Can winter gigging season be over now, please?

[the art guy]

My band got together less than a year ago, and we got tightened up and started gigging in the fall. We don't play a lot - usually once or twice a month, but it's been good so far. Tunes are sounding good, we've gotten to open for some cool touring bands, we're building a small fan base of our own, etc........(oh, and we're based in Des Moines, Iowa)

.....but as I was loading my 4x10 into the club last night, trudging through the still-heavily-falling snow, it occurred to me that this is just what gigging feels like to me: bone-chilling cold, icy roads home at 1 AM, small crowds because half of our friends stay home in the storms (and I can't blame them). It just seems normal. When we go to play a show, these are the things we deal with, pretty much every time. I find myself daydreaming about how AMAZING it will be to be cruising home after a gig someday, windows down, enjoying the warm summer breeze.

Can this winter be over now, please? Pretty please?

[Lady Kayri]

Be glad you at least HAVE a winter gigging season. Here most of the bars and dinner clubs that have live entertainment are closed during the winter...

[T. B. Player]

Originally Posted by Lady Kayri

Be glad you at least HAVE a winter gigging season. Here most of the bars and dinner clubs that have live entertainment are closed during the winter...

Southern NJ? Your "winter gigging season" was a "winter digging season." We were supposed to be in Cape May the weekend of the first blizzard to hit you all - We'd still be there trying to unbury ourselves!

Z

[LowDown Hal]

I'll take the winter snow over the, soon to come, spring mud.

[xgator4u]

AH, thank God for "global warming". Imagine how cold it would be without it.

[Drop-the-One]

It's hot and sunny here
for the olympixx too!

I want snow. You and I can switch places if you have a ski hill

[Drop-the-One]

"the art guy"... Your myspace is awesome
You guys are totally a summer's-eve party band
/added

[Lady Kayri]

Heh. Most of our snow is melted off now, but the weather forecast calls for two more storms in the next week. Amount of snow here doens't really matter though; in winter most of the musos I know here have gigs in Atlantic City, Philly, etc. - but not in Cape May County. Lots of bars open, but most of them don't have live entertainment in the winter except for the occasional karoke spinmeister or DJ. As depressing if you want to go out and see / hear a live band as it is if you're looking for gigs...

[Time Consumer]

The op is the only one who might have it a lil worse than me, lol, I live in the windy city, they're forecasting 4 to 8 inches tomorrow, good thing I dont have any shows next week.

[loendmaestro]

Reminds me of the time we played an outdoor gig in late October during a cold snap. There were those big, tall heater things in the audience, but only one worked. The crowd was cool enough to let my wife who was 7 months pregnant sit under it, but everybody did hang out right around her!
We played the gig & my fingers were cold & unforgiving. Then we got home & our heater in the house had died!

I don't miss gigs like that.....

[the art guy]

Originally Posted by Time Consumer

The op is the only one who might have it a lil worse than me, lol, I live in the windy city, they're forecasting 4 to 8 inches tomorrow, good thing I dont have any shows next week.

Yeah, it's been quite the winter for everyone I know, but the Midwest is something else. We're about to set a record for having over a certain amount of snow on the ground for most consecutive days - I forget the details, but it's been many inches since about December 8 or so. And more every few days. In fact, here comes some more right now.....

[bass349]

Come to Perth! Played a stinkin hot gig tonight.. I much prefer giggin in summer

[plankspanker13]

It's prime time in Arizona all year long, but a rather sweaty load-in/out will become the norm in another 2 months until October.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by Drop-the-One

It's hot and sunny here
for the olympixx too!

I want snow. You and I can switch places if you have a ski hill

Ahh... the weather is great in Vancouver. Nice break from the rain.

Bullocks to the Olympics.... give me that Sun!

[PsychoScout]

winter is killing my bass, let it be over soon pretty please

[Drop-the-One]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Ahh... the weather is great in Vancouver. Nice break from the rain.

Bullocks to the Olympics.... give me that Sun!

well, I think we get best of both worlds. 1/4Mill worth of trucks hauling snow from Manning park...
... means it's warm when it's party time on Robson Square.

you have any shows in the next week?

[bergy9650]

someone said there gig got canceled because of 8in of snow? that makes no sense to me... for somthign to get cancled where i live there has to be atleast 12'' and lots off ice

[gjbassist]

Yes, I'm done with the snow as well! We are getting more snow and ice here as I speak. This has been the worst winter I can remember in a long time. People just don't want to get out and come to a gig when it is like this.

[tycobb73]

Here in MI when the weather gets nice everyone heads to the lake and the gigging season falls off.

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by tycobb73

Here in MI when the weather gets nice everyone heads to the lake and the gigging season falls off.

Yep.

Around here most bars quit having bands from about June-September.