Bad gig

[Growlmonkee]

Well, next time if you feel there's a train wreck coming, talk to the BL, explain that it has to be MUCH better for you to take the part, that you, and the band do not yet have a good enough grasp on the material. Of course , in all fairness, this has to be done asap, so they can get someone, if you drop out. I guess for myself, 20+ songs that I don't know, and just a couple of days to learn them.... not happening, seems to me the BL was not concerned with quality at all, he/she should have known at practice that it was not really happening...A gig, I personally would not be a part of, I probably would not take a gig with the Bl again, honestly.

 

[T-MOST]

I had a similar last minute call a few years ago. 25 songs to learn in a week and a half. Plus another 2-3 added on during the gig. I did about an 80% job that night! You do your best to prepare but always expect a few curve balls!

 

[Biggbass]

It is my feeling that when you sling a band together for a short notice gig you should all agree to a set list of familiar material that everyone can dial in quickly. Otherwise you are just trying to keep the train on the tracks when it's been derailed from the start.
Don't beat yourself up over this. But learn from the experience.
Would you stick your hand in the fire a 2nd time? Probably not.

 

[Benjamin Earl]

Don't beat yourself up. You did your best with the time you had to prepare. This crap happens. In the past I would get upset about it, but then I realized this is how they run their band. Have fun with what you can do. If they are stressed because they suck, then consider not taking the gig next time.

 

[aaronious]

But my names not Donny.

 

[Famuus]

I'm a freelance bassist. I know my instrument, but i'm not god. If people ask me to learn 30 songs in a week without any preparation i tell them to look for another bassist. I ask a 200euro fee per gig. If they pay me, i want them to pay me for work done well. If i can't do it well, i don't do it. Done


Greetings

 

[Sixpack324]

This situation was not put together well and was asking to be a trainwreck from the start.

But......

I do alot of sub-ing as a bassist. Sometimes I'm *familiar* with the material and sometimes I've never heard of it. 23 songs in a week and a half is not that hard if you take the time to make your own charts. When I find myself in this situation, I make my own charts and use them (inconspicuously) at the gig. If the performance trainwrecks, it won't be my fault. Because I'm prepared (maybe not by memorizing, but charts are preparation!), I stick my hand out at the end of the gig (good or bad) for my fee and get paid.


If I were you.....The lesson I would take away from this is to do the right kind of preparation for a situation like this in the future.

 

[arbiterusa]

Charts! I learned 55 songs in one week - on keyboard. Was not fun. It's not my main or even secondary instrument. But everything was written out and I used those notes for several months.

I don't think you did bad. You wanna know what a bad gig is? I'll tell you. My buddy calls us up, friend of his is getting married, we're the entertainment. We show up. Set up. Death glares from EVERYONE. We're not in the way, so what gives? Really creepy. We start playing. One of my guitar guys leans over and says "do you think they're going to let us leave alive?" Cause there's a line of pissed-off dudes all in front of us, arms folded, the only one dancing is the bride. And then and only then did I put it together. I'd met the bride before, several times. Always at my drummer's house. I think you can figure out the rest. Everyone else had, save for the band.

UNCOMFORTABLE

 

[placedesjardins]

Well, you are braver than me. That would have not been enough time for me to prepare, especially a 23 song set, unless I knew all 23 songs already.