I have two gigging projects (see sig), a Blues Brothers tribute (BBNG) and a classic rock bar band (Mugshot Monday).
Last fall through winter, BBNG seemed to have hit a new level. For the first time in the years I've been playing with them, we booked actual stage shows for ticket-buying audiences, and were able to bring about 300 people to each. We also play parades, did the massive Boston St. Pat's parade and then three separate Independence Day weekend parades leading up to July 4.
Mugshot got quiet over the winter just as BBNG was busiest, and in the midst of that our guitarist quit and we brought a new one on board. The summer schedule initially looked empty, then all of a sudden gig offers poured in - a posh private party for our biggest payday ever, Laconia Bike Week (two shows) for our biggest crowd ever, and a string of the usual bars and clubs. It was getting to the point that the Mrs. was getting annoyed that the band was taking up so much of my time.
Between the two groups, I had 17 gigs from May to September this year. Not as busy as some, but a good clip for me. Now, for the rest of 2023 to New Year's, I have three, including NYE.
Not sure what happened; I've never noticed such a dramatic dropoff before. BBNG had another stage show scheduled, then the theater canceled because they had planned on it also being a BBQ event and the fire marshal wouldn't grant a permit. Another fall club gig got moved to next spring. All that leaves for them is a Halloween parade. I'm not too surprised, because it's a big group and expensive to book and summer is usually its busy season with town fairs and things. Mugshot just doesn't have anything except a legion post gig and NYE. The singer of that group does the booking, and she's been frank that she hasn't been too active about pursuing gigs because the ones we were getting, it was them that approached her. But some new places she has been trying to get us into haven't been returning her calls.
The thing with Mugshot is that we're a good entertaining act, and get good feedback, but I also know the singer is inconsistent musically. She has friends who will spontaneously livestream a song from a gig and sometimes when I go to listen later, I cringe at how off-key she can be. She's not always bad, most of the time she nails it, but not consistently. I'm wondering if prospective venues that don't already know us are checking us out on FB and deciding to pass when they hear it.
Bottom line, I'm wondering how often the rest of you hit this kind of a slump, and if it's probably just a temporary thing or if I should be concerned and looking at other options.
