Buying a round of drinks for only part of the band..

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by rasbass

(Last night the bartender even came out to take our drink orders while we were setting up- the sub drummer was quite impressed).

Yeah, that's very cool when that happens. We don't play bars very often anymore... basically have a short list of 4 or 5 where we play 2-3 times a year... but a couple of those places treat us like how you described and it's GREAT.

The bars who try to jack us around on comps or whatever, we've pretty much taken off our rotation.

[deepBassie]

You know what's funnier than getting stiffed for a drink? Last gig my lead guitarist/vocalist and drummer were introduced by name to the crowd while we were all standing up on stage, but the rhythm guitarist and I were not.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by deepBassie

You know what's funnier than getting stiffed for a drink? Last gig my lead guitarist/vocalist and drummer were introduced by name to the crowd while we were all standing up on stage, but the rhythm guitarist and I were not.

Unprofessional.

I'd address that one immediately, in a tough-love kinda way.

I don't think it makes anyone a diva to expect basic respect and recognition. On the other hand, it does make the people who don't display basic respect appear kind of simian.

[deepBassie]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

On the other hand, it does make the people who don't display basic respect appear kind of simian.

This pretty much sums it up for me. I don't respect folks that lack the most basic aspects of civility. In response, I choose not to waste my time dealing with such knuckleheads. I leave the poop-flinging to the monkeys.

[JaamE]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

Now, if patron hands me a drink and walks off, well, not much I can do about that. But it's wrong on several levels.

I've done that, but it was a band that knows me, and i was just setting a shot at their bass players feet. I do it when i have the money and because he always flirts back when i dance in front of him, and we talk about bass on the breaks. I always ask the waitress first if he's ok to buy a shot for because i've seen them play when he's had to many. He's the front man and it doesn't go well at all when he's plowed.

Back when i had enough money for a full round, i'd make sure they all got one, even the sound board guy who only drank coke, and i'd tip the waitress to take it to them.

[jmattbassplaya]

It happens a lot. My guitarist is pretty darn impressive and gets a lot of attention from people. Likewise, my singer is a bit of a showman and get a good bit of attention himself. I'm next on the list, but still don't get nearly as much recognition that the first two get, but I'm still thankful I'm not our drummer

To be honest, when stuff like that happens it tends to be done as a way for an audience member to steal away one of us on a break so that they can talk to us more one on one. Usually when it happens the person buying the shot is just interested in what we're doing and bringing to the table as individuals, so in a sense it's really nothing too personal against the rest of us.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by JaamE

Back when i had enough money for a full round, i'd make sure they all got one, even the sound board guy who only drank coke, and i'd tip the waitress to take it to them.

You're a good egg, and I hope those days return for you soon.

[CodyLX450]

Just play a bass with more than 4 strings.

Hardly a gig goes by without someone approaching me during a few minute band break to say something like "Holy crap dude....thats a sweet bass....whats that....5.....6......7 strings!?! God thats amazing. It must be heavy... You guys rock....so.....what are you drinking? I'd like to buy you a drink!"

99.472% of our songs I play 3 strings or less... (unless I'm really bored or feeling creative) - so it seems to only matter that the strings are there.

[Blue_Whistle88]

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

If you don't take it personally, it won't bother you.

+1. I wanted to say "harden up, it's a bar", but this is a more politically correct way of putting it. At the end of the day, complaining about people not buying you drinks is a bit weak. They chose to do something nice for someone else and happened to leave you out of the gesture; you can either highlight the positive or the negative.

[Munjibunga]

I have a different view. Sometimes people buy me drinks and send them up to the stage. I don't drink.

[fraublugher]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I have a different view. Sometimes people buy me drinks and send them up to the stage. I don't drink.

Same. non-issue for me too.

[rasbass]

Originally Posted by CodyLX450

Just play a bass with more than 4 strings.

Hardly a gig goes by without someone approaching me during a few minute band break to say something like "Holy crap dude....thats a sweet bass....whats that....5.....6......7 strings!?! God thats amazing. It must be heavy... You guys rock....so.....what are you drinking? I'd like to buy you a drink!"

I play with with a great jazz quartet- I am a serviceable player while the other three are terrific performers.

This is what used to happen when I played my NS NXT 4 string EUB: folks would come to the sax player- "wow you're a great player", come up to the pianist- "fantastic- love your playing", the drummer "man- you are so creative" and then to me, a brief pause while pondering what to say, and then "well, that sure is an interesting looking bass."

I switched to a CJ Kay 5 string upright- sounds better, etc., but now I don't even get the interesting looking bass line anymore- it seems the oddity 5 string upright must be pretty subtle. I am afraid I am going to have to resort to desperate measures to garner attention and free drinks- practice.

[OmNomNom]

Originally Posted by dbase

Our band brings its own bottle of Petrone... we kill it before we go on stage...

You must not have spent too much time admiring the label on that bottle of PATRON

[OmNomNom]

If the guitarist and singer are getting drinks (i.e. attention) - then you are doing your job correctly!

[Stewie26]

Originally Posted by OmNomNom

If the guitarist and singer are getting drinks (i.e. attention) - then you are doing your job correctly!

+1. Also, if the ladies are dancing and shaking to the groove, then you are doing your job.

[kellyrojo]

Somebody has bought me a drink and not the "lead" guys numerous times. It's gone the other way numerous times as well. Whatevs. I have learned to bypass all this by bringing a cooler with a 12 pack for the entire band. This way we don,t spend our cash on drinks, the busy bartenders don't have to worry about us, and everybody's happy. Of course this doesn't work if you are in a band full of drunks but if you're all just having a couple no worries

[Russell L]

A gal wanted to buy the whole band a drink last night (my trio, for this gig) and looked so let down when we all asked for a Coke, lol. It was a biker bar, too. But hey, each of us had to drive home alone, so...

[msaone]

Tip jar?

[JaamE]

Originally Posted by msaone

Tip jar?

Yeah, that's me too... i've never seen a band with a tip jar around here.

[Yango]

Originally Posted by OmNomNom

If the guitarist and singer are getting drinks (i.e. attention) - then you are doing your job correctly!

I like the way you think.