Am I right to pump the brakes?

[Dadum]

Is this a serious "business-wise" band or for fun? If it's serious, you need to make sure that someone is in charge, i.e. Band Leader. You get a tax ID for the band. Who owns the band name? You copyright original music before you play in public. You have real *formal business meetings* where you discuss on who owns the music written, writing credit, etc. If you talk, you have business meetings and bring up these types of questions with the band members to get their feedback. You can consult others as well, but you should know what the other legal members of the band think and who may later be only subcontractors. What are you? You may think you're a member but the others may think you are a subcontractor. Let's get that straight before anything IMO. (Not legal or tax advice here). If you can't have civilized conversations about business you will suffer in the long run.

 

[pepj]

I was in a function band before I owned a car.
I'm of the opinion, JFDI.

 

[TFunkadelic]

Just do it

 

[Tassieviking]

So you have about 3 Fridays and 3 Saturdays till you play at this place ?
Soooo......get on the phone and invite everyone you know over for a good get together those 6 times and mix a bit of playing and socializing so you can get others opinion.
Nothing serious, a few drinks, crank the BBQ up as well as the amps and have a great time and see how it goes.
It might settle some of the nerves gigging in front of good friends instead of total strangers a few times in a relaxed environment. Might help iron out some kinks as well and help make some improvements.
Never forget you learn more from a mistake then any lessons you receive. You have to try if you want to improve.

 

[Hawk256]

Sorry if I'm a little tough but only 6 songs in a few months of playing together? At that rate you won't be ready for a 3 set bar gig until 2050. Nothing wrong with playing just for fun but if you ever want to play out, you need to accelerate the learning schedule.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

if you wait until you are 'ready, period' you will never play out...
BTDT

Yup. Nothing better than a fire under your arse to get your poopie together.

I was in a band for 2 or 3 years that was always getting itself ready for its big day. Guess what...that day never came. We played a few gigs, but we had no recorded material for people to listen to, so they'd never come back. The drummer only ever wanted to gig. The guitarist only ever wanted to record. I wanted to record so we had something to show for all our efforts, and to give the audience something if they enjoyed it.

It ended in nothing. So don't wait around. Get out and gig, and if you're really happy with the songs, get them recorded.

 

[mcnach]

Ok, so I've been playing with another two guitarists for a few months, an original project. We have about 3 solid songs at this point that I feel are surprisingly decent, plus three interesting covers, plus about three songs in various stages of development.

They are in their mid 20's, I'm almost ten years older than them. One of them has done a few open mics solo, the other has no experience playing in front of people. I have played in front of people before, but not since high school, and only at house parties and underground stuff really. I do not consider myself experienced nor do I know a lot about live sound management. I'm the most well equipped member of the band - I have a nice GK MB210ii Combo that is quite flexible, the guitarists both have smaller combos and we currently have a drum machine plugged into a small combo as well (partially artistic, partially because drummers are hard to find). It's all loud enough to play let's say a small cafe, but even a bar setting and things start to fall apart on their end, I think.

The two guitarists are both anxious to play out, and have, through connections, arranged opportunities to play within about a month's time (they aren't totally crazy, the types of things they are setting up are multi-band shows, so the set would be shorter). This is at real local venues, and regardless of how many people show up, its still a professional setting and very much a scheduled event.

My impression is we need more practice, and though we still have time between now and then, we should hold off scheduling things until we are ready, period. And at that point we should dip our toes into the water more slowly, maybe playing someone's house or an open mic to do a few 'dry runs'.

I don't want to be a buzzkill, but I also don't have delusions of grandeur and as the oldest member I feel like I have some kind of responsibility to prevent us skewering ourselves, especially in a small scene. Am I wrong to pump the brakes and tell them we need more time to flesh out material, improve gear, get the performances tighter, and maybe even wade more slowly into live performances? Looking for help from the many people here with more experience than me.

If I got a penny for eevry band I have come across who was just waiting to polish their set, and then never did... I'd have quite a few pennies.

Obviously you want to be decent, but a deadline can do wonders.

You say you have 3 songs and a few covers, so you must be quite near having enough for the typical 30-40 minute set in a lot of multiband gigs. Find a suitable one in a not very distant future, say 4-6 weeks... and just prepare for it and do it.

Not exactly your situation but many years ago I joined this band, mostly originals. I was the oldest guy, they were in their mid-early 20s. We were playing mostly 30-40 min gigs, multiband... Then I got a venue offering another band I was in a gig. We could not make it, so I told the venue that if they wanted they could have my new band. The guy knew me and without hearing the band he agreed.
Now we needed to have material for 2x 45' sets, 3 weeks away.
We definitely had about an hour's worth, and many unfinished songs... so we picked a handful, finished them and we were ready. From then on we mostly played the longer ones (other than festivals which are usually shorter) and we started making some money too.

Had we waited until we had enough songs at our own spontaneous pace... we'd still be waiting.
That band went on for 12 years, we travelled a lot, played many many many gigs, lots of great festivals, recorded 3 full albums and a couple of short ones...

 

[Ekulati]

if you wait until you are 'ready, period' you will never play out...
BTDT

Yeah sure, but...is there a middle ground for totally inexperienced players? House parties for friends, and other low visibility, low expectations opportunities. This isn't just some guys who haven't gigged and are a little rusty, it's essentially no one who has really ever played out "for people you don't know."

 

[TreySonagras]

What he said. Most of us need a goal in order to actually "get ready," otherwise we waste a lot of time.

You've got six songs ready in several months? I could do that in a week. A reasonable schedule for less experienced players will fall somewhere in the middle. Get your butts in gear and get it done.

I don't know how many times I've booked a gig and THEN start putting a band together.

 

[Acoop]

I'd sit back and let it run its course. ... Voice your concerns, if you feel the need, but they'll figure it out eventually.

 

[Gruff]

"Echo" from Echo and the Bunnymen was their drum machine as they also went out without a meat drummer at first.

Similarly, "Winston" the tape recorder in OMD, on stage like a band member.

 

[brianrost]

Not sure how going full steam ahead with only 6 songs is a good idea In my experience even on multi-band bills 10-12 songs are needed. For a whole night 30-40. Build up the repertoire first!

 

[perfektspace6]

Sorry if I'm a little tough but only 6 songs in a few months of playing together? At that rate you won't be ready for a 3 set bar gig until 2050. Nothing wrong with playing just for fun but if you ever want to play out, you need to accelerate the learning schedule.

Sounds like these guys are aiming to be an originals band and are mixing a few covers in to round the set out in the meantime (3 originals, 3 covers, 3 in the works). Takes longer to write original material and they won't need to play multi-hour gigs like a cover band would. The pace seems about right to me given that a few of the players are newer. Quality over quantity if going original material.


And I think the OP should play the gig.

 

[Cloudspine]

Sounds like these guys are aiming to be an originals band and are mixing a few covers in to round the set out in the meantime (3 originals, 3 covers, 3 in the works). Takes longer to write original material and they won't need to play multi-hour gigs like a cover band would. The pace seems about right to me given that a few of the players are newer. Quality over quantity if going original material.


And I think the OP should play the gig.

Yes, not trying to be a covers band and the few covers we have are only for fun. We have more than the 6 (3 finished,3 in process) originals as well, but I'm talking about the ones we feel are good. The others are meh. And also, account for the first few times we played together were shorter, getting to know each other type sessions that were almost more hanging out than playing. We've ramped up as time went on.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

Ok, so I've been playing with another two guitarists for a few months, an original project. We have about 3 solid songs at this point that I feel are surprisingly decent, plus three interesting covers, plus about three songs in various stages of development.

They are in their mid 20's, I'm almost ten years older than them. One of them has done a few open mics solo, the other has no experience playing in front of people. I have played in front of people before, but not since high school, and only at house parties and underground stuff really. I do not consider myself experienced nor do I know a lot about live sound management. I'm the most well equipped member of the band - I have a nice GK MB210ii Combo that is quite flexible, the guitarists both have smaller combos and we currently have a drum machine plugged into a small combo as well (partially artistic, partially because drummers are hard to find). It's all loud enough to play let's say a small cafe, but even a bar setting and things start to fall apart on their end, I think.

The two guitarists are both anxious to play out, and have, through connections, arranged opportunities to play within about a month's time (they aren't totally crazy, the types of things they are setting up are multi-band shows, so the set would be shorter). This is at real local venues, and regardless of how many people show up, its still a professional setting and very much a scheduled event.

My impression is we need more practice, and though we still have time between now and then, we should hold off scheduling things until we are ready, period. And at that point we should dip our toes into the water more slowly, maybe playing someone's house or an open mic to do a few 'dry runs'.

I don't want to be a buzzkill, but I also don't have delusions of grandeur and as the oldest member I feel like I have some kind of responsibility to prevent us skewering ourselves, especially in a small scene. Am I wrong to pump the brakes and tell them we need more time to flesh out material, improve gear, get the performances tighter, and maybe even wade more slowly into live performances? Looking for help from the many people here with more experience than me.

Nothing gets your &^%! together like the imminent arrival of an audience.

 

[lark_z]

I can relate. Jamming with my neighbor for 18 months, almost weekly. Same 10-12 songs, rarely does he get through more than 2 without having to stop/slow down/start over. But the comments from him when we're out an an event "we could be up there" etc. I keep my mouth shut and think "not likely".

 

[InhumanResource]

Ok, so I've been playing with another two guitarists for a few months, an original project. We have about 3 solid songs at this point that I feel are surprisingly decent, plus three interesting covers, plus about three songs in various stages of development.

They are in their mid 20's, I'm almost ten years older than them. One of them has done a few open mics solo, the other has no experience playing in front of people. I have played in front of people before, but not since high school, and only at house parties and underground stuff really. I do not consider myself experienced nor do I know a lot about live sound management. I'm the most well equipped member of the band - I have a nice GK MB210ii Combo that is quite flexible, the guitarists both have smaller combos and we currently have a drum machine plugged into a small combo as well (partially artistic, partially because drummers are hard to find). It's all loud enough to play let's say a small cafe, but even a bar setting and things start to fall apart on their end, I think.

The two guitarists are both anxious to play out, and have, through connections, arranged opportunities to play within about a month's time (they aren't totally crazy, the types of things they are setting up are multi-band shows, so the set would be shorter). This is at real local venues, and regardless of how many people show up, its still a professional setting and very much a scheduled event.

My impression is we need more practice, and though we still have time between now and then, we should hold off scheduling things until we are ready, period. And at that point we should dip our toes into the water more slowly, maybe playing someone's house or an open mic to do a few 'dry runs'.

I don't want to be a buzzkill, but I also don't have delusions of grandeur and as the oldest member I feel like I have some kind of responsibility to prevent us skewering ourselves, especially in a small scene. Am I wrong to pump the brakes and tell them we need more time to flesh out material, improve gear, get the performances tighter, and maybe even wade more slowly into live performances? Looking for help from the many people here with more experience than me.

You don't want to go out there unpolished, but that road can be infinite. My presence is to book the job and with towards the deadline. Gotta get out of the house and these guys have fire in their bellies.

 

[Chris Wilke]

I would absolutely do it - I wouldn't worry about the gear. If its a proper venue they'll have all the mics, DIs and monitors you need. Or they may have a "coffee shop" PA just for vocals. Important to know. Go to a couple shows there first maybe, to get a feel for the sound system. As someone pointed out it might be worse to bring to gear that is too good and proceed blow yourselves off the stage. People will be very forgiving if you're the first band and aren't too loud. The bass amp being the best of the bunch is perfect because that would have showed through more than anything.

A few other things to think about:

Missed notes are no big deal, they will happen. Especially the first show as you will have performance 'butterflies'. Don't worry about them. Keep your place in the song and keep the groove. Entrances and exits and major changes are what to focus on.

You practice with a drum machine so that probably helps your groove and time, but if there are any mistakes resulting in missed time, or repeats vs the drums within the song it's unforgiving, of course. So you have to go with the machine always. Be ready to adapt.

Also be ready for the sound on the stage to be very different than your practice space. This can be unsettling at first. If your bass is going through FOH subs for example, you will be shaking the walls. This may change the way you feel connected to the band. Are you ready for that?

If you are going to be a 3pc + machine -- what is you schtick? Are you moody? emo? funky? Jazzy? EDM inspired? Artsy? Lean into it. Own it. Make it seem as though you are part of a trend. People are used to seeing DJs, so three people with a DM is not a stretch. (If it's a classic rock club maybe that could be something to be concerned about, but probably not a big deal though). Who is your front person? Are they comfortable talking to the crowd?

You can be humble, but you should also be as confident as possible. You can let people know its your first performance as a band but do not apologize for anything ever - especially mistakes. People are there to be entertained not witness your struggle. Grab the band in a circle before you start playing to orient yourselves as a unit. Make eye contact during the show. But practice facing the same wall with minimal eye contact, not in a circle.

That said, the reason why you've had a hard time finding drummers is they are out playing gigs. You were an originals basement band to them and they might see this as a dead end. If you have a gig, you now have the drummer's interest. If you can go to a couple shows at the venue and if there is a band and drummer you like, ask them if they would sit in on your gig.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[King Harvest]

I think it depends on whether the people are paying to get in the door or not. Free show? Sure, take your shot. Paying audience? You have a responsibility to give them something good. It's not just about you guys.

 

[sean_on_bass]

I say go for it. My experience attending showcase type shows are that they can be pretty low pressure and the audience is generally made up of family/friends of the band. Every band is kind of in the same boat. It's like an open mic where you have a longer time slot.

Also, i think this will only expedite your development as a band. The feedback you will get from this gig will help you refine things massively and find your niche.