Another gig where we quit early because the crowd left.

[51PRI]

We played last night at a restaurant/bar where we have been playing regularly. It's about an hour away and has a house PA and sound man. Gig was from 8-11. BL decided to take my suggestion and play an hour, then a 15 minute break, then 45/15 after that.

We had a good crowd when we started but toward the end of the first set about 1/4 to 1/3 of the crowd had left. We took a break and a huge table of people, maybe 20 people, left. Second set we had maybe 1/8 of the crowd we started with. When we went back after our second break there was hardly anyone there. I saw the sound man talking to the BL and it was decided, or the BL decided, that we would play about thirty minutes, as there were only 4 people left, and they were at the bar.

I think that the soundman has us cranked too loud FOH and it is running people off. In particular the BL's vocals, which were so loud in my monitor that I turned it away from me with my foot. And maybe it's us, too. We play lots of really old music and have a lot of extended guitar battles, having two guitars that both like to play and like to play loud as well.

However, nobody else in the band seems concerned about us not holding a crowd and we keep getting bookings in these same clubs over and over so I guess I should just take the money and not worry about it, either.

 

[Bass Viking]

However, nobody else in the band seems concerned about us not holding a crowd and we keep getting bookings in these same clubs over and over so I guess I should just take the money and not worry about it, either.

How is this sustainable?

 

[SaucyJackBass]

As a cover band, you are a juke box. Plain and simple. If the audience wouldn't spend a quarter on your song to hear it from a juke box, then it shouldn't be in your set. You get two chances to wank in any Cover show. Song 2 and the Last song of the night.
That's it. If the radio wouldn't play those guitar solos then neither should you.
And yes, at a venue that serves food, if they can't have the semblance of a conversation, then the FOH is too loud.

 

[51PRI]

How is this sustainable?

I wouldn't think that it would be sustainable. However, the one thing that I don't know about is how the crowd is when other bands play. Maybe folks, in general, just don't go out to stay out like they used to. I don't know.

But the main thing is that I just have to realize that, as far as OUR band goes, it is what it is. And by that I mean, (1) we are what we are and we do what we do and we have the crowd that we have, and (2) we won't be making substantial attempts at improvement because our drummer has stated that he won't really be interested in spending time learning new material, which I think fits right in with the two guitar players in the bands thinking and playing styles, too.

Acceptance is what stage of grief?

 

[Admiral Akbar]

I wouldn't think that it would be sustainable. However, the one thing that I don't know about is how the crowd is when other bands play. Maybe folks, in general, just don't go out to stay out like they used to. I don't know.

But the main thing is that I just have to realize that, as far as OUR band goes, it is what it is. And by that I mean, (1) we are what we are and we do what we do and we have the crowd that we have, and (2) we won't be making substantial attempts at improvement because our drummer has stated that he won't really be interested in spending time learning new material, which I think fits right in with the two guitar players in the bands thinking and playing styles, too.

Acceptance is what stage of grief?

Just leave this band already. You’re not doing yourself any favors by playing further with these guys, if these gigs aren’t a great hang or great for you financially. You’ve already said their music stinks.

Didn’t you just complain about these guys last week?

 

[FRoss6788]

I have ZERO interest in most guitar solo's, let alone multiple, extended solo's.

Lose 'em.

 

[Bass Viking]

I have ZERO interest in most guitar solo's, let alone multiple, extended solo's.

Lose 'em.

Most rock solos are just pentatonic wankery that we've all heard before.

 

[Boneless]

You get two chances to wank in any Cover show. Song 2 and the Last song of the night.
That's it. If the radio wouldn't play those guitar solos then neither should you.

That's a bit harsh. The radio won't play lots of stuff (in the US, I also hear that this is due to a quasi-monopoly). That doesn't mean people don't want to hear it. It all depends on the venue, on the audience. There are people who actually love listening to guitar solos, and the current-day hatred towards solos is kinda unreasonable; there are places and moments where a solo can be a good addition to a song.

And yes, at a venue that serves food, if they can't have the semblance of a conversation, then the FOH is too loud.

I'd expect the venue to dictate levels, at that point. If the venue is fine with having extremely loud music while serving food then why should you care? At most, you might want to say "if we turned the volume down a notch maybe some people would be better inclined to stay and listen".

 

[Zooberwerx]

Did you drive them out or did they bail out of sheer boredom? Were you playing the restaurant or the bar? If a bar, was there a dance floor? Did the staff receive complaints and, if so, were they passed-on to you?

Susan & I refuse to patronize restaurants that have live music at the opposite wall or TV's blaring all around...we can't hear ourselves think half the time. I don't need to be entertained during mealtime...okay, maybe an Italian accordion
player.

Riis

 

[AceOfBassFace]

As a music fan, loud is fine at a concert where the band is the main focus and reason for being there, and the sound is good and not painfully harsh. Not fine if I'm eating dinner and can't talk to my friends. Sounds like a bit of a mismatch in your situation.

Could it be that the FOH guy was balancing the sound and vocals to the loud guitars coming off the stage? It's a tricky situation for FOH when the drums and amps on the stage are overpowering the room/PA. You can either ask the players to turn down and hope they're not crybabies, or just let it be. I've done live sound before, and I'd ask players to turn down if they were too loud off the stage, but some guys just won't because "that's my sound, dude!". Unfortunately, some people just don't get it and never will.

 

[EvilJ]

You nailed it for me. Too much volume and solo's, I'm out.

 

[Gabu]

We played last night at a restaurant/bar where we have been playing regularly. It's about an hour away and has a house PA and sound man. Gig was from 8-11. BL decided to take my suggestion and play an hour, then a 15 minute break, then 45/15 after that.

We had a good crowd when we started but toward the end of the first set about 1/4 to 1/3 of the crowd had left. We took a break and a huge table of people, maybe 20 people, left. Second set we had maybe 1/8 of the crowd we started with. When we went back after our second break there was hardly anyone there. I saw the sound man talking to the BL and it was decided, or the BL decided, that we would play about thirty minutes, as there were only 4 people left, and they were at the bar.

I think that the soundman has us cranked too loud FOH and it is running people off. In particular the BL's vocals, which were so loud in my monitor that I turned it away from me with my foot. And maybe it's us, too. We play lots of really old music and have a lot of extended guitar battles, having two guitars that both like to play and like to play loud as well.

However, nobody else in the band seems concerned about us not holding a crowd and we keep getting bookings in these same clubs over and over so I guess I should just take the money and not worry about it, either.

If you're playing in a venue that has regulars, then it may not be you running anyone off... Maybe they have their dinner and three beers and go home. I'd think you could experiment with your volume, ask the soundman to bring it down 10% and maybe mix a few newer tunes in your sets, and see what happens with the crowd. You don't have to address it with your band like its a problem, bring it up like an idea.

 

[Bullitt5135]

Anybody who has played bar & grill gigs has had nights like that. It sounds like you’re not doing yourselves any favors with the songs you choose to play. You also said your bandmates don’t really care as long as they get paid. If the band is just going through the motions, why would anyone want to stick around for that?

And don’t blame the soundman. If your monitor is too loud, a simple hand signal should correct that. If you are concerned FOH is too loud, have a discussion with the soundman to be sure you are on the same page with volume level. If he/she isn’t willing to work with you, it’s one more reason to NOT drive an hour for a lame gig.

 

[pglaser01]

Try recording out front somehow for your next show……see if you can hear anything off putting right out of the gate.

 

[pepj]

I wouldn't think that it would be sustainable. However, the one thing that I don't know about is how the crowd is when other bands play. Maybe folks, in general, just don't go out to stay out like they used to. I don't know.

But the main thing is that I just have to realize that, as far as OUR band goes, it is what it is. And by that I mean, (1) we are what we are and we do what we do and we have the crowd that we have, and (2) we won't be making substantial attempts at improvement because our drummer has stated that he won't really be interested in spending time learning new material, which I think fits right in with the two guitar players in the bands thinking and playing styles, too.

Acceptance is what stage of grief?

You need to know your worth and where you sit in the swim.
If you never have storming gigs, its probably fair to say the unit is just not going to amount to anything more that what you have. Is that ok?

 

[pcake]

couple thoughts.

next time you play there, use a wireless and go play from the audience, and you'll soon know if the volume is too loud. also go to the club a few times and see if other bands are holding the audience or not.

 

[sean_on_bass]

yeah, first rule is do no harm. if you are running people off then turn down the effing volume. sometimes people want to be able to talk to each other at a bar.

 

[micguy]

That's a bit harsh. The radio won't play lots of stuff (in the US, I also hear that this is due to a quasi-monopoly). That doesn't mean people don't want to hear it. It all depends on the venue, on the audience. There are people who actually love listening to guitar solos, and the current-day hatred towards solos is kinda unreasonable; there are places and moments where a solo can be a good addition to a song.

I'd expect the venue to dictate levels, at that point. If the venue is fine with having extremely loud music while serving food then why should you care? At most, you might want to say "if we turned the volume down a notch maybe some people would be better inclined to stay and listen".

Whatever it is that's driving people away, you need to at least try something different if crowds are leaving when you play. Music is a communication between the band and the audience, and the audience is saying "we don't like what you guys are doing" - and pretty clearly, if I read this right.

 

[tbz]

Didn’t you just complain about these guys last week?

Pretty sure it’s been every few weeks for several years. One would assume some sort of “don’t spam submit the same posts” rule would kick in, at some point.

 

[BassGuyFL]

The problem with these older guys is they grew up in the guitar hero and they think everybody’s just enamored with endless soloing. Nothing could be further from the truth. Especially younger people want to dance and sing along. Girls don’t dance to guitar solos. Also they’re very reluctant to change. If you say hey maybe we should learn some Bruno Mars they’re like no we want to play some Robin Trower and some Allman Brothers.