How was your gig last night?

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, ricksterphil said:

I'd only come across the tip bucket at gigs in Sheffield and farther North (Cas Vegas for example) until t'other weekend when we played The Donkey in Leicester on a Sunday afternoon and we got £75 in tips

 

75.00 is not bad. I talk a big game about our tips but keep in mind at some gigs our tip jar remains empty .

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

11 hours ago, cetera said:

Quick 24hr trip over to Switzerland on Saturday to play bass for US blues rocker Dudley Taft, headlining a blues festival at the bass of the Alps. Splendid! 😃🎸🎶😎👍

Pic is of support band in action....

 

 

 

Looks like a cool event.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

36 minutes ago, WalMan said:

years ago my partner in crime in the rhythm section had a set of sound edge hihats and a “knowledgeable” drummer punter told him “I had a set that went like that and I sent them back and got them replaced “ 🤦🏼‍♂️

 

Worse. Barefoot shoes but comfortable 😁

 

Post Covid one of the venues we do went to a lower flat fee and bucket and it has actually worked better for us. One of the barmaids circulates with said bucket and I believe a contactless machine early in the second set when punters are suitably oiled and enjoying themselves, not utterly bladdered.

 

As I say we’ve been better off generally on this basis with the only potential issue being we have no audit over the bucket and accept what comes our way. That’s always a round number, which could feasibly have been rounded up from bar take, but I know of a number of bands who have come away from a busy night with less and feeling shortchanged. Maybe we’re all just too polite as Brits to push back

 

Talking business is always a little awkward here for me.

 

I think it's good to stay on top of things so your band isn't blind sided. 

 

I was talking to the one of the guys in the band that opened for us Friday night and money came up in the discussion.  He told me they were gettin* $1,500.00 for most gigs. That concerns me because we're a little higher up in the local food chain than them.

 

We get a few $1,500 00 gigs like Friday night but we're still booking $500.00 shows  

 

Depends on the band and your circumstances however overall about 5 years ago we broke away from the 8-12  bar gigs. The fair, festivals and corporate sponsored events are much more lucrative .

 

You guys might know that I often throw around phrases like " high end" and " well heeled clientle". It's just the way I am. At 70 years old I want to play the nicer gigs .

 

I understand and appreciate those of you not in this for money. Unfortunately I don't have that luxury. 

 

Daryl

 

* Keep in mind musicians have a tendency to exaggerate and embellish. Lol 😆 

Edited July 16 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

9 hours ago, WalMan said:

Played Kingsfest in Emsworth on Saturday for a British Heart Foundation benefit.

 

late afternoon/early evening set that went well. Lots of singing along and a pretty tight set as planned.

 

No IEM’s which would have been nice but stage sound and monitors were ok and good practice for the Gosport Waterfront Festival next month where we’ll also be reliant on stage monitors and no IEM’s for me which is annoying because I’ve got used to them now and miss them.

 

Guitarist started the second half of Final Countdown where he does the horn part a semitone flat and I had to nudge him. Noticeable on a recording/video but most likely gone in the moment live

 

 

Nice pics. Looks like it was a fun gig.

 

Daryl

[peteb]

5 hours ago, Bluewine said:

I was talking to the one of the guys in the band that opened for us Friday night and money came up in the discussion.  He told me they were gettin* $1,500.00 for most gigs. That concerns me because we're a little higher up in the local food chain than them.

 

We get a few $1,500 00 gigs like Friday night but we're still booking $500.00 shows  

 

But are they really getting £1.5k for most gigs?  As you say, musicians have a tendency to exaggerate. They may earn that for some gigs, but the chances are they are doing plenty of $500 gigs. 

 

You have to be realistic if you want to work regularly. It has to be financially worthwhile for the the venue / bar / promoter otherwise they won't put the gig on. They won't be paying big fees for bands that obliterates any additional profit that they can potentially make over the bar. 

 

[dmccombe7]

6 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

Dave,

 

In my neck of the woods only national signed acts are pay to get in shows. The 5 and 10 dollar cover at the door for local bands died out years  ago. 

 

I agree, I don't mind dropping 5 bucks in a tip jar as I'm leaving. I don't like having the jar or bucket pushed in my face.

 

Daryl

I had no idea it was like that Daryl.

Dave

[dmccombe7]

11 hours ago, ricksterphil said:

Speakeasy gig last Saturday for Southern Frontier was a stormer. Place was full, although it's only a capacity of 70. There was some mighty shape throwing by the crowd during set 2. Country Roads always gets everyone singing and we've added MIFLAW (clue, Shania Twain song) as last song for set 2 so everyone was up and grooving. Threw 3 originals in this time which were well received.

My goto gigrig of Mike Lull P4, Handbox R400+cab and Thumpinator did the bizzo.

The drummer from my previous band turned up and was genuinely complementary which was nice. 

 

I had to google MIFLAW there. It was annoying the h*ck out of me. And when i found it i had a bit of a DOH !!!!!!! moment. 

Dave 

[Mickeyboro]

Just now, dmccombe7 said:

I had to google MIFLAW there. It was annoying the h*ck out of me. And when i found it i had a bit of a DOH !!!!!!! moment. 

Dave 

Does this count as a gender reveal?😂

[Dad3353]

9 hours ago, WalMan said:

...years ago my partner in crime in the rhythm section had a set of sound edge hihats and a “knowledgeable” drummer punter told him “I had a set that went like that and I sent them back and got them replaced “ ...

 

[Bluewine]

9 hours ago, peteb said:

 

But are they really getting £1.5k for most gigs?  As you say, musicians have a tendency to exaggerate. They may earn that for some gigs, but the chances are they are doing plenty of $500 gigs. 

 

You have to be realistic if you want to work regularly. It has to be financially worthwhile for the the venue / bar / promoter otherwise they won't put the gig on. They won't be paying big fees for bands that obliterates any additional profit that they can potentially make over the bar. 

 

Nice! I agree with you 100%.

Daryl

[Bluewine]

9 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I had no idea it was like that Daryl.

Dave

Dave,

 

I can only speak for my relatively small music community in the Milwaukee area. Other areas could be different. 

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

9 hours ago, peteb said:

 

But are they really getting £1.5k for most gigs?  As you say, musicians have a tendency to exaggerate. They may earn that for some gigs, but the chances are they are doing plenty of $500 gigs. 

 

You have to be realistic if you want to work regularly. It has to be financially worthwhile for the the venue / bar / promoter otherwise they won't put the gig on. They won't be paying big fees for bands that obliterates any additional profit that they can potentially make over the bar. 

 

 

Pete,

 

Me personally,  I like County and Municipal sponsored shows. They have much bigger budgets for bands. Now with that being said we're talking about tax payer money which for some might open a whole other can of worms.

 

We're also in Church Festival land here and they have big pockets for bands too 

 

Thanks for your commentary. 

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

On 14/07/2024 at 07:05, BigRedX said:

 

Thanks!

 

Although many of the gigs we are doing at the moment have pro photographers usually employed by the festival or promotor. a lot of the photos I post are, like this one, simply those taken by fans with their phones. I think it helps that at the moment we are mostly playing venues with proper stages and lighting rigs, and as a band we make an effort to look interesting when we perform. It also definitely helps that our singer is a complete show-off.

 

Proper stages, lighting rigs, and competent sound guys have become increasingly important to me in my advanced years. Lol

 

Daryl

[ricksterphil]

17 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

 

Proper stages, lighting rigs, and competent sound guys have become increasingly important to me in my advanced years. Lol

 

Daryl

Amen to that, especially for church gigs 🤣

[Bluewine]

Were playing one of my favorite venues this Friday night. The Baaree in Thiensville. 

 

A real live music loving crowd in a very cool setting. Yes, upscale and " well heeled". Lol

 

 

 

Daryl

Edited July 16 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

On 14/07/2024 at 15:27, tony_m said:

Saturday saw our (Rascallion's) third appearance at our local charity .

 

 

Cool and very well attended. 👍 

 

Daryl

[tony_m]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

 

Cool and very well attended. 👍 

 

Daryl

 

Indeed, it's a great little festival, and that's only the front half of the site. This is the whole site from a year or two back... 

 

[Woodinblack]

Weird end of the week this weekend. Started off going to a school on thursday night, the school the keyboard player and guitarist went for some kind of charity thing. 8-10, not so badly attended but an odd thing (we had done it before). Set up in a tennis court or something. 

 

 

Then saturday off to a 50th birthday party, well attended, slightly odd as we set up at the doorway of a room, and obviously for the first half of the evening half the audience were behind us here:

 

Would have been a lot better to set up outside, but never mind. We turned one of the Evox 8 tops round and seemed to have a good enough sound. Later on when it was cold they all came in and we turned it back!

 

Then sunday, there was a local Euro Fan Zone. Aparently there was some kind of football competition or something. Anyway, big stage, big but slightly distorting PA, and absolutely no sound man. Really awkward to set the sound up but apparently it sounded fine out the front. Quite a few people singing along to the songs, but then nothing at the end of the song!

Got a reaction for I get knocked down, and a half hearted unrehearsed version of 3 lions.

 

 

 

 Now slightly knackered.

 

 

[dmccombe7]

28 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Weird end of the week this weekend. Started off going to a school on thursday night, the school the keyboard player and guitarist went for some kind of charity thing. 8-10, not so badly attended but an odd thing (we had done it before). Set up in a tennis court or something. 

 

 

Then saturday off to a 50th birthday party, well attended, slightly odd as we set up at the doorway of a room, and obviously for the first half of the evening half the audience were behind us here:

 

Would have been a lot better to set up outside, but never mind. We turned one of the Evox 8 tops round and seemed to have a good enough sound. Later on when it was cold they all came in and we turned it back!

 

Then sunday, there was a local Euro Fan Zone. Aparently there was some kind of football competition or something. Anyway, big stage, big but slightly distorting PA, and absolutely no sound man. Really awkward to set the sound up but apparently it sounded fine out the front. Quite a few people singing along to the songs, but then nothing at the end of the song!

Got a reaction for I get knocked down, and a half hearted unrehearsed version of 3 lions.

 

 

 

 Now slightly knackered.

 

 

Glorious weather by looks of it.

Dave

[Woodinblack]

7 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Glorious weather by looks of it.

 

It was, on all 3 events. Which is handy as the weather on monday was terrible!

[tony_m]

15 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Weird end of the week this weekend. Started off going to a school on thursday night, the school the keyboard player and guitarist went for some kind of charity thing. 8-10, not so badly attended but an odd thing (we had done it before). Set up in a tennis court or something. 

 

 

 

Then saturday off to a 50th birthday party, well attended, slightly odd as we set up at the doorway of a room, and obviously for the first half of the evening half the audience were behind us here:

 

 

Would have been a lot better to set up outside, but never mind. We turned one of the Evox 8 tops round and seemed to have a good enough sound. Later on when it was cold they all came in and we turned it back!

 

Then sunday, there was a local Euro Fan Zone. Aparently there was some kind of football competition or something. Anyway, big stage, big but slightly distorting PA, and absolutely no sound man. Really awkward to set the sound up but apparently it sounded fine out the front. Quite a few people singing along to the songs, but then nothing at the end of the song!

Got a reaction for I get knocked down, and a half hearted unrehearsed version of 3 lions.

 

 

 

 

 Now slightly knackered.

 

 

 

Interesting placement for the portaloos! 🫢

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, tony_m said:

 

Interesting placement for the portaloos! 🫢

 

Luckily we were above the floor, it wasn't so nice at ground level!

[Bluewine]

I talk a pretty good game and probably come off like I'm trying to be a big shot. And things are going pretty good for our band Maple Road and our acoustic offering " She's Right I'm Left"

 

Me;

"Proper stages, lighting rigs, and competent sound guys have become increasingly important to me in my advanced years. Lol"

 

We played anacoustic gig tonight a

In Delafield at The Befre. Good gig however the accommodations smacked me back into reality. Lol

 

Daryl

 

Edited July 18 by Bluewine

[dmccombe7]

4 hours ago, Bluewine said:

I talk a pretty good game and probably come off like I'm trying to be a big shot. And things are going pretty good for our band Maple Road and our acoustic offering " She's Right I'm Left"

 

Me;

"Proper stages, lighting rigs, and competent sound guys have become increasingly important to me in my advanced years. Lol"

 

We played anacoustic gig tonight a

In Delafield at The Befre. Good gig however the accommodations smacked me back into reality. Lol

 

Daryl

 

When you mention accommodation Daryl do you mean the venue "stage" area or do you mean you stayed overnight in accommodation in the area. ?

Appreciate that distances in US are far greater than over here.

Just curious as to how far from home you guys play and if you have a limit on how far you'll go for a gig. ?

Dave

[Dad3353]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

When you mention accommodation Daryl do you mean the venue "stage" area or do you mean you stayed overnight in accommodation in the area. ?

Appreciate that distances in US are far greater than over here.

Just curious as to how far from home you guys play and if you have a limit on how far you'll go for a gig. ?

Dave

 

I think that, from the photo, we can judge that 'accommodations', this time, meant 'stage area'..!