How long is your gig?

[Snarf]

Almost always 4-hour gigs. Timing is always different depending on the event. If it's a bar gig, I try never to do any of those that are more than 3 hours.

 

[pfschim]

Usual bar, winery, beer garden type gig is 3 hrs around these parts. We usually do 2 sets of 1hr 15/20 min each. Sometimes it depends on how into it the audience is.
Festival sets are anywhere from 50-90min depending on how far up/down the bill the band is. Openers and mid-schedule folks get less, headliners and higher bill bands get more.

I'm totally ok with the 3hr gigs, mine are mostly pretty fun. But I really love upper bill Festival sets. Nice compact sets and the audience is usually way into the music.

 

[naetog]

We're right about 90 minutes of all original stuff.
If we find the right cover to do we might add one or two, but for now we're happy with the set as it is.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Three one-hour sets, two 20 minute breaks. If we’re asked to play two hours, we’ll almost always play straight through. Nothing shorter unless backline/PA is provided, and the money is good.

 

[dave64o]

We typically do four sets in four hours - about 50 minutes with a 10 minute break between sets.

 

[Das Jugghead]

All original vs. cover - makes a difference. Back in the 80's I played in cover bands that typically would play four hours at a gig.

Now I only play original music. My current band has about two and half hours of music but we usually only play an hour to an hour and a half.

 

[2saddleslab]

Usually 3 hours and we take a short 10 min break in the middle, sometimes no break at all.

 

[DaveDeVille]

usually three hours .
break times depend on the band and situation ...

 

[Spidey2112]

I was in the pool!

Shrinkage!

 

[whero]

The regular bar gig is two and lasts about 2.5 hours - two sets of abut 70 minutes each with a 10 minute break. There's another act on before us who get about an hour. Usually a guy who plays acoustic guitar and sings over a backing track with drums/keyboard/strings/brass sounds, sometimes a couple we've nicknamed The Blue Stripes. She's a drummer who was pretty bad when we first saw them but has got quite good, him an average guitar player who doesn't seem to be improving, who always wear matching blue shirts.

The occasional corporate gig we do usually lasts four sets/5 hours. Private parties go as long as they want, and will pay us, to play (may also be also subject to times set in local noise control by-laws, depending on the venue).

 

[Bugliens]

Originals band. Punk/pop stuff. 35 minutes is considered pushing it into too-long territory for us. The sweet spot is 27 -30 min. No stopping!

 

[G On Bass]

Original singer-songwriter-type thing: Bigger venue opener and usually 25-35 minutes.
Original Blues kinda thing at a Pizza join as the only band, 2 hours.
When I played in cover bands, 4 hours. Though it didn't seem like a minute over 8 hours. I don't do these projects anymore.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Two 75-minute sets usually.

 

[Jason Hollar]

Most jazz clubs and classic rock pubs around here are like 7-10pm with 60/45/45min sets.

Most wedding band gigs are 5+ hours with a 45-60min cocktail jazz set, a 15-25min pre dinner full band set for intros & dances (and stealth sound check), then like a 7:30-10:30 60/45/45 dance party band sets with DJ breaks.

 

[juancaminos]

When I played in the city it was four sets. 45 mins ea with a 15 min break. However we would always play thru the first break, then take two 10 minute breaks later. Now that I am in the mountains its three sets with two 10 - 15 minute breaks depending on the crowd. However, last night was a two hour gig and so is the one this after noon.

 

[40Hz]

So, our gigs are usually three hours. We'll open with a hour and twenty or twenty five minute set, take a ten or fifteen minute break then close out with about an hour set.
But every so often, we get an audience that's really into our show and we play straight through the three hours without a break.
Since we're all in our late 50's and early 60's (with the exception of the LGP who just turned 23), it's not near as much fun as it used to be.
We don't run out of songs but I admit I am starting to run out of gas about the last thirty minutes or so. Especially on our typical hot/humid afternoon gigs.
Years ago, typical bar gigs were about 40-45 minutes with 15-20 minute breaks with a DJ spread out over a four or five hour gig.
Is that still a thing?

This is probably ancient history by now.

Most times (in the 70s, 80s, and early to mid 90s where I was playing) a gig was for 3 sets, although you’d often get a 4 set gig.

Standard club set was 50mins with a 10min break between sets 1&2, 2&3, and 3&4 if there was a 4th set.

Blue Laws set the stop time for live entertainment at either midnight or 1am depending on the town. Last call was 30min after that, and the bar needed to be cleared and closed a half hour after last call.

Club gigs averaged $350 a night for a 4 or 5-piece rock band. About $1200 in today’s money. So you’d average between $225 and $250 for each band member per gig if it was an even split. If some member provided a van or the PA they’d get paid more and the other shares would be reduced accordingly.

Private parties ran as late as the host wanted them to run. “Private party” used to mean it wasn’t open to the public and nobody paid admission or made a “donation” to be there. Number of sets, times, and breaks were whatever the host and band mutually agreed on. Those gigs could run till all hours. Money and perks were usually quite good for those gigs. Better than most club dates.

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

In my day, we always did 5 hours, 45 on, 15 off. There was a job I knew of that was EIGHT hours on Saturday and Sunday, you went as long as you could stand it, then one guy would crawl off for a few minutes and the band would just keep playing without that part until he came back. Crazy, but true.

I once played a local festival in the Cajun country in a KC Hall. It was contracted for 9 till 2. At two o'clock, it was still rolling like a train, NOBODY was even thinking of going home. They 'passed' the hat for each hour after 2, we FINALLY knocked off at 6 (I figured they needed enough time to go home, clean up and change clothes and go to Mass . . . . ), and I went home with a little over 1200 bucks, several leftover, unopened half-gallons of adult beverages, and a grocery bag full of boudain and boiled crawfish. What a night ! ! !

There is nothing, but nothing, like a great gig in South Louisiana.

So Anyway, having been to Festivals Acadiens 'et Creoles several times, the Blue Moon in Lafayette and a dance hall in Opelousas, I heartedly agree. People 'South of 10' really know how to have a good time. They dance to have fun without any other intensions. Plus most of the folks know how to play 5 or 6 instruments.

In the past, we usually played about 10 crawfish boils a year. I'd take home some boudin or andouille...but no crawfish. Their shelf life out of the pot is just too short.

Maybe some day I'll be lucky enough to get invited to a boucherie.

And to answer the original OP, our 4-hour gig is three one hour sets with two 30 minute breaks. We don't play many bars, mostly outdoor events. Our community concert gigs are usually 2 hours total, so we'll play 2 sets with a 20 minute break. Our BL plays a 30 lb accordion...he needs the downtime!

 

[lbbc]

We are usually playing a 3 hour night...1 hr 20 min first set..20 min break (provide background music) 1 hr 20 min 2nd set.

We just played a rare 4 hour night and they paid to have us perform an extra hour...we had the material but that was a LONG night

 

[REV]

Usually 2 sets 1.5 hours each but we will do 3 45's for winery gigs.

 

[Major_Rager_4MF]

Rock/pop cover band. 4 hours no breaks. When you break, people head to the bar, bathroom, or their car. We even try to minimize gaps between songs and are prone to extended medleys that run 6-15 minutes. I joke with my mates about 30 minute medleys and eventually just one 4 hour long song. I’m kidding about that bit. Mostly