No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

[Norm Nelson]

I gotta say, I feel my greatest moment as a bass player was learning 12 new (original, so like never heard'em before) songs in 10 days for a fill-in spot. That got me the regular gig, ultimately. But that was for a songwriter and a band I really loved, and I knew the setlist (and the rough song order) from the get-go.

 

[Ellery]

Dude, do it! I want to read your story about how bad it went down!

 

[Altitude]

I think you’re in it for this gig. If you pull out now you become the jerk. Just stop returning their calls afterwards if it’s a bad experience.

I suppose, just hope you don’t get onstage and the bandleader calls Moment’s Notice or something.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I'm with you, CC: won't back out of an obligation. Good for you for looking at it as a challenge.

Hopefully they band will be appreciative. Fortunately that's how it turned out after my first sub with a guitarist friend's "casual" band. The setlist doc he provided was hundreds of pages containing over 120 songs with no index. It was all chord/lyric sheets which I despise because my brain works with numbers far better than letters. I said "hey, can you pare the list down to the 60 I'm familiar with?" He said "we'll just call 'em out and you can veto". At the gig I did exercise my veto power, but a few of those times they'd say something like "this one's easy: key of D, mostly 1-5-6-4, just follow us". Turned out to be a fun gig, and I began subbing with them regularly.

On the other hand: one of my favorite drummers asked me to sub with him with a band we'd never played with before. BL was late providing a set list. After some pestering he sent a list of 28 tunes, which didn't seem like enough. At the gig he regularly called out songs that were not on that list, and many of those were not low hanging fruit. It was frustrating: I'm not much of a guitarist and couldn't follow all the chords even when the BL decided to show me his fretboard. Would have been easier if their regular drummer was on board, but of course my drummer friend was pretty much in the same boat as me, so we couldn't often cue each other. Here's the kicker: near the end, they called out "Ventura Highway" by America. This had been brand new to me but was on the list they provided so I had a chance to prep for it. Joe Osborn's bass line is intricate, elegant, unusual... I didn't learn it note-for-note, but emulated his style at the gig. When the song ended I was pleased, but the BL asked if I was playing in the wrong key so I had to explain myself. Turns out they were somewhat of a jam band: the regular bassist insisted on doing his own thing, never emulating the recording, so that led to the BL's confusion. After that gig the BL was clearly less than thrilled, but it was fine with the drummer and me that we wouldn't have to turn down any offers from him in the future.

 

[Topkat13]

We rehearse near a Jersey Mike's so we always get good subs.

 

[Core Creek]

I should re-mention that all the back and forth has been with a member’s wife. At the audition, while the drummer was pretty sub-par, he was incredibly nice and the guitar player had some good chops. So I got a good vibe from the band - just not from the BL who technically isn’t a member. For all I know the band has no clue I’ve been asking for the set list and no clue it hasn’t been provided.

 

[red_rhino]

"When" you had the chance?
This is amateur hour. Walk away now.

Absolutely agree! They’re treating you like an unprofessional amateur. Is there anything that makes you believe the gig won’t go as badly, or worse, than what you’ve experienced so far? They’re not taking this seriously, why should you?

 

[FretRiff]

I should re-mention that all the back and forth has been with a member’s wife.... For all I know the band has no clue I’ve been asking for the set list and no clue it hasn’t been provided.

It's on you to say what you need and that you needed it yesterday. And ask for the husband's and BL's cell numbers if you don't have it too.

 

[Wesley R]

Do the gig! Fully realizing your the best they will ever have.
Maybe they learn a little something, maybe you actually have fun. It a low pressure gig for you, not a lifetime commitment

 

[Core Creek]

Do the gig! Fully realizing your the best they will ever have.
Maybe they learn a little something, maybe you actually have fun. It a low pressure gig for you, not a lifetime commitment

I’m not really sweating it. I think I posted this because I know I can’t be the only one who this has happened to, and sure enough I’m not.

Funny enough just got a message that I’ll have a setlist by the end of the week. Here’s hoping….

 

[Father Gino]

Just drink too much and you’ll be fine!

 

[BigJohnAZ]

I agree it’s a bad situation and most should walk away. Unfortunately I am a man of my word for better or worse. The last thing I want to do is get any kind of reputation for not following through.

Yeah, it’ll be a jam on my end. If I don’t get a list in time there’s going to be a lot of me looking at them on stage saying you didn’t get that to me in time - what key?

I'd overplay like a MF. Basic root fifth tunes, I'd be throwing chromatics and above 12th fret fills. And, turn up the tone 100% and get really clangy and clacky. But, then again, I can be a real p....

 

[PaperbackRyder]

....and it seems obvious WHY they need a bassist in the first place!

 

[KenSmithFan]

people are talking about YOUR obligation, but what about THEIR obligation?

First time they dodged me on the song list I would have given them a deadline to provide it. Given how far you are into it, I’d tell them if I didn’t have a list by the end of the day, they can find someone else. Too early? That’s one of the biggest loads of BS I’ve heard.

 

[Element Zero]

Life’s too short to play with flaky musicians.

 

[Pocket Dave]

For the right pay, I'll learn an all-new setlist in 5 days.

For bad pay, hmmm...

How about, "guys, I'm doing this gig well below scale; We're about to get to where I'm going to need to put in unpaid overtime on top of that just to be prepared for the gig - Sorry, the juice just isn't worth the squeeze; If I don't have the gig's setlist by 6pm, you'll need to find someone else to do the date."

 

[pepj]

To totally wing it is a good skill...but you need to know who is capable of doing that.
If these guys have supreme confidence that they can do this..and you know that, and they know your level..then for a bar gig, then should be fine. (thinking and doing though are not always the same)

However, they picked a random singer at your audition... and there were 2 red flags there...he was rubbish by your criteria, plus a total lack of planning.
You turned them down...meaning they didn't impress.

One of things that defines your stature in this field is what gigs you will not be involved in. And yep, those players that need to know that stuff, definitely notice it.

For want of a better way of putting it, if you are trying to be a tier 1 player, playing in a tier 3 band...you will struggle to get tier 1 gigs. This is why it counts against you ime.

 

[Hyoga]

On the gig, just play whatever and nobody will notice.

 

[Core Creek]

Just drink too much and you’ll be fine!

If only I drank….

 

[Core Creek]

For the right pay, I'll learn an all-new setlist in 5 days.

For bad pay, hmmm...

How about, "guys, I'm doing this gig well below scale; We're about to get to where I'm going to need to put in unpaid overtime on top of that just to be prepared for the gig - Sorry, the juice just isn't worth the squeeze; If I don't have the gig's setlist by 6pm, you'll need to find someone else to do the date."

Yeah for good $ I’d learn a ton quick. I won’t learn anything for nothing. $100 is still something and at this point t I don’t even know what I need to know - might be a walk in the park. I do know I was able to play on the spot 4 tunes I’ve never played before and it’s a low pressure gig, so the small risk seems worth the small gain.