How does an old-noob find a hobby band/jam group?

[themickster]

Started playing bass in September 2020. Have prior music background and can read music/basic charts. Would very much like to play with other people and find a hobby/weekend warrior-type group. Most of the stuff on local craigslist is for professional musicians. I am a middle-aged dude with a full-time job/family/kids etc. and not at all plugged into the local "scene." Looking for something casual where we jam on the weekends with maybe the hope of playing in poopy bars. Where/how does one go about finding such a thing?

See if there's s a musician's Facebook group for where you live. I met my guitarist by going to open mic night to watch.

 

[sean_on_bass]

Open mics, organized open jams, Craigslist/ads. This may be unique to me, but you can also look for like minded musicians where you work. We use Slack at work and have channels for musicians/music gear.

 

[aggrokragg]

I'm in the same situation as OP. Although I have some years of experience being in metal and hardcore bands back in the 90's/early 2K's. I have no desire to play those genres anymore, but find a small group to jam on weekends and maybe do some open mic's or coffee shop gigs or something. I'm also amenable to looking into a church gig. In this post-COVID world is the best scenario to just hit up open mic's and talk with local musicians? I find that Craigslist is same as it ever was, with many musicians looking to start "serious bands", mostly metal, in my area.

 

[Eilif]

One more vote for Craigslist. I've found both good, paying, long-term gigs there and enjoyable little-to-not paying projects. Just be honest about what you are looking for in your ads and responses and ask straight shooting questions of the groups you answer ads for.

Even though Craigslist has actually been more reliable, my favorite way to find a group is word of mouth. I'd encourage you to put the word out, at any social or work environment that you are in. Church, work, clubs, etc, even (perhaps especially) groups that have nothign to do with music. You'd be surprised who knows someone who knows someone who plays and is looking for musicians.