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how old were you at your first gig?

#61
first performance? 9 years old. Granted I was pretty cr*ppy at piano back then, but hey I'm a music major now. 18 years old baby.

But no I haven't had a real 'gig' yet, not for money anyways, though I do a lot of free work on piano, bass, and organ for the church.
 
#64
Sophmore Year probably 14/15 years old crappy bass, crappy amp, crappy PA, played outside at my high school, started to rain, was nervous, Never felt more full of my self afterwards, one of the best feelings in the world, now im going to be 21 this aug 7th, and i can "legally" drink, I think i've drank enough between 18 and 21 to last me my whole life haha
 
#65
I was 20, it was in a dodgy pub in the town of Scunthorpe, which is in a completely different part of the country from where I live.

I was part of an indie-type fuzz pop band. About 2 songs in, most of the audience (ugly-looking fellas just there for the beer) left and went elsewhere.

A couple of months later I played in my hometown with my "proper" band, kind of Smiths soundalikes, to a generally more appreciative crowd.
 
#70
13
My church let my guitarist and i use the auditorium to practice and they came to us after a month and said you need to play the church picnic in 1 month. We called a drummer friend and played 14 zepplin songs with no singer.
We had no effects yet either, guitarist played everything
with a clean sound.
 
#71
44. It was last month. Took up bass at 39. No prev. musical experience. Took lessons for a year and noodled/self-taught for 3.5 years but only had buds to play with 2 weekends per year (really). Then out of nowhere started a cover band 3 months ago. Most fun I've had with my clothes on. 3 more gigs booked as a result of the 1st one......what mid-life crisis? Beats the **** out of a little red convertible or a mistress, and is cheaper than both :-)
 
#75
12. My sax teacher let me and two of his other students play a couple tunes with his band at a local restaurant. Some of the folks who listened to us tipped us as we packed up, so that was my first paying gig too. Not bad - played maybe a quarter of an hour, got paid 20 bucks.

I did some piano recitals, etc. when I was younger than that, but I won't really count those.
 
#79
First paying gig ever was at age 12 playing the drums in a 1920s revival dinner theater show. I remember the women in the show backstage really liked me and they changed costumes right there in front of me. One even let me fool around with her! Oh, man, to relive that knowing what I know now! It was my first exposure to gay men, too. The principal male singer was gay and drank creme de menthe, he said, to lower his vocal range. He was actually a very nice guy and recognized that I was kinda infatuated with this woman singer and gave me a few pointers - the first queer eye for the straight guy (kid)!

I also remember that we only had piano, drums sax, and bass, and if I recall, the bass player used a short-scale natural-finish Gretsch.
 

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