• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Cover Band Ready to Gig?

chump stain

chump stain

Oct 15, 2001
1,447
7
Ferndale, Michigan USA
www.tinscribble.com
#1
Hi Gang,
My cover band is ready to gig, I think. We know we need about 40+ songs to be the house band for a full evening. Right now we have about 25. We want to get out and start playing. The problem is, we have no demo yet, no promotional material. I'm not sure who would even book us like this. We can throw a myspace together with some pictures. But we still do not have a demo or any songs for someone to hear.

Do you think a webpage with our set list is enough to get a few gigs? Or do you think that there must be something to listen to?

My guitarist in my original band has his own studio, but I'm not sure I want to go to the trouble or expense of having him record us playing covers. I've never been in a cover band before so this is all new. I am planning on buying a Zoom H2 soon, but it's going to be a while before I can afford that. I'm sure it'll get good enough recordings to use as a demo for booking purposes. But for now what do you guys think of this whole thing?

The band sounds good! We're going to kill (I think). Our drummer needs some help with his kit though, he's just got one crash/ride. It looks kind of amature-ish. He's planning on using the money we make from the gigs, to buy some gear. So we need to get going. I could use the money myself for the Zoom.
 
#2
I would advise against recording right now.

Some venues will take a chance on a unknown, but they dont pay well. I would imagine you could set something up for several hundred for the band to split and maybe a bar tab. Play it, rock it, build your rep. Next venue ask for more.

Also, see if you can open for an established cover band. Maybe play the first set of the night or even a few songs. After doing this a few times you can claim legit experience.
 
#4
Thanks Aaron, yeah I really don't want to spend any money to record us, although I would like to hear us for myself. But paying to have a studio record us, or even buying the Zoom right now is just an expense that we have no budget for right now. But the band is ready. We could do an hour and a half easy. We just don't have anything to prove it. We're all seasoned musicians, and have played in sucessful bands in the past. Our drummer just had some of his gear stolen a while back, and hasn't been able to replace it yet.
 
#5
Just done this a few months ago, go into a few venues with a setlist and just have a chat to the owner, even if your first few gigs are unpaid, if you bring a decent crowd of your friends in with you the venue is almost guaranteed to rebook you, my band played our first gig at a local pub in february and since then we have played 3 more and got paid for them. The free gigs pay off after a few months, we've only played 3 not including charity shows and are now getting paid £150+ ($250) per show between us all.

Edit: We also only played 23 songs at our first gig, went for over 2 hours with a 10 minute break in the middle. What i said is probably not the same in the US Either, just chiming in with my experience.

Liam
 
#6
I seriously doubt a bar will book a cover band that can't carry the whole night. Focus on getting your set list to the minimum 40 tight & polished tunes. Then start beating the pavement to set up some paying bar gigs.
 
#10
chump stain said:
Thanks Aaron, yeah I really don't want to spend any money to record us, although I would like to hear us for myself. But paying to have a studio record us, or even buying the Zoom right now is just an expense that we have no budget for right now. But the band is ready. We could do an hour and a half easy. We just don't have anything to prove it. We're all seasoned musicians, and have played in sucessful bands in the past. Our drummer just had some of his gear stolen a while back, and hasn't been able to replace it yet.
Click to expand...
best to open for someone with your best half hour or so a few times until you learn the rest of your set,and tweak/shake out the ones that don't work as well.....
 
#12
::::BASSIST:::: said:
Maybe rent a high quality digital video camera and have a friend film your gig. Stick that on youtube and embed it onto your myspace page. Of course, you'd want to edit the video to include only the best snapshots of your performance.

Just an idea.
Click to expand...

+1 If you do this try to get the audience in the video as well as the band. Preferable when the audience seems to have a great time. It's really important to have a good microphone on the cam and experiment some with the settings to get good sound.
 
#13
There are a lot of guys on talkbass who play in bands that do the 4-set per night gig. It makes it seem like this is what the overwhelming majority of gigs are. While I'm sure there are a lot of those, there are also many gigs you can do with 1 or 2 sets. Try bars, more specifically places that view themselves as music venues rather than "a bar with background/dancing music." Also, you can play parties with 1-2 sets. You should be able to find places. My band(s) have. The 4-set gigs are a specific type of gig, there are definitely 1-2 set gigs also.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back