OK, I have a problem.
I book shows for my band. Because my husband's band is sooo popular, and plays out so much, and he is our drummer, I have to book around them. I don't like it, but he was already with that band when we formed, and we agreed that we would do this. And, they do make sure he has enough free time to play with us. Not as much as I'd like, but enough.
But now, our guitarist has formed another band. A three-piece acoustic combo, with her brother and an old friend. So, now I am expected to book around *them*, too. I do not like this at *all*. I told her she could go ahead and be in the other band, but that I cannot book around the schedules of two bands without giving up more gigs than I want to. As it is, we only play two or three times a month, because of them.
On top of all that, our singer is moving out of state, so we want to play as much as we can before he leaves in a few months.
Mid-May, we are *very* busy. We have a bar gig on Friday, 5/12. Then we have a festival gig on May 13, and my husband's band comes on after we finish, both bands getting prime slots after 8 p.m. We have all paid our dues in that town, played in 35F weather in front of no one, and in 105F in front of crowds, for a few years, now.
The guitarist booked her acoustic thing for the afternoon portion of the festival, which is fine. She has not chosen a time slot, yet, however.
So...enter another, very-nearby festival. A much bigger, better-attended one. They asked The Knowbodys to play it at 4 p.m. We figure that's fine, since we don't play the other one until after 8 p.m., and the guitarist's band could play the early afternoon.
But nooooo! She wants her band (this is their first gig) to have a prime afternoon slot...at 4 p.m.! This precludes our being able to play the big festival *unless we get a sub*. Which makes her all upset, understandably. But...she is the one who chose to be in two bands. She wants to work with her bro, and there is no place for him in The Knowbodys. (He plays bass...so there's no place for him in my band.)
I asked her if she would please book her acoustic thing for 1 or 2 p.m. and let us do the big festival, but she says that she won't get a good crowd for her band that way. My thinking is, "Oh, you think the venue is going to put your *brand new* totally unknown band in a better slot than the other acoustic groups, who've been playing out there and paying their dues already? Brand-new bands get the early slots. That's life." But I don't say it. I just think it, for now.
So, she wants us to give up a *great* festival, with lots of exposure for all of us, so her brand-new group can get the best slot at a very small festival, which she is, IMO, unlikely to get.
I *can't* book my band around the schedules of two others! We'll get trumped all the time. I'm in this to play, not to babysit other bands!
So...do I bring in the sub and take the festival gig? I risk losing her permanently, if I do. But if I cave, I will be expected to continue to cave!
What would you do?
Cherie
I book shows for my band. Because my husband's band is sooo popular, and plays out so much, and he is our drummer, I have to book around them. I don't like it, but he was already with that band when we formed, and we agreed that we would do this. And, they do make sure he has enough free time to play with us. Not as much as I'd like, but enough.
But now, our guitarist has formed another band. A three-piece acoustic combo, with her brother and an old friend. So, now I am expected to book around *them*, too. I do not like this at *all*. I told her she could go ahead and be in the other band, but that I cannot book around the schedules of two bands without giving up more gigs than I want to. As it is, we only play two or three times a month, because of them.
On top of all that, our singer is moving out of state, so we want to play as much as we can before he leaves in a few months.
Mid-May, we are *very* busy. We have a bar gig on Friday, 5/12. Then we have a festival gig on May 13, and my husband's band comes on after we finish, both bands getting prime slots after 8 p.m. We have all paid our dues in that town, played in 35F weather in front of no one, and in 105F in front of crowds, for a few years, now.
The guitarist booked her acoustic thing for the afternoon portion of the festival, which is fine. She has not chosen a time slot, yet, however.
So...enter another, very-nearby festival. A much bigger, better-attended one. They asked The Knowbodys to play it at 4 p.m. We figure that's fine, since we don't play the other one until after 8 p.m., and the guitarist's band could play the early afternoon.
But nooooo! She wants her band (this is their first gig) to have a prime afternoon slot...at 4 p.m.! This precludes our being able to play the big festival *unless we get a sub*. Which makes her all upset, understandably. But...she is the one who chose to be in two bands. She wants to work with her bro, and there is no place for him in The Knowbodys. (He plays bass...so there's no place for him in my band.)
I asked her if she would please book her acoustic thing for 1 or 2 p.m. and let us do the big festival, but she says that she won't get a good crowd for her band that way. My thinking is, "Oh, you think the venue is going to put your *brand new* totally unknown band in a better slot than the other acoustic groups, who've been playing out there and paying their dues already? Brand-new bands get the early slots. That's life." But I don't say it. I just think it, for now.
So, she wants us to give up a *great* festival, with lots of exposure for all of us, so her brand-new group can get the best slot at a very small festival, which she is, IMO, unlikely to get.
I *can't* book my band around the schedules of two others! We'll get trumped all the time. I'm in this to play, not to babysit other bands!
So...do I bring in the sub and take the festival gig? I risk losing her permanently, if I do. But if I cave, I will be expected to continue to cave!
What would you do?
Cherie
