Lead singer wont play with us

[Spoonology]

Ok, so, my band has been offered a half hour slot at a local music festival. The predicting crowd is going to be a minimum of 500, we're probs looking at about 700/800, which for the high school/college band that we are, is a very big crowd. Possibly the biggest we will ever perform to looking at the average life span of bands our age.

Well with that in mind, when me and the lead singer went to give in our demo, she offered us the position and gave us the date, the singer said was free.

However a week later he says he got the date mixed up and is booked for a charity gig down in london with some friends. He is adamant that he can't skip on the other gig and play with us and has asked our rythm guitarist/backing vocals to take lead.

Now I don't doubt his ability but he isn't front man material and he isn't a good enough singer to take lead.

Currently me and the drummer are refusing to play as our singer didn't give us much notice so we are under rehursed, And even if we were we would lack vocal and guitar harmonies. I still think the singer should play but he wont.

We can't play it in this form and the gig is in four days time.

What do you lot think we should do?

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by Spoonology

....a week later he says he got the date mixed up and is booked for a charity gig down in london with some friends.

So it took him a week to check his calendar? That's bogus. He's made a decision for whatever reason and is blowing your band off. Must be a girl (or boy) involved the the charity gig that he's after.

Or since it's only a 1/2 slot w/o pay anyways, it's not that important to him.

He is adamant that he can't skip on the other gig and play with us and has asked our rhythm guitarist/backing vocals to take lead.

Since the guitarist isn't a lead singer and he knows that, he really doesn't care what you do or how you sound. Seems his other friends are more important than his band mates. Now you know where you stand.

What do you lot think we should do?

There are only a few choices:

1) Whine a lot, do the gig(sound crappy and possibly get a rep as a not so good band, piss the producer off because you didn't deliver what was promised)

2) Don't do the gig(call asap and let the producer know but also probably never be hired again by that producer and possibly get bad mouthed to other producers.

3) Man up, practice a lot for the next four days to get your 1/2 hour set as good as you can. Maybe you can get a couple of backup singers for the harmony.

You or the guitarist can step up as the front man. The show must go on. See it as an opportunity. It's only a 1/2 hour set.

If it was me, I'd do the set as a medley straight through. Play each song for 3 minutes and you get to do 10 songs. Or do 5 songs then break for 30 seconds while you introduce the band and thank everyone for coming. Then go into the last 15 minute medley.

Good luck.

P.S. Whether you do the gig or not, you'll have to decide whether to keep the singer or not.

[Spoonology]

All fair points.

And trust me, given the choice I would have the singer out in the blink of an eye but he is our songwriter, and he's a rather good one at that.

Just my logic is that I'd rather make no impression than a bad one, however that would mean letting down the promoters like you said.

It's just such a horrible possition to be in.

I am trying to arrange multiple practises in the next few days but the drummer says he isn't free at all, however I am trying.

[Zooberwerx]

Have to agree. You can probably muddle thru 30" worth of material (well-chosen material, that is!) and still look pretty good by the end of the set. Just maintain an air of enthusiasm and confidence. Some call it professionalism, better known as "wingin' it".

Riis

[Plookie]

Find a replacement singer...NOW! Have him/her cram like never before.
A half hour show includes a total of 5 songs (stretched, that is). So that person can learn your material...BAMM!

[Spoonology]

Oh for ****'s sake now the drummer says he has no free time to practise.

I really want to do this, but in this current state it is impossible.

And I know the promoter closely and I really don't want to let her down.

Sorry, just getting pissed about the whole thing.

[Vakmere]

Do Karaoke and have the crowd join in..........

[hbarcat]

You're so screwed.

[Mike Shevlin]

You know~ I would just go ahead with it & that singer will probably show up at the last minute. He may get pissed that you are going on without him.

[Stumbo]

You may let the producer down either way since you won't be providing the performance that was agreed upon and if you cancel, you get crap too. Maybe the producer can extend the sets of the bands that perform before and after your band was supposed to perform as a "fix".

Hey, why can't the singer "drop in" to do the 1/2 hour set? Is it too far away to be convenient?
If you play first or last, would that help?

[totallyfrozen]

Originally Posted by Spoonology

Oh for ****'s sake now the drummer says he has no free time to practise.

I really want to do this, but in this current state it is impossible.

And I know the promoter closely and I really don't want to let her down.

Sorry, just getting pissed about the whole thing.

First off, of the options stated above, I'd opt for #3.

Secondly, who gives a rat's butt if the singer is a singer/songwriter...I'm pretty sure there's more than one of those somewhere in England that you find. Kick him to the curb. Let him chase girls if that's what he wants. MOST bands end up disbanded because of romance.

Now the drummer can't practice? Sounds like NONE of the band is taking this gig with ANY professionalism or seriousness. If you know the promoter personally, just explain to her that you find yourself in a band full of wankers and you're sorry to have to let her down on short notice.

Then PROMPTLY start auditioning for another band and let this one disolve. These guys aren't serious and they have too many excuses.
That's what I'd do anyway.

IF you can get the group to actually get together and agree on a 30 minute set and rehearse it at least ONCE...then I'd probably do the show without the singer. If you can't even get the drummer or the singer to show, I'd notify the promoter and get out of the gig. They I'd take the drummer and the singer and pull all their hair out for blowing it for the band!

Think about it...your FIRST chance to play in front of HUNDREDS of people and showcase your best stuff for 30 minutes and these fools can't seem to find the time?!

If you let them, they'll ruin all your opportunities now and in the future.

[hbarcat]

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

First off, of the options stated above, I'd opt for #3.

Secondly, who gives a rat's butt if the singer is a singer/songwriter...I'm pretty sure there's more than one of those somewhere in England that you find. Kick him to the curb. Let him chase girls if that's what he wants. MOST bands end up disbanded because of romance.

Now the drummer can't practice? Sounds like NONE of the band is taking this gig with ANY professionalism or seriousness. If you know the promoter personally, just explain to her that you find yourself in a band full of wankers and you're sorry to have to let her down on short notice.

Then PROMPTLY start auditioning for another band and let this one disolve. These guys aren't serious and they have too many excuses.
That's what I'd do anyway.

Think about it...your FIRST chance to play in front of HUNDREDS of people and showcase your best stuff for 30 minutes and these fools can't seem to find the time?!

If you let them, they'll ruin all your opportunities now and in the future.

+11

[Spoonology]

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

First off, of the options stated above, I'd opt for #3.

Secondly, who gives a rat's butt if the singer is a singer/songwriter...I'm pretty sure there's more than one of those somewhere in England that you find. Kick him to the curb. Let him chase girls if that's what he wants. MOST bands end up disbanded because of romance.

Now the drummer can't practice? Sounds like NONE of the band is taking this gig with ANY professionalism or seriousness. If you know the promoter personally, just explain to her that you find yourself in a band full of wankers and you're sorry to have to let her down on short notice.

Then PROMPTLY start auditioning for another band and let this one disolve. These guys aren't serious and they have too many excuses.
That's what I'd do anyway.

IF you can get the group to actually get together and agree on a 30 minute set and rehearse it at least ONCE...then I'd probably do the show without the singer. If you can't even get the drummer or the singer to show, I'd notify the promoter and get out of the gig. They I'd take the drummer and the singer and pull all their hair out for blowing it for the band!

Think about it...your FIRST chance to play in front of HUNDREDS of people and showcase your best stuff for 30 minutes and these fools can't seem to find the time?!

If you let them, they'll ruin all your opportunities now and in the future.

It is a shame because this is the first time anything like this has happened. Generally we a very profesional, however I have got a practise down with the drummer.

We are playing now thankfully, and with regards to the singer, I am sorely tempted, however he is a good song writer. I know there are others but I'm yet to find anyone else with his talent.

The only problem is he can be a complete toss pot as you've picked up on.

But anyway, we are playing the gig.

And we are giving him ten tonnes of **** afterwards.

[JustDavid]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

+11

+22.

I think your singer & drummer thereby quit.

[tycobb73]

Lets see, singers who have lots of talent..

Scott Weiland
Noah Gallager
Sid Barrett
Travis Meeks

You can be the best songwriter in the world but if you don't have a head on your shoulders you are done.

[Greyvagabond]

Yeah, NOBODY likes Noah Gallager or Scott Weiland...

[Rudreax]

I really want to see how this turns out...

[dmusic148]

If I were you I'd dig around and see if you can get another band to play your spot. That keeps the producer happy(if they don't suck) and you don't have to suck in public.

[somesadbugger]

yea i went through the same sort of situation last year, lead singer all of a sudden "couldnt" get to the gig. so we practiced put our rythm guitarist on as leadsinger, myself and the lead practiced backup simplified our set, out goes muse in goes b182, sorted. However the little sob turned up with 10 mins to go before we were ment to start playing, just made him wait in the cround and forced him to pay for a ticket, since then his punctuality has improved somewhat

my opinion play the 30 mins, just simplify the set as much as possible, if your doing covers do the really easy ones, 7 nation army etc, if not try to play origionals with less challenging vocal parts and stress to your fill in singer its more important that he gets the vocals right that maintaining rythm guitar all the way through

[servetakid]

play easy covers on the guitar and vocal, eg my generation by the who, the guitar is easy, and most of the singing is done withoust playing, also you can just rock out for a while by all soloing and then blow up ur drum kit!