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Festival Question

When Playing Multi Band Bills Outdoors

  • It Would Suck to Go UNDER the Allotted Time

    Votes: 8 8.0%

  • It would Suck a Little to go 2 minutes over

    Votes: 30 30.0%

  • It would Suck a LOT to go 2 minutes over, you greedy pigs

    Votes: 44 44.0%

  • You can go 5 or more minutes over, as long as you are good

    Votes: 8 8.0%

  • You should bring carrots

    Votes: 23 23.0%
  • Total voters
    100
mellowinman

mellowinman

Free Man
Oct 19, 2011
11,818
18,518
63
Minneapolis
#1
We're the first band in a four band bill. We are scheduled for 45 minutes. I tried to do the minimum set we could do, and it clocked in a good 8 minutes over. I trimmed, and it came in at 2 minutes over.

Supposing we start on time, how big a deal is it if we go over by 2 minutes? Let's assume it could go 4 if something goes wrong with the timing.

This post is to gather opinions, and not necessarily to change our minds. We don't want to go under, and getting it exactly is kind of difficult for a live show.
 
#2
Hi.

That depends entirely on the stage manager.
He/she dictates what happens and when.

Some are more lenient and allow for some minor adjustments, some have their hand on the kill-switch so to speak.

Honestly, I prefer the latter.

Being first (or second as we were last weekend) is a breeze, but even as we shortened our set a bit, the third out of 5 acts was removed from the bill since the first band started late and extended their set by about half an hour. No stage manager there.

You have to consider the other acts as well.

I'd start a bit earlier so the end time would be as scheduled.

Regards
Sam
 
#3
Is the promoter fussed if it's 2-5 minutes over? It varies case by case, but I wouldn't think that it would be a big deal if your last song ran over by a few minutes.

It might cause some friction (especially with the next band) if you started playing a new song (like Freebird) at the 43-45 minute mark on your set.
 
#4
My vote is not included in the list. QUALITY over quantity. I always plan on 5 or 10 minutes less music than the time allotted for numerous reasons. First, things almost never go as planned. You will make enemies and have resentment of other musicians if you go over and take from their time. It's better to have people begging you to play more. Leave enough time for the good closing song that you planned for, it would be really embarrassing to be pulled before you were done.

I'm sorry but it seems kind of petty to try and stretch the limit of your allotted time, does it make you better if you played a few extra minutes? Play by the rules and you will be asked back next time. If you go over well and the powers that be ask you to play one more, it makes you look real good, vs. looking real bad if they bring out the hook and pull you off.

It sounds like you are trying to make a battle with something that isn't even there. Just plan on 40 minutes and everyone will be happy. Don't let pride ruin a potential good thing.
 
#6
Most of the festivals and multi band clubs I've played have been fairly strict about set times. A few have been really strict, as in; You go outside your alloted time, you don't get asked back. Period! I've found it works out best to plan a few minutes under and leave time for the inevitable malfunction, i.e. song played longer than expected (tempo can be a killer in this situation), broken snare, guitar change...

IMO, you're better served by playing a killer 42 minute set and walking off stage the hero, than to play a 48 minute set and walk off to stink eye from the stage manager and the bands that get to follow you. Especially being as you're the first band and will be setting the tone for the rest of the day. Promoters remember these things, and do book accordingly.
 
#8
I think the answer depends a lot on how much time is alloted for the set changes. I have worked and played at festivals where it is fiften minutes and going over causes big problems but, as mentioned earlier, that's the stage manager's call. If there is more time, like thirty minutes, then it's not nearly as big a deal because that can be done easily in most cases so one or two over is of little concern.
 
#10
I've played festivals where the stage manager has stood with us whilst we're waiting to go on, checked their watch and given us the cue to walk on, bang on time. In this situation, you do not want to be going over, even by a couple of minutes...

(Did a gig with a revolving stage, we went over our time limit and the stage manger must have given the 'revolve stage' signal, so part- way through our last song... :/ )

Drop your weakest song, finish on time - or slightly under - and everyone will be happy :)
 
#11
My attitude is that being able to stick to the brief separates the men from the boys. If you've got the professional capacity to stick to the timeframe it speaks volume about you as an act. I don't think 2 minutes is going to destroy your reputation but that's if it's actually 2 and not closer to 5.

We played a show where the worksheet said "The bar doesn't care when we close so feel free to play a few extra songs". This was sent to all 6 bands on the bill. We were meant to start at 10.30 pm and we ended up going on stage at 12.45am because of the extra songs everyone else decided to play. That was the worst gig I ever played and to this day I cannot stand a band that decides to go over the setlist and hang the consequences.
 
#12
IPYF said:
My attitude is that being able to stick to the brief separates the men from the boys. If you've got the professional capacity to stick to the timeframe it speaks volume about you as an act. I don't think 2 minutes is going to destroy your reputation but that's if it's actually 2 and not closer to 5.

We played a show where the worksheet said "The bar doesn't care when we close so feel free to play a few extra songs". This was sent to all 6 bands on the bill. We were meant to start at 10.30 pm and we ended up going on stage at 12.45am because of the extra songs everyone else decided to play. That was the worst gig I ever played and to this day I cannot stand a band that decides to go over the setlist and hang the consequences.
Click to expand...

+1
 
#13
soitainly said:
My vote is not included in the list. QUALITY over quantity. I always plan on 5 or 10 minutes less music than the time allotted for numerous reasons. First, things almost never go as planned. You will make enemies and have resentment of other musicians if you go over and take from their time. It's better to have people begging you to play more. Leave enough time for the good closing song that you planned for, it would be really embarrassing to be pulled before you were done.

I'm sorry but it seems kind of petty to try and stretch the limit of your allotted time, does it make you better if you played a few extra minutes? Play by the rules and you will be asked back next time. If you go over well and the powers that be ask you to play one more, it makes you look real good, vs. looking real bad if they bring out the hook and pull you off.

It sounds like you are trying to make a battle with something that isn't even there. Just plan on 40 minutes and everyone will be happy. Don't let pride ruin a potential good thing.
Click to expand...

Wise words!!! +100
 
#14
No brainer. You stick to the time slot you are given.

Supposing you were second or third on the bill, watching in the wings whilst your time was eaten away by an opening act that was running over?

With respect, I'd guess you are the opening act for a reason.
 
#15
odineye said:
Most of the festivals and multi band clubs I've played have been fairly strict about set times. A few have been really strict, as in; You go outside your alloted time, you don't get asked back. Period! I've found it works out best to plan a few minutes under and leave time for the inevitable malfunction, i.e. song played longer than expected (tempo can be a killer in this situation), broken snare, guitar change...

IMO, you're better served by playing a killer 42 minute set and walking off stage the hero, than to play a 48 minute set and walk off to stink eye from the stage manager and the bands that get to follow you. Especially being as you're the first band and will be setting the tone for the rest of the day. Promoters remember these things, and do book accordingly.
Click to expand...



YUP. This has been my experience as well.
Stuff happens.
It is easy enough to plan to come in under the allotted time, then you will have a small cushion in the event Murphys law comes in to play. And at these type of events S#!T does happen.

I voted carrots.:D
 
#16
Major festivals have a very strict policy.

I've played the big stages at Fan Fair (CMA Music Festival) in Nashville many times. The river stage is actually 2. One band's playing on the right side while the next band is setting up and line checking on the left. Monitor desk is in the middle.

If you're scheduled for 30 min they don't mean 31 min. If the set is scheduled to start at 10:45 AM they don't mean 10:46.

So what happens if you run over? They have a stop watcher at the FOH console. They will, and have, cut people off mid song.

We rehearsed a set that ran 3 min BELOW our allotted time, including talking. We got where we could hit it with in a few seconds every time. We let the stage manager know this. The crew loved us. A happy crew is a good show.
 
#17
Do not go over. It's unprofessional and causes the stage manager to answer why HE allowed it to happen. Then it comes back to haunt you. Seen it happen numerous times and the offenders can't figure out why they get omitted from future shows.
 
#18
Like others here our gigs have been cut way short by bands before us going over. Going over makes you appear juvenile and desperate for stage time. I can tell you right now that the 2 minutes will be 8 or 10. Be the jerks if you want to, is it worth it for one song?
 
#19
Yeah this is one of those rare moments where you, and only you have the power to appear extremely professional and mature or extremely dumb. Do the right thing, take out a song.

mellowinman said:
I tried to do the minimum set we could do, and it clocked in a good 8 minutes over. I trimmed, and it came in at 2 minutes over.
Click to expand...

You "tried" to do the "minimum" you "could"?? But it just! won't!! work!!!??? LOL
 
#20
If you are only 2 min over, then you are fine....IF you don't play to a click.

When you play live you ALWAYS play the songs slightly fast, you will makeup the time.

But if you play on the click track....take another song out....and hit 'em hard and fast, make them want you back again and enjoy it!

"DON'T GO OVER!"

Good Luck
 

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