gig dilema, need your input

[giantjerk]

This might be kinda long, trying to condense but please bear with me. Two weeks ago I get introduced to a drummer by someone I trust. The drummer knows a female guitar player/singer who has put out two professional CD's utilizing studio musicians. She travels extensively and plays solo. He asks if I would be willing to play a gig at the end of October where she has been hired to be the opening act for a major name performer and the crowd is going to be 4,000 people (confirmed attendance/private event), she is scheduled to play a one hour opening performance, he is going to drum. We are only going to be able to rehearse with her once before the actual gig, not the best but I can live with that. I got to hear her material that night. It was good, in fact really good with some tasty bass lines. I left with two CD's containing 10 songs on each. I got an email the very next day advising that the set list was going to be 2 songs off of one CD and 9 off the other. So I set out learning the songs. I get an email today and the set list has changed, in fact everything I have learned so far has been dropped and two songs that I don't even have are now added to the set list.

I agreed to do this in part as long as I would get lyric sheets and guitar chord progressions. I was told that I would get this plus charts/notes from the studio bass player. So far, nothing. I've got a full time day job so I'm spending a considerable amount of time at night dissecting these songs and the bass lines are fairly intricate.

If this were an ordinary weekend pickup gig at a local bar I would just suck it up and improvise. This situation is completely different, huge crowd, media exposure, and a confirmed opportunity to meet the headlining performer and band.

So four weeks from the gig, no confirmed set list, incomplete recordings, no lyric sheets, no guitar chord change sheets, no notes/charts from the studio bass player.

I'm seeing a train wreck ahead. I'm not bound by any contract. I'm leaning toward bailing at this point as they have not provided what I asked for up front and that they keep making changes.

Your opinions?

[jady]

Originally Posted by giantjerk

This might be kinda long, trying to condense but please bear with me. Two weeks ago I get introduced to a drummer by someone I trust. The drummer knows a female guitar player/singer who has put out two professional CD's utilizing studio musicians. She travels extensively and plays solo. He asks if I would be willing to play a gig at the end of October where she has been hired to be the opening act for a major name performer and the crowd is going to be 4,000 people (confirmed attendance/private event), she is scheduled to play a one hour opening performance, he is going to drum. We are only going to be able to rehearse with her once before the actual gig, not the best but I can live with that. I got to hear her material that night. It was good, in fact really good with some tasty bass lines. I left with two CD's containing 10 songs on each. I got an email the very next day advising that the set list was going to be 2 songs off of one CD and 9 off the other. So I set out learning the songs. I get an email today and the set list has changed, in fact everything I have learned so far has been dropped and two songs that I don't even have are now added to the set list.

I agreed to do this in part as long as I would get lyric sheets and guitar chord progressions. I was told that I would get this plus charts/notes from the studio bass player. So far, nothing. I've got a full time day job so I'm spending a considerable amount of time at night dissecting these songs and the bass lines are fairly intricate.

If this were an ordinary weekend pickup gig at a local bar I would just suck it up and improvise. This situation is completely different, huge crowd, media exposure, and a confirmed opportunity to meet the headlining performer and band.

So four weeks from the gig, no confirmed set list, incomplete recordings, no lyric sheets, no guitar chord change sheets, no notes/charts from the studio bass player.

I'm seeing a train wreck ahead. I'm not bound by any contract. I'm leaning toward bailing at this point as they have not provided what I asked for up front and that they keep making changes.

Your opinions?

Your psycing yourself out. Just learn as many of the songs as you can, chart out what you can using any shorthand method that works for you, and listen to the songs as much as you can humanly stand. You will be fine, it just seems like the more time we have before a gig like this the longer we have to 2nd guess and doubt ourselves.

Think of it as a set where all of the other musicians know their parts and you just have to drop into place.

I do gigs like this all the time and it will 99% of the time go better than I think it will. Don't drop this job, it is a very good way to make yourself better quicker. Getting in over your head will push you to develop quicker.

For example, I have a gig in Oct with Gigi Gonaway (the drummer for Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston). I am a good player but nowhere even near to his level, I am crapping small woodland creatures over this gig, but, I will practice, study the music, remain calm, and groove my little ass off and it will be fine.

Good Luck man!!!!!

[seansbrew]

Is this band always like this?

If you reeeaaally want to do the gig despite all the disrespect they've given you, be the squeaky wheel. Call them every day until it's resolved; be relentless.

But if you have had enough (which is how I would probably feel) of their nonsense, give them a definite deadline and stick to it. If you don't have what you need when the clock strikes midnight of said day, then bail out.

[jady]

It doesn't sound like a "band" situation but more of a hired gun situation. As a hired gun all you need to do is learn the material and play it. Most young singer/songwriters have very little practical experience with bands, they always play solo. Henceforth, they do not know what bassists/drummers/keyboardists need for a job like this so it could be mere inexperience and not disrespect.

[seansbrew]

Originally Posted by jady

It doesn't sound like a "band" situation but more of a hired gun situation. As a hired gun all you need to do is learn the material and play it. Most young singer/songwriters have very little practical experience with bands, they always play solo. Henceforth, they do not know what bassists/drummers/keyboardists need for a job like this so it could be mere inexperience and not disrespect.

Good point

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by jady

It doesn't sound like a "band" situation but more of a hired gun situation. As a hired gun all you need to do is learn the material and play it. Most young singer/songwriters have very little practical experience with bands, they always play solo. Henceforth, they do not know what bassists/drummers/keyboardists need for a job like this so it could be mere inexperience and not disrespect.

+1. I'd also add that IME a lot of singer/songwriters barely read music and don't notate or chart their songs besides the lyrics. For these types of gigs, a good ear is more valuable than anything.

If the others don't come through with proper recordings or a chart after you've made the situation clear, then they don't have a right to expect perfection, and neither do you. You didn't say whether the artist was expecting a note-for-note reproduction of what's on the recording, but if she's unprepared with sheet music or charts, I don't think she's the type to notice any deviations you make.

You're still four weeks out, which I think is plenty of time to prepare a set. I wouldn't sweat it.