Audition/Rehearsal 1.5 hr drive?

[CultofJay]

I have an audition for a country cover band this Saturday and I just found out that the drummer's house (which is the practice space) is around 1.5 hrs away. This seems like something I should have been told up front. What's the longest you've ever driven for an audition or weekly rehearsal and would you drive that long for a potential spot in a new band?

[Already In Use]

For an audition OK IMO...for regular practice too far 4 me IMO.

[agreatheight]

Too far. My current max is 30 miles and/or 45 minutes. But I will be moving somewhere less urban in the next year or so, and I'll probably up the limit a bit, but I can't imagine I'd go higher than 45 miles and/or 60 minutes.

[Shiftkitty]

Well, I did a 2.5 hour commute for a day job that barely paid the bills for about 5 years, but it was better than anything offered here. If I were you I'd ask myself what the income potential is and how bad you want it (and how often they practice). It's going to cost a fortune in gas and wear and tear on the vehicle. Plus, you're probably going to be physically and mentally beat up. They should have mentioned something about that right up front.

Bear in mind I'm not a professional and have never traveled very far for any kind of performance. I'm just thinking from the practical side of my brain.

[Metal Mitch]

Originally Posted by CultofJay

This seems like something I should have been told up front.

Why? You want the gig, that's where it is. Don't like it, they'll find somebody else. End of story.

[walknbluez]

It depends on what the rewards are. Is it worth the drive?

[bluewine]

Yeah, If they can offer 150.00 a man shows and you doing 2-3 shows a month than I think it's ok.

If this is a teir 3 band struggling for shows,I say move on, it's not worth it.

If they know it's that much of commute for you, they will probably take the guy thats 20 minutes away anyway.

[Lowest End]

That's about my drive for one of the bands I play with. We only practice a couple times a month and gig about once per month, so it isn't completely awful. This is my "for fun" band. It's metal, and there's no money in metal, so I knew what I was getting into.

[RustyAxe]

It would have to be a well paid rehearsal for me to drive 3 hours round trip. And the band would have to be booked and making money. That said, I live in a densely populated part of the country and there are plenty of excellent musicians in a 30 mile radius of my house.

[skwee]

Depends on the money involved. Don't screw yourself. Figure out what the expense is to work out if the equation is worth it too you.

[zachoff]

I wouldn't drive 1.5 hours to work and I get a paycheck if I go there.

[CultofJay]

It's a new band made up of ex members of a couple of different country bands that used to gig a lot around Fort Wayne. So, there's a lot of potential for gigs since country is really big around here and the singer has said the other guys have contacts from their previous bands. I'm not even a huge country music fan, but I'd rather play top 40 country than top 40 metal right now (both genres are huge around here). I wasn't told exactly where it was until yesterday, a week after getting her reply to my CL ad.

My real concern is that "potential for gigs". I've learned that potential doesn't always pan out. They want to rehearse every week for band cohesion too. I'm into that idea, I like to be friends with the people I'm playing music with (if I can), but my car just hit 100k and gas is almost $3 right now. I already told her I'd be there and I think it would be unprofessional to not show up now, one day before they rehearse. Oh, right, (big point here) my audition seems like it's also everyone's audition. From the way she's been talking this is the first time everyone will be playing together.

[Waterpilot]

I drive about an hour and am fine with it... The drive is easy with little traffic. But, why worry about it now? You've committed to the audition. Wait to see how it goes and if you even like them first. Afterwards, you may feel it's worth it...

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by Waterpilot

I drive about an hour and am fine with it... The drive is easy with little traffic. But, why worry about it now? You've committed to the audition. Wait to see how it goes and if you even like them first. Afterwards, you may feel it's worth it...

+1 No downside to checking things out.

I'd also ask what area will they be concentrating getting gigs. You may end up with 2-3 hour rides to get TO a gig.

[stoneboy26]

Do the audition...you will get a pretty good idea whether the distance is worth it after that.

I've often driven an hour each for rehearsals.

[bluewine]

My real concern is that "potential for gigs". I've learned that potential doesn't always pan out.


Your right on target with that.That is the real core issue here. For all you know these guys were a big deal at one time.They may have run out of gas. It happens.

But I agree, do the audition and see if you dig these cats.

Good luck, I am out here in the audition trenches with you.And it ain't fun.

blue

[seanm]

I would do the audition. If you back out now, you will always wonder "what if?" But I personally wouldn't take the gig unless the band was fantastic.

On the other hand, maybe the practices will be somewhere else. It could be they didn't mention the distance because only the audition will be held there for some reason.

[OmnitzGarima]

Originally Posted by zachoff

I wouldn't drive 1.5 hours to work and I get a paycheck if I go there.

Jeez is it ever hard to argue with that logic.

I used to drive that far to play, but it was once every two months, not a regular thing.

[tycobb73]

It costs about 50 cents a mile to drive a car. I'm guessing its at least 50 miles away. That means every practice is costing you $50. Something to conisder.

[Jefenator]

To drive that far for a weekly rehearsal, it would have to be one heck of a band.

I had a similar situation, a while back. I left a beater bass at their space and took the motorcycle to a few of the rehearsals. That took the edge off.