No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

[Core Creek]

Any movement on this thing?

Thanks for the reminder…

I got a setlist on Tuesday. Fortunately they actually built it up entirely from the list I sent them. Maybe 5 songs needed to be transposed and I have everything charted and set up on my iPad ready to go.

Funny - I was told the band gets there 1.5 hours early to set up… but had to ask… where is “there” and what time?? I was never sent that info! Luckily it’s not too far and we play early from 7:30-10:30.

Unrelated I had an “audition”‘the other day for another band that was equally bad. Luckily I didn’t have to prepare anything - just pick from a list I was sent that I already knew ten tunes. But again, unbeknownst to me, the BL was also auditioning two vocalists at the same time, and there was zero coordination on what songs each of us all knew. Luckily I was able to follow the guitarist or knew some extra tunes or had charts for a few songs. Ironically I knew the guitar player who plays in a very busy band so I was confused why he was working with these fools… like me his winter slows down and he’s looking for other gigs. So know we’re going to try and brainstorm maybe putting a band together to fill in gaps in our regular bands to keep ourselves busier. So silver lining from another horrible audition.

 

[Core Creek]

I’m actually going to vent a little more about the audition the other night - the BL kept going between songs for the male vocalist and the female vocalist, never once asking me if I knew the songs. He kept telling the singers how good they were and I swear, he just completely ignored me!

Finally, after asking the female vocalist if she knew X, Y, or Z and didn’t, I suggested we try something else that the male singer might know, and he says something like - “sorry but we’re trying to go back and forth between songs they know” (with an attitude of I’m running this show, how dare you). I was like “I get that but we seem to have run out of songs she knows, and what about me? You haven’t asked me once what songs I learned for tonight or ask me what I might want to play?”….

He ignored me but it was clear the guitar player picked up on my displeasure.

And here’s some icing on the cake - the guy asked me to show up at 7, then the day before asked to move it to 8, then, the day before back to 7, and then the day of back to 8. I get there and apparently another bassist was going to audition at 7 but had a kidney stone and was in the hospital. Fine.

But at the end, he’s gushing to the vocalists (who were adequate but nothing special) asking if they’d be available to come down next Thursday for another “rehearsal” (wasn’t this an audition???) and I’m already thinking uh oh what am I going to say here, and instead he says, “oh not you, the other bass guy is going to come down next week and I’m going to try him out”.

I just shook my head, said “ok, nice meeting you” shook his hand, the singers hands and left.

The guitarist walked me out and we talked and I asked him *** was that? It was like the only reason I was there was he needed a bass player to audition some singers, and the guitarist is like yeah, that was probably the case…. And the BL wasn’t even Ben a good drummer. Like at all….

The guitarist is only working with him because he seems to get decent enough gigs from time to time. I kind of find that hard to believe.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I like to jam and make up parts, so I'd just have a good time for that gig. If they don't like it, that's on them.

 

[Core Creek]

Well, the gig went fine. The band pretty much stuck to the setlist. They called out maybe three songs I didn’t know and I was able to follow along just fine.

My instincts were right - we’re just operating on a different level. But overall the band members were friendly and I had a good enough time that I’d do it again if they were in a pinch.

 

[billythec]

Well, the gig went fine. The band pretty much stuck to the setlist. They called out maybe three songs I didn’t know and I was able to follow along just fine.

My instincts were right - we’re just operating on a different level. But overall the band members were friendly and I had a good enough time that I’d do it again if they were in a pinch.

Great to hear that it turned out OK. I understand you were trying to make sure that you are well-versed in any situation and it looks like you earned that degree congratulations. There is enormous value in that

 

[Core Creek]

Great to hear that it turned out OK. I understand you were trying to make sure that you are well-versed in any situation and it looks like you earned that degree congratulations. There is enormous value in that

Well put. Yeah, I was able to adapt and that was what I got out of the experience…. That and $110.

 

[Core Creek]

Interesting development - my regular band had a gig scheduled for Friday that got cancelled. Apparently the BL keeps trying these door deal/sell tickets gigs and they keep falling flat. The show got cancelled because not enough tickets were sold.

Well, the band I subbed for last weekend contacted me last night to see if I was available tomorrow for a last minute booking - same distance as last week, at a venue I’ve played a few times with my regular band, for a few more dollars.

I’m taking the gig - I’m already prepared, it replaces a lost gig, and it was fun enough to not be a burden. Just goes to show no point in burning bridges.

 

[Bass Viking]

Apparently the BL keeps trying these door deal/sell tickets gigs and they keep falling flat. The show got cancelled because not enough tickets were sold.

Is this for a bar gig? If so, that’s not surprising.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

kind of similar situation but have a monthly gig at a restaurant, just background music - no rehearsals, setlists, charts - and it's fine in that setting, but now we have a real gig Oct 19th on the bandstand, $20 cover to get in. The only thing so far is one rehearsal 1 week before the gig, I've asked for a set list - crickets. lol.

No setlist!?!? To me thats crazy.

 

[Fuzzbass]

No setlist!?!? To me thats crazy.

These gigs happen. Just one example: a guitarist/BL has a monthly gig at a local venue. His bassist and drummer vary based on availability. Essentially they discuss tunes prior to the gig and go with tunes that everyone knows -- or can fake. They also take requests on the fly. These are top local players, all highly experienced.

I've never done a no-setlist gig, but I've subbed for cover bands where they gave me their full list of tunes in advance -- as many as 120. I'd review to confirm that I knew at least a full gig's worth of songs; if I wasn't sure I'd do some homework. Then at the gig I could veto any song they called out that I didn't know. Sometimes if I vetoed a song I didn't recognize, the BL would say "this one's easy, just follow us", so I would. Obviously I had to keep my ears and eyes open for cues on endings, stops, and whatnot. It's fun to learn new songs on the fly like that. None of it was rocket science (faking my way thru a Rush song, for example).

 

[Core Creek]

Is this for a bar gig? If so, that’s not surprising.

Nope - these are more like theaters and lounges. The one that got cancelled is actually a recording studio with a small venue built in. I’ve recorded video demos there with the BL and did an open mic. Sort of like a bar with a small micro brewery - but not your typical bar.

The BL of my regular band is having some success with a side project doing ticket sales at places like that - I subbed in at Daryl’s House for their drummer. But that side project is really niche, with costumes and a whole schtick. But the regular band isn’t like that. We have a 300+ song list and do well at private events, weddings, and even hip bars in NYC.

But I doubt there are people who “follow” us so ticket sales make no sense. But I don’t do the bookings. I just read the calendar and show up….

 

[AllieM]

No setlist!?!? To me thats crazy.

coming up this Sunday - there's going to be a get together just before the gig, I guess we'll figure it out then? This will be a survival gig, keep my head down, listen and react, get through it best I can. It's fun for our normal background music gig at a restaurant but this isn't that!

 

[Deleted member 394181]

coming up this Sunday - there's going to be a get together just before the gig, I guess we'll figure it out then? This will be a survival gig, keep my head down, listen and react, get through it best I can. It's fun for our normal background music gig at a restaurant but this isn't that!

I think there is a kind of science to set lists. Opening songs, set enders, encores. Pretty important. I think it warrants band agreement. Good luck on your gig, hope all goes well.

 

[AllieM]

I think there is a kind of science to set lists. Opening songs, set enders, encores. Pretty important. I think it warrants band agreement. Good luck on your gig, hope all goes well.

completely agree, the "bandleader" in this case is a wonderful creative/artistic musician but a horrible band leader, to the point where he's almost self sabotaging.

 

[Lo-E]

About 10-15 years ago I got roped into a similar situation. Two of the band members, Dave the guitarist and Chuck the bandleader were old friends. Dave is a really great musician and a very old friend. Chuck is not a great musician or a great bandleader, really, and not as old as friend but he’s an incredibly nice guy.

They asked me to sub. I said sure. It was only later that I learned that Chuck keeps a “master” list of about 80 tunes. I put master in quotes because he hasn’t really mastered any of them! Seriously; he only sort of knows the songs and the band never rehearsed. He also never uses a set list - he just calls out tunes from the master (unmastered) list.

On top of that, the drummer was mediocre on his best day, had awkward social skills and thought time was just a magazine.

After two bar gigs I told Dave I couldn’t take it and I was going to quit. He said: “You’re thinking about this all wrong. Just jump in and hang on. Have fun, put on a good show and get paid.”

It was a worthwhile wake-up call. Chuck was a wildly inconsistent musician but he was extremely charismatic. Crowds latched onto his enthusiasm (which was 100% genuine) and they were totally on board. The two other singers were also extremely charismatic (and very good).

I stuck it out for regular Saturday gigs for a summer. At the end of the summer I had had enough and told Chuck to find someone else but I had to admit that the crowds we drew were pretty decent and they loved the band. They didn’t care that Chuck didn’t really know the songs. …that we were hanging on by our fingernails waiting to see when he’d go to the bridge, or IF he’d go to the bridge. …that the drummer could only keep time if I dragged him along. …that, overall, we were kind of a hot mess. They didn’t care at all. They danced. They sang along. They were totally charmed by three charming singers. They had a great time every time and, while we never got paid a lot, we always got paid.

I also had to admit that my skills got a lot stronger after a whole summer of “jump in and hang on.” And I reluctantly had to admit that I usually had fun.

Chuck moved upstate and he’s still doing his thing. I doubt he’s learned any of the tunes and I’m sure he’s up to 100 songs by now. I’m sure his enthusiasm is still infectious and his crowds still have fun.

I don’t think I would take a gig like that again but I don’t regret having done it.