At one bar we play they give band members TWO drinks free per set! Ya gotta wonder how may bands have sucked late in the night because they took advantage of that. Personally, I limit myself to one or none per set.
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Making The Best 4 Hour Bar Gig
- Thread starter bluewine
- Start date
At one bar we play they give band members TWO drinks free per set! Ya gotta wonder how may bands have sucked late in the night because they took advantage of that. Personally, I limit myself to one or none per set.
During his first gig with us our drummer went into the crowd with a wireless mic and sang a three song medley. A guy tried to pick a fight with him when he sang Zep's Lemon Song to the guy's girlfriend. I think he objected to the line "Squeeze my lemon ... til the juice runs down my leg". The guy got kicked out.
That's crazy. I like a beer or two on the house as much as the next guy but any club that comps a band that much alcohol is asking for a sloppy performance by the last set.
Unless of course that constitutes the sum total of the band's pay.
My suggestions for better four hour gigs:
1. Try to book multiple consecutive nights. Compared to the 70's, when I first started playing in bars, these gigs seem harder to find, but they are out there. A few bars and quite a few of the lodges (American Legion, VFW, etc.) will book you Friday and Saturday.
2. If you're leaving your gear on stage to play the next night cover it with a sheet. Take home anything that is small enough that it could be easily stolen, and definitely take your instrument(s) home.
3. Find people who enjoy roadie work. Some guys are so happy to be associated with a band that they'll work for free or for very little. Not to be demeaning, but these are generally big guys that aren't exactly the smartest people you'll meet, and usually friends or relatives of a band member.
4. Stay in shape. Doing aerobics and lifting weights will make standing and delivering for four hours a lot easier.
1. Try to book multiple consecutive nights. Compared to the 70's, when I first started playing in bars, these gigs seem harder to find, but they are out there. A few bars and quite a few of the lodges (American Legion, VFW, etc.) will book you Friday and Saturday.
2. If you're leaving your gear on stage to play the next night cover it with a sheet. Take home anything that is small enough that it could be easily stolen, and definitely take your instrument(s) home.
3. Find people who enjoy roadie work. Some guys are so happy to be associated with a band that they'll work for free or for very little. Not to be demeaning, but these are generally big guys that aren't exactly the smartest people you'll meet, and usually friends or relatives of a band member.
4. Stay in shape. Doing aerobics and lifting weights will make standing and delivering for four hours a lot easier.
Bring the dive bar owner up on stage and while thanking him/her and hugging them share that bladder explosion with owner - make it part of the show.
My band could play all night with no breaks, as we are a four piece that can break down into a number of different three pieces.
Everyone could have a break, with no stoppage of the music.
We really don't want to do that, however.
Everyone could have a break, with no stoppage of the music.
We really don't want to do that, however.
This guy. I like 2 to 2.5 hour shows then I'm ready to split. Its going to pay the same so why hang around till 2 am?
Calebmundy
Supporting Member
- Apr 5, 2007
- 1,135
- 819
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- Endorsing Artist: DNA Amplifiers, Lākland Basses
Yeah I have been curious about where you play Guy. I know all of the Tin Roof's nationwide, and Winners/Loosers Cool Springs run the 4-hour straight deal. I haven't played a whole lot off those circuits. I actually don't play a whole lot downtown.
Bunganut Pig
Dolans
Gary's
Shipwreck Cove
Wild Wings Cafe
The Pond
Mickey Roos
Puckets
Jed's
Willies Wet Spot (I dare you not to snicker)
Levi and Hanks
JC Bullseye
Those are just a few I can name right now. I've never played Losers, but I've been to the one in Franklin a few times and the bands have always taken breaks.
Calebmundy
Supporting Member
- Apr 5, 2007
- 1,135
- 819
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: DNA Amplifiers, Lākland Basses
Bunganut Pig
Dolans
Gary's
Shipwreck Cove
Wild Wings Cafe
The Pond
Mickey Roos
Puckets
Jed's
Willies Wet Spot (I dare you not to snicker)
Levi and Hanks
JC Bullseye
Those are just a few I can name right now. I've never played Losers, but I've been to the one in Franklin a few times and the bands have always taken breaks.
Oh you know what? I have played and taken breaks at Mickey Roos and Pucketts. So there you have it. I need to let the guy know I play for at Loser's...
I don't get that non-stop thing. I know bands get around it by having one guy do acoustic stuff while the rest of the band takes a break, but this seems so contrary to what live music is. Tin Roof is great because it's a "Live Music Joint", but it's not so great because it treats that live music just like a jukebox or satellite radio. A good live band will work the crowd, and that's what's great about live music, and what I think would be the draw of it. We play a Tin Roof pretty regularly but have worked out a deal to get a 10 minute break.
+1
Like you said, I ENJOY playing, that's why I do this, not to collect a quick buck and scoot home.
We play 4 sets of around 12-13 songs each. Our breaks should be about 15 min but I play with some guys who can't seem to find their way back to the stage on time. Fortunately, the places and people that hire us never seem to mind, and we always get a good response. So... ??
Not sure how to improve the 4 hour bar gig experience... except shameless gimmicks to get more people out and into what we're doing... the band is talking about that now-- Facebook promotions, birthday gifts, drink coupons, etc... not sure anything like that will help...
The music is good, that's not a problem. Website is strong, getting found and contacted out of the blue, getting repeat bookings to bars, festivals, parties, so we're clicking... just trying to get to the next level...
If you have enough really good dance groove to inspire the dance floor to fill up and stay filled it can be a lot of fun. As long as there is good audience interaction and participation a four hour bar gig can be a pleasure.
The gig I did last Saturday was a 4 hour gig that turned into a 5 hour gig. By the second set, the club had to call in a second (additional) bartender and the bar manager offered us another $100 to play an extra hour. So our take for the night was $500 for the four of us. Not too shabby for the place/area we played in and what the local market pays.
By the end, I was cooked.
What makes the four hour gig enjoyable for me (as far as what I can control);
-Playing with others that I enjoy being on stage with. Note, this does not mean I like them or they're my BFF's, but if they put on a good show and do their parts well, it becomes fun. If everyone is just mailing in a performance, the night drags.
-Wireless! Yup. Getting out and being in the crowd versus in front of it is really fun. You get to be with the people and you can have a lot of fun.
-Money. Yes, money. If I'm getting $50 to do a 4 hour show it's going to sap some of the desire and enjoyment out for me. But once I'm hitting the $100+ mark I'm more motivated to go the extra mile. Many of you might hate to admit it, but it would probably be true for you, too.
-Well timed breaks. I can play 1.5 hours if I have to, but honestly taking a short break after 50 minutes or an hour makes my hands and feet a lot happier.
-Talk with people in the audience between sets. I've found that if they're still there on your break, they probably like you. It's cool to chat with them and often times you will get some real compliments and it can fuel your ego a little to get back up on stage. Plus, sometimes they feel "connected" to the band when you're not some anonymous musician up there who's too good to talk with the customers.
-Sing backup or sing your own songs. I find doing gigs a lot more enjoyable now that I sing backups/harmonies. It took work to do it but I find that I like the songs better when I have my voice in them somehow.
Just some of the things that come to mind, these are what I have learned to do over time and for me they make my 4 hour gig more enjoyable. Not that I didn't enjoy it before, because, well, after all......we are fortunate to get to do this and in the end it's us who are thankful for the audience and not the other way around.
By the end, I was cooked.
What makes the four hour gig enjoyable for me (as far as what I can control);
-Playing with others that I enjoy being on stage with. Note, this does not mean I like them or they're my BFF's, but if they put on a good show and do their parts well, it becomes fun. If everyone is just mailing in a performance, the night drags.
-Wireless! Yup. Getting out and being in the crowd versus in front of it is really fun. You get to be with the people and you can have a lot of fun.
-Money. Yes, money. If I'm getting $50 to do a 4 hour show it's going to sap some of the desire and enjoyment out for me. But once I'm hitting the $100+ mark I'm more motivated to go the extra mile. Many of you might hate to admit it, but it would probably be true for you, too.
-Well timed breaks. I can play 1.5 hours if I have to, but honestly taking a short break after 50 minutes or an hour makes my hands and feet a lot happier.
-Talk with people in the audience between sets. I've found that if they're still there on your break, they probably like you. It's cool to chat with them and often times you will get some real compliments and it can fuel your ego a little to get back up on stage. Plus, sometimes they feel "connected" to the band when you're not some anonymous musician up there who's too good to talk with the customers.
-Sing backup or sing your own songs. I find doing gigs a lot more enjoyable now that I sing backups/harmonies. It took work to do it but I find that I like the songs better when I have my voice in them somehow.
Just some of the things that come to mind, these are what I have learned to do over time and for me they make my 4 hour gig more enjoyable. Not that I didn't enjoy it before, because, well, after all......we are fortunate to get to do this and in the end it's us who are thankful for the audience and not the other way around.
5+ a week for more years than I care to remember.
It's a job. It's a job you love but, it's still a job.
Treat it like a job.
Be good at your job.
Sell a product that people want to buy.
Your job is to make the people happy.
It is not the job of the people to make you happy.
If you have to choose between trying to entertain and trying to impress, choose entertain every time no matter how much it hurts.
If you give the audience what they want, they will give you what you want.
If you try to sell them @#$ that they are not interested in, be prepared for a long night.
See an underlying theme to all that?
It ain't about you...or me.... or what we may or may not want.
Make it about them and it will be as good as it can be.
The instant you even start to try to make it about yourself and what you want, the heartache and downward spiral starts.
Of the list of important things on a 4 set bar gig. artistic vision and artistic integrity are at the absolute bottom of the list, written on the back, in small letters.
THAT is pretty much how you survive it long term without losing your mind.
+1 I agree, Many will not want to hear this, however, every musician I know that makes this about themselves, will only play music they personally like and talk in terms of artistic integrity are bandless and are basically bedroom noodlers.
blue
