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Repeating songs at a paying gig? Thoughts?
- Thread starter tspallone
- Start date
Yeah, and compared to a bar gig, a Farmer's Market seems FAR less likely to be scrutinized by people who initially came there to buy some fresh produce and groceries. Nobody's going to be all like "Everyone put down your free-range eggs and raw milk! We gotta tell these guys they can't play the same CCR song over again!"
Even so, in a 2 hour period that's not even that much time to begin with when you consider setup and breakdown. 2 hours with 1 set of repeats probably won't even tick off the employees to be honest. Never hurts to add in a bass solo or two to pad the time though
Yeah, and compared to a bar gig, a Farmer's Market seems FAR less likely to be scrutinized by people who initially came there to buy some fresh produce and groceries. Nobody's going to be all like "Everyone put down your free-range eggs and raw milk! We gotta tell these guys they can't play the same CCR song over again!"
Even so, in a 2 hour period that's not even that much time to begin with when you consider setup and breakdown. 2 hours with 1 set of repeats probably won't even tick off the employees to be honest. Never hurts to add in a bass solo or two to pad the time though
With six songs and two hours to fill (let's assume each song is five minutes) they'd have to repeat each song twice per set. Set up and break down do not factor into the two-hour playing time.
THAT is funny.
I will agree witht the side that says you should be kinda professional.
I wouldn't play repeat songs in a bar gig (maaybe if asked), and I understand the "farmers market is more laid back/ rotating clientel" and all.
BUT-
I'ts not "Taking onesself too serious", it's called being professional toward the person you made a deal with. Theyre expecting something (im assuming) that you know you arent going to deliver. That doesnt seem cool no matter how you slice it. I guess you could tell the guy who's payin you to pi$$ off & enjoy the 6 songs.. or go have fun at an amusement park.
As far as the gig, maybe the 2nd time through the list, play em at 1/2 speed, or then twice speed next time..maybe folks won't notice it's the same songs.
I'm also gonna agree that in 10 days, you should be able to have several more songs that are "farmers market" ready.
JMO?
Either way, (and in all seriousness) good luck, and please let us know how it turns out...and don't forget to have fun with it.
Yes, your response was completely irrelevant to my question. I was asking for specifics from the OP. But if we are going to indulge in hypotheticals, I would say that at $100, the client is overpaying in this situation. Personally, I think the band should forego any fee for this gig until they get a proper set together.
Oh okay. Yeah, repeating 6 songs over and over is totally lame.
Now lets say the pay was $15.
Now what?
THIS!!!!! A few months of rehearsals and all you guys have worked out as a group is 6 tunes? That's screaming run away as fast as you can.
But hey it's just a farmers market, right?
If the songs are indeed standards, change the feel each time. Straight the first time, Bossa next maybe Ballad. Improvise more on the melody. Change the time sig. Transpose. You could very easily make each pass sound like a different song. Play some blues in between. If these guys are worth there weight, it should be easy to fill three hours. I've done plenty of gigs where I show up not having rehearsed nor even met the guys I'm playing with, and things have always gone fine. Painless, even FUN. So get creative and enjoy the time you get to play music!
Oh, and don't take any more gigs till you learn more songs!
My .02¢,
Johno!
Oh, and don't take any more gigs till you learn more songs!
My .02¢,
Johno!
Sure, most of the people (the Farmer's Market customers) won't be around for the broken record repetition, BUT...
For your own sanity and the sake of the vendors within earshot, mix it up. Playing the same songs over and over gets boring very fast (for the band and the vendors). I know been there, done that for an amusement park's customers queued up for the gondola ride. I'm sure there's some cotton candy salesperson out there that hates me and my band and would never hire us if we were the last band on earth.
When I got the amusement park gig I had to put a band together on the spot, so to speak, and so we worked up 6-8 songs right away, but then we added on to the list ASAP and kept adding...
That gig is long gone, but the band is still around and we recently did a six month residency at a local pub. No repeated songs unless requested. Not a hard-and-fast rule, just the way things work out.
The Chinese word for music is a two-character combination of "sound" and "joyous".
So whatever you do, remember that ^ and have fun playing at the farmer's market, whether it's six songs, or 60.
For your own sanity and the sake of the vendors within earshot, mix it up. Playing the same songs over and over gets boring very fast (for the band and the vendors). I know been there, done that for an amusement park's customers queued up for the gondola ride. I'm sure there's some cotton candy salesperson out there that hates me and my band and would never hire us if we were the last band on earth.
When I got the amusement park gig I had to put a band together on the spot, so to speak, and so we worked up 6-8 songs right away, but then we added on to the list ASAP and kept adding...
That gig is long gone, but the band is still around and we recently did a six month residency at a local pub. No repeated songs unless requested. Not a hard-and-fast rule, just the way things work out.
The Chinese word for music is a two-character combination of "sound" and "joyous".
So whatever you do, remember that ^ and have fun playing at the farmer's market, whether it's six songs, or 60.
I think it may be instructive to look at this situation from the perspective of the event organizer.
How would you feel about paying a band $x amount to play the same six songs over and over?
Would you feel like you were getting good value for your organization?
How would you feel about paying a band $x amount to play the same six songs over and over?
Would you feel like you were getting good value for your organization?
I was thinking that was one farmers' market I'd actually like to attend!!!!
Dang it, that was the exact response that I was going to write after reading his post!!
+1
Over a 2 hour gig that means you have to play them what, 4 times each? I'm okay with repeating 1 or 2 songs out of 50-60 over a 4 hour gig if requested, but repeating the entire set multiple times?
I don't care if it's a high turnover farmers market thing. I personally couldn't do it.
Smooth_bass88
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- Oct 31, 2006
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I'd be surprised if those who noticed would entirely let it ride. At the least, they'll cock an eyebrow and go "huh? didn't we hear that one already?". If there happen to be any promoters or venue owners, you've just lost points.
I'm another one that just can't understand not learning another dozen songs or so, like was said, how about a real book? Can everyone sight read?
I was in a band ages ago that repeated the same song three times in one 4hr gig amongst a lot of songs - we even changed it up, but it was bloody humiliating to me and I quit them after that show. Call me dramatic, but you can't call me unprofessional...
I'm another one that just can't understand not learning another dozen songs or so, like was said, how about a real book? Can everyone sight read?
I was in a band ages ago that repeated the same song three times in one 4hr gig amongst a lot of songs - we even changed it up, but it was bloody humiliating to me and I quit them after that show. Call me dramatic, but you can't call me unprofessional...
Actually, no. But I did play in steady working bands for well over two decades. At points I did it for a living. The guys that were in those bands are still my best friends. And I still do fill-in work all the time. I get work from bands from Nashville, here locally, and all over the Eastern Seaboard.
That being said, here's the thing. I don't rank every gig the same. Many of you do. If I am playing a wedding and the band is getting $7500 I take it very seriously. I do customer service like nobody's business. I do all the MC stuff and make sure EVERYBODY is having a great time. I don't take breaks. I go check to make sure the bride and her parents are satisfied.
However, if I am playing a farmer's market, for a few hundred bucks, with a brand new band of up-and-comers, I take it with a grain of salt. I go, play my 6 songs, throw in a couple 12 bar blues jams, and don't give two happy craps what the ears of corn think about my repeating songs.
Now, if your life is so empty that you have to treat a jam at a local farmer's market as another "really important gig" and sweat the details, and have fifteen rehearsals, I am really sorry for you. If I were to somehow piss off Farmer Fred and Hilda, the secretary who booked a jazz band for a farmer's market, I'll be OK. If they decide not to have me back because I played April in Paris twice, then I will still be able to put food on the table.
Lighten up sugar boobies. Some gigs are just laid back jams. And, quite often nobody cares how seriously you take your playing, the gig, or music in general. I assure you that having a jazz band at a farmer's market is probably not an awesome idea to begin with. You reckon Farmer Brown is gonna know if the bass player is doing Summertime in Q flat while the sax man is doing it in Z sharp? Uh..... nope.
OP, go play the stinking gig and be done with it. Nobody will care if you do OK or knock it out of the park. Use it as a dress rehearsal, get your money, and go learn some more songs for the next one.
Taking a farmer's market jam seriously...... my big old BUTT.
Sorry, but that is NOT the attitude of a professional.
And it's also not very nice.
It's saying that some people deserve respect, and some people don't, and it's basing that on how much you're being paid, or how fancy a venue is.
If you hire me to play to three drunks in a dimly lit dive bar, I'm going to play my show the same as if I were playing a sold out stadium, as far as how seriously I take it. And you know what? I'm going to have FUN ever single time.
Because for me, putting on a great show IS the fun.
If your life is so empty that you have to make determinations about what should or shouldn't fulfill other people, then I feel sorry for you. I am in no position to judge you, but you are in no position to judge me.
I've opened for the Little River Band with my little original act, and I've played on a street corner. I've always played for the benefit of my AUDIENCE, whoever they may be.
I take great pride in that, and I don't see how anybody is in a position to claim they are somehow living a better life than me because they think that street corner audience isn't worth taking the time to play the songs the best they can.
My first live performance was in 1972, when I was in Youth Choir. My first rock and roll live performance was in 1979, when I was a skinny High School kid. I have NEVER been happy to let an audience down, and if I ever did, you can be damn sure I took the time to fix whatever the problem was.
If a gig is BENEATH you, you shouldn't play it.
Let somebody play it who will appreciate it.
