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Gigs: Do's and Don'ts

#83
Remember one fundamental point: For the next X number of hours, you are an EMPLOYEE of the bar that is paying you and your bandmates to provide entertainment. That means act like a good employee:

Show up on time
Be dressed professionally
Perform professionally
Act like you're enjoying it, even if the place is half empty
Most of all, you, like every other employee, are there to make the venue money. If you're helping sales - keeping a crowd happy, getting people in the door and encouraging them to buy drinks, tip the bar staff and generally spend more money, then you've done your job.

You can be the worst band in town, but if they have their most profitable nights when you're there, then you will ALWAYS get hired back.
 
#85
Lots of great advice posted so far.

If somebody requests a song that you:

  • Don't like
  • Never heard
  • You know but the band does not play
  • Is a genre different from what the band plays
  • Is by a band you hate
  • Is something nobody in the band can sing
  • Never want to hear or play again in your life

Politely say:

  • You are sorry that the band does not play that song
  • Suggest another song you do know that might be similar
  • Say that is a good song but we don't know it
  • Ask them if there is another song they would like to hear

Never insult them or say you hate their choice of song or music style

Remember - Always thank people for coming to see your band. They could have spent their money to go see somebody else.

Also - No matter how the gig goes, always thank the person who pays you. If the person is not the owner or manager; ask the person who pays you to also thank them for you if they are not in the venue.

Thank you and please go a long way.
 
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#89
Hi,

I found Invalid Link Removed and thought it might come in handy...

  1. Everyone should play the same tune.
  2. Always wear dark glasses, the darker the better. You won't be able to see a thing but people will think you're deep and mysterious.
  3. Stop at every repeat sign, and discuss in detail whether to take the repeat or not. The audience will love this a lot!
  4. If you play a wrong note, give a nasty look to one of the other cats.
  5. When talking into the mic, always start with "Hey man..."
  6. Keep your fingering chart handy. You can always catch up with the others.
  7. Carefully tune your instrument before playing. That way you can play out of tune all night with a clear conscience.
  8. When hitting a high note, always throw your head back and make a grizzly facial expression.
  9. Take your time turning pages.
  10. The right note at the wrong time is a wrong note, except among the tone-deaf.
  11. If everyone gets lost except you, follow those who get lost.
  12. Strive to play the maximum NPS (note per second). That way you gain the admiration of the incompetent.
  13. Markings for slurs, dynamics and ornaments should not be observed. They are only there to embellish the printed score.
  14. If a passage is difficult, slow down. If it's easy, speed it up. Everything will work itself out in the end.
  15. If you are completely lost, stop everyone and say, "I think we should tune".
  16. Happy are those who have not perfect pitch, for the kingdom of music is theirs.
  17. If the ensemble has to stop because of you, explain in detail why you got lost. Everyone will be very interested.
  18. A wrong note played timidly is a wrong note. A wrong note played with authority is an interpretation.
  19. A true interpretation is realized when there remains not one note of the original.
  20. When everyone else has finished playing, you should not play any notes you have left.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#94
*For cryin' out loud PLEASE play the songs correctly! There's nothing that bugs me more than people up there playing half-assed versions of the same 30 classic rock covers either too slow, too fast, in the wrong key, with unnecessary added vocal harmonies, with the wrong kick drum pattern, the wrong feel (or no feel) or with slap n pop bass licks added.


*(some of this may not apply to original music gigs)
 
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#95
Do be supportive of other acts that you are playing with that evening, be it through dancing to their music, standing up and listening/watching, and/or congratulating them at the end of their set. It isn't just networking, its supporting our community of musicians.

Don't steal stuff from the venue or other bands, even if it is "just a cord" or something like that.

Do go to the bathroom before starting your set.

Don't assume that drinks offered to you are free.

Do work the crowd and the venue.

Don't leave the venue with a pretty young thing and expect the rest of your bandmates to pack up your stuff for you.
 
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#96
I like the "jazz trick": if you play a riff wrong, play it wrong a second time shortly after to pretend it was a variation on purpose. Don't know if it's really a clever thing to do, but it gives me back the feeling of confidence and control, and it's also become kind of an in-joke in the band.

My most important performance tip is never to stop during a song. When rehearsing, practice not stopping when you get lost. After a while, getting un-lost will become second nature for the band. In my experience:
  • The singer is always right, because he's the one the audience is mostly listening to. Most importantly, he decides when a verse starts.
  • If the drummer likes to randomly insert an extra 1/8 during fills (ours does), follow the drummer quickly and naturally. He is now right.
  • If the drummer flubs completely, just keep playing while he does a fill and catches up.
  • The majority is always right, even when they're wrong.
  • In my band, if the guitarist and drummer are differently lost, they'll usually follow me, because I'll most confidently claim afterwards that I was right all along. This avoids having everyone trying to catch up with everyone else at the same time.
  • An important part of the sound check is making sure you can hear each other on stage well enough to do all this.
  • "Correct" as in "like we agreed up front" only matters in the studio.
 
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#97
oysteivi said:
I like the "jazz trick": if you play a riff wrong, play it wrong a second time shortly after to pretend it was a variation on purpose. Don't know if it's really a clever thing to do, but it gives me back the feeling of confidence and control, and it's also become kind of an in-joke in the band.
Click to expand...

My first upright teacher told me:
if you screw it up once, it's a mistake
if you screw it up the same way twice, it's two mistakes
if you screw it up the same way three times, it's jazz.
 
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#100
blindrabbit said:
Don't leave the venue with a pretty young thing and expect the rest of your bandmates to pack up your stuff for you.
Click to expand...

OK, this one is debatable.
If this happens while doing a local show, then she can wait until after you at least help load stuff into the car.

HOWEVER, if this happens on tour, you get a free pass.
Just as long as when it happens to someone else, you are willing to help pick up the slack.
Don't give me a hard time for scoring a hot babe and heading back to her place.
I'll text you my coordinates and you can pick me up in the morning.
 
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