What is your preferred type of venue?

[Adam Bomb]

My previous band was kind of goth/industrial. Our target venue was illegal clubs. There were dealers and bikers and strippers around. I loved the danger, but it wasn't me. (Really, make that, "me anymore" - LOL.)

Current band is kind of Latin jazz. Our target venue is small local outdoor festivals. Our last gig had babies dancing - what I have decided is the mark of musical quality - and MILFs checking us out. Outside in the sun; home by dinner. Sweet.

There was talk last rehearsal of playing clubs. Why? I dunno. I'm over playing clubs.

Also, I would like to play some parties. Seems like you'd have a pretty good crowd - ready to like you and have fun and dance and maybe do the groupie thing.

Weddings: Are they like parties? Are they creepy?

Corporate: A guy in my band wants to do corporate gigs. I don't think I would take well to that crowd. I say this because *I* am corporate and can barely stand those people when I am bossing them around. I would rather not entertain them.

What is your personal preferred venue type and why? least preferred? And why?

I'm going to try to figue out how to do a poll.

--Bomb

[SteveC]

I can't vote. I don't prefer a certain venue. It all depends on the situation.

[awakefie]

I'm a fan of outdoor gigs. Beach parties, etc...

I marked festivals but I am not a huge fan of playing multi-band festivals. I've had bad experiences with multiple bands using the same equipment. Doesn't mean their bad, just not for me.

I'm not sure what a MILF is but I do like to see the kiddos dancing to the music. Kids are so uninhibited. They just boogie!

Played a wedding last Friday. I love playing weddings. I think a wedding with a live band is so much more personal than a dj. We did break a little girls heart because we didn't know how to play the "Chicken Dance" though. We will definitely learn that one for the next time (and do better on 'The Macarena' and various polkas).

Basically though I pretty much enjoy playing any time any where, even in practice.

[IanStephenson]

You're not meant to like the crowd at corporate gigs (or weddings for that matter). You only have to hold of offending any of them until they hand over a HUGE pile of money. You then get out of there asap, and swear you'll never do another one... then you play a bunch of club/coffeehouse gigs to prove your artistic integrity, until you realise that you're broke, and need to pick up a good paying corporate gig...

There are good clubs and bad, but the good ones never seem to pay as well as the sucky ones.

Weddings (never played one, but have worked at a few) are full of stressed people - looking for someone to blame.

Do them all, in some kind of reasonable balance and you might keep yourself sane.

[lunarpollen]

I like any venue where we can sound good, where our presence is appreciated, and where we are treated with common decency. The more those qualifications are met, the more I like the venue!

[Phalex]

I voted Corporate. I've had a good time at every single one I've played, and the pay is about 3x better.

The president of Wolverine World Wide (Hush puppy shoes) about 10 years ago was a great blues harp player. He sat in for a couple of sets with us 2 years running. I had a gas playing music with the head of a large multinational corporation!

[LaughingGroove]

Strip Clubs....its a challenge playing with the bass at a 45 degree angle. J/K Never actually play at one, but it would be fun.

[fo shizzle]

Stadiums.......

[RustyAxe]

I like coffee houses. I play acoustic bass (and guitar, harp, keys, and others) with three different acoustic combos. It's great to play in a place where I can get good acoustic tone (without volume) and where people actually sit and listen to the music and the lyrics. My days of playing for drunken party goers are long gone. Besides, it's hard to get a bar crowd dancin' to Norman Blake or Tony Rice tunes ...

[buzzbass]

don't care, just pay me.

[BassScum]

Cheap sleazy dive bars or anywhere else that will pay us.

[nicoli]

As far as enjoyment goes, I'll take a small-ish club that still has a big enough stage setup to rock out. Say a couple hundred people capacity but with good sound and lighting.

As far as getting paid goes, the best I've had is festivals. I don't mind the travelling, and you pretty much only have to be there for your set. They hand over a bunch of cash, and often will pay expenses too. I honestly prefer playing to a smaller crowd, but big festival crowds at least make you feel like a rock star when you look back on it.

[Dave Muscato]

Originally Posted by buzzbass

don't care, just pay me.

Edit: I noticed that "Churches" is absent from this list. I like playing church gigs... They *never* try to screw you, the people are always nice and always helpful, you don't smell like cigarettes afterward, no drunks to deal with, and people really seem to appreciate and be moved by the music. There's usually free coffee and sometimes bagels or donuts beforehand, and sometimes they take you to lunch afterward, and the pay often rivals studio session work. What's not to like?

[Metal Matt]

I voted carrots...

I hate anything with large stages. I just prefer smaller more intimate places like house shows and small clubs, VFW and American Legion halls playing and when I'm seeing bands. But I guess that goes with the territory of being involved in hardcore, punk, stoner rock scenes.

I loathe bar shows. Around here it seems like other than friends that show up to see you, and the other bands, bar shows are always full of the worst people ever. I wouldn't say no if a friends band asked my band to play a bar, but I would never go out of my way to play at one.

Listening and playing the type of music I do, I wouldn't find myself ever playing any corporate event or a wedding... haha

[IanStephenson]

Originally Posted by Dave Muscato

I like playing church gigs... Th... no drunks to deal with..

Where else can you get free wine at 9am on a Sunday morning...

[Georynn]

Intimacy of small clubs, rented out for parties... even better.

[mrpackerguy]

We've put virtually all our marketing efforts into weddings and corporate events. With the background being 5 guys who live 200 miles apart, we've founf that:

1) The $$ is SOoooooo much better
2) The audiences are more appreciative and dance more
3) The venues are classier
4) We always go over like gangbusters
5) We can gig 1-2x a month and like it
6) The $$ being better translates into so many more positive things: expenses, etc
7) Free food, free drinks
8) Tips about 50% of the time
9) Mothers of the bride are much easier to deal with than club owners/agents/promoters

[awakefie]

Originally Posted by IanStephenson

Where else can you get free wine at 9am on a Sunday morning...

Thanks. Now I have to clean Diet Coke off my keyboard.

[awakefie]

+1 on the pay for corporate gigs. 4 of our next 6 are corporate and pay much better than the bar gigs.

[tmw]

Originally Posted by buzzbass

don't care, just pay me.

+1.