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Making The Best 4 Hour Bar Gig
- Thread starter bluewine
- Start date
I'm a 57 year old Warwick 5 string slinger, PA and lights guy (gear owner and control-meister) and I love doin' bar shows and especially private shindigs. The people are always friggin awesome, the dance floor seldom bare, the paycheque never an issue. Don't really mind the travel as my guitarplayer/best friend of 35+ years is always welcome aboard my "band in a van set up", just enough room for his gear. grab a big Timmies coffee and time to get into performance frame of mind. If there's a hundred bucks or so in my pocket, I'm there!!!! Known as a gig slut!!! Jam On!!!
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,794
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
I have asthma and I used to HATE when people smoked when I'd go to work. Hope this does not make me a pussy.
Very cool,
I'm with you bassgeezer, what else am I going to do on a Friday or Saturday night.
Fellow gig slut.
Blue
Wedding gig tonight. gear and PA already set up and 5 minute commute . I have 2 hours of free time before I have to "split".
You mean you have to wear a shirt that actually covers your arms?!
Did you guys have to add some songs that are not normally in your repertoire?
The 4 hour gig is what my bands have always done, excepting benefits, special events, etc.
I find a decent pool table helps with the down time.
An interesting locale helps for out of town work, you can look around a bit, relax and take in the scenery.
I find a decent pool table helps with the down time.
An interesting locale helps for out of town work, you can look around a bit, relax and take in the scenery.
You mean you have to wear a shirt that actually covers your arms?!
Did you guys have to add some songs that are not normally in your repertoire?
I only wear sleeveless and Chuck Taylor's for outside festival & fair gigs.
No new songs, we are far from a wedding band. The couple that is getting married saw us at Washington County Fair and asked us if we would play their wedding. It's good money and 5 minutes away from my condo.
I really don't know what to expect.
Blue
If I got at least one person into it, four hours is fun. If not, it blows. Tonight 930-130 in Ann Arbor. Par-tay! And free beer. Hello. When you only play 2-4 times a month, its not bad at all.
I've been known to learn new songs for wedding gigs, and wear a tie. Hell, I wore a tie to work for nearly 30 years, and that wasn't near as much fun.
Gigging is fun. Wearing funny clothes is fun, for that matter.
Gigging is fun. Wearing funny clothes is fun, for that matter.
You mean you have to wear a shirt that actually covers your arms?!
Did you guys have to add some songs that are not normally in your repertoire?
I came up with a look for tonight. Remember this is a small biker wedding. I will probably be overdressed.
blue
Mellowman...you take being in a cover band a bit too serious and Freebird, Iron Man and Whole Lotta Love are worn out tunes. I am glad you are excited about what you do, but it is a job like working at McDonalds for me and I wouldn't practice making Big Macs without getting paid so my band learns our tunes at home and plays them at the gig. Does it show... not really.
I disagree with everything you wrote, except the last part, about which I would have no idea.
Where can I see some video, or listen to some recordings?
For the record, I wouldn't make Big Macs if my life depended on it.
I take playing in a cover band seriously because to me it is serious.
Were all different,
- Different ages
- Different playing skills and training
- Different education levels
- Different aptitudes
- Different locations
- Different opportunities.
- Different values
- How we came into music
- What being in a cover band means to us
It's what makes the forum valuable, you can get a perspective from all sorts of different people.
If being in your cover band is like working at McDonald's to you, that's fine.
Blue
Great idea Mellowinman, you talk the talk and walk the walk. You have posted a lot of pics and cool videos of your band.
You have made yourself very transparent and to a degree I have as well.
I have always questioned the TBers that have all sorts of opinions when we know very little about them.
- Are they even in a band
- When were they in a band
- What kind of band
- What is there gigging experience if any, once a month, 5-6 a month, who knows.
I am not bashing anyone. I'm only saying in some cases I don't know what some TBers are basing their opinions on.
I have never seen a pic of some Tbers playing a bass
Blue
Here are my suggestions. YMMV.
Cover a variety of genres, unless you're already established as a Lithuanian polka band.
Adjust your set list based on audience reaction.
Have a competent frontman.
Try to honor audience requests (within reason).
Keep dead air to a minimum.
Everyone who can sing on key sings lead on at least two songs a night, and sings harmony from time to time.
Plug the venue's specials and upcoming events, and remind folks to tip their waitress or bartender. (Perhaps you'll be invited back.)
Cover a variety of genres, unless you're already established as a Lithuanian polka band.
Adjust your set list based on audience reaction.
Have a competent frontman.
Try to honor audience requests (within reason).
Keep dead air to a minimum.
Everyone who can sing on key sings lead on at least two songs a night, and sings harmony from time to time.
Plug the venue's specials and upcoming events, and remind folks to tip their waitress or bartender. (Perhaps you'll be invited back.)
Personally, I take the band seriously to a point.
After all, it's my reputation as a musician that gets put on the line every time I play in front of people, whether they know me or not.
However, I'm not going to obsess over little things, it is supposed to be fun too.
I've played a lot of songs over the years that I don't like and never would have listened to all the way through even once if I didn't have to learn them, but I did learn something from a lot of them, which in the end helps me as a player.
Here are a few pics of me playing for context, I've been playing since 1979 and doing this since 1986, when I was 20.
And contrary to what it looks like, I don't spend the entire night staring at my frets!
This is our band's typical set up, though the bass bins are different now.
I get stage left.
After all, it's my reputation as a musician that gets put on the line every time I play in front of people, whether they know me or not.
However, I'm not going to obsess over little things, it is supposed to be fun too.
I've played a lot of songs over the years that I don't like and never would have listened to all the way through even once if I didn't have to learn them, but I did learn something from a lot of them, which in the end helps me as a player.
Here are a few pics of me playing for context, I've been playing since 1979 and doing this since 1986, when I was 20.
And contrary to what it looks like, I don't spend the entire night staring at my frets!
This is our band's typical set up, though the bass bins are different now.
I get stage left.
Seems to me that people who take playing in cover bands seriously are generally the guys who have good cover bands, that get top pay and stay busy. YMMV
I chain smoke on stage. We play some clubs that don't allow smoking. Those are LOOOONG gigs for me. ( note the cig hanging outta my mouth in my avatar. lol)
I chain smoke on stage. We play some clubs that don't allow smoking. Those are LOOOONG gigs for me. ( note the cig hanging outta my mouth in my avatar. lol)
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