How do you manage to schedule gigs?

[Altitude]

As a wild alternative -

There are a couple bands around here that have 2 or 3 people for each player role. None of them are subs, technically, they’re all people who are “in the band.”

The booking agent books the dates and assembles the band according to who is available on those dates. It creates a bit of politics when some players feel like others are getting better gigs than they are. Also, these are cover bands who rehearse very little - a few times a year to work new material in.

But these bands can keep themselves on a stage several nights per week if that demand is there.

 

[Pocket Dave]

The shared calendar approach works as long as everyone's expectations and goals for the band are clearly discussed beforehand. How the band is run as a 'business' dictates those goals, and those expectations will change. YMMV.

The band in question I left 12 years ago because of the schedule/booking conflicts and lack of respect for the goals of the band. We went from being bandmates with equal creative input and clear communication, to one r 2 bandmates suddenly treating the rest of us like employees. That's when it started to fall apart. I had to sub someone in 4 times over the life of the band while I was in it (almost 8 years) and the venue(s) in question that we worked in - bars, back in the day for the most part - always rebooked us without hesitation because we got butts in the seats and on the dancefloor... even as a mostly originals band.

Showing respect for others' time and priorities extends to your bandmates as well, through clear communication of expectations and goals, especially as the bandleader.... and it doesn't have to be devoid of compassion and grace. That's what I've been saying throughout this discussion.

I think we agree on communicating and agreeing to goals in advance. Where I see the difference is I would want no part in any venture that shows disrespect for anyone's time, which is an issue with the "can you hold that thought?" approach with bar managers.

Anyone whose goals don't align with this by keeping a shared calendar updated wouldn't be a good fit in any venture I'm part of.

 

[JazznFunk]

I think we agree on communicating and agreeing to goals in advance. Where I see the difference is I would want no part in any venture that shows disrespect for anyone's time, which is my issue with the "can you hold that thought?" approach with bar managers.

Anyone whose goals don't align with this by keeping a shared calendar updated wouldn't be a good fit in any venture I'm part of.

I remember the days when shared calendars weren't a thing and we all were given ample time to 'check our books'... in my case, a little black calendar book where I kept my schedule in general. That didn't really make me question others' professionalism anymore than it made them question mine. There was no question about 'disrespect for time'.... if anything, it showed that careful consideration was given to avoid problems down the line.

 

[InhumanResource]

**As long as the gig(s) in question meet the criteria the band has agreed upon in terms of pay, proximity, time, etc. I ran into an issue once where gigs started getting 'pre-booked' based on the band calendar which fell outside of our agreed upon criteria - mostly 'road' shows which demanded more time away from home vs proper pay than previously discussed. If you're going to let one person run your life based on a Google calendar, it'd better be worth it, and it had better fit the bill that EVERYONE has agreed upon. If it's a working band paying everyones' bills at least in part (i.e. it's either a part time or a full time job), then this is a reasonable arrangement for sure. Open, clear communication among all members is key.

Well, we haven’t gone so far as to create a collective bargaining agreement for the band, but if there is time I don’t want to work I just mark it unavailable on the calendar. Anything else is fair game, most of the time the jobs are palatable and once in a while we get a dog. Whatcha gonna do.

 

[InhumanResource]

As a wild alternative -

There are a couple bands around here that have 2 or 3 people for each player role. None of them are subs, technically, they’re all people who are “in the band.”

The booking agent books the dates and assembles the band according to who is available on those dates. It creates a bit of politics when some players feel like others are getting better gigs that they are. Also, these are cover bands who rehearse very little - usually a few times a year to work new material in.

But these bands can keep themselves on a stage several nights per week if that demand is there.

We kind of do this. There’s like 5 bands in operation among one crew of people. Though we do have pretty consistent lineups, swaps do happen. There’s also a lot of overlap, especially in backline.

 

[Wesley R]

We don't use a shared calendar, but we let our BL know our blackout dates as far ahead as possible. We are a four piece, but can run without our second guitarist/singer and have subs available for me and the drummer. We rarely turn down a gig opportunity.

If you have a band member who is never available due to family conflicts, etc., they need to decide if they are really able to be in a working band.

Family conflicts: my ex had rules about bands She knew several and enjoyed being a band wife,it appealed to her ego.
1. No females in the band
2. No practice at our house
3. No band gear, van or trailer stored at our house.
4. I was not available Sundays, Fridays, her or anyone in her families birthdays
5. Absolutely no gigs or practice on Mother's Day weekend, first two weeks in June, July, August, week of Thanksgiving, Christmas. New Years and Valentine's were ok if she came along.
6 My dad's side of the family had a big party, large jam every three years. I had to limit my participation to keep her from getting bored. The last one she attended signaled the start of the end.

Scheduling was a disaster.

 

[Michedelic]

IME people don’t dance to endless guitar solos. When people don’t dance you severely limit the places you can work.

You forgot the 15 minute drum solos…then the 15 second bass solo.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Hi
Am wondering how people here manage there gigging schedule with them and there bandmates.

I am in a band and we have done a couple of gigs but it's turning into a minor nightmare trying to agree dates that everyone is available, half of this month is booked up as holiday, most of August also booked up as holiday.

We have already turned down a few gigs in the past couple of months due to people being away, am wondering how other bands manage it this time of year when everyone is booking there holidays.

Thanks

I play with multiple BL's and whenever I have a schedule update I email my current schedule (all dates through 2025) with the changes highlighted. The other, not mutually exclusive method is sub players.

BBB

 

[JazznFunk]

Family conflicts: my ex had rules about bands She knew several and enjoyed being a band wife,it appealed to her ego.
1. No females in the band
2. No practice at our house
3. No band gear, van or trailer stored at our house.
4. I was not available Sundays, Fridays, her or anyone in her families birthdays
5. Absolutely no gigs or practice on Mother's Day weekend, first two weeks in June, July, August, week of Thanksgiving, Christmas. New Years and Valentine's were ok if she came along.
6 My dad's side of the family had a big party, large jam every three years. I had to limit my participation to keep her from getting bored. The last one she attended signaled the start of the end.

Scheduling was a disaster.

Not even Google calendar could sort out that mess. No wonder she's an ex, eh? Oy vey.

 

[Michedelic]

Family conflicts: my ex had rules about bands She knew several and enjoyed being a band wife,it appealed to her ego.
1. No females in the band
2. No practice at our house
3. No band gear, van or trailer stored at our house.
4. I was not available Sundays, Fridays, her or anyone in her families birthdays
5. Absolutely no gigs or practice on Mother's Day weekend, first two weeks in June, July, August, week of Thanksgiving, Christmas. New Years and Valentine's were ok if she came along.
6 My dad's side of the family had a big party, large jam every three years. I had to limit my participation to keep her from getting bored. The last one she attended signaled the start of the end.

Scheduling was a disaster.

Emphasis on the “ex” part, right?

 

[Pocket Dave]

I remember the days when shared calendars weren't a thing and we all were given ample time to 'check our books'... in my case, a little black calendar book where I kept my schedule in general. That didn't really make me question others' professionalism anymore than it made them question mine. There was no question about 'disrespect for time'.... if anything, it showed that careful consideration was given to avoid problems down the line.

Not sure when those days were from my experience, at least not in the DFW market. In the late '80s and early '90s, we played a monthly semi-residency Saturday night at a well-paying, high-value-target venue that opened its books once every 6 months. They were impossible to nail down before - or after - they were ready to book. When they called and left a message on my little Panasonic tape answering machine. I needed to be able to call them back quickly & ready to schedule. There was just too much competition and demand from other bands.

We kept that gig seven years.

Same went for lesser-value bars. Again, we were competing against a lot of other capable bands, both part and full time.

 

[Runnerman]

And let's be fair....without stepping on anybody's toes that is a professional sub.... the show is not the same with a sub. There's not the same energy and fans that know the band see and know the difference. Relying on subs on a regular basis doesn't seem to work too well IMHO. The bass player is probably the most switchable without the music suffering....and maybe the drummer next. But there's always some level of compromise with a sub.

I'd rather keep the band intact and effectively schedule gigs, than deal with subs all the time. Again, this is all my opinion speaking for someone in a weekend warrior cover band with 35-40 dates a year. YMMV

 

[Plain Old Barry]

We have a shared google calendar for the band. All gig dates/times/addresses are put on there. Members also put on their scheduled vacations/blackout dates as far ahead as possible. Works very well.

Same here with two bands. If you're not marked off, you're expected to be available.

 

[Pocket Dave]

And let's be fair....without stepping on anybody's toes that is a professional sub.... the show is not the same with a sub. There's not the same energy and fans that know the band see and know the difference. Relying on subs on a regular basis doesn't seem to work too well IMHO. The bass player is probably the most switchable without the music suffering....and maybe the drummer next. But there's always some level of compromise with a sub.

I'd rather keep the band intact and effectively schedule gigs, than deal with subs all the time. Again, this is all my opinion speaking for someone in a weekend warrior cover band with 35-40 dates a year. YMMV

Yeah, I've seen some subs come more prepared and absolutely crush it compared to the member they were subbing for. One was a drummer who was director of music for Tarrant County (county seat, Fort Worth, Tx) Junior College(s).

I may have even done a better job subbing. Well, maybe once.

 

[HolmeBass]

Hi
Am wondering how people here manage there gigging schedule with them and there bandmates.

I am in a band and we have done a couple of gigs but it's turning into a minor nightmare trying to agree dates that everyone is available, half of this month is booked up as holiday, most of August also booked up as holiday.

We have already turned down a few gigs in the past couple of months due to people being away, am wondering how other bands manage it this time of year when everyone is booking there holidays.

Thanks

That’s just how it goes. Everybody I play with has other projects. We all also have families and go on vacations.

You do the best you can.

It’s one of the reasons to have more than one project - a bigger chance that you can take a particular date.

 

[InhumanResource]

I remember the days when shared calendars weren't a thing and we all were given ample time to 'check our books'... in my case, a little black calendar book where I kept my schedule in general. That didn't really make me question others' professionalism anymore than it made them question mine. There was no question about 'disrespect for time'.... if anything, it showed that careful consideration was given to avoid problems down the line.

This used to be the case, I think the problem is that it’s too slow now that everyone else has adopted digital and doesn’t require much time to get back to the agent/owner/organizer, so you could fall under snoozing and losing if you continue operating this way. The online shared calendars work really well as long as everyone puts in a little effort to keep them up to date.

 

[InhumanResource]

Emphasis on the “ex” part, right?

No females in the band as a rule is not a good sign, lol

 

[trevcda]

My band uses Wheresthegig.com. It lists every member's blackout dates. Provided everyone keeps it up to date, it is extremely easy.

Wherethegig.com is great resource for this. Not only is it a calendar, but it will also push out weekly email reminders to each member booked on a gig, the ability to book all or just some of the members or their subs and the ability to show conflicts with member blackout dates provided each member keeps them up to date, which they can do themselves, as opposed to reporting to someone else to enter. Ethan, the creator of that site, is a great guy and well worth supporting. He has always been willing consider and implement new ideas and improvements.

 

[JazznFunk]

This used to be the case, I think the problem is that it’s too slow now that everyone else has adopted digital and doesn’t require much time to get back to the agent/owner/organizer, so you could fall under snoozing and losing if you continue operating this way. The online shared calendars work really well as long as everyone puts in a little effort to keep them up to date.

It is indeed 'too slow' now - a product of our 'hot fresh and now' impatient society.... but I digress.

I don't operate this way anymore - I've used Google calendar like everyone else for well over a decade now like everyone else, so I can react/respond quickly as society demands.... I'm just no longer in a band where shared access to it is a requirement.

 

[Pocket Dave]

This used to be the case, I think the problem is that it’s too slow now that everyone else has adopted digital and doesn’t require much time to get back to the agent/owner/organizer, so you could fall under snoozing and losing if you continue operating this way. The online shared calendars work really well as long as everyone puts in a little effort to keep them up to date.

This was true even in the old days when working with agents/functions, though I realize this topic is more about part-time and bars.

Typically, if agents got a bite, they needed to get back to the buyer ASAP.

In return, WE'D put a hold on the date, time dependent on gig, pay and whether or not it was on a high-value holiday date or not. This didn't mean we wouldn't consider other offers during the hold time, only that we'd give the agent first right of refusal; If she could get us a firm contract, great, otherwise we'd cancel the hold and take the firm offer.

All this is to say the need to move quickly/decisively has been around for as long as I can remember.