I can't find a Band, What am I doing Wrong?

[Lozz196]

My only very small critique is remove the ` from either side of Mature - to me, and possibly others, it adds emphasis to that aspect above the others. 

[thebrig]

2 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

My only very small critique is remove the ` from either side of Mature - to me, and possibly others, it adds emphasis to that aspect above the others. 

Yes, you could be right, I do it because I thought it to be a tongue-in-cheek way of saying I'm a bit older, but I will leave them out in future.

[TimR]

40 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Once you've got your foot in the door, though, be great if you can also put something into the gig pot as well as just taking out from it? And I suspect that sort of contribution won't go unnoticed as well as being really positive for the band you're part of?

 

I've done the gig booking before. It's a thankless task. I make sure the band leader has my free dates and I reply as soon as asked if I'm free for a gig. I dont pick and chose which gigs I want to do and once I've made a commitment I then don't drop out last minute. I never complain about a gig and always thank the person doing the booking. 

 

These are the things that band members didn't consider when I was booking gigs, and what has really put me off booking gigs. Members of bands I play with are still not considering any ofnthe above and not booking the gigs either - so I am not getting involved.

[thebrig]

1 hour ago, TimR said:

 

I've done the gig booking before. It's a thankless task. I make sure the band leader has my free dates and I reply as soon as asked if I'm free for a gig. I dont pick and chose which gigs I want to do and once I've made a commitment I then don't drop out last minute. I never complain about a gig and always thank the person doing the booking. 

 

These are the things that band members didn't consider when I was booking gigs, and what has really put me off booking gigs. Members of bands I play with are still not considering any ofnthe above and not booking the gigs either - so I am not getting involved.

In one of the bands I was in a few years ago, I got every single booking except one, which was a birthday party for the guitarists mate, and it turned out that it was his mate who asked our guitarist if we could do it, not our guitarist suggesting that we could do it even though he knew his mate was thinking about hiring a band.

 

With all the bookings that I did get, I emailed and sent FB messages to all the venues that I knew hired live bands, I contacted a total of 125 venues, I still have a register of them all in my band folder, I think got about two from them, the rest I got from actually going into pubs and venues, having a drink and befriending the band hirer in the hope of getting a gig, and because I was actually going into venues, most of the gigs I got were within a 10 mile radius of where I lived, and believe it or not, the rest of band had the cheek to complain that all the gigs were near me, and yet I'd been forever asking them to do the same as what I do in their own areas, but not one of them made the effort.

 

So like you, I thought I am not getting involved anymore, and not long after, the gigs dried up and the band came to an end.

 

After that, I vowed to leave everything to the band leader in any new venture I got into, but I always found that if I don't do anything, no-one else will, so I still end up being the most proactive member.

 

Now after five years of not being in a band, I would happily do all the work again.😉

 

 

Edited October 31, 2024 by thebrig

[Al Krow]

19 minutes ago, thebrig said:

In one of the bands I was in a few years ago, I got every single booking except one, which was a birthday party for the guitarists mate, and it turned out that it was his mate who asked our guitarist if we could do it, not our guitarist suggesting that we could do it even though he knew his mate was thinking about hiring a band.

 

With all the bookings that I did get, I emailed and sent FB messages to all the venues that I knew hired live bands, I contacted a total of 125 venues, I still have a register of them all in my band folder, I think got about two from them, the rest I got from actually going into pubs and venues, having a drink and befriending the band hirer in the hope of getting a gig, and because I was actually going into venues, most of the gigs I got were within a 10 mile radius of where I lived, and believe it or not, the rest of band had the cheek to complain that all the gigs were near me, and yet I'd been forever asking them to do the same as what I do in their own areas, but not one of them made the effort.

 

So like you, I thought I am not getting involved anymore, and not long after, the gigs dried up and the band came to an end.

 

After that, I vowed to leave everything to the band leader in any new venture I got into, but I always found that if I don't do anything, no-one else will, so I still end up being the most proactive member.

 

Now after five years of not being in a band, I would happily do all the work again.😉

 

 

You'll be an asset to any band that you're part of, if you're doing that! The life blood of any gigging band is quite simply gigs and, as you noted, if the gigs dry up the band can easily come to an end.

In my experience getting gigs often goes hand in hand with the skill set of being band leader, but it absolutely doesn't need to be and I've always really appreciated bandmates who are prepared to roll up their sleeves and put something back into the gig pot, as well as benefitting from what others are putting into it.

I'd definitely mention in your ad that you have had quite a lot of success in finding gig venues for previous bands, and would be happy to be involved in supporting the band in that way if you came on board.

 

I guess it's the same as applying for any role: if someone can set themselves apart from the pack by bringing something extra, that can only help? 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2024 by Al Krow

[thebrig]

14 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

You'll be an asset to any band that you're part of, if you're doing that! The life blood of any gigging band is quite simply gigs and, as you noted, if the gigs dry up the band can easily come to an end.

In my experience getting gigs often goes hand in hand with the skill set of being band leader, but it absolutely doesn't need to be and I've always really appreciated bandmates who are prepared to roll up their sleeves and put something back into the gig pot, as well as benefitting from what others are putting into it.

I'd definitely mention in your ad that you have had quite a lot of success in finding gig venues for previous bands, and would be happy to be involved in supporting the band in that way if you came on board.

 

I guess it's the same as applying for any role: if someone can set themselves apart from the pack by bringing something extra, that can only help? 

 

 

That might be a good idea to mention that I have local contacts for possible gigs in and around my own area.

[dclaassen]

I'd echo the use of the live videos..they also show people having fun.

 

I tried to get into bands after 25+ years out, and in another country (I'm from the US). Despite having a degree in music and pretty decent skills, it was a long a interesting road. You do really have to kiss a lot of frogs. Now I am exclusively depping, and hoping to get some more of these locally. 

 

I think the big deal is actually meeting local working musicians. Go to local pub gigs and shows and just have a short chat. 

 

Hang in there!

 

 

[AllYourBassAreBelongToUs]

Second the jam / open mic night networking.
Personally, I believe that when people meet in person *ahem* they are quite open-minded. Aspects such as age, likes, dislikes and skill-level are quickly overlooked in favour of interpersonal skills and getting to know someone new. If you are at a gig, already kindred spirits. Like dating - online presence and advertising invites quick judgement: "says here they like cats. Well I don't, so this won't work"

Despite Facebook being a lot less popular than it used to be, any advert I post, no matter how vague, receives a large response (I post to music groups with large amount of members). Much like with contacting venues for gigs... most responses will be a waste of time, for whatever reason, doesn't take long to filter them out if you know what to look for. 

You could offer yourself a deputy. If your local groups all share a bassist, then a single booking leaves the other bands without a bass player. A foot-in that could lead to more.
 

There is a method I'm not keen on, but it's somewhat amusing:
Book a gig - find a band. A paid gig is very enticing, it is possible to form a group to fulfil a booking, and you've therefore networked too, with the foundation of "hey that went well, let's do more"

[TimR]

I think a booked gig sends two messages.

 

1. You're comitted to performing.

2. You expect band members to be interested in performing.

 

It eliminates anyone who thinks they can join a 'rehearsal band' and drag it out to avoid playing out. (These people do exist.)

Edited December 25, 2024 by TimR