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Gigs: Do's and Don'ts
- Thread starter organworthyplayer337
- Start date
Do NOT pig out at Taco Bell before the show!!!!
Do NOT pig out on Taco Hell after the show, on set breaks, during the show ... in fact do NOT have Taco Hell at all if you value your health at all.
Support independent local taquerias, and pass the hot sauce — I'm hungry.
Man you've got a potty mouth.
Be flexible, adapt to each situation.
Some people here are spewin' you've got to treat it like a job, and if that's the case you shouldn't be drinking on the job at all (often a requirement of most wait-staff). I've had gigs where it was cool to have a drink (comped), gigs where the drinks weren't comped and gigs where the drinks weren't allowed. There's no hard and fast rules. Adapt, survive, gain experience.
Don't buy expensive gear? Why not? Do buy expensive gear, if you've the means and that's what flips your switch, but don't expect anybody to care what your Ritter or whatever cost and be prepared (insurance) for whatever pitfalls may come (theft, breakage or...).
I'd like to hear the story behind this one
My advice is to never talk poopie about any other band you're performing with. They WILL find out.
Also always bring extra guitar strings, picks, cords.
Never bad mouth or lie about another band or musician to a club or event owner or manager.
No, the suggestions here apply to playing any gig regardless of genre or whether it is cover or orignal music.
The venues do care. If you are more of a hassle than you are worth, cost them money, or drive away customers, you will not be back.
Sorry, but there is nothing special about original bands and they are not exempt from good behaviour.
None of us are employees of a venue. We are contractors contracting a service. We agree to provide musical entertainment. It is no difference than the guy that delivers the beer. If he doesn't show up on time, doesn't bring the products the owner ordered, damages the owners equipment, steals things, or pisses off customers, you can bet the owner will be buying his beer elsewhere.
And your persona belongs on stage while you are playing, period. It is not an excuse to misbehave.
Your logic doesn't work. the bar owner doesn't care about your music. He cares about what is in the til at the end of the evening. The more booze you sell the more likely you are to get another booking. The booze you get free costs the owner, so consider it a bonus.
Well it certainly worked for me in the 1200 shows I played throughout my 20's.
But then again, it was an original act. We played places that fit our genre. The owners DID care about the music. They were passionate about their entire scene. I have never been in a cover/party band, so maybe that's the separation here.
I understand how a bar works......and I agree that the business side is all about the bottom line. The whole reason for a rider is for convenience........and when you are on the road, it's not always easy to get what everyone needs/wants unless you have a runner.....and we never quite made it to that level
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Fat Steve
The poodle bites, the poodle chews it.
I would say the one major, glaring difference is that a cover band is there for hours getting paid to keep the punters drinking and having a good time. In most original gigs, each band brings people in the door for their single set and usually pays for the privilege to do so through ticket sales or free labor. The vast majority of original shows I've played prior to joining the band I'm presently in certainly fit that bill, and I would argue that it's typical to the major market in this area. No pay and no contract = not a contractor.
Charity events are different. I meant clubs that expect you to play for free to see how many people you bring in so they know if they want to book you again. I play for free at church three times per week. What I meant was don't allow your band to get screwed by bars/clubs looking for free entertainment. Happens where I'm located all the time. I hope that makes it less sad.
Fair enough. I agree completely. I have been known to say when asked to play free as an "audition", If you are willing to give away free beer to all your customers tonight to see if they like the beer you serve, then yes.
So it's okay to go in late, act lake an ass, grab all the free stuff you can, piss off the customers, and leave the stage a mess when you leave?
You are not getting the point. I don't know where you are, but in Texas it would be a contract. Even a verbal contract in Texas is enforcable.
only 1200? I've been playing for over 50 years, 10 of which were on the road full time, so you will not intimidate me with your experience level.Well it certainly worked for me in the 1200 shows I played throughout my 20's.
But then again, it was an original act. We played places that fit our genre. The owners DID care about the music. They were passionate about their entire scene. I have never been in a cover/party band, so maybe that's the separation here.
I understand how a bar works......and I agree that the business side is all about the bottom line. The whole reason for a rider is for convenience........and when you are on the road, it's not always easy to get what everyone needs/wants unless you have a runner.....and we never quite made it to that level
Yes, I am aware that in some cases as you describe the owner may care. But, they still would not put up with a lot of the things pointed out here.
Seems to me that an original band would really want to present themselves to venues as responsible adults who take the music "business" seriously.
I was once in a band backing a singer who had 2 gold records. We were booked for 2 months at different venues the owner owned. After two weeks we got the boot because the singer would get drunk every night, make an ass out of himself, and about half the time couldn't make it past the second set.
Why is it you guys that play in original bands think you're something special?
Fat Steve
The poodle bites, the poodle chews it.
Never did I say any of that. Why do you have such an issue about pointing out the logistical and practical differences between originals and cover bands? In your very next post you get all pissy about how we in originals bands think we're special, when in reality I have said no such thing. You clearly have a chip on your shoulder about something.
I understand that as a working musician that I can't get so drunk as to botch the gig, I know not to show up late. I know not to steal. I know not to leave the stage a mess, ESPECIALLY because being in an originals act generally entails sharing the stage with 2-4 other bands a night. Because of that I also know to have my stuff setup in under 10 minutes and how to tear down in less than 5, and that's including an upright and a slab. I'm also aware that being an ass to the venue owner/employees and/or promoter will generally mean no more shows at that venue and possibly even the local area in the case of a promoter.
Again I will ask, what's with the attitude? We're discussing the things that beginners should know. It's important to draw certain distinctions between the path they may take, without taking those distinctions as some perceived insult.
I personally have never thought that, and I don't know any musician that plays in original bands that thinks that. It seems like a broad statement to say that musicians in original acts are "something special". Perhaps you have run into that kind of attitude in the past, and that's the cause of your statement. When it comes down to it, we are all just musicians, no matter if we play covers or originals.
Aside from some minor differences that really don't have any bearing on the logistics of a gig (usually), there isn't much difference between original and cover acts. You have the same "job", you need to entertain, and hopefully you will be asked back. Many of the do's and don't apply to both types of bands.
Many of the venues around here, from bars to halls, book both original and cover acts, and expect the same conduct from every musician, regardless of the music. It might be different in other parts of the country, or even other countries, but this is what I have seen here.
Haha....calm down turbo. It's all good. I have no intentions on intimidation lol. I'm only 33 years old, I probably don't know anything
I thought averaging 120 shows a year in my 20's was pretty darn good. Had the time of my life. I'm just trying to share my personal experience so others can draw from it. We have obviosuly walked different paths in different times.
I will say this though, sounds like my path was a LOT more fun
Yours sounds stressfull and sterile. Getting treated like the beer delivery guy, playing in venues where the owner didn't care about the music, and not arranging a rider..............really, I'm just messing, but you have to understand that there are many people out here who have had different experiences than you and it's not black and white across the board. Just relax and let them have their opinions. I don't think they are lying........I know I'm not.
