How Much Do You Gig?

[WJGreer]

I'd like to get a feel for how many of us are actually playing out versus playing in.

Yes, I bet this poll has been done before. Don't worry about it - it's a whole new group of people on here by now.

[DigthemLows]

had eight last month......5 upright, 3 electric...........this month 4 on upright, 2 on electric.........Only have 2 booked for October so far.....whew, might get some projects done around the house! Plus I have a full time job, 2 kids, and I'm building a custom bass for a TBer. Music keeps me busy!

[erochelle77]

Nothing right now. Just getting a little group going, writing some stuff. Still looking for a drummer.

[peabody]

I get to gig once a year...and next weekend is our weekend to play! I get together once a year with the guys I played with in high school/college (I'm 47 now, so you know that was a long time ago). We play one of the local festivals (Oktoberfest in La Crosse, WI) and team it up with a bar gig to make a weekend out of it. We get together for one or two nights of practice and still manage to put together 3 sets of music...and we still sound pretty good (if I say so myself). It's a very special weekend.... (PS - my avatar is from our bar gig last year)

[Alexander]

Five gigs over the past two months - kind of ideal for me, I guess...

[DaveDeVille]

i'm just a weekend warrior ...
friday and saturday nights only .



... { old geezer voice / ON :}
i remember back in my younger , un-married / no children / no mortgage days ,
i would gig three to four nights per WEEK , typically .{ old geezer voice / OFF }

[Depth_Charge]

Despite looking for a working band I'm not playing out at all at the moment

Got an audition next week though. Fingers crossed I'll play out this year!

[CamMcIntyre]

1-2 times a month for me. Some months more [6+], other months-not at all.

I'm starting to look for a regular rock gig and have a jazz group starting up soon.

[The Golden Boy]

Although I think I've played 3 shows during the past 30 days, I usually only play 1-2 times a month these days.

[pointbass]

Usually 7-8 per month. 4 per month with a classic rock group, 2 per month with a jazz trio, and the other two are usually lighter dates as a duo (Sunday brunches or coffeehouse things). I also do some recording stuff, but I don't really consider those "gigs" in the true sense of the word since they're usually short and fall into the "hired gun" category.

And that's really just about my maximum now, I'm no longer interested in more than 1-2 per week, actually 6 a month would work out nearly perfect if I could keep it there ....

[Asa Samuel]

not playing out yet, wich is a shame.

[jomahu]

summer was wicked hectic - one weekend, we managed to play 4 gigs!
autumn is not as crazy (less outdoor stuff), but it's shaping up nicely...i think we have three gigs this week.

[Esquillama]

Just about every Friday and Saturday Night.
Our schedule is very full, I like it that way that's why I
joined a band in the first place.
We do mostly variety, but some originals as well.
Some club dates and private parties, as well as casinos.

I sometimes get hired out for small jazz gigs, which are a
fun departure from the regular gig.

Like many others, I also have a full time job and family, as well
as being a master's degree student myself. Whew!

Music is what drives me, it's what keeps me going.

[Yvon]

I never gig. I don't like it at all.
I play with some friends once in a while, but usually I just alone at home.

[Deacon_Blues]

Way to little. I would like to play a few times a month, but the band I'm in is too unstable. We can have two three gigs in a short period, then it might be half a year without gigging/rehearsing.

I have a lot of friends here that are professional musicians. However, they don't ever call me for a gig, there's no reason to when there's 4-5 professional bassists they rather hire than a semi-good amateur with certain limitations. Last saturday, there was a Jaco tribute concert with four local pro bassists playing Jaco's songs in Jaco style. It was a really great concert, but it made me feel very small and unskilled.

[jtkennedy9]

Every Thursday night and once a month with the Praise band. I would like to add a few weekends in a month, but it hasn't happened yet...

[Mon Rominee]

6-10 a month lately...but, being in 3 bands will do that. It's the scheduling around each that is a nightmare.

[DigthemLows]

Originally Posted by jomahu

summer was wicked hectic - one weekend, we managed to play 4 gigs!
autumn is not as crazy (less outdoor stuff), but it's shaping up nicely...i think we have three gigs this week.

I had something like that in July....Played a Wednesday night with on band, a thursday with another, friday with the wednesday band, and then one band opened for the other on Saturday........then a private party on sunday.

[mimaz]

On a slow month, only 3 or 4 gigs..........on the other hand, I did 15 gigs this past July. It probably averages out to around 6 or 8 a month.

[markjazzbassist]

several times a week. one artist i play for has really kept me busy all summer. im happy that im touring though, it pays the bills and its a lot of fun.