• 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.

How competitive is your local cover scene

#21
In my experience, the established bands are full of some the nicest, most down to Earth people. The biggest jerks have been in crappy bands that nobody has heard of. I've had openers that made national arena bands seem like Mother Theresa, while I've almost always gotten along with the headliner when I'm an opener. Maybe the former feels they have nothing to prove while the latter has chips on their shoulders. :hmm:

jive1 said:
Why should anyone be surprised since this is DC.
Click to expand...

When I was out of my band for a few months and my friend was filling in on bass because I was out of state, I guess this RATM-wannabe band from D.C. played a benefit here. They were called Super Bob or something like that. My guitarist said they were arrogant dicks.

p.s. Not saying that all DC bands are arrogant dicks - just stating an example of a DC band my band dealt with. :D
 
#23
jive1 said:
The market here is competitive and highly politicized. Why should anyone be surprised since this is DC.

The club scene is highly competitive, and the corporate scene is cutthroat.
Click to expand...

Hey babe,

You've got to think outside the square. Have you ever thought of becoming that booking agent you despise? Ever thought of promoting your own events and hiring who you want to hire (including yourself)?
 
#25
bassclique said:
Hey babe,

You've got to think outside the square. Have you ever thought of becoming that booking agent you despise? Ever thought of promoting your own events and hiring who you want to hire (including yourself)?
Click to expand...

Sugar, I think you're reading too much into my post. I have plenty of work to keep me busy. Just stating what the scene around here is like. I'm a very busy man, and I can't do everything.

And for the record, I never said I dislike booking agents. I've been using them for years. I actually like them. Promoters are a different story.
 
#29
The cover bands in Cinci/NKY are generally abysmal or worse. Even the best clubs are a huge hassle to play and don't pay that great anyway. Too many clubs with no sound systems so you have to either own and haul your own PA, or pay out half of your gig money to a sound company. Way too many bands with the same setlist. Gig whores in ball caps, Tap Out t-shirts, dirty white Reeboks, and blue jeans. In summation, unfun. There are a few exceptions, but very few and far between.

On the rare occasion I go out to a bar, I make sure I pick a place that doesn't have a band playing.
 
#30
Although the music scene here in Southern Colorado is not quite optimal, I must say, in my experience, the musicians and bands support each other. When I'm not gigging, I catch live gigs as much as I can; take photos and video, sometimes sit in if I am not having too much "liquid fun."

It's mutually helpful when bands support each other. We can find out what songs work and don't work, before we learn them. How can we complain about folks not going to see live music when we don't do it ourselves? And, making yourself "visible" is nothing but helpful when a band loses a member or needs a sub.
 
#32
It was tough for us to get into a couple of the bars we did in downtown Boston, and there's a lot of bands that try to get their foot in the door. There's a pretty small circuit of bars right smack downtown that pay well & have built in crowds(or different owners, one owner might have 5 clubs), so it's very competitive to get a shot. Some look for very specific things, one big club here I heard won't hire female fronted cover bands, and bands with older members & still play mostly cliche covers like Mustang Sally will have a much tougher time.

So far though, the bar owners are great to deal with and will be good to you if you're reliable/professional. The bars outside of the city are much easier to get into, but they don't pay as well and rely on the band to bring a crowd. One club we play at outside the city has a great built in crowd, and is a lot of fun, however the owner is still seeking out good bands, so maybe he's flying under the radar a little for bands knocking on his door.

Haven't run into any trash talking, ect., and most people I meet in other bands seem cool....even though I'm sure it happens anywhere.
 
#33
Around here it's ridiculous. The live music market is totally fragmented according to age. If you aren't a certain age, you can forget about performing music for that market segment. That greatly limits your options. The only possible exception is blues; then it helps to be old and sick. The corporate/social event scene is shrinking because it is SOOO much cheaper to hire a DJ/MC, but those bands who are already prominent in it continue to do well. It's important to keep track of your musician friends, in order to be able to seize ad hoc opportunities. I'm in guerilla mode, ready to play anything/anywhere at a moment's notice.

To specifically address the OP: Even though the market for bands is shrinking and that brings with it a higher level of competitive fervor, running down a competing band to gain favor with clubowners and booking agents is a dick move. Whoever thinks it's OK to do is in for a rude awakening.
 
#35
Being competitive is good..how they handle that is something different.
In my expierence, it's those bands that talk stuff and the like to club owners/booking managers/patrons whatever never last anyway.

Keep doing your thing and be professional no matter how much you would like to say what you really feel.

Still need to come out and check you guys!
 
#38
Edward G. said:
Around here it's ridiculous. The live music market is totally fragmented according to age. If you aren't a certain age, you can forget about performing music for that market segment. That greatly limits your options. The only possible exception is blues; then it helps to be old and sick. The corporate/social event scene is shrinking because it is SOOO much cheaper to hire a DJ/MC, but those bands who are already prominent in it continue to do well. It's important to keep track of your musician friends, in order to be able to seize ad hoc opportunities. I'm in guerilla mode, ready to play anything/anywhere at a moment's notice.
Click to expand...

This is true in this area as well. There's a number of clubs or strips where you will never play in if you have gray hair.

Compared to other places I've lived, the DC area has lots more opportunities for corporates/events. But it's cut-throat because of the money involved, and the competition with DJs. And as if that wasn't bad enough one, of the big agencies typically don't even use bass players in their bands.

Because of the way things are, networking is key. Being flexible is essential. I'm sorta like you, in that I'm in a self-promo mode as opposed to a band promo mode. I've found that I've been gigging a lot more consistently with less work booking myself than booking my band.

To specifically address the OP: Even though the market for bands is shrinking and that brings with it a higher level of competitive fervor, running down a competing band to gain favor with clubowners and booking agents is a dick move. Whoever thinks it's OK to do is in for a rude awakening.
Click to expand...
+1

As I have said many times: This is a big town, but a small scene.
 
#39
Our state is littered with core scene kids. The ones who want to look hard, but sound the same. Playing shows with them is on par with having a rap battle. One show we played, the first band complained about how terrible we were, though they never heard us.

They also like to stake claims in venues as being theirs. One gig, a band got into a fight with another band over turf. I felt it comparable to biggie and tupac.

Cover bands in my town rule the bars and clubs. You want to play original music? You need to learn about 40 covers and sneak one in there.

But that's like any place. There are great people still around here, and good bands. Some venues suck, but some are amazing. Its just finding the right ones and right bands. Though scene kids are hard to deal with. They asked to use my amp once, I said no, and they got all pissed. I said no because his amp broke because he was slam dancing and knocked his rig over. How is he going to pay for my gear when he is 16 and his rig cost him 200 and mine 800?
 
#40
My band has actually began to focus a lot more of our efforts on PR work with other local bands. We've began to notice that the only way we'll make it to the next level is by getting in with other local and regional bands that have already made it to the small times.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back