Poll: How many shows have you played?

[Joe Nerve]

And/or where was your first gig?

Responses to my last thread on what covers have you played most got me thinking. Some people put down some incredibly obscure songs, and then it occurred to me - maybe they're much younger and have only played a small handful of gigs in their life?

Anyhow, I did a little rough math. My first gig was in a battle of the bands in 1976. Guitar was my instrument. First "real" club gig was CBGB in 1978. And I kinda quit music from 84 to the early 90s. That's when I picked up bass and fell head over heels in love.

All that being said, my best guess is I've played throughout my life just a little short of 2000 shows.

What's your best guess as to how many shows you've done?

 

[Lesfunk]

My first gig was , ironically, at a school for the deaf in 1983
My first paying gig was as my high school's Sadie Hawkins dance.
I've probably played over 3000 shows since

 

[Richland123]

My first "paying gig" was in May of 1970 and I played percussion instruments (tambourine, maracas, etc.) in my friend's band for a graduation party because the drummer could not make it. We made $2.50 each.

I did some grade school orchestra gigs prior to that.

I have played well over 2,000 gigs since then. I don't have an exact number but probably between 2,500 and 3,000 gigs.

 

[Bodeanly]

1988. First "gig" was my junior high talent show. We played "Somebody Save Me," by Cinderella and "Burning Like a Flame," by Dokken. No vocals.

1992. First "all night" gig was my high school homecoming (the carnival, not the dance). We played mostly originals, but also some Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and RHCP.

 

[DoctorZee]

Im told that, at my uncle's wedding when I was two years old, the bandleader let me come up on stage and bang the drums for a while. Does that count as a gig? My meal and transportation were provided for me.

 

[brianrost]

My first paid gig was in 1980 at a bar near the University of Connecticut where I was studying at the time. It was a bluegrass quartet, we got $30 for the whole band ($7.50 each) and all the beer we could drink (which in those days was quite a lot of beer).

I chose 2000+ but that's just a wild guess, 39 years of gigs adds up.

 

[garp]

More than 500, less than a thousand. However, I don't count my high school "Battle of the Bands" in that total...because my band lost.

First paid gig was at a house party during college.

 

[Oddly]

My first gig was in 1982, at my secondary school (High School, for you Americans) graduation.
I then played a lot for the next 10 years, then stopped for 20 years.
Not played many since I got back to it, but I'd guess the lifetime total is about 1111.
So far.

 

[Groove Doctor]

4yo 1978 - first Musical singing/acting.
11yo - Brass Bands, Concert Band.
14yo - Guitar first gigs
15yo - Bass, first paid gig at a Pub. Still doing it 30yrs later.

Well over 2000 gigs if you count Choirs, Musicals, Brass Bands, Marching Band, Big Bands, Jazz Combos, Rock Bands, Pit Orchestras, Weddings, Church services, Worship meetings, Private Functions, Busking, Christmas Carols, Accompanist for exams/concerts, etc.

 

[Passinwind]

And/or where was your first gig?

Responses to my last thread on what covers have you played most got me thinking. Some people put down some incredibly obscure songs, and then it occurred to me - maybe they're much younger and have only played a small handful of gigs in their life?

AFAIK you never mentioned covers in that other thread Joe.

My first gig was a house party in the mid-70s. I reckon I've played over 1000 gigs/shows since then, and mixed several hundred more.

 

[DWBass]

Been playing since the mid 70's. First real paid gig was in 1976. Estimate over 2000.

 

[DirtDog]

I'm including police and military pipe bands in my gig count (500-750). Aside from some house parties and school talent shows up to that point, my first real paid "rock band" gig was 1985 - Canada Day/July 1 - me and my four piece band of high school friends played a set of loud rock music through a crappy PA set up in the middle of a baseball diamond during a community party. Set would have included Stones, Springsteen, Mellencamp and Petty. Short set with the band and we also provided DJ services. I was playing guitar at that time. I took a long time off playing music during the '90s. Back at it since 1999.

 

[electracoyote]

I conservatively estimate that I have performed publicly (virtually all paid engagements) on either bass, guitar, keys, vocals, or some combination of those at least once a week for the past 40 years. I'm a late bloomer and didn't join a proper band until my mid 20's, and it was one of the more popular working bands in town (prior to that I did a whole lot of living room couch prep). That's well over 2,000 paid shows to date. And I was only legitimately full time for about a decade, the rest was weekend warrior stuff. Now I kinda wish I hadn't done the math. I'm in my 60's and want to retire from music almost entirely and sell off my massive collection of gear, but my wife insists I join a grandad band and keep plunking away. I'd rather be one of the guys in the audience enjoying the music and sipping a mojito. I had my time in the spotlight and the memories are more than enough.

 

[stigbeve]

First gig drumming in a cover band was at a coffee shop.

First gig on bass was at a bar called "The Fire Escape". It's now called "the Couch". I messed up
on our very first song and haven't made a big mistake ever again when playing live.

 

[LBS-bass]

Just based on how many years I spent doing 3-5 shows a week versus the time I spent not playing, I'll guess it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500+ but I can't say for sure. Some years were heavy and some more lean; these days it's all lean. First show ever was probably in some little club outside of Annapolis, MD, but it's really hard for me to remember that far back. That would have been where I met the people in the first real band I was in.

 

[Stumbo]

First gig was on drums at birthday party when I was about 12.
First gig on bass was at a middle school party. We were paid $10...for the group...made $2.50
Played heavy for a several years while I was in school and after... and then took off for a bunch... prolly around 700-800.

 

[dalkowski]

Im told that, at my uncle's wedding when I was two years old, the bandleader let me come up on stage and bang the drums for a while. Does that count as a gig? My meal and transportation were provided for me.

Plus a sweet lady took you home and put you to bed. Not bad for a rookie.

From HS to present, I'm probably still in the sub-250 club, or just barely across the line. A few unfortunate fallow decades in there don't help the score...

Not counting HS jazz band, my first gig on bass was in 1981 at a punk/new wave bar in New London CT called "Baba O'Reilly's." I think we got paid in drinks and I was underage. (Foreshadowing for the unfortunate fallow decades...)

 

[grinx]

my grandfather would take me to the elks lodge with his drinking buddies when I was 3 and they would feed me quarters so I would sing all their faves on the jukebox standing on some table while doing some silly dance

nothing has changed

 

[jharms80439]

It's been a while but... ~30 weeks/year for 10+ years at my Church - and that was 5+ years ago.

Sort of a funny start though. Three Van Halen covers at the NCO Club, Wiesbaden Air Base (Germany) in 1985. An auditioning cover band needed a bass player and I knew the songs. I'd only been playing for a year or two at that point.

Fast forward and I had played for ~20 years on my own (until ~40'ish) - with only one real "show" in all that time.

Then one of the music directors at my Church started asking around for bass players and one Sunday she got up in front of the congregation and made the ask for a bass player public. My wife silently stood up and pointed to me (sitting next to her). I turned red and the MD said out loud - "Looks like we have a volunteer"! Played at Church regularly and learned tons about playing with others... My wife and I ultimately changed churches after a Pastor change but I greatly enjoyed my time there.

After that I started subbing for other bass players - learning more along the way - even took upright lessons along the way with Richard Neizen from the Aurora (CO) Symphony. He REALLY started me out right on the double bass and while I wouldn't claim classically trained, I still can play quite a bit of what he taught me. Then came more than a bit of Jazz - on BG and upright. All of which came to a screeching halt a few years ago when I went self employed and playing was relegated back to the basement.

FWIW, just found an acoustic group locally and I just got the song list(s). Youtube is now my friend as I learn their versions of songs - so hopefully I'll be back playing in a group soon...

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Play on,

John

 

[totallywink]

First gig: high school drummers garage doing Maiden, AC/DC, and Priest covers.
First paying gig: College bar up the road from the campus. Ended up playing there (I think) twice a month for four years. After college, continued playing covers and orginals for years in a variety of bands, sometimes 3x/week... and now I gig locally and my wife and daughter come to the gigs. My have the times changed. Amount of gigs? Don't really know but they've all been fun and hopefully I learned something along the way.