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Bad gig

woody357

woody357

Jun 17, 2005
1,986
772
#1
How bad should I fee. I got a call on the 5th for a gig on the 15th. I was sent 23 songs on the 6, but I was at work. I work 24hr shifts, but I was doing a 36 because someone worked for me for New Year's Eve. I had the next two days after to get ready for a rehearsal on the tenth. I manage to get 15 of the songs somewhat under my belt. Get to the rehearsal, bass drums keys, two singers who were calling the shots. Ok I can get threw 15 song, but the keys had not done any homework, so as songs were called out we had to wait for him. Now that wasn't bad he caught on quick, but the were calling out songs I did not know yet. So we only went threw about 4-5 songs.the next day they get together with the keys, I had to work. The decide to remove some songs and add others most of I knew. We have another rehearsal Tuesday, again only 4-5 song done. Now to the gig.

I get there early, the drummer has already set up.the singers show and we are waiting for the keys who shows up about 25-20 minutes before downbeat. Ok we start late not a problem, the first songs a instrumental ok I knew the songs but never played with them, and had to solo in them. I get threw it no problem. Here where thing got bad. Song were called some I was sure of but most I needed to hear something of it the chords something, but the keys were looking to me to head up everything. To say the least I had a bad night, some songs inwas told they changed the key and tried to find them in the key just to find out they didn't change it. I would say 70% of the night I was ok, the rest I felt bad. I really did not make a good case for myself for future calls. I know the keyboard player and we rapped. He was like he tried to tell them to use more songs everyone knew, and I never worked with the drummer before, and we never did lock that night.
Should I beat myself up over this gig? I do play with a band that pays well $200-$300 a gig, but they are private gigs, I was trying to break in on the local club scene.
 
#4
I agree, whomever the Band leader is should have been more organized and pulled this together more...it sounded to ad-hoc. Like you I work alot and have and spouse/kids, I need to manage my time well. I almost insist on not only getting the full catalog up front, but each rehearsal decide on a fixed set of tunes to prepare for each rehearsal that is clearly communicated to each member in a reasonable amount of time prior. If we decide on 1-10 and than I show up and folks don't have 1-10 prepared or we start going into #12 or 15, thats a hint that the gig wont work for me:)
 
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#5
FirewalZ said:
I agree, whomever the Band leader is should have been more organized and pulled this together more...it sounded to ad-hoc. Like you I work alot and have and spouse/kids, I need to manage my time well. I almost insist on not only getting the full catalog up front, but each rehearsal decide on a fixed set of tunes to prepare for each rehearsal that is clearly communicated to each member in a reasonable amount of time prior. If we decide on 1-10 and than I show up and folks don't have 1-10 prepared or we start going into #12 or 15, thats a hint that the gig wont work for me:)
Click to expand...
She is new to band leading. Like you when I lead my own thing I let people know what we will rehearse, and if it's like this gig was on short notice with musicians who have never work together, I try To use what everyone knows to keep the learning curve down. I took this gig because I never get to play locally and wanted to keep my face seen but I'm hoping I did not hurt myself with this. The band I play with Ive been with for five years come may, but unless you are at a wedding, fair or other private event you would never see or hear me play.
 
#7
That is NOT the way to handle gigs. I would never book a gig knowing full well it was going to be a train wreck! As for the song list given......I know my limitations. If I am not familiar with the majority of the list, I will not take the gig. 23 songs and 1 week lead time? No way. I sub quite a bit. But I know 95% of the music and familiar with the rest so I just learn them real quick and make notes. Music outside my wheelhouse, I will not take the gig.
 
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#8
The band leader sent out 23 songs to players who had never met, with no charts?
What style of music was the gig?
Can you post the set list? Just curious.

Personally I love learning new tunes and making my own charts. But, if I were to call myself a bandleader, I would want to ensure success by sending out charts as well as recordings.
 
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#9
23 song in 2 days for first refersal is ok if band members are all:
1. Very familiar with specific genre (i.e. 80' rock hits) or
2. top pro

Anyways, band manager did a bad job. Sadly, this is not good for your reputation, because people like to blame others for their failure ("those guys were all amateurs, I will never call them again..."). Avoid this crap best as you can!
 
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#11
Did you communicate you would not have sufficient time to learn the material? When?

In managing groups, communication is everything and everyone needs to do it.
One cannot do anything to fix an oncoming trainwreck when both trains are within visual distance of each other.
 
#12
Sounds like there is plenty of blame to go around. Keys player should have done his homework. BL could have chosen a set list that included more songs that everybody already knew, and/or could have told everybody in advance which dozen or so songs everybody should prepare for the first rehearsal and which to save for the second. You took a gig that, at least according to 20-20 hindsight, maybe you didn't realistically have time to prepare for. If you didn't get booed off the stage, I'd say the gig was virtually a success under the circumstances.

It sounds like you have a sweet ongoing gig with your regular band. Maybe a good perspective to have would be to realize that with that in your pocket, anything else is gravy....
 
#13
I would have turned down the gig before risking such a train wreck. You had to know that between your work schedule and the last minute nature of this gig, chances were good that if the band didn't drop the ball at some point, than you would have. Things like this can severely damage your chances of getting future work and your credibility can take a hit (even if you nailed it 100%, if the band isn't with it than that reflects badly on you). Next time just pass. The "must gig at any and all costs" mentality can really make people take leave of common sense sometimes and the BL probably caught some of those vapors. It's not the end of the world, just a lesson learned.
 
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#14
if they're not on your case then don't worry too much but do make your troubles known and do make suggestions on how the BL can be more organized.

I just went through something similar and assumed that the band was pro enough to know what their problems were. Wrong. The BL was a disorganized nutcase who refuses to accept responsibility. He ended up always blaming the guy who just quit (they have a high turnaround).
 
#15
I play at churches. Yes, every week, it's a new set list, with songs posted a week or so in advance - charts and mp3's, but there's 3 to (max) 5 songs, and most of the time, it's something like one new song, a couple songs in keys I haven't played before, and 2 that I've done before in that key. That's doable. 23 new songs to learn in a week and a half - I wouldn't take that gig. No way I could play at the level I want to with that little prep time.

Before you forget, write down everything you learned from this experience. Take an oath to make different mistakes (in judgement) next time. Before long, you'll have what we call "experience.
 
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#16
Could they get anyone ELSE to do it? I suspect not. That should tell you something. Like others have said - this was the BL's train wreck, not yours. It is possible to do a gig on minimal notice, but generally only if all the tunes are familiar, or you get charts and can sight-read, or everything is a 12-bar blues in one form or another.

The only thing you're really to blame for here is your inability to spell "through."
 
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#17
Hi,

woody357 said:
How bad should I fee. I got a call on the 5th for a gig on the 15th. I was sent 23 songs on the 6, but I was at work. I work 24hr shifts, but I was doing a 36 because someone worked for me for New Year's Eve. I had the next two days after to get ready for a rehearsal on the tenth. I manage to get 15 of the songs somewhat under my belt. Get to the rehearsal, bass drums keys, two singers who were calling the shots. Ok I can get threw 15 song, but the keys had not done any homework, so as songs were called out we had to wait for him. Now that wasn't bad he caught on quick, but the were calling out songs I did not know yet. So we only went threw about 4-5 songs.the next day they get together with the keys, I had to work. The decide to remove some songs and add others most of I knew. We have another rehearsal Tuesday, again only 4-5 song done. Now to the gig.

I get there early, the drummer has already set up.the singers show and we are waiting for the keys who shows up about 25-20 minutes before downbeat. Ok we start late not a problem, the first songs a instrumental ok I knew the songs but never played with them, and had to solo in them. I get threw it no problem. Here where thing got bad. Song were called some I was sure of but most I needed to hear something of it the chords something, but the keys were looking to me to head up everything. To say the least I had a bad night, some songs inwas told they changed the key and tried to find them in the key just to find out they didn't change it. I would say 70% of the night I was ok, the rest I felt bad. I really did not make a good case for myself for future calls. I know the keyboard player and we rapped. He was like he tried to tell them to use more songs everyone knew, and I never worked with the drummer before, and we never did lock that night.
Should I beat myself up over this gig? I do play with a band that pays well $200-$300 a gig, but they are private gigs, I was trying to break in on the local club scene.
Click to expand...

Don't beat yourself up over this gig. You did your best to learn your parts. Others dropped the ball. If the band leader wants to go play a show with this kind of preparation, it looks bad for them and not for you. Would you want any future calls from this band? Perhaps after they get their act together. There are few things more frustrating than for me to do my best to prepare for a rehearsal and then have others in the band not know their parts. It's totally rude for someone to waste the band's time learning a tune at the rehearsal. Practice at home, learn the parts, put it together at rehearsal.

You did your part. Let's hope the others have learned from this experience. Sometimes you just have to work with what you got, especially in a short notice pick-up band situation. Maybe they'll get their ducks in a row and the next gig will be peaches. :)

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#18
smeet said:
The band leader sent out 23 songs to players who had never met, with no charts?
What style of music was the gig?
Can you post the set list? Just curious.

Personally I love learning new tunes and making my own charts. But, if I were to call myself a bandleader, I would want to ensure success by sending out charts as well as recordings.
Click to expand...
It was a R&B gig. The band I normally play with does more old school and pop.
 
#19
Nev375 said:
Did you communicate you would not have sufficient time to learn the material? When?

In managing groups, communication is everything and everyone needs to do it.
One cannot do anything to fix an oncoming trainwreck when both trains are within visual distance of each other.
Click to expand...
No I just gave it my best shot. The songs were not hard to play, but they were not stuff that I was familiar with. There was about three songs that were added to replace others, but two of them we didn't do, that could have help the night be a little better.
 
#20
I don't think you should feel the least bit bad about it. Pickup gigs happen that way sometimes, and if you gave it your level best without throwing a fit in frustration, you already upstaged a lot of other players who have been in the same position. It sounds like you did what you were able to with the time you had, so you held up your end. No shame in that.

I recently had something similar happen, with a band that called me to basically jam for a live set right before New Year's Eve. I was acquainted with two of the six members but had never played anything with them before. We had some fun and actually pulled off some pretty good music, even with the guitarist reciting rapid fire Nashville numbers between each song because I didn't know but three of the tunes they wanted to play. After that, they asked me to do a real gig the following weekend at a popular local haunt. The only coordinates I got before that gig were two texts, one with a list of about 25 songs and another with a handful of "...and we might do these, too." Of all the songs on the list, I'd played five of them and had passing familiarity with a dozen or so others. And the best part: that text came at 1AM the morning of the gig, and I didn't even read it until I woke up at 8. So I had that morning and early afternoon to "learn" everything on the list. Then, when the gig happened, they pulled about six more tunes out of their tailpipes and threw me completely to the wolves. But the audience loved it and we had a packed house right up until closing time. Then they offered me two more gigs the following week...and now that those have come and gone, the trial by fire is pretty much over! I think I can cut just about anything in their repertoire now, and pretty much all of it was learned on the fly.

YMMV, but this may even be more the norm these days than it has been in the past. People have gotten busier and busier, moonlighting musicians put in extra hours at their regular jobs, and on top of all that we live in a world where communication barely happens if it's not through text or social media. Not that I think rehearsals have necessarily ceased to exist, but there definitely seem to be more folks flying by the seats of their pants than in decades past.

Good luck with it, and I hope you get a callback!
 
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