Anyone else tired of "paid rehearsals"

[kissmybASS01]

In case you're not sure hat I mean, it's those gigs you play and for basically the first two sets you're only playing for the bar staff, and here in Manitoba, Canada the regulars playing the Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs). Luckily, our band gets paid either way, but its still a downer playing to an empty house

My last two gigs were basically paid rehearsals. The first was at a dive bar where we start at 9:30 and play til 1:30am. The usual times are start at 10pm and play til closing 2:30am. (Ending the nite early does have its advantages - early to bed!! ) Our last one was our first outdoor gig as (afternoon) entertainment at a beer garden. Again not too many people outside, as the main hubbub was indoors, but fun none the less.

As I'm also a poker player, we usually don't like telling bad beat stories, but anyone else interested in venting about "paid rehearsals" feel free to do so. The bar fridge is fully stocked, chips and snacks are on the table, and there's plenty of room on the couch!

PS: Since you're with the band, please park around back and cut thru the service hallway to the back elevator. As well, keep the noise down and don't prop the doors open! LOL

[nsmar4211]

Hey as long as the word "paid" is in there, I'll play .

We've done a few of those.....once when we'd been cancelled once cause of rain and then the next week it rained again we said Screw it, we're going to play anyway! Set up undercover, dragged our couple friends that braved the rain under with us.....and played for them. Bar owner paid us for an hour even though we tried to refuse it (he's out of business now but great guy)...

One word on playing outside and everyone else is inside...you'd be amazed how much of your sound goes inside and people *do* notice....hopefully you had tons of business cards available for people to take

[fourstringdrums]

It's a downer, but if I'm getting paid, bring it on.

[doktorfeelgood]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

It's a downer, but if I'm getting paid, bring it on.

+1...Gigging pays my grocery bill so if I want to eat for the next week, we play until we're told to stop. There's time that it ain't much fun if there's nobody in the joint, but we try to play with the same professionalism whether the joint is packed or there's only staff in the place. )-(

[IanStephenson]

They're pretty inevitable. We're now at the stage where they're few and far between - last week we had the first in about six months, followed by another the next night!! Not the greatest of weekends.

Just remember that in most cases it's not the bands fault - in our case a student bar booked us just after the exams when most of the students had gone home for the weekend. The next night we were booked in a private members bar, and no one bothered to tell the general public (or to tell us for that matter) it was a non-members night - no one turned up cause they thought they wouldn't get in!!

This weekend we play our busiest gig ever!

As long as there aren't too many, and they're happening less often than they used to, just accept it, take the cash, play well (look for the few people who ARE enjoying it, and work for them to have a good night), and bounce back.

I saw Guns and Roses play to a half empty venue a year or so AFTER Appetite for Destruction came out. At least it started half empty until G&R started, then people started to leave... Happens to everyone.

Ian

[fourstringdrums]

Originally Posted by IanStephenson

Just remember that in most cases it's not the bands fault - in our case a student bar booked us just after the exams when most of the students had gone home for the weekend. The next night we were booked in a private members bar, and no one bothered to tell the general public (or to tell us for that matter) it was a non-members night - no one turned up cause they thought they wouldn't get in!!

We recently played a gig where no one showed up because there was a cheese store opening up and everyone in town went to that.

Perhaps that belongs in the lame band thread

[kissmybASS01]

Originally Posted by nsmar4211

Hey as long as the word "paid" is in there, I'll play .

We've done a few of those.....once when we'd been cancelled once cause of rain and then the next week it rained again we said Screw it, we're going to play anyway! Set up undercover, dragged our couple friends that braved the rain under with us.....and played for them. Bar owner paid us for an hour even though we tried to refuse it (he's out of business now but great guy)...

One word on playing outside and everyone else is inside...you'd be amazed how much of your sound goes inside and people *do* notice....hopefully you had tons of business cards available for people to take

How much did your band cost to play????? Hope it wasn't you that put him out of business


Yeah, when it comes to Mother Nature, all bets are off. Our outdoor gig that I mentioned was preceded by such a huge rain storm that the original plan of two stages had to be scrapped. We were sharing the billing with a couple of other acts and the plan was to have two stages to alternate (minimize set-up and tear-down). After the rain, the area where the main stage was to go was so flooded and muddy that the organizers had to have just the one stage.

[kissmybASS01]

On the upside of these empty house gigs, it gives us the opportunity to try out our new tunes and such. If they work, great! If they don't, only a few "witnesses to take care of."

[IanStephenson]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

there was a cheese store opening up and everyone in town went to that. (

Bands come and go, but how often do you get to go to the opening of a really good cheese store?

Classic!

[Atoz]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

We recently played a gig where no one showed up because there was a cheese store opening up and everyone in town went to that.

Sorry, but this made me laugh. I'd like to sig this.

[Edwcdc]

I played one of these last night. We started out pretty strong but the night just never took off.
By the time we were done there were only about 15-20 people left in the joint.
I get my money, get home, get some sleep.
I think we blew them out with our first set.

[Lalabadie]

Better than a rehearsal in a basement with your full fanbase.

Oh glorious days.

[Jerry Ziarko]

A lesson can be learned on nights like that. I played in a original pop country band for many years. Along the way to trying to get signed, we opened for pretty much anyone, anywhere. We also discussed the whole "paid rehearsal" thing. Some of those nights were truthfully painful. Then one night we had an epiphany. We were opening for Asleep At the Wheel up in Watertown NY in a tent in late Sept. It was absolutely freezing, and raining to beat all hell. In other words, attendance was pitiful. We came out and did our set, pretty much uninspired by the paltry crowd. As long as we were there and trapped by the rain, we figured we would stay for the whole AATH show. Those guys and gal hit the stage like they owned the world. You would swear there were 20,000 people there. They blew the roof of the place. The people that were there, (including us) went absolutely wild. From that night fwd. we kept that lesson as a constant reminder of what it takes to be professionals. Now I'm not saying every gig inspires you, but take those nights and play the best you possibly can for each other. We actually had some of our most memorable musical moments, when the crowds were sparse at best.

[Jazzdogg]

+1 Jerry

In addition to the fact that I'd much rather be paid to play than drive to and from another unpaid rehearsal, some of our gigs that started off slow really built up a head of steam and led to some great bookings because we decided to play our @$$e$ off, despite a thin crowd.

Under some circumstances, those kinds of gigs can also be liberating because of the implicit freedom to play music that's a little more musician-centric, and a little less focused on tunes an audience can dance to.

[kissmybASS01]

Jerry and Jazzdogg,

I totally agree that each performance should be played to the best of our abilities regardless of how many or how few bodies are listening. It's just nice to feed off the energy of the crowd once in a while, ya know?

As well, you never know who might be listening/attending that gig where there were only a few people. One of those few people might be your ticket to the bigs, or the very least, pay your grocery/gass bill next week

[Hoover]

I did a gig about a year ago where one person showed up. One. One lone goofy guy, who just stood in front of the stage for our entire set yelling and singing along and clapping like a crazy person. Part of me was thinking "this is pathetic" but I had to admit, he was way more enthusiastic than a typical room full of bar clientele.

I have no complaints about "paid rehearsals". It's the unpaid performances that I draw the line at.

[RED5]

Around here? here being eastern Long Island? the outside/open air venues open as soon as they can, weather be damned. Thus leads to alot of cool rainy nights where the patrons are sparse. The season continues and the ambient temp goes up and we hit stride,but until then?...sometimes we play to the room Las tweekend was a good example,monsoon blew in around mid first set, we stuck it out and got paid for the night. We had a few stalwarts,probably afraid to go out in the rain,and that rain was creeping up the floor at us, but it was pretty empty. You gotta remain flexible if you're gonna play these joints.. But get paid.

[Bob Clayton]

any day you get paid is better than a day you don't.

[chicago_mike]

A gig is a gig. In the winter time in Chicago Ill play to the bar staff too. Febuary, 20 - 30 below outside....give me a hotchocolate with rumplemints.. Fine by me.

Every show...EVERY SHOW...YES...EVERY SHOW COUNTS. I did a "paid rehearsal" gig and it ended up getting me on tv and national radio...