playing gigs

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Went to see the drummers 'original pro' band last night at the Grey Horse in Kingston.
They were the headlining band out of 3 and came on last.
There never seems to be many people at that venue when I've either gigged or watched a band there.

Last night was the equivalent of a Millwall home game. Hardly anyone there.(sorry)
The 'crowd' were made up mainly of college people suppoorting mainly the 2nd band on the bill.
Once they finished their set ,the headlining band in their '50s played to basically one man and his dog.

Going home, Mr. Drums and myself were wondering if it's worth carrying on.(He has 3 bands and finds it difficult/nigh impossible to get gigs)
It's always the same, people you expect to make an effort don't etc.

I know I'm not the first to post this kind of topic on here. Maybe it's best to quit now, and just mess around at home.
It seems that how much we put into it ,nobody's there to see it .

What do you think?.......

[Happy Jack]

Depends why you're doing it.

If it's for the fame / money / girls / drugs / glory (delete as applicable) then yup, give it up.

If it's because you enjoy doing it, then does it really matter if you play to 5 people, or 50, or 500?

There are loads of musicians who'd love to have played the Grey Horse.

Including me.

[supabock]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='558444' date='Aug 2 2009, 01:01 PM']Depends why you're doing it.

If it's for the fame / money / girls / drugs / glory (delete as applicable) then yup, give it up.

If it's because you enjoy doing it, then does it really matter if you play to 5 people, or 50, or 500?

There are loads of musicians who'd love to have played the Grey Horse.

Including me.

[/quote]
I echo the above, check the reasons why you play then make the decision

[chris_b]

You have to find your niche. I think the Grey Horse is a great music pub, putting on all kinds of music and Stand Up, but the locals will usually only turn out for the bluesier bands and the ones they know. Go down there this afternoon and the front bar will be packed for Steve Whalley and then Blues Patrol.

If you are "Indie/Rock" you'll have to bring your own crowd, but isn't that the same everywhere? 50 year olds with no mates will always start at a disadvantage!!

[Musky]

It's a problem that bedevils any unknown band playing originals. When starting off any band relies on friends for an audience and obviously there's only so many times you can ask them to come along, especially since odds are their taste in music isn't exactly the same as yours. And since the other acts on the bill are in the same same position it's more than likely their audience will clear off as soon as they've played (certainly the case in London anyway).

It doesn't help matters as you get older and your friends get a bit more staid and seek the familiar, as someone pointed out in Bilbo's Tribute bands thread.

It can be done, though it might take something of a gimmick/stage act/image to pull it off. Seasick Steve, Bob Log III and the Fabulous Penetrators seem to do OK.

[OldGit]

Same rules as anyone else.
Number one is you have to be entertaining and number two is you have to tell people when you are playing.
Forget either of those and you will be playing to no one and have trouble getting gigs you don't organise yourself.

It's easy to tell if you are entertaining, people come to see you twice and they bring their mates with them to see you the second time.
if that's not happening you need to be objective about your material or your show.

Being in your 50's isn't a problem if you are entertaining to younger people. If they don't do that then yes, they will struggle to find an audience as our fellow old gits don't go out as much and many are staid and stuffy and stuck in their comfortable Mustang Sally populated comfort zones.
Many of their ears/cars have "New music? No thanks" stickers ...

If they just want the fun of playing then a rehearsal studio will be less hassle. They just have to organise the date and pay for the room, no trying to convice a venue booking person that they can bring an audience with them.

Oh and if you are "building a following" playing last on a multiple band night like that is not the best thing to do. You want to play earlier when you have just a bit of a chance of finding someone in the other bands' following that may like you too.
Last does not equal "top of the bill" unless you are the big draw. Likewise playing earlier isn't a "support" slot.

Edited August 2, 2009 by OldGit

[William James Easton]

don't be soft, Just play!

[Musicman20]

[quote name='William James Easton' post='558513' date='Aug 2 2009, 02:37 PM']don't be soft, Just play! [/quote]

LOL....+1

Ive had some really quiet gigs, then some absolutely mental packed ones. It depends all all sorts of factors. Just enjoy!

My main gripe is rubbish PAs.

It might also just be the band, not you, so dont stop!

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Thanks for input guys. There are 1 or 2 other things I gotta mention:
I'm still in my 40's
Also I decided at my age etc. covers is the best option for me.
I have played in front of alot ,and 1 man and his dog.
If that was my band playing last night ,I would've wanted to be on first

I suppose we all get abit fed up when ,you have to do a demo cd/keep pestering landlords-ladies/
and then you still can't get regular gigs etc.

I even bought a new effects unit yesterday ,in the hope of making the cover songs we do more fun.

The depression yesterday,was on a par with an omnibus of Eastenders..

Keep the input coming

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='William James Easton' post='558513' date='Aug 2 2009, 02:37 PM']don't be soft, Just play! [/quote]

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='chris_b' post='558450' date='Aug 2 2009, 01:07 PM']You have to find your niche. I think the Grey Horse is a great music pub, putting on all kinds of music and Stand Up, but the locals will usually only turn out for the bluesier bands and the ones they know. Go down there this afternoon and the front bar will be packed for Steve Whalley and then Blues Patrol.

If you are "Indie/Rock" you'll have to bring your own crowd, but isn't that the same everywhere? 50 year olds with no mates will always start at a disadvantage!![/quote]

yep ,all true

[waynepunkdude]

I had enough of playing crap gigs so I bit the bullet and started a covers band(with a twist) we haven't played a gig yet but we are getting more fans, gigs and media than my originals that has been going for 5 years.

sh*t init?

[davidmpires]

It's harder to play to a man and his dog than to play to a full pub.

[JBassist]

if your doing because you enjoy it then just make a massive swing band or something ie guitars, bass, singers, drums, perc, brass,woodwind,keys everything and just jam at charity events or church fayes

sounds a little wacky but hey

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='davidmpires' post='558606' date='Aug 2 2009, 05:00 PM']It's harder to play to a man and his dog than to play to a full pub.[/quote]

So...true

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='JBassist' post='558607' date='Aug 2 2009, 05:01 PM']if your doing because you enjoy it then just make a massive swing band or something ie guitars, bass, singers, drums, perc, brass,woodwind,keys everything and just jam at charity events or church fayes

sounds a little wacky but hey[/quote]

Not really my thing,but thanks for suggestion.
At the moment ,I'm contemplating taking up the Triangle

[Musicman20]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='558605' date='Aug 2 2009, 04:59 PM']I had enough of playing crap gigs so I bit the bullet and started a covers band(with a twist) we haven't played a gig yet but we are getting more fans, gigs and media than my originals that has been going for 5 years.

sh*t init?[/quote]

+1...ive done the same thing. First practice tomorrow, its nothing like what I normally play but I like that. Mainly light rock, pop, soul and blues covers. The experience will do us both good

[Tait]

do you ever randomly just go out to the pub to see a band you've never heard of and have nothing to do with? most people don't, therefore if you don't bring anyone along to watch you, you won't have an audience.

[Rowbee]

I've been playing in covers bands since my mid-twenties, mostly because we can get gigs in better venues and generally the audience reaction is better. In that I mean I do it because I want people dancing and in my experience, people generally react better to songs they know.

I have nothing but respect for members of originals bands, maybe I'm just too lazy to go through the hardship.

[Rowbee]

[quote name='Tait' post='558655' date='Aug 2 2009, 06:31 PM']do you ever randomly just go out to the pub to see a band you've never heard of and have nothing to do with? most people don't, therefore if you don't bring anyone along to watch you, you won't have an audience.[/quote]

I'd probably check out their myspace before making a commitment to see an originals band.

[Marvin]

[quote name='William James Easton' post='558513' date='Aug 2 2009, 02:37 PM']don't be soft, Just play! [/quote]
That just about sums it up

[chris_b]

The other problem; it was £5 on the door! In my experience most British audiences are tight fisted gits, and are unlikely to pay to see a band they don't know!

[thepurpleblob]

Covers bands get a hard time but there's nothing wrong with it. I play in a covers band that plays more or less what the hell we like. We have a small but loyal following but that's our lot. Getting gigs in the mainstream covers band pubs is nigh on impossible because we won't play the 'standards' (e.g. Build me up Buttercup, Summer of 69, Brown Eyed Girl, you know the stuff). You've got to be objective about what you play and how you present yourselves - covers band or not - is it what people actually want to hear. Maybe - like us - you don't care and are happy to play for fun to a limited audience maybe you are not.

Notwithstanding all that, if you get the chance get out and play!! There's nothing like playing live to get better at playing live!!!

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='chris_b' post='558746' date='Aug 2 2009, 09:15 PM']The other problem; it was £5 on the door! In my experience most British audiences are tight fisted gits, and are unlikely to pay to see a band they don't know![/quote]



With the amount of free music available in west / southwest London, I can't imagine paying anything to see a band if they weren't a 'name' band.

[Linus27]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='558799' date='Aug 2 2009, 10:43 PM']

With the amount of free music available in west / southwest London, I can't imagine paying anything to see a band if they weren't a 'name' band.[/quote]

I used to play in an originals band about 8 years ago. We went through the slog of playing up and down the country, building a following and didn't have that much of a problem getting people across the country to see us play. There also seemed to be more of a scene where people would go out and just see bands play live. I now play in a new originals band and we are just starting to get gigs from September to December. Boy is it hard work. Most venues want to know if you can bring anyone rather than reply on people coming out to see bands play and a lot are saying they don't book bands from out of the area. It's certainly a lot harder these days to get gigs.