Gig Etiquette

[BassAxe]

I'm not sure if this is the proper forum for this. I looked around and didn't see anything else.

I was invited by a singer/songwriter guitarist to come accompany him at a local coffee shop. He had a drummer lined up, too. As far as I know, the two of them haven't rehearsed, they've only jammed a few times. I have also jammed with this guitarist a couple times but only seen the drummer play when I was setting up for something else at a prior gig. This guitarist has a bunch of original songs and does some covers, but both the drummer and myself are improvising.

Well, he called me to cancel because he has come down with some kind of cold or flu or something.

I've been in bands which went ahead with a gig despite the fact that one or two members couldn't make it. I'd think that if it were the guitar player and drummer with no bassist, or the guitar player and bassist with no drummer, the gig would still be on.

Would it be rude for me to ask if the drummer and I can just go jam at the coffee shop without the guitar player? I can solo just fine for a couple hours. This is not a paying gig, but for tips only.

What is the proper etiquette in a case like this?

[wpatton11]

seems to me the club hired a singer/ songwriter and they'd maybe want that... quantitatively different than a bass n drums jam - as wonderful as that could be.
(I'm thinking Eddie Gomez and Billy Higgins....)

[lamonica78]

I agree with the above poster. It's not really your place to make a decision to go out and jam on his behalf for two hours.

[Roger Davis]

If I went to any place and came across just a bass player and drummer I'd never go back again - even if the bass player was me. You know what they say? ............when the drums stop.

[BassAxe]

I went back and made bold those parts of my post which, it seems, were missed by those who have offered feedback, so far.

Thanks.

Just to clarify, I meant ask the guitarist, not the coffee shop. I'm just not sure if it is typically wrong to ask the one who arranged the gig when he can't make it, himself.

And I'd think that if it is a choice of instrumental entertainment as opposed to none at all, the coffee shop might appreciate the offer.

[tZer]

It wouldn't be rude to ask the guitar/singer/songwriter anything. Ask away. Don't be surprised if he doesn't think it's a good idea and says that he'd rather you not.

As for a drum and bass being better than nothing at all - well... That really depends on the drummer and bass player and whether or not they can actually fill 2 hours with something interesting and unobtrusive.

I am not saying it can't be done - I am saying I think it's highly unlikely that an audience wants to hear that for 2 hours. Some people go to coffee shops to talk and have coffee. When there's a guitar player or a small combo playing quietly, that adds to the atmosphere and is also something that most people find accessible. Turn that into a bass and drum thing and you probably lose about 80% of the audience's interest - sadly...

[conte2music]

Do you sing? I have in the past done gigs with only a drummer when my guitarist was ill. I would just sing a ton of tunes with very limited soloing. It stayed fresh, because of the tune selection, and it wasn't a big bass solo fest...which would certainly bore me.

[jayarroz]

take the night off, and go find an open mike and sit in on bass...meet some new players!