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Bar band Gigs are too long

#22
Where I am the bars don't really get kicking til midnight. We start at 10:30 and do 3 - 45min sets with 1-45 min break after the first set and 1-30 min break after the second then finish off the third set at 2:00AM. Our last set is the most kicking and the bars have a hard time getting people out. I don't mind the length. I won't book us for less than $100 a member and usually $100 bar tab to cover our stage drinks.
 
#23
glenb73 said:
8pm start time would be great, but here we can't start until 10pm. I dont know why but thats what all these bar owners want.
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Do the math. It is quite obvious why the bar owners want you to start at ten. Three one hour sets with 30 minute breaks = 2 a.m.

If it isn't for you, that is fine, keep playing in your garage with your friends. Lots of guys are very happy doing this their whole career, and some guys should have stayed there anyways. If you want to be respected as an "artist" the bar is not the place to do it, very few people are at bars to see bands, they are there because they want to party.

Also, did you consider it isn't their fault they are not paying attention to you? It might have something to do with why your only getting a $25 night.
 
#26
glenb73 said:
I would much prefer to play 1.5 hr set (15-17 songs) and call it a night. But in all the bar bands I been in they wanna play 35+ songs for 4 hours. To me, it's not fun after a while and it becomes a real chore to have to play so many songs.
Even real super star legendary bands, the usually play 20-22 songs tops and thats it.
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Ummm... personally, I have no problem playing 35+ songs for four hours. I'm there to strut, I'm getting paid to do it, I often drink (and sometimes eat) for free, and it's more than likely that I'm going to get laid at the end of the night. I'm missing the bad part.
 
#27
DiabolusInMusic said:
Also, did you consider it isn't their fault they are not paying attention to you? It might have something to do with why your only getting a $25 night.
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+1

Here's a very important lesson everyone should know: The crowd is never wrong. In the surprisingly wise words of John Mayer, "The audience is always smarter than you." It's not their fault they aren't interested in your band.

Also, $25 per person is extremely cheap, but that may be all the venue feels you're worth. In my tri-county area, even the crappiest of bars pay at least $100 per person. 4 hours is the norm pretty much across the country. In Okeechobee, all the bars does 4.5 hours. You can either accept that, or don't do the gigs. Don't expect that to change.
 
#28
glenb73 said:
I would much prefer to play 1.5 hr set (15-17songs) and call it a night. But in all the bar bands I been in they wanna play 35+ songs for 4 hours. To me, its not fun after a while and it becomes a real chore to have to play so many songs.
Even real super star legendary bands, the usually play 20-22 songs tops and thats it.
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Guess what? You are not in a super star legendary band. It's called Paying Your Dues and I did it for years before I got higher paying gigs which only required me to play for a couple of hours and I'm not in a legendary band either.

glenb73 said:
so i gotta stand up there for 4 hours to entertain a bunch of people (who arent even listening anyways), get home at 3am in the morning....for like $25 ? LOL no thanks, not fun
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Why are you only getting $25?

You have several options.

1. Do a better job of negotiating how much the band gets paid.

2. Find a better band where you can make more money.

3. If you don't enjoy playing gigs, don't do it. Find something better to do with your time.
 
#30
I've never made less than 70$ for four hours. And I have fun all night just playing. But I agree that it's not for everyone. As a 17 year old it's a much more fun source of income than my previous job as a McDonald's crew member lol :spit:
 
#36
glenb73 said:
(who arent even listening anyways),



for like $25 ?
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Well THERE'S yer problem right there! You are clearly in the wrong bands.

If you are....
a) in a band that isn't good enough to keep the audience's attention and
b) in a band that only pays "like $25"

If your set list, or your band, were any good, the audience would be slammed up against the stage all night. And I wouldn't play 25 minutes for only $25. Not even worth setting my rig up for (unless, of course, I'm playing a benefit, which I do from time to time).

So, it is obvious to me that the length of your shows is but a small part of the issues with your current project.
 
#39
When I was a kid, we had to play 12 hour gigs. Without breaks. And we had to do it walking. Uphill. Both ways. In the snow. And we were paid in small bowls of rice. Uncooked rice. And fish. Heads. Fish heads. That's all we got. Uncooked rice and fish heads. And we loved it. We loved it I tell ya... We never complained. We never got "tired."

:scowl:
 

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