Corporate gigs

[niceguyhomer]

My blues band OV8 went down a storm at the recent Carlisle Blues Festival and the gigs are literally pouring in. We're what I'd call a proper Chicago blues band fronted by a guy who goes by the name of Junkhouse Dog and for the last two years he's been British Harmonica champion - dunno where you get the title but he's amazing anyway.

There's no plan or set list when we go on stage, we just go for it hopefully in the same key and most of the time it works and we always go down really well.....with blues audiences.

So, one of these gigs we've been asked to do on the back of this is a corporate function - city centre Manchester (groan) in two weeks time for quite a lot of money - about 5 times what we'd normally get paid which is nice but a rough and ready blues band at a corporate function? Are they mad?

The other worrying thing is they've asked us to learn a couple of songs including Money (Beatles) and ...wait for it.....Must Hang Sally FFS Are they really mad?

I think we'll go down like whaleshit but what the hell, we'll take the money and run.

[Al Heeley]

Go for it - shake 'em up! It's what they're looking for.
All adds to the rich tapestry of life.

[TheRev]

Hi Homer

I'm in a similar kind of band - I joined as a dep for a few gigs about a year ago and they just kept calling. There's a core of three members with the drummer and lead guitarist taken from a 4 person pool of whoever's available for the gig. As a result we're not especially tight but we're all good enough players to pull it together on the night. As we usually do pub gigs for £30 each, it's not really bothered us.

We've recently done a couple of functions and like you, we were worried about how we'd go down but it's all turned out well. People danced, people tapped their feet, people drank and didn't notice the f#*k ups, we played Mustang Sally and got a couple of girls up from the audience to do backing vocals - they loved it and we got paid and re-booked for New Year's eve. Job done.

Just relax and play and enjoy it mate, if your band can play with a bit of fin and passion the looseness will only add to the feel. The blues is an easy music to listen to so as long as you keep the beat going you'll be right. Our harp player/singer/frontman is great at getting people involved - going out into the audience with a tambourine and that sort of thing so if you're worried about people just standing around you could try something similar?

Dave

[Beedster]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='667036' date='Nov 27 2009, 07:40 AM']My blues band OV8 went down a storm at the recent Carlisle Blues Festival and the gigs are literally pouring in. We're what I'd call a proper Chicago blues band fronted by a guy who goes by the name of Junkhouse Dog and for the last two years he's been British Harmonica champion - dunno where you get the title but he's amazing anyway.

There's no plan or set list when we go on stage, we just go for it hopefully in the same key and most of the time it works and we always go down really well.....with blues audiences.

So, one of these gigs we've been asked to do on the back of this is a corporate function - city centre Manchester (groan) in two weeks time for quite a lot of money - about 5 times what we'd normally get paid which is nice but a rough and ready blues band at a corporate function? Are they mad?

The other worrying thing is they've asked us to learn a couple of songs including Money (Beatles) and ...wait for it.....Must Hang Sally FFS Are they really mad?

I think we'll go down like whaleshit but what the hell, we'll take the money and run.[/quote]


Dude, chill. So someone thinks you're a great band and has booked you for a corporate Xmas bash. Good stuff. Do what you do and enjoy it. I've neard some cracking blues bands do Money and Mustang Sally, in fact I once had to do the latter as an audition peice and was dreading it until the band hit it like Dr Feelgood on steroids, great sound. Don't dismiss your audience so easily mate, people are people, and if you put on a good show, they'll enjoy it, whatever the music.

C

[Beedster]

[quote name='TheRev' post='667095' date='Nov 27 2009, 09:33 AM']The blues is an easy music to listen to so as long as you keep the beat going you'll be right.[/quote]

+1

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='667036' date='Nov 27 2009, 07:40 AM']So, one of these gigs we've been asked to do on the back of this is a corporate function - city centre Manchester (groan) in two weeks time for quite a lot of money - about 5 times what we'd normally get paid which is nice but a rough and ready blues band at a corporate function? Are they mad?

The other worrying thing is they've asked us to learn a couple of songs including Money (Beatles) and ...wait for it.....Must Hang Sally FFS Are they really mad?

I think we'll go down like whaleshit but what the hell, we'll take the money and run.[/quote]

I always avoid these types of gigs as a rule but I guess not all coporate folk like Rick Astley. I think this might be fine. Like you say, take the money and run

[OldGit]

Yeah I'd concur.

Put on a big show full of character and do it your way.
With a front person called Junkhouse Dog I am sure you do anyway, just make it even bigger.

Watever you do don't make yourselves a vanilla function band for the night.

Money and Musang Sally are both great tunes that have only suffered from their popularity. Do them your way and with as much audience involvement as possible and you'll be fine

Enjoy the money and ask for more if they book you back

[niceguyhomer]

Yeh yeh yeh..I hear what you're all saying but you don't know our band. Every song goes...intro...harp solo....verse...harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo...verse...harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo...break for lunch......harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo...end.

[Pete Academy]

Nearly Dan have done a few private gigs over the years. They're mainly a few Steely Dan fans who think it's cool to have us at their party. The problem is the other 95% have never heard of SD.

We once played a wedding - same situation. We set up in a large doorway and played at miniscule volume to the bride and groom and their half dozen SD fans. The rest of the guests buggered off into the buffet room. There were kids sliding on the floor, like something out of Peter Kay's act.

Eventually, the groom's mum stared at us stony-faced and said we should play something to dance to. That was our cue to pack up.

Sometimes you just have to take the money and run.

[BassBunny]

Al, Just Go For It.
The person who booked you obviously liked what they saw/heard and they know the target audience. If they are having a full on DJ as well, maybe the idea is they want a bit of "Chill Out" time as well. Either that or you're on while they serve the meal/buffet
You know what Nick would say.......

Edited November 27, 2009 by BassBunny

[jakenewmanbass]

The trouble with corporates is you have a trapped audience. So it's worth realising bands that do well in those circumstances generally do one of 2 things.

1. be so utterly brilliant and energetic that the dynamism of the performance means that everyone enjoys it regardless of whether they know or like the material.
2. place enough generic material in the set that you please enough of the people enough of the time (most function bands fit this category)

Seems to me that option 2 is off your list because you do what you do... So the answer.....? do what you do very well, energetically etc and go in with the idea that you'll give them a good time.
TBH it doesn't always work but you will have a better success rate if you go in with a good attitude.

PS I do hundreds of corporates with a musical comedy act and we are expected to "ENTERTAIN" so I have a lot of experience of every type of response good bad or indifferent.

[bassace]

Just beware the bossy woman with the clipboard. She'll be in a total panic and won't have a clue! Happened to us a few times.

[TheRev]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='667153' date='Nov 27 2009, 10:43 AM']Yeh yeh yeh..I hear what you're all saying but you don't know our band. Every song goes...intro...harp solo....verse...harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo...verse...harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo...break for lunch......harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo...end.[/quote]

Yep - sounds like the blues to me.

Seriously, we do the exact same thing and we get away with it. Just keep your humour about you, get Mr Junkhouse to ham it up a bit and engage the audience.

Last gig we did was a a rugby club and one of the player's wives wanted to sing Mustang Sally. We let her and she was pretty good but every time we tried to end the song she went into another bloody chorus. The damn thing went on for about 8 minutes and we thought we'd hacked everybody off but the crowd loved it and thought we were, and I quote, 'really good musicians for keeping it going that long'. Never underestimate the power of a free bar to make you sound good.

If you go in thinking it's going to be awful, it will be awful. If you go in thinking 'sh1t man, let's play some blues' then you'll have a good time and the majority of the punters will too.

As for Mustang Sally, people like it so you will have to play it - accept the fact. Just close your eyes and take one for the team.

Edited November 27, 2009 by TheRev

[whynot]

I think it'll be fine. Nothing wrong with Mustang Sally. Don't like it as a song so much but when done with people you enjoy playing with and it grooves then fine.
Being Corporate I guess the alcohol consumption will be high which is in most bands favour.
Slightly off topic but showing how different you can be on the Corporate/Wedding scene (as in stage clothes etc), check out the Bogus Brothers. Was on the same bill as them last year and they went down a storm. One of the busiest bands on the circuit.

[chris_b]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='667153' date='Nov 27 2009, 10:43 AM'].... Every song goes...intro...harp solo....verse...harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo...verse...harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo...break for lunch......harp solo....guitar solo....harp and guitar solo....[/quote]
Well at least you get some respite....he has to stop blowing the harp to sing!!

[OldGit]

Hi Al
You have a fine blues band but

If this is what you do and how you do it, you have two realistic options (other than totally revamp your entire set into a big scary entertaining pastiche of a blues band in action)

Option 1: Run away. Tell the person looking to book you for a coperate gig that they will soon be looking for a new job unless one clear situation pertains: The big bosses wife loves your band. You and they may [i]just[/i] get away with it then, just.
Option 2: Take the money and be prepared for a somewhat uncomfortable evening.

Edited November 27, 2009 by OldGit

[niceguyhomer]

Yep

[HeavyJay]

[quote name='OldGit' post='667216' date='Nov 27 2009, 11:39 AM']Hi Al
You have a fine blues band but

If this is what you do and how you do it, you have two realistic options (other than totally revamp your entire set into a big scary entertaining pastiche of a blues band in action)

Option 1: Run away. Tell the person looking to book you for a coperate gig that they will soon be looking for a new job unless one clear situation pertains: The big bosses wife loves your band. You and they may [i]just[/i] get away with it then, just.
Option 2: Take the money and be prepared for a somewhat uncomfortable evening.[/quote]

Your band sounds great, I love watching youtube vids of other BCer's gigs. Anyone know if there's a thread about to post them in? Like the live pics thread?

And for what it's worth I tend to agree with OG, and I veer towards option 1 myself when asked to do big corporate or wedding gigs that are going to be wanting "the standards". The band I'm in do exclusively 50s and 60s stuff and it can be uncomfortable as hell when the Head of HR or mother of the bride ask for Kings of Leon or some such.

OG's wedding gigs thread is full of excellent advice for it all.

I'll stop wittering now.


Edited to add:
You need a baseball cap too to match your bandmates!

Edited again to add:
Found a Thread of playing and gigs vids: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=61774"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=61774[/url]

Edited December 2, 2009 by HeavyJay

[OldGit]

[quote name='HeavyJay' post='667265' date='Nov 27 2009, 12:24 PM']OG's wedding gigs thread is full of excellent advice for it all.

Edited to add:
You need a baseball cap too to match your bandmates! [/quote]


Ta.. not just mine though lots of BCers play weddings and added to the thread.

Re hats. That's a blues harp player's Bakerboy or Newsboy cap that Mr Dog is wearing. I think Homer needs a bass players hat.

[Beedster]

[quote name='OldGit' post='667216' date='Nov 27 2009, 11:39 AM']Hi Al
You have a fine blues band but
If this is what you do and how you do it, you have two realistic options (other than totally revamp your entire set into a big scary entertaining pastiche of a blues band in action)

Option 1: Run away. Tell the person looking to book you for a coperate gig that they will soon be looking for a new job unless one clear situation pertains: The big bosses wife loves your band. You and they may [i]just[/i] get away with it then, just.
Option 2: Take the money and be prepared for a somewhat uncomfortable evening.[/quote]

Mmm, can't help agreeing with OG here - having seen the clip above it might not be the kind of blues the corporate market will relish.

Edit: Should add, to reconcile my two posts above, that I auditioned for a blues band a few years back that did loads of corporate gigs, all wore really sharp suits (not in a 'we do corporate gigs' kind of way, but in a 'we're really into the 60's beatnik look' way), and the singer/harp/saxophonist was a 100% showman, a real crowd pleasing entertainer who, even in the confines of a fairly small studio in London, made Jagger circa 1965 look pretty rigid. The whole band just looked really into it and that was really infectious. It wasn't a cheesy Blues Brothers thing, it was hard Dr Feelgood style 60'/70s R&B, noisy as hell and in yer face. BUT, and it's the key thing, they were there to entertain, not to enjoy themselves. They did enjoy themselves of course, but that was a by product of what they were doing. I think the reason a lot of bands can't make it to the higher paid gigs (and I know many, even most, don't want to, so I'm not judging), is that they're entertaining themselves and their mates, families etc, and perhaps don't understand what they would need to do to be genuinely entertaining to a paying audience? Great blues you guys are playing above Homer, so Id add a third option to OG's list: dress up a bit, have a couple of beers, and go out like you're rock stars and have a bast on that stage. Oh, and move about a bit

Either way, good luck

Edited November 27, 2009 by Beedster

[niceguyhomer]

[quote name='HeavyJay' post='667265' date='Nov 27 2009, 12:24 PM']Your band sounds great,


Edited to add:
You need a baseball cap too to match your bandmates! [/quote]

Thanks fella - we do sound a lot better than that in real life. I can't see the vid - I'm at work and the IT Gestapo block Youtube vids but it was recorded on a mobile phone so probably sounds sh*te.

As regards the hat - if I put a baseball hat on, I look like I'm on one of those outings where someone should be holding my hand.


[quote name='OldGit' post='667281' date='Nov 27 2009, 12:46 PM']Ta.. not just mine though lots of BCers play weddings and added to the thread.

Re hats. That's a blues harp player's Bakerboy or Newsboy cap that Mr Dog is wearing. I think Homer needs a bass players hat.
[/quote]

See above


[quote name='Beedster' post='667283' date='Nov 27 2009, 12:47 PM']Mmm, can't help agreeing with OG here - having seen the clip above it might not be the kind of blues the corporate market will relish.[/quote]

Yep - that's the point Chris

[JTUK]

hmmm... don't know about this.

I once played in a Soul Revue type band..although that set-up wasn't intentional, far from it, and we used to take on a few weddings for friends of friends.
I suggested we might like to accomodate a few slow numbers for this purpose as we weren't cheap, and the lead singers response was 'f*** 'em'

We got away with ..and they still get away with it, but have slicked up a bit,
I warned them that if that attitude started to cost me money I wouldn't be happy at all..
There were other issues as well, but my take was that if we turned up for a gig then we must get paid for it but I wasn't the one who had to go and get the money.

We always did get paid, but I'd make sure the booker knew the score if it were me for your gig.

I eventually left because I thought we were taking the p** out ofr the gigs for the money we charged. They are still going and a big draw around these parts.

I would share your reservations about how suitable you are for a function. Try and find out what it is for.. and annual dinner and dance with board members dressed upto the 9's then no, but a company jolly with younger guys wanting to splash some cash, then maybe. IMO.

[niceguyhomer]

[quote name='JTUK' post='667359' date='Nov 27 2009, 01:58 PM']hmmm... don't know about this.

Try and find out what it is for.. and annual dinner and dance with board members dressed upto the 9's then no, but a company jolly with younger guys wanting to splash some cash, then maybe. IMO.[/quote]

TBH I'm really unhappy about this because I do this for the fun of it - money doesn't come into it for me and I'd gig for nothing if I was having fun. Dying on stage in front of x00 people is not my idea of fun regardless of how much money is paid.

I did a lot of corporate gigs with my last band who played soul so I have a good idea how these things go. This band is so wrong.

We're rehearsing tomorrow so I'll be voicing my concerns

[Mike Brooks]

Aside from the sterling advice already given, the only nugget I would offer would be to check, if you don't already know, if the person booking you is actually going to be there for the event. Have had experiences in the past of being booked for a corporate event by someone that works for the company, then find they've taken the day off/ been on a course all day so aren't in attendance and then having the half time dress down and the cries of " do you do any ABBA?"

But if you go out and try to entertain the suits, you should be fine.

Mike

[Doddy]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='667156' date='Nov 27 2009, 10:46 AM']The rest of the guests buggered off into the buffet room. There were kids sliding on the floor, like something out of Peter Kay's act.[/quote]


Were they eating Garlic Bread?