should we take this gig?

[MattZilla]

I do not want to...

because people like to argue with me when I tell them either this^ or "no" (I don't know what it is most people think "no" means... I guess "ask louder and we'll both hope that you convince me"?), but both out loud and in my mind I make an effort now to rephrase that as "I very much want to not do (this or that)".

Best wishes.

 

[turf3]

If it’s a “color by the numbers” cover gig you can probably get a sub and pull it off, assuming pulling it off is good enough for you. How the two of you would make any money for yourselves doing that is another question.

I’d pass on it myself since “good enough” isn’t my thing. I believe in fixed band personnel and rehersal. But that’s me. Old school y’know? YMMV.

Well, not really old school. More like "medium-age school". Old school - REAL old school - is like the bands I've played in. Get call, put on tuxedo, show up, open book, play gig ("Number 128, then "Tea for Two" in Db, then "Brazil" in F, got it? One, Two, Three, Four!") I have played many shows where all I knew before the downbeat was what instruments to bring, time, location, dress code, and pay. And I have not been by any means a real old war horse, more of a nibbler at the bottom edges of professional music all my life.

The idea of bands having fixed personnel and the whole thing sinks or swims at each gig based on having those and exactly those musicians available really only became a norm starting with the Beatles. (The big exception being Duke Ellington, of course, but even so there were many many performances of the Ellington band when one or another of his key guys were not available and the local hot-shot kid sat in for a few performances, usually yielding lots of great stories.)

 

[P. Aaron]

In order to deliver music competently, with joy, you need to be reliant upon each band mate to support one another. Since you don’t have essential members yet, where’s that confidence, joy and product coming from?

Having a good act helps the band relax. Book when you’re just about ready as a challenge but only when you can show & deliver. My 2c.

 

[DoctorZee]

I do not want to use an outdoor gig where we have to bring our own PA as motivation to find a drummer. I want to find a drummer, then book gigs.

I read the OP again and am curious to understand this statement better. Why do you feel this way?

 

[lfmn16]

If you have to come to Talkbass to ask, then the answer is no. I don't mean that as a put-down, but if you had contacts to put together a pickup band you wouldn't come here asking.

I have no problem booking a gig to light a fire under people, but to book a gig 7 weeks out with no drummer and a guitarist out of town for a month is asking for a disaster, unless you know a drummer that could sit in.

 

[Ostie]

I did this once a couple years ago. Accepted a gig on the promise of “we’ll get together and learn some songs.” It was a disaster and I bailed after the third rehearsal when it became apparent that no progress was being made. Never again.

 

[fhm555]

All the good intentions in the world, and all the hard work in the world mean nothing if you fail to fulfill your obligation. You can even get away with a poopy drummer and beg forgivness, but if the promoter(s) are left last minute with a big empty stage and a restless crowd they will remember that for a long time.
You know better than any of us what your chances are of finding a drummer and bringing them up to speed.

 

[Scottgun]

Take the gig. It will make good rockumentary fodder when you are famous.

 

[Biggbass]

Covers? Hire a sub. Any good drummer should be able to play it.
Originals? If they're straight forward a sub should be able to handle it. If they're complicated then pass on the gig and wait until you actually have a working band to book gigs.

 

[waveman]

I will say that drummers are typically easier to integrate in a band. But that is reliant on the rest of the band having it's stuff together, which I do question here. So would I take it? It depends on the gig the expectations of the venue

 

[RichardW]

So it's just you and a guitarist at the moment, right? I've done plenty of "acoustic" gigs that way--both inside and outside--where I'm the rhythm section. If that would work for the venue, I'd say go for it and don't even worry about the drummer. If the venue wants you to rock out and get people dancing, then I'd be more reluctant.

 

[john_g]

Didnt read all the posts, so if this was mentioned already, I apologize. If a good drummer that wants to join and agrees to learn everything in that time frame falls into your lap, then go for that, but I would spend a small amount of time (like a week or so max) finding a hired gun that is good and can do it. If you have no leads in that short time, I would cancel.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Do you really want to gig? Sounds like more of a jam band thing to blow off steam than a situation where you really want to gig.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

If it’s a “color by the numbers” cover gig you can probably get a sub and pull it off, assuming pulling it off is good enough for you. How the two of you would make any money for yourselves doing that is another question.

I’d pass on it myself since “good enough” isn’t my thing. I believe in fixed band personnel and rehersal. But that’s me. Old school y’know? YMMV.

Exactly. When I was gigging in my 20s and early 30s there were so many gigs and not all that many bands. But if you knew a lot of musicians and had a gig you could put together a band that was "good enough" for the neighborhood dives, critter lodges, and little pubs that had live music on the weekends. If you could string enough of these together, with the same personnel, use them as paid rehearsals, then you'd eventually have a tight band that could step up to the nicer clubs, corporate events, and weddings. That was one way to do it in the old days, first starting out.

It might not be as easy to do it that way nowadays. There doesn't seem to be as many of those smaller gigs you can cut your teeth on. But you got to start somewhere. I wish we had more details about @hieronymous's gig. Seven weeks out is plenty of time for me to put together a band with my circle of musician friends. But I know we're not all in the same place with our musical careers.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[BurtMacklinFBI]

Your instincts are right. Don’t take the gig.

 

[morgansterne]

Can you play the gig acoustic with no drummer? I did this in a original music trio once. Our drummer stopped returning our phone calls and emails with no explanation so we spent a few weeks rehearsing our set with both of us on acoustic guitar, and that's how we played it. As it turns out the place was basically a folk club so we would have been too loud with our usual configuration.


P.S. The drummer (who had booked the gig) showed up with his new band but the club manager saw their Marshall half stacks and told them flat out "you can't bring those things in here!"

 

[ZAR14]

Is it possible to ask your old drummer to do a solid and cover the gig "One time only" ?

 

[Lava]

I wouldn't.

 

[rtslinger]

IMO you need to have the personnel in place and up to snuff, before you should book any gigs. Also you never mentioned is this cover stuff? or original?

 

[SmokinJoe992]

I am going to go against the majority on this. If your intention is to turn this into a gigging band, and to find a competent drummer, IMO the best way to get everything moving forward is to have a paid gig on the books (there is pay involved?). It is the best way to get everyone focused, and pulling in the same direction. You are also more likely to attract competent players and to be taken seriously if you have even one gig on the books. If you have guitar, bass and vocals finding a drummer and getting him ready in 7 weeks should not be a problem. I am assuming that the rest of the band has their act together, of course.