Another gig where we quit early because the crowd left.

[turf3]

...But again the point, MY point is, WHY are we losing the crowd that we DO have? Not drawing a crowd is one thing but not being able to hold the crowd that you get is another. My point has been, if you're read any of my threads here, that we're doing too much I-IV-V blues based music with too many guitar solos...

Look, let's face it.

Not-very-good guitar players absolutely LOVE that rumpty-rumpty blues stuff with endless pentatonic guitar wanking. The problem is, EVERYONE ELSE HATES THAT CRAP. Yeah, if you're Robert Cray or Bugs Henderson, MAYBE some people who aren't not-very-good guitar players will hang around to listen. But that stuff ranks right up with Rush covers for clearing the dance floor, and then clearing the bar, with all the women leading the charge. Even the not-very-good guitar players will be leaving, if they're fortunate enough to have girlfriends or wives, because the women will be dragging their butts out of there.

If the band leader wants to focus on male not-very-good guitar players as his primary audience, then he's going about it exactly the right way. Now you can decide, do you want to participate, or not?

 

[Spidey2112]

Do they offer potato skins? Not just the scooped out spud, but fully loaded? Bacon, cheese, chives, sour cream... the works.

It's a deal breaker for me, if they don't.

 

[Pocket Dave]

Do they offer potato skins? Not just the scooped out spud, but fully loaded? Bacon, cheese, chives, sour cream... the works.

It's a deal breaker for me, if they don't.

Fried sliced jalapeños, vato.

 

[51PRI]

Look, let's face it. Not-very-good guitar players absolutely LOVE that rumpty-rumpty blues stuff with endless pentatonic guitar wanking. The problem is, EVERYONE ELSE HATES THAT CRAP....

That is true. Eric Clapton, as good as he is, made it safe for millions of guitar players to succumb to the charms of pentatonic wankery.

For reference, define "long guitar solo".

How many 12-bar verses we talking?

I didn't cound the bars, but they were long solos. The time before when we played 3 piece he really didn't play a lot of long solos, and we had a better night. FWIW.

Getting back to the original post, you don’t say what time frame your gig is.....

That last gig was from 8-11. We only played from 8-10 and they let us go home early.

Sounds like the kind of band that influences "done gigging/playing in bands because [insert complaint]" threads.

People who start those threads generally overlook their part in these situations.

If I were to allow a band to get into my head and rattle around to the level where I regularly created forum threads complaining about it, that'd be on me.

My choice.

Under the circumstances, my choice would've also been to find another band long ago.

I'm open to another band project if one occurs.

New Year's Eve gig till midnight tonight. With any luck, there will still be a crowd there when we finish...

How was the crowd?

He needs to add that to his list of tricks. Only if he can back up the chops .

Playing behind your back or behind your head is really not that hard. The AUDIENCE thinks it's hard and so it's a good thing to do in "the show" for that reason, i guess. Stevie Ray Vaughan did it.

....can you come to terms with being part of a band that always drives audiences out the door? because that's the band you're in, apparently. staying with them will mean years or decades of playing songs most people don't want to hear with guitar solos that bore them and audiences leaving. from your posts, that's pretty consistent. the rest of the band are happy with that. can you be?

That's what I have to realize is that I'm the odd man out. I want to take the personal time to learn songs and then the band rehearsals to learn new music and do the work to do what I think is needed to improve us and help us get better, more, and better paying, gigs. The other three are, or seem to be, happy to just show up and play.

And now we have to deal with the LG's heart surgery and what happens next with that.

On the bright side, gigs are starting to roll in for 2024 so the BL is on the ball with that, at least.

Thanks or all the comments.

 

[Spidey2112]

Fried sliced jalapeños, vato.

How dare you, Dave! I've lost about 17 lbs, in the past two years!

 

[Pocket Dave]

How dare you, Dave! I've lost about 17 lbs, in the past two years!

Nonsense.

Donchaknow that peppers don't technically add weight, even fried ones?

 

[pepj]

Playing behind your back or behind your head is really not that hard. The AUDIENCE thinks it's hard and so it's a good thing to do in "the show" for that reason, i guess. Stevie Ray Vaughan did it.


That's what I have to realize is that I'm the odd man out. I want to take the personal time to learn songs and then the band rehearsals to learn new music and do the work to do what I think is needed to improve us and help us get better, more, and better paying, gigs. The other three are, or seem to be, happy to just show up and play.

And now we have to deal with the LG's heart surgery and what happens next with that.

On the bright side, gigs are starting to roll in for 2024 so the BL is on the ball with that, at least.

Thanks or all the comments.

SRV was some guitarist...but if your guy cant wow them, then he'll bore everyone..even wannabe gtrs. Which it sounds like this is exactly what happens.

Not bailing on this can sound admirable, but it seems to me a band that cant hold an audience is dead in the water so a big black mark against the band is being oblivious to that..plus you seem to think this pretty hopeless position is salvageable..which I cant see myself.
The fact that the band has bookings coming in isnt any sort of consolation I'd hide behind because if the gigs are invaribly soul destroying, you'll burn out anyway.

The only hope...assuming you havent turned off many to your band already... is to dramatically change tack...and there is absolutely no sign anyone is capable of doing that..or even wanting to.

Bands like that around here never recover..at best they limp on until they fail apart, because no one decent..and therefore able to help them, will join them.

Fron everything you said..not one thing concludes to me that this band isn't done

 

[51PRI]

SRV was some guitarist...but if your guy cant wow them, then he'll bore everyone..even wannabe gtrs.....

I think things have changed a lot from when SRV was playing. I think the long guitar showcase type music is dead, for the most part, but our BL either hasn't noticed it or won't accept it. But, to be fair, his whole musical identity is so linked to "the blues", which still DOES showcase guitar prowess, that seeing things a different way is probably very difficult for him. It's a "when the only tool you have is a hammer then every problem looks like a nail" kind of thing, I think.

 

[turf3]

I think things have changed a lot from when SRV was playing. I think the long guitar showcase type music is dead, for the most part, but our BL either hasn't noticed it or won't accept it. But, to be fair, his whole musical identity is so linked to "the blues", which still DOES showcase guitar prowess, that seeing things a different way is probably very difficult for him. It's a "when the only tool you have is a hammer then every problem looks like a nail" kind of thing, I think.

Well, "The Blues" is as diverse a term as "Jazz" or "Rock and Roll".

Maybe he could pivot to the Louis Jordan and Big Mama Thornton end of things.




LIttle Walter? Koko Taylor? Koko Taylor WITH Little Walter?



Robert Johnson?



For something that's not strictly "The Blues" but it's drenched in the blues, like for instance:



A current favorite of mine, yes with guitar solos but there's a lot more than that. Note dancers! No, maybe it's not a strict "blues" but it's drenched in the blues, and people LIKE IT. If you can sit there and not dance when they're gettin' down, you must be dead!



There's a lot more to "The Blues" than endless pentatonic wankery on a loud electric guitar in the key of E.

 

[pepj]

All the blues gtr players around here are pretty damn good players.
The problem with that is that the band doesn’t keep up so the gtr is the only thing the band has really got.
Hence he needs to be a hot shot and even then, there are a few gigs that they will not crack.
So, you pick your venues..and some venues are exclusively blues or more likely, blues style.
I dont know of a blues Blues band that is top draw..most dive sideways to Hendrix or condusive blues style covers.
Its just the bands have tried and revamped...

You'll find more authentic blues in ticketed venues here.

 

[Pocket Dave]

That is true. Eric Clapton, as good as he is, made it safe for millions of guitar players to succumb to the charms of pentatonic wankery.

I didn't cound the bars, but they were long solos. The time before when we played 3 piece he really didn't play a lot of long solos, and we had a better night. FWIW.
...
Playing behind your back or behind your head is really not that hard. The AUDIENCE thinks it's hard and so it's a good thing to do in "the show" for that reason, i guess. Stevie Ray Vaughan did it.

Confession: I've got a reasonable rep as a guitarist and BL in the not-too-distant past - I'm still asked to play guitar on gigs; Most I politely decline. Thing is, since going back to bass full time, I find the personal peace and purpose enriching.

Be that as it may:

IMO solos need to tell a story using dynamics, tone & melodic phrasing that's simple and relatable to non-musicians. Solos seem overly long when they have nothing to say. Not to toot my own horn; I may not achieve this 100% of the time, but it's a goal whenever I take a guitar solo.

Example from a slow-blues where I soloed a LOT, taking TWO 2-verse solos and a THIRD 1-verse outro. I tried to tell a story rather than just wank & The crowd appeared engaged (and nobody left) - First solo is the intro, second starts at 2:30, the final at 5:45:



This was the only slow-blues we did that night.

We played a mix of songs with super-short and no guitar solos.

Speaking of, Here's one from a local jam where the story I tried to tell only seemed to need a 20-second spot:



My style isn't unique here in my major SW metro market. Lots of guitarists with a similar approach, Many at a much, much higher level.

How big is your local pond?

 

[Pocket Dave]

I'm open to another band project if one occurs.

On the bright side, gigs are starting to roll in for 2024 so the BL is on the ball with that, at least.

Are you willing to try and make another band project occur by putting some bass-player-available ads on social networking?

Or if you wanted to jump straight into a working band, offer yourself as a sub? I was asked to join full time after subbing with my current band, when the previous bassist turned in his notice to pursue other projects

Kudos to your BL for hustling gigs, but you've allowed the gigs he's already hustled to cause you enough grief to come here and complain. For me, that would mean gig conditions would have to be pretty unacceptable, and I'd have to honestly ask myself what's likely to change to make them acceptable. If "nothing", that makes my decision easy - Time to go.

 

[51PRI]

.... you've allowed the gigs he's already hustled to cause you enough grief to come here and complain......

It's more like I see where I think we can improve and have better gigs and better crowds but nobody is willing to do the work. Most bands that I've been in rehearsed a lot, learned a lot of new songs regularly and fine tuned them to perfection. This band likes to just show up and play. I think we could, and should, do better and the crowd leaving shows that what we're doing is no longer working.

 

[Spidey2112]

So many variables... if you don't walk a mile in another man's shoes, how can you tell whether they fit you, or not?

 

[Pocket Dave]

It's more like I see where I think we can improve and have better gigs and better crowds but nobody is willing to do the work. Most bands that I've been in rehearsed a lot, learned a lot of new songs regularly and fine tuned them to perfection. This band likes to just show up and play. I think we could, and should, do better and the crowd leaving shows that what we're doing is no longer working.

Again: If it were me and nobody was willing to put in the work to make it a situation I'd want to accept, I'd have an easy decision to make.

Hint - It would be neither staying in the band or complaining.

 

[51PRI]

Again: If it were me and nobody was willing to put in the work to make it a situation I'd want to accept, I'd have an easy decision to make.

Hint - It would be neither staying in the band or complaining.

Thanks.

I won't quit until/unless I have something else in the works to replace it, so in the meantime I'll just quit complaining here, although I will miss the opportunity to vent, and try to be the best band member that I can be under the circumstances.

 

[Spidey2112]

"... and try to be the best band member that I can be under the circumstances."

That's what I want to hear.

"Point Of Know Return" comes to mind.

 

[pepj]

Don't stop complaining in threads here.
Its a lively enough thread..as long as you can handle the blowback.

I will rail against many a band if they dont deliver anything....not least ones I'm in, or rather more definitely the ones I'm in.
It is a design to make it better...

But yep, there are always degrees of people 'not listening'

If you dont care, who else will...

 

[51PRI]

Don't stop complaining in threads here.
Its a lively enough thread..as long as you can handle the blowback.....

Thanks.

Are you willing to try and make another band project occur by putting some bass-player-available ads on social networking?...

I would ideally be looking for a position playing guitar or guitar/keys. I wouldn't really want to be in two bands playing bass unless a special project came along, which is unlikely.

 

[Pocket Dave]

Thanks.

I would ideally be looking for a position playing guitar or guitar/keys. I wouldn't really want to be in two bands playing bass unless a special project came along, which is unlikely.

I'm confused - I thought you were playing bass with these guys.

Getting guitar work can be a bigger challenge than bass. IME, it takes a different approach(s) than placing ads.

Regularly getting out to pro-level jams and networking or being an adaptable sight-reader and putting in a lot of time in higher-level event bands where you can build a network and get referrals are a just a couple approaches. So is being skilled at putting together your own regularly paying act and hiring decent players.

I'm sure there are others.

Would you be willing to do that?

BTW, I understand not wanting to leave this band until you have something else lined up - Do you need the revenue stream? If not, what good is it doing you?