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A question of etiquette

SuperDuck

SuperDuck

Sep 26, 2000
10,463
51
Wisconsin
#1
If your band is playing early, do you wait until the last band is done playing to leave?

Tonight we opened a four band show, and by the time the last band hit the stage, we were tired and cranky and wanted to go home. No one really showed up the the show, so all of the bands were playing to a near empty house. We waited until the last band got through their first song and bailed- I feel kind of bad about that.

Although when my band has headlined, I didn't care if the opening acts left early.

What do you guys think?
 
#2
I think it's important to give the closing band a fair shot to play, even if it's just the other bands watching. I've played gigs like that, where I had to sit through several horrible opening bands, cheered at the appropriate moments, and supported them even if they sucked. When it came time to hit the stage, all of them bailed, and left us playing to the bartender. Not cool.

I think the proper thing to do is at least stay long enough for the closing band to have a little fun. Do as you would have others do for you.
 
#4
Well I haven't actually been in this position, but based on the experiences of some of my friends and my own beliefs I would say that it is very important to stay at least long enough to get paid. ;) In all seriousness, my friend used to play gigs for a cut of the door and the owner didn't count it and split it until the end of the night - I never thought of it, but maybe keeping some extra bodies around is part of the reason it was run this way (with unproven bands - more established bands would get paid a set amount...) :hmm:
 
#5
Nick man said:
I think its best to stay, especially when there is no crowd.

At the very least, tell them you're sorry to miss them and leave before they play. Leaving half way through makes it seem like you didnt like the music enough to stay.

Thats just from my perspective.

Peace
Nick
Click to expand...
Well put.
I think if you can talk with them before they play it will put a nice buffer in there. Also if the house is dead you may want to stay....
 
#6
Nick man said:
I think its best to stay, especially when there is no crowd.

At the very least, tell them you're sorry to miss them and leave before they play. Leaving half way through makes it seem like you didnt like the music enough to stay.

Thats just from my perspective.

Peace
Nick
Click to expand...

Very true, very true. In this specific case, however, there was some more "gig etiquette" involved. It's common courtesy to mention the mention the names of the bands before you, i.e., "Give up for Evan's Out, Inside, and Guff", and the crowd cheers, and so forth. Or, at the very least, "Let's hear it for the opening bands."

In our case, however, the lead singer specifically mentioned the other two bands by name and not ours. At that point we didn't feel the need to stay. I didn't think too much of it, he probably just forgot our name, but my guitarist was pissed.

In all other cases, though, I think it is important to stick around.
 
#12
You should try to stay or at least have a very good reason why not.

After you play, pack your stuff away, but you really should stay if you can. If not, at least go and talk to the headliners, thank them, explain why you have to go, and wish them good luck.

I'm not sure if this is an "unwritten rule" or not, but now that I think of it I've never seen an opening band leave right after playing, nor have I done it myself.
 
#15
The Golden Boy said:
I see it all the time.

Just out of curiosity, around your parts, is playing last considered to be good, or is it the middle spot that everyone wants?
Click to expand...

Generally, the headlining band goes on last. However, I have seen many a "creative move" in order to try and get the middle spot.

FWIW, it's much the same here as in Detroit... except the audience here is generally less dedicated.

It really does depend on the venue. Some places are full of bums that only want to see their friend's friend's band and then leave, but some are full of people that will all stay until the last note.
 
#18
It really doesn't matter one way or the other.

Hang around if you want to show solidarity or if you actually like seeing the bands on after you. Otherwise, leave whenever you feel like it.

Sometimes I'll have two gigs in one night and have to bail after one to get to the other.

I guess I play different sorts of gigs than the rest of you, I don't do many multi-band bills except for festivals.
 
#20
On the other hand, I don't think hanging around encourages the band to find it's own following. If these are original bands, which I imagine they are, one of the band's main jobs MUST be finding people that like the music. There should be advertising, word of mouth, etc. A real effort to get people to shows. Hanging around out of courtesy could give the band a false sense of status. It may make them believe they're getting more people than they are.

If I play first, then two more bands play before the final band, and the entire crowd has dissipated, then that should serve as a wakeup call to that final band. Bands are hard work, they take a lot of effort and business sense to make successful, and things don't just generally fall into people's lap. If I'm that last band and there are no people there, instead of whining at other bands and asking them to stay out of courtesy, I'm gonna make damn sure I find people who WANT to hear the music to be there, whatever it takes.
 

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