Control

[bluewine]

so are you guys (as a group) trying to make a big deal of yourselves? was that the intent when you signed on? also, when you auditioned was the guy presented as the person to answer to?

This band has great original material, top notch musicianship, the BL is great front man and vocalist.

However management & direction is weak. To be honest we are all to old to make it big. BL is 50 I'm 58

 

[the yeti]

This band has great original material, top notch musicianship, the BL is great front man and vocalist.

However management & direction is weak. To be honest we are all to old to make it big. BL is 50 I'm 58

got it, sounds like he either needs to be set right, abandoned, or followed. which way are you leaning?

 

[MegaSwing]

A gig is a gig. Maintain a reserve of capable subs, especially if there is good money involved. If the money is just OK, there should be no worry anyway. Just get it done. When a band takes itself too seriously, it often loses out on opportunities.

 

[bluewine]

A gig is a gig. Maintain a reserve of capable subs, especially if there is good money involved. If the money is just OK, there should be no worry anyway. Just get it done. When a band takes itself too seriously, it often loses out on opportunities.

Well there are other considerations.

2.5 hour drive, great venue,head lining and good pay

2.5 hour drive, benefit show, Noon start time, little to no exposure and no pay.

I'd say yes to the first gig and no to the second.

 

[cataract]

I second the Google Calendar idea.

 

[ShoeManiac]

Thing is, the calander is a good idea. I wish the Guy could just ask our opinions at rehearsal. "We have this opportunity, date/time, venue details, pay, extra... What do you guys think, should we do it?"

The calender is a practical solution. Do it.

As for the rest - Have you done much booking? Because promoters/bookers at clubs are not always the most understanding people who are waiting by the phone for your call. They have a job to do, and very often if one act is dragging their feet for one reason or another, they may offer a gig to another act. So depending on the venue/promoter, your bandleader may feel the need to give them an answer far sooner than he would like to just secure the gig. Why?

-Are you and your bandmates easy or difficult to get in touch with?
-Do you or your bandmates return phone calls/emails in a timely fashion?
-Do you and your bandmates give the bandleader CLEAR answers regarding gigs, or do you all want lots of discussion about gigs?

Managing a band and it's bookings can be like herding cats if you're dealing with guys who aren't quick to respond to calls, and they want to discuss EVERYTHING. And very often that kind of scenario results in NOTHING getting done. In order for things to work someone needs to take a leadership role, and the band members need to put some trust in whomever takes that responsibility upon themselves. The person in that leadership role needs to take it upon themselves to make sure that the role players are happy, but has to think about what works best for EVERYONE. In a band, that means getting work for the band. If the band members aren't stepping up and responding to the band leader in a timely fashion, then it's on THEM if things aren't working out.

 

[bluewine]

got it, sounds like he either needs to be set right, abandoned, or followed. which way are you leaning?

You can't set him straight, he's always right.

I will do it until I just can't stand it or tolerate it anymore.

 

[sb69coupe]

Well there are other considerations.

2.5 hour drive, great venue,head lining and good pay

2.5 hour drive, benefit show, Noon start time, little to no exposure and no pay.

I'd say yes to the first gig and no to the second.

This is the flip side to the band calendar coin. The parameters of what defines an "acceptable" gig need to be clearly defined. In my band, we don't take a gig for less than $100 per member, and we don't play weeknight gigs. As long as the gig meets those parameters, and the date is open on the calendar, it can be booked.

We have, in the past, taken gigs that pay less, or have other aspects to deal with. All of those bookings are run past everyone before they are agreed upon.

 

[electracoyote]

Well there are other considerations.

2.5 hour drive, great venue,head lining and good pay

2.5 hour drive, benefit show, Noon start time, little to no exposure and no pay.

I'd say yes to the first gig and no to the second.

Good point blue.

This is where you either trust your band leader, or you don't. If he thinks there is some purpose to traveling 2.5 hours for a benefit gig, I would hope there would be some unseen promotional benefit.

If something like that happened and it was nothing more than a whim, I would raise my objections with the band leader.

I would think with a benefit or freebie gig, there would be less pressure to jump on it, and perhaps a little time to run it by the band. If you lose it to another band in the meantime, so what? It was a freebie, no harm done.

 

[bluewine]

Good point blue.

This is where you either trust your band leader, or you don't. If he thinks there is some purpose to traveling 2.5 hours for a benefit gig, I would hope there would be some unseen promotional benefit.

If something like that happened and it was nothing more than a whim, I would raise my objections with the band leader.

I would think with a benefit or freebie gig, there would be less pressure to jump on it, and perhaps a little time to run it by the band. If you lose it to another band in the meantime, so what? It was a freebie, no harm done.

This Guy won't even acknowledge anyone's objections about anything.He will just take it as an opportunity to argue with you.

 

[bassbully]

i thought blue's band was a rising star in the upper midwest original music scene? regardless, the demands depend on the goals. if the goal is to play a once or twice a month maybe there's no real demands or at least minimal, if the goal is to work regularly/make some profit there's a higher level of demand on the participants. if you are or are striving to be "rock stars" (i know blue has used that term himself recently) the demands are higher yet. same principle applies to anything you may want to undertake. maybe it's possible to get the payoff without meeting the demands. if you know how to do that i'd love it if you'd share with me.

that said, my 1st response in this thread was "get a shared calendar". i wouldn't want to be blindsided by gigs any more than most people. even in achieving that goal there's a minimum effort "demanded".

^Agreed, they are weekend warriors since Blue said the singer didnt want to take a gig since he had to work the next day or something like that. Untill somebody slaps this keyboard out of my hands and straps a bass on me for my weekly paycheck, no demands will be made on me unless its my boss. My band is not my boss its my getaway ,stress relief and fun.

 

[bassbully]

You can't set him straight, he's always right.

I will do it until I just can't stand it or tolerate it anymore.

Here is my example of a band of working type guys who has a member or member's who makes demands and is difficult. It wont work never does for long. Sorry Blue.