Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

How many gigs is enough?


Recommended Posts

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 by redbandit599
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.  :)    

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

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 by redbandit599
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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!!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...