Age Discrimination

[pigpen1]

I'm not going to get my soapbox completely out..... but I will say this.

It's not your hair.

If you guys DRESSED the part, ACTED the part, and put on a show, they wouldn't give a crap what color your hair is.

The real problem is that most gray haired misicians are LAZY. Don't worry. I'm almost 47 and most forty-somethings are just as lazy.

You can NOT show up in shorts and Fender Tshirts to a gig..... ANY gig. You can NOT show up in white New Balance sneakers... to ANY gig. You can NOT show up with zero lights in a bar. Unless you are in a Buffett tribite band, you can NOT wear a Hawaiian camouflage shirt amd a straw hat to ANY gig.

No, great musicianship is NOT enough. You have to LOOK the part and ACT the part.

If you had the look, put on a show, AND kept a crowd until closing time, you would have more work than you wanted.

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, (other than other musicians) wants to see a bunch of dumpy old guys who look like they just got off the riding mower playing CCR and Atlanta Rhythm Section all night. Nobody.

I've said it before and will say it again. Try a little harder. Don't be lazy.

Agree with this 100%. Setlist, production, and presentation.

Having said that, if the OP was packing the place as he said, they were doing something right. No smart venue owner will turn down a packed house of paying customers until closing time, unless they are disruptive.

 

[Matt Dean]

I'm almost 61 and I play music young people want to hear... funk and live electronic music. I play with people in their 30s and 40s... so my biggest problem is getting naps in before a gig.

 

[bobalu]

Well.....after reading this thread, all I could think of was the Rolling Stones.

 

[Korladis]

Well, it's finally happened... Age discrimination.
After playing a particular local venue several times over the past few years with great turnout, a packed house of diners, drinkers, and dancers, then getting no replies & no return communication to our attempts to book more dates, we learned this:

A friend who plays in another band that has played this venue regularly and has also been getting the cold shoulder was told by his booking agent that the venue's manager said he doesn't want any more 'grey haired old guy bands' on his stage. He wants 'young bands who can draw a younger, cooler clientele and not players who look like their fathers'.

So I guess it's all about what you look like at this place.

This venue is dead to me now.

How many bands of grey haired old guys did you go see when you were in your early 20s?

 

[blue4]

No matter how many times the topic of shorts comes up on TB I'm still amazed that people really think anyone under the age of 40 cares if you are wearing shorts. My generation, Gen X, grew up in an era where bands wearing shorts was the norm. Not the exception. It's a heat index of 100 here in St Lou. If you showed up in nice pants and a dress shirt today I'd call OSHA.

As far as the OP sometimes you do every thing right and still get the ax. How many of us had to start over because your job "wanted to go in another direction"? Usually that direction is off a cliff. As long as no bridges end up getting burned you stand a good chance of getting a call back in 6 months I'd bet.

 

[Walking]

Of course, the world isn't fair, and stage entertainment is visual as well as musical. Think about hollywood where women have to start worrying about looking too old when they are 30... All I can add is that some genres are more elder-friendly than others--as has been mentioned already. Blues and Jazz amd crooning come to mind, maybe Country (Used to have beloved elders playing at the opry--don't know about now). When someone walks into a bar and sees an 80 year old sax player heading up a jazz combo--the groove is all that matters. Depending on how much one wants to pander to regrettable social expectations, I think the suggestions about shaving, dying, and maybe looking at clothes can extend one's marketability. I don't like to shave every day, but I have determined that when people see a two day beard is--youth looks hip, old looks homeless.

There can be a whole nother discussion about to what extent rock is about rebellious youth anymore, and to what extent the word and the music has become generic or corporate--I wonder if youth even identify with it at all, on the average. Pop music is a whole different thing from rock, and they have EDM and the million variants thereof.

Hope I didn't offend anybody, didn't mean to. Personally, I have started taking piano lessons because I am thinking my fingers aren't going to be able to hack it on guitar as I age--bass yes, but not jazz chords and fast picking.

I know that when famous former rockers try to evolve into something fitting their age, the Great American Songbook is one elder friendly approach I have seen many take. Not sure I added anything to the discussion, but I am of the age where this is right where I am at. I intend to spend more time with music when I retire (my only lifelong true passion), and I will have to find a place where I can fit in--and pumping my hips on stage like Robert Plant is not going to be it.

 

[4001]

So I guess it's all about what you look like at this place.

Yeah,.... gotta' love the bar band thing....

 

[juancaminos]

What is GOF?

 

[RustyAxe]

Totally agree. Venues are smart enough to know that younger folks drink less (or pay for fewer drinks) and have less cash to spend. My middle-aged crowd tends to go home earlier but they like their drinks and they know how to tip. Once the venue figures that out we get asked back.

Yep ... and while the young people are slugging' down $2 PBR draft specials, my audience is drinking $12 martinis.

 

[RustyAxe]

I find it funny to read some replies from the younger people here ... they sound like they're really mad at their mommies and daddies.

 

[Gluvhand]

I find it funny to read some replies from the younger people here ... they sound like they're really mad at their mommies and daddies.

No. They sound exactly like young people have always sounded. Some of us get older and forget that.

 

[JimmyM]

There's never a venue running well enough that can't be screwed up completely by the owner.

 

[MordBass]

I feel ya but its not discrimination... its just their brand. My main band is black metal and we dont get booked at local hiphop clubs..... because thats not the crowd they are catering to and it would drive away their current business.

 

[juancaminos]

Yep ... and while the young people are slugging' down $2 PBR draft specials, my audience is drinking $12 martinis.

I'm 63 and when I'm out at a bar playing or listening I drink what I want. Pitcher of Bass Ale, shots of top shelf Rye for the whole table, what ever. Tequila shots for my friends, top shelf only. Life is too short. I'm not rich but a night out is special. When I was younger, yeah it was cheap beer & shots of terrible "house" tequila.

 

[elgranluis]

Well... I still look like a 20-something and I have a 18 yo boy. If Gray hair is a concern, maybe just dye it for the night?

I remember maybe 10 years ago, when The Doors (yes, them) did their last tour I guess? Robie Krieger was in his mid sixties back then, but dressed up like a a punk/emo/grunge kid so you could harly tell it was him. Ray Manzarek didnt dye his hair and dressed up with a suit, so he did look in his forties (he is a slim guy so that makes him look younger).

If age is a concern, just make yourself look younger.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Well, it's finally happened... Age discrimination.
After playing a particular local venue several times over the past few years with great turnout, a packed house of diners, drinkers, and dancers, then getting no replies & no return communication to our attempts to book more dates, we learned this:

A friend who plays in another band that has played this venue regularly and has also been getting the cold shoulder was told by his booking agent that the venue's manager said he doesn't want any more 'grey haired old guy bands' on his stage. He wants 'young bands who can draw a younger, cooler clientele and not players who look like their fathers'.

So I guess it's all about what you look like at this place.

This venue is dead to me now.

Ive seen it happen with both older bands and younger bands. Most of the bands in their 50s in my town don’t play the same venues as the bands in their 20s and 30s. In my area for the last few years there’s also been a lot more 21 and up only shows and shows where under 21 has to pay $5-$10 extra. Its particularly common at smaller 300 capacity or less veneus. The bigger venues seem to care more about getting more people in the doors than drinkers who run up $80 tabs. Most of the time it’s about selling more alcohol, but I have seen venues also do this because they wanted to sort of brand themselves as a certain type of venue or something.

 

[Korladis]

No. They sound exactly like young people have always sounded. Some of us get older and forget that.

Yep.

It could be argued that I'm already past my prime. Still, I doubt most of the people on TB who are in their 50s and 60s went out to see bands pushing 60 when they were young.

 

[Gluvhand]

Yep.

It could be argued that I'm already past my prime. Still, I doubt most of the people on TB who are in their 50s and 60s went out to see bands pushing 60 when they were young.

I'm 52. I didn't.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Yep.

It could be argued that I'm already past my prime. Still, I doubt most of the people on TB who are in their 50s and 60s went out to see bands pushing 60 when they were young.

Yeah, mostly college town stuff for me. Early 20's mostly.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

Let's face it. We get older and people do mostly live within their generations of friends and socialize mostly with their same age group. Several facts of life as I see it.

The over 55 generation is the largest in history. The over 55 also has more disposable income than the under 55 crowd. The younger generation clubs feature bands that reflect their own peer group. That's natural. There WILL come a time, trusty old rockers, where it won't seem appropriate for you to be in certain clubs. This is why Rod Stewart is wearing suits and singing standards instead of singing Hot Legs and wearing leotards and leopard print shirts. We all grow older and we change. Except the Stones of course. They all sold their souls to the devil and will still be packing stadiums at 95 years old! LOL.

I had to do some soul searching and I'm still doing that now. I no longer feel comfortable playing Scorpions or AC/DC even though those bands are still touring.

Young people, don't get snarky about gray hairs because if you don't kill yourself in the meantime, you might yourself have gray hair someday. Old timers (like me) need to find a new way to entertain and find venues that will fit your age. Even when I'm 80 I still want to play bass. BB King played well into his 80's, and wife Carey and I saw Tony Bennett do a show for 90 minutes standing up at 85 years old. He never sat down and at the end of the show he sang the last song Acapella and kicked arse.

Natural evolution of aging and time folks. Get a grasp and find your comfort zone and play there. You'll be happier than denying it. And young people, please respect and have empathy for the older players. They know a lot and could still teach you a few tricks.