How long will you play?

[DWBass]

I saw a band yesterday and they played for 3 hours straight doing mostly medley's!! How long do your bands play before taking a break........if you do take a break??? I kept looking at my watch and shaking my head.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

3 hours is my limit. That's our typical show, and BL hates breaks. He's a peace of work.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

2 hour gigs with 2 sets of 45-50 mins, 10-15 min break in between, usually.

 

[Old Blastard]

3 hours is my limit. That's our typical show, and BL hates breaks. He's a peace of work.

45 minutes and a 10 or 15 minutes of break. If the audience is grooving, maybe 5 to keep them around. Sometimes the set goes long for the same reason.

I'm old. I need breaks

 

[JRA]

depends on the gig/situation (sometimes we do 75-90 minute shows), but down in those small clubs were typically doing 40-60 minute sets and then a break (usually 20-30 minutes, but sometimes less).

different venues have different needs/demands, we try to accommodate them. event/corporate/weddings are generally scripted --- we use the script.

 

[Reedt2000]

Most of the time if we play a 3 hour total gig we'll do 2 hour and twenty minute sets. A 4 hour gig will be 3 hour+ sets. Don't do many 2 hour or less, thought sometime local municipalities will do music in the park or similar events that are hour and a half or two hours, in which case we'd just play through without breaks, other than some banter, next gig announcements and such.

 

[Jebberz]

Tipically, we do 2 sets, 1h long each. Sometimes, we can do 3, or 2 sets of 1 and a half hour long. Or only 1 set, 2 hours. It depends on the client's needs.

 

[RattleSnack]

Typically, 2.5 hours without break, for a club gig. My covers band and I prefer it that way. It's more like a concert; we get people on their feet and don't let them sit. For one wedding, we did almost 4 hours without a break. There were breaks planed, but we had such fun that we just went on and on! We still talk about that one, it was great.
How do we manage it? It's easy if you are having a blast.

 

[gln1955]

Almost all gigs we get are 3 or 4 hours. First set is 1 hour or maybe out to 1:15. Subsequent sets are 45 min to hour. Ten to fifteen minute breaks.

I'd rather play than take an extended break.

 

[Wyrdlow]

45 minutes to an hour, 20 minute break, then the same again. Very occasionally a third set.

 

[Manticore]

Depends on the band and players; I tend to let the band leader make those decisions. I play in one where a certain individual in the group needs a "biological' break every 45 minutes of so. I play with another cat on acoustic gigs and that guy never takes breaks. We once did a St. Patrick's day gig where we played for eight hours with one break in the middle. Fortunately, it was an acoustic gig, so we were sitting the whole time. That gig has a lead book with hundreds of songs in it, so we can play for days if needed.

 

[SLO Surfer]

Longest gig I do without a break is 2 hours. We only do that gig once a year, and it tests my bladder.

Usually my bands play a 3 hour gig with two 15-minute breaks (breaking the gig up into 3 sets).

 

[Mike N]

Usually an hour long set and then a 10 minute break, but it also depends on the crowd.

I did a sub gig recently and the crowd was packed on the dance floor at break time, so rather than lose them the BL called out a handful more. We wound up going 90 minutes on that set.

 

[DWBass]

My current gig is Set1: 1hr-15min, Set2: 45min, Set3: 30min.

 

[ebo]

Our gigs are typically 3 hours. We used to do 3 short sets with two short breaks but we’ve started doing 2 longer sets with one longer break. That 2nd break is where we would lose people. So one hour twenty, a twenty minute break, then another hour twenty. Too long? As @RattleSnack said, not if you’re having fun. And if you’re not having fun, find another hobby.

 

[Polfuste]

Depends. With the jazz band, one hour and a half (i've been told "it's the good format" by bandmates, even if i would like playing 3 hours) one shot or with a ten minuts break following venue owner préférence.
With the afro ska band, between 2 hours and 2 hours and a half, one shot or with a 10 minutes break in the middle, following venue owner préférence. I like taking a small break in the middle.

 

[Killing Floor]

40-50 minutes most of the time. It’s not a matter of endurance. Unless it’s a premium concert I’m ready for someone to stop after an hour.

 

[tb-player]

I hate taking a break. We do, but it kind of kills the vibe. I’d rather play a minimum of 2 hours & see where we land. Unfortunately, I’m the youngest guy in that particular band and the other guys aren’t having it.

 

[Barticus]

Most of the time if we play a 3 hour total gig we'll do 2 hour and twenty minute sets. A 4 hour gig will be 3 hour+ sets. Don't do many 2 hour or less, thought sometime local municipalities will do music in the park or similar events that are hour and a half or two hours, in which case we'd just play through without breaks, other than some banter, next gig announcements and such.

Same same for us. Although tomorrow it will be 2 3hr gigs (same as above) with a ferry ride to an island for gig #2. Looongggg day, but will be fun!

 

[MuseChaser]

I play a gig that is two hours long, no breaks, once every couple months. It's a nice gig, with a captive, listening, appreciative audience. Still... I don't look forward to it. I enjoy it once it's over, but it's a grueling two hours, especially mentally.