bunch of retired people who take long holidays I think is reasonable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted October 13 Share Posted October 13 This month I’ve done 7 which is reasonable. I think about 5 per month is average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted October 13 Share Posted October 13 (edited) We take between 110 and 120 a year (including a regular Sunday jam night). Our gigs are on the front page of http://www.the3.co.uk Edited October 17 by 12stringbassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecowboy Posted October 13 Share Posted October 13 Around 4 minimum, 8 maximum per month for my band this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplumber Posted October 13 Share Posted October 13 We had 52 booked this year from end to end... Dropped about 8 of them after finding some of the venues are very short of punters on a Friday or Saturday night. Playing to 4 folk in one venue and 7 at another. Also pretty poor turn out on some Sunday gigs. Yes.. Well still got paid.. And yes it's a paid rehearsal but not really worth the bother. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 13 Share Posted October 13 There are never enough good gigs in the diary. And yes, this year I gigged on my birthday .. . twice, afternoon and evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 I've done 21 so far this year with another 5 definitely to come, plus anything else we get offered in the next two and a half months. That's playing in two originals bands. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 Over the last 40 years I've probably averaged 40 gigs a year (most years) but at a peak I did 84, these were mainly pub gigs. I am guilty of falling into a trap where I thought gig quantity was a measure of how good I was/we were; it took me a LONG time to realise that I'd developed a mind set of 'gigging' being the norm. It isn't now btw! Saying that I'm in 3 bands and a duo now but none of these bands are pub bands per se (tributes to bands I like/love and a band of old best friends) and in the duo I vet pubs/venues as I'm not playing to smacked out cockwombles and idiots. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franticsmurf Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 With the band I'm currently in, it's about 8-10 gigs a year on average. They're good gigs (in terms of venues and attendance) but it doesn't quite satisfy the itch to play live. Add in deps and side projects and by the end of this year I'll have probably played 15. In the past, I've been in bands and duos that have played close on 100 gigs a year but as someone above said, quantity isn't everything and some of those nights were ones to forget 😀. I think for me, now, twice a month would be a good number. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted October 14 Author Share Posted October 14 (edited) 22 minutes ago, warwickhunt said: I am guilty of falling into a trap where I thought gig quantity was a measure of how good I was/we were; it took me a LONG time to realise that I'd developed a mind set of 'gigging' being the norm. It isn't now btw! We're similar, we could gig a lot more as we do get quite a few offers. But for a while have been prioritising 'proper' music pubs that regularly have decent bands on, and have quietly slipped away from those that aren't so good. The money is nice, but mostly we're in it for fun. Edited October 14 by redbandit599 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonK Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 For those of us who are not in it for the money I'm guessing the answer to the OP question is enough gigs for it to be fun? I certainly play a lot less than I used to due to life getting in the way - the last originals/covers ban petered out during COVID and although we occasionally exchange a WhatsApp message about getting back together I think everyone has other priorities. Thus said I play every other week at church which does have some very good musicians, but I'm never sure if that quite counts as gigging - although it is 20+ times a year to a hundred or more people each time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 With my current band we manage up to about 10 a year, which is fine for me. None require too much travelling, 2hrs tops. I contrast that with my last band which averaged about 50 gigs a year, all over the country and Europe which was way too much for me. Every weekend seemed to be spent either on the M6 or in Easyjet. Was great fun but would never want to do it again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asingardenof Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 We've done three so far this year, with three left in the diary. Would love to have done more but we've had some challenges this year with our singist and drummist's father dying this year. Hopefully I'll have more spoons for chasing up previous enquiries soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 30 to 40 per year for me these days. Used to be about a hundred for many years but over the last 15 years down to about 50 a year, but I'm finding more time off is better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 I'll be on about 90 by the time the year is out. I don't like sitting around the house much 😄 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 At my playing peak I was averaging around 100 a year. Nowadays it's more like one a month, which suits me fine. I'd take quality over quantity any day now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 24 this year (our first year of gigging, started a bit slowly and gathered momentum). Our ideal is 20-30 gigs per year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 30 down so far, another 12 to go this year. We've been taking it a bit more steady this year and enjoying the odd weekend off (or even the odd month off!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 As a blues band I prefer repeat gigs in venues that like us. We are niche and won’t go down well everywhere… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 One a year is enough, but that felt a little too hectic so I've dialled it back a bit to zero. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 My covers band will have played 25 this year, about right for me. However, there are crazy weekends where we've had three jobs in two days, so the distribution can be very uneven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 I think my unofficial record was three gigs during one day, and four gigs in one weekend. Crazy, very heavy, but that was long ago. Playing a long gig, say four sets is doable, but carrying amp and bass around town is not. I am more than happy to do a gig every now and then - we do have rehearsals on a weekly basis - because that feeling is so strong. Playing by the bed is very different to being with friends, and then with audience. I love to be a weekend warrior nowadays, but all those gigs and theater stuff etc. has been very important to me. I still love to be able to produce good vibes to people with the band and my bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazhowe Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 We average 30-35 gigs per year. I suspect that will reduce from 2025 onwards due to a combination of health issues, family commitments and holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 14 Share Posted October 14 33 minutes ago, itu said: I think my unofficial record was three gigs during one day, and four gigs in one weekend. . . . At a festival in July I played with 3 bands and did a gig with one of them in the evening. Never say no to a gig! So far 2024 will total 80 gigs with 18 bands. On the other hand, I'm in 3 bands and had to cancel 16 gigs, due to 2 band leaders having surgery and one falling ill and sadly dying! I need to start playing with 30 year olds!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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