You kind of lost me at "no pay." You're playing a for-profit venue for nothing but beer? Why not go build pyramids for the pharaoh?
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Appropriate time to set up before a gig?
- Thread starter expatmuso
- Start date
No offense, but you are getting reamed up the butt. The situation is crazy stupid, unless your band really sucks....even then it's just plain stupid.
How far away from "home" is the bar? If it's just down the street, sure, I'd set up and then leave, go home, s***, shower, and shave and show up about 30 minutes before downbeat. If the owner is just worried about load-in interfering with dinner traffic, I'd ask if I could just drop off the gear early, and then set up at a more reasonable hour.
When I was gigging and running sound, I'd want to get to a venue two hours prior to showtime. Four hours is way too long to ask a band to hang around for nothing.
When I was gigging and running sound, I'd want to get to a venue two hours prior to showtime. Four hours is way too long to ask a band to hang around for nothing.
Just my experience here: every bar I've played with my cover band in the past three years asked us to do the soundchecks before 5PM. They don't want to disturb their regulars.
So we usually setup everything around 2 or 3 PM, go back home or hit a small restaurant, and get back into the bar 30 to 60 minutes before our set starts.
Yes: it does take a lot of "free" time from one's schedule.
So we usually setup everything around 2 or 3 PM, go back home or hit a small restaurant, and get back into the bar 30 to 60 minutes before our set starts.
Yes: it does take a lot of "free" time from one's schedule.
Not normal. You arrive when you want, as long as you are setup, and prepared to play on time. 1.5 hrs ahead is a typical buffer.
Nope, never been harassed by patrons. Whatever the load-in situation is, it wasn't my idea.
Showing up that early and having that much time to kill is a PITA on a paying gig. Paying with beer would likely be a no go for me.
For a gig where I have to set up that early I get compensated accordingly. Contractors/bandleaders who respect their musicians have no problem with that.
But hey, if it works for you, go for it.
A bar owner that would take this much advantage of a band that seemingly is desperate to play probably sucks overall. I hope everyone drinks and that they don't drive.
MDBass
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Absolutely not.
If the show is scheduled to start at 10:30, you should get there around 9: 6pm load in for a 10:30 gig for no money is absurd.
OP: You're not crazy for thinking the timing is over the top. You are crazy for taking a gig for beer IMO.
Usually timing like this is because a venue doesn't want trolleys of gear getting wheeled through an operating bar or restaurant. That's perfectly fine, a venue manager runs their place how they see fit. However it is time out of your day and should be factored into the gig payment. Payment. Did I say Payment? Payment! Also, PAYMENT. Sorry I'm done now. No I'm not - P A Y M E N T. Now I'm done.
Usually timing like this is because a venue doesn't want trolleys of gear getting wheeled through an operating bar or restaurant. That's perfectly fine, a venue manager runs their place how they see fit. However it is time out of your day and should be factored into the gig payment. Payment. Did I say Payment? Payment! Also, PAYMENT. Sorry I'm done now. No I'm not - P A Y M E N T. Now I'm done.
For bar/club gigs I arrive an hour before start time.
For private events I arrive an hour before 'no more noise' time or if a soundcheck time is given I'll arrive 30 mins before then.
Pay is irrelevant. If your band agrees to do the gig then respect the gig. Be professional in everything you do. If they want you there 4 hours early then so be it, or else don't take the gig.
For private events I arrive an hour before 'no more noise' time or if a soundcheck time is given I'll arrive 30 mins before then.
Pay is irrelevant. If your band agrees to do the gig then respect the gig. Be professional in everything you do. If they want you there 4 hours early then so be it, or else don't take the gig.
It’s a lousy deal; suck it up and do it. Just don’t do it again. If you’re playing for free, I would think you’ve got the leverage to set your own terms about setup times and everything else, for that matter.
Four hours of music on your dime and you're still paying for drinks. Yours is a bar owner's dream band!
To answer the question, I give myself no less than an hour for set-up for small gigs, an hour and a half for bigger venues.
To answer the question, I give myself no less than an hour for set-up for small gigs, an hour and a half for bigger venues.
Nah -- bad deal all around. Save your time and energy, do something more worth it to you. Unless this is something you truly enjoy and you don't need the money. You're setting up expectations that you already don't seem excited to meet.
I generally go for an hour to an hour and a half early.
I could see more if it's a nice place with a dinner crowd that needs to not be disturbed.
The thing is, the more of my time they want to get, the more of my time they need to pay for.
You may not have considered this, but you are enabling the bar owner.
Once he gets a free band, it will make him expect that.
Anyone making their living by playing in your area will not be happy.
At some point, you may find yourself needing to find spot in a different band.
That band may remember you as one of the guys that did the free gig that
that lowered the average pay in your area.
That said, if you agreed to it, do it.
I would suggest trying to see if the bar owner could do something to make it worth your time.
For instance, I used to do a recurring gig in a place that was primarily a catfish resturant before 9PM.
We'd set up 1 1/2 - 2 hours early and enjoy a great free meal until 15 - 20 minutes before show time.
Yes, we were getting paid, but the food made it worth while to be there early.
Can you get food, top shelf booze, a great view from the back door, a firm promise of money next time or
SOMETHING
to make it worth your time?
I could see more if it's a nice place with a dinner crowd that needs to not be disturbed.
The thing is, the more of my time they want to get, the more of my time they need to pay for.
You may not have considered this, but you are enabling the bar owner.
Once he gets a free band, it will make him expect that.
Anyone making their living by playing in your area will not be happy.
At some point, you may find yourself needing to find spot in a different band.
That band may remember you as one of the guys that did the free gig that
that lowered the average pay in your area.
That said, if you agreed to it, do it.
I would suggest trying to see if the bar owner could do something to make it worth your time.
For instance, I used to do a recurring gig in a place that was primarily a catfish resturant before 9PM.
We'd set up 1 1/2 - 2 hours early and enjoy a great free meal until 15 - 20 minutes before show time.
Yes, we were getting paid, but the food made it worth while to be there early.
Can you get food, top shelf booze, a great view from the back door, a firm promise of money next time or
SOMETHING
to make it worth your time?
He doesn't want you setting up when customers are there. This is perfectly normal and acceptable. I wouldn't want that either, if I owned the place.
You don't need to leave your instruments sitting there, but you should all get your amps and your drum kit in, and the P.A. set up, and possibly do a very brief sound check. Then go do whatever till 30 minutes before show time.
If this doesn't work for you, don't take the gig. It's really that simple. It's a perfectly reasonable request IMO.
You don't need to leave your instruments sitting there, but you should all get your amps and your drum kit in, and the P.A. set up, and possibly do a very brief sound check. Then go do whatever till 30 minutes before show time.
If this doesn't work for you, don't take the gig. It's really that simple. It's a perfectly reasonable request IMO.
Unreal. Early-ish setup isn’t that unusual if the band is fully mic’d up but not under these circumstances. Maybe at age 19 or 20 I might have done this but there is no way you should play the gig, regardless of how tough it is to find work where you are.
I dunno, maybe that’s easy for me to say. This story just irks me. The flippin’ manager can’t shoot you $50 each? BS. What’s the till ring?
I may have misread your post. You think this is a reasonable request given that they’re not getting paid?
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Most of my gigs are actually load in at 6 or 7 with the show not starting until at least 9pm. What we tend to do is load in right on time and then there’s enough time to eat dinner before the show starts. Nearly all the venues we play have restaurants within walking distance. If we’re comfortable with the venue we’ll leave and eat at the restaurant, if not one guy will stay behind and watch the gear. If I’m staying behind I usually grab some fast food right before I get to the venue because I’d rather eat sooner than later. Once we’re back at the venue we try to give people our undivided attention so that time at dinner allows the band to talk business And hang out together. Friday gigs can be a bit sketchy though because everyone lives in different towns. So for example when we play the town I live in our guitarist always misses load in time because of work and his commute.
