Just curious. What was the second curly cord hooked up to?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Poll: How many shows have you played?
- Thread starter Joe Nerve
- Start date
First gig was The Knitting Factory in Manhattan when it was in Tribeca. It was the small room on very bottom floor, but hey, it was The Knitting Factory!
Mr Nerve,.....please....this is way beyond my capability. I started gigging semi-professionally about 1965 and professionally about 1968. Started on guitar with a couple of tunes on bass 'cos the bass player said it was too hard to sing the soul tunes and play the bass at the same time. My first gig while I was still at school was on guitar in a trio with no bass. Then a four piece with the standard two guitars drums and bass. I moved to bass full time around '73 for a new soul/funk band I was starting with a drummer friend. It's been a long road over several countries in all sorts of situations.
It's gotta be several thousand and still going.
Last edited:
Back in the '80s I had various residencies and was playing Monday to Saturday every week for a long time. When you make your living from music it doesn't take long to rack up a good score. I'm surprised by your disbelief. Why wouldn't a substantial number of posters here be pro or semi-pro and working frequently?
Last edited:
When I changed the Highschool in the 8. Grade in 1982, i met two friends. The one played Guitar, the other Drums. Guess what misses. So i started to deliver Flowers for a local Flowerstore with my bicycle, until I've earned the Money for my first Bass. (Jazz Bass Copy, sunburst). Then, my Dad spent the Money for my first Amp. A used Peavey Bass Head and a used 15" Cabinet. That was, where it all began for me...HaHaHa
We've played School Festivals, or in the Youth Club. Man...when I think about that....long Time ago...HaHaHa
We've played School Festivals, or in the Youth Club. Man...when I think about that....long Time ago...HaHaHa
okcrum
in your chest
Maybe you're unaware it was fairly easy for bands to work 6-7 nights/week for quite a long time in the days before DJs and karaoke.
I'm 38. I started gigging in my teens and was very busy gigging in my 20s. Slowed down in my 30s once my kids were born and I stopped gigging with multiple bands but my main band is still doing it. Over all that time I estimated that I'm at around 500. Over 400 of which was with Nephilym which has been gigging since 2001. I've mostly played only on Friday and Saturday nights with the exception of maybe a dozen shows opening for national acts that fell on a weekday. This year we're only averaging slightly above 1 show per month. Took May and June off to focus on a new album and the next gig is in July but earlier this year we played up to 3 gigs per month.
My first paying gig was actually with my high school jazz band. We played a governors ball in a giant conference room of a holiday in. Pay was very good. We used the money to offset a lot of the cost of a jazz band trip to kings dominion theme park which I did go on. I remember being pretty nervous at the amount of people before the show and then calming down because it was a reading gig and I kind of forgot the crowd was there as I was reading. My first paying rock gig was at the now closed Jesters Pub In Fayetteville NC.
Average looks to be 300-ish for 540-ish responses. That's a lot more than I would have thought. TB'ers are pretty experienced on average.
My first dozen or so gigs were at friends' parties in the mid 1970s when I was about 15 or 16 - usually playing for food and beer. Then we scored the senior year high school dance and got paid actual money, and the world changed. For the next seven years I played one or two or three nights a week, every week, in bars and clubs and private parties or the occasional festival or outdoor summer gig. Never a lot of money - sometimes enough to pay my rent and keep the lights on and put food on the table and gas in the car - but eventually as just a secondary thing to my real job in IT. Then in my late 20s I more or less gave up music to concentrate on my career. I've always jammed and played and sometimes made half-decent money out of it since then, and still do a couple of gigs a month, but nothing like back in my late teens and early 20s.
Probably around 50, I'm a late bloomer, heading into year 4 on bass. First gigs were parties, we do a lot of benefits.
I played rhythm guitar for decades but never in a for real band.
Lately been looking for some more serious work besides my present band. I'm in the running for a fairly big band, but I'm not holding my breath. Really would like to start a second band. My playing is much better and my vocals are getting stronger by the day.
I wanna go slightly harder than the classic stuff we're doing now. Nothing crazy just a little more towards heavier stuff.
Peace N Chicken Grease
I played rhythm guitar for decades but never in a for real band.
Lately been looking for some more serious work besides my present band. I'm in the running for a fairly big band, but I'm not holding my breath. Really would like to start a second band. My playing is much better and my vocals are getting stronger by the day.
I wanna go slightly harder than the classic stuff we're doing now. Nothing crazy just a little more towards heavier stuff.
Peace N Chicken Grease
I am guessing 250 to 500...though it could be over 500. I haven't exactly kept track. This doesn't include gigs on guitar or other instruments, on which there are perhaps half as many.
I've been playing about ten years now. I had a run of a good couple years doing regular gigs almost every weekend, but most other bands over that time have been far less busy. I doubt I've cracked the 250 mark.
1000 gigs isn't that many for a lot here that have played professionally or have toured.
I was lucky enough to start my career when you could still make a decent living playing music in clubs and lounges. I was late to the game, getting out in the early-mid 80's, but those guys that got active in the late 60's-70's could have really piled up some gigs.
I got my start playing professionally in the Hotel/Motel circuit. Played Holiday Inns, Ramadas, Sheridans, etc on circuits across the United States. Six days a week, Sunday's off. We played a place for two weeks, then traveled to another one. Some Sunday's we didn't have to travel, we had a stripped-down dinner set we would play low volume, generally acoustic in the nicer dining rooms. We had one week off a year. I did that for about four years. That was well over 300 gigs a year, so that was at least 1200 gigs right there. I went on to playing with rock bands full time on the road for a couple of years, same thing, except even less days off, that's another 600-700 gigs. Got with a group and had a minor record deal, so boom, back on the road. We went with one name to do covers in a bar (paying for our keep) and another when opening or headlining with the original material/gigs. A year and a half, at least 400 gigs.
I retired from playing professionally, but still played some in weekend bands as I did the family thing for a while. I played in my church during that period, not much though. After the divorce, I got back into it, played in some cover bands, then worked into some original acts.
I did an opening show with a country artist, and was offered a hired gun position, which I took. I did that for two years, and got at least 700 shows then. By this time I was in my 50's, and the road was too much to deal with.
These days I'm still playing, where I have a tribute band rolling out, an original material metal band, and picking up a few shows this summer to help some friends out. The best part is the gigs are all in event centers, amphitheaters, or concert halls. No dive bars. I'm only playing 3-4 gigs a month now, but that's plenty.
So forthose of us that have played a lot in out lives, 1000 gigs was just cutting our teeth and getting warmed up.
I came to gigging later in life than most, in my 30s. I would've done it earlier, but my family commitments would not allow it then.
It started with getting back into playing at all with a group of friends, then putting myself out in the world, going from band to band, playing with any project that I found interesting that would have me. As a bass player, it's not that hard to find a situation.
It's been an amazing ride that has resulted in numerous valued friendships. There was something vital to learn at every stop: about professionalism, performance craft, musicianship, business sense, repertoire building, equipment, politicking, team building, etc.
And the music has ranged the gamut from indie to funk to Cajun to Frank & Dean to jazz. I picked up new songs at every stop.
I've had a wonderful time, and I learn something new every day. Y'can't beat that.
I'm in the 500-to-750 shows group (and counting). The only thing significant about my first gig was that I brought enough firepower to play a stadium gig—to a hotel bar/restaurant. While music has never been my day job, I have never posted an operating loss in my music activities—performing and dealing in equipment.
It started with getting back into playing at all with a group of friends, then putting myself out in the world, going from band to band, playing with any project that I found interesting that would have me. As a bass player, it's not that hard to find a situation.
It's been an amazing ride that has resulted in numerous valued friendships. There was something vital to learn at every stop: about professionalism, performance craft, musicianship, business sense, repertoire building, equipment, politicking, team building, etc.
And the music has ranged the gamut from indie to funk to Cajun to Frank & Dean to jazz. I picked up new songs at every stop.
I've had a wonderful time, and I learn something new every day. Y'can't beat that.
I'm in the 500-to-750 shows group (and counting). The only thing significant about my first gig was that I brought enough firepower to play a stadium gig—to a hotel bar/restaurant. While music has never been my day job, I have never posted an operating loss in my music activities—performing and dealing in equipment.
Last edited:
Yep...
In 1984, we were a house band at a hotel bar...5 nights/week for the entire year. That alone = 250+.
I have always kept my day job.
30+ years later & I still have not caught up the lost sleep.
1st-ever gig (1974)...IIRC, a party for the drummer's then-GF. We "knew" 3 songs-
"Evil Ways"
"Jumping Jack Flash"
...and an original called "E-D-A" (any guess on the chords?) that lasted 30 minutes or so.
