should we take this gig?

[nilorius]

Your drummer could be made to normal, just keep reahersaling.

 

[moogieotter]

Will there be any hot chicks at the show?

 

[twinjet]

I have been playing with two guitarists for about a year now. A drummer came on board soon after, and we rehearsed fairly regularly and played 3-4 gigs. But the drummer and one of the guitarists had a falling out back in October (there were other issues too), so we have been drummerless since then. The other guitar player has also gone back east for a month at a time for work - we are currently going through this a second time.

And now the guitarist who is still here wants to book a gig in May - basically 7 weeks away - without a drummer lined up. I am really hesitant - 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. Am I being too uptight? We all have weird schedules, no one is M-F 9-5. I just don't need the stress of having to find the right drummer by a certain date.

Of course there are more details that I can provide later, just thought I would throw this out there and see what people thought. Thanks - my first "band management" thread!

There will be other gig opportunities. Pass until you're ready.

 

[tr4252]

Since it's not a gig-for-profit, this seems to be a no-brainer. It has been said already; you have had months to replace your drummer and it hasn't happened. I wouldn't like to be pressed to find a drummer with a deadline getting closer every day, especially since you've indicated that none of you has unlimited time to accomplish this.

I think your decision to pass (if I've read correctly) is a good one.

I was in a similar situation once; we played the gig and it was a train wreck. Fool me once.....

I hope the decision not to play won't cause you problems with the guitarist who booked.

Also from my half-vast experience; don't lose any sleep over giveaway engagements. You lose nothing (unless you bail at the last minute); Chas Chandler won't be in the audience looking for the next Handrix. Exposure is a double edged sword.

Good luck!

Tom

 

[Bodeanly]

I have done gigs with just a gtr player and me. We were part of another band and well rehearsed on the songs.

The opening act at recent festival was just guitar and bass. Both sang. They had a drum machine. It was awesome. Plus we didn't have to wait for them to clear their gear off the stage. Didn't have to bring a PA though. Still, I say go for it as a duo.

 

[JimmyM]

I am not the type to book a show without a full band rehearsed and ready to go.

I would never work if that was a condition

 

[bolophonic]

I would never work if that was a condition

My hat is off to you guys. I don’t know how you do it.

 

[JimmyM]

My hat is off to you guys. I don’t know how you do it.

Lots and lots of prep on my own. A good BL who conducts well helps.

 

[Ekulati]

Absent any other context, I say go for it. If you’ve played with this guy for a while, it shouldn’t be too difficult to hire a competent drummer for the gig and get up to speed in 7 weeks. Even if you’re not able to pay a hired gun, I think you can audition, select, and rehearse a drummer in that timeframe. You just have to move quickly.

Sure, possible. But yeah they do have to move quickly, and of course running the risk as already noted on settling for a not so great drummer.

My mantra: NO drummer is always better than a bad or mediocre drummer.

 

[JtSD619]

Hard No

 

[lbbc]

No...plain and simple

 

[dan1952]

I'm with @BassCliff, as I work, and have for years, with pickup bands and bands with rotating members all the time. Hire a sub drummer, play the gig, collect the money. Then evaluate and decide whether to continue.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I have been playing with two guitarists for about a year now. A drummer came on board soon after, and we rehearsed fairly regularly and played 3-4 gigs. But the drummer and one of the guitarists had a falling out back in October (there were other issues too), so we have been drummerless since then. The other guitar player has also gone back east for a month at a time for work - we are currently going through this a second time.

And now the guitarist who is still here wants to book a gig in May - basically 7 weeks away - without a drummer lined up. I am really hesitant - 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. Am I being too uptight? We all have weird schedules, no one is M-F 9-5. I just don't need the stress of having to find the right drummer by a certain date.

Of course there are more details that I can provide later, just thought I would throw this out there and see what people thought. Thanks - my first "band management" thread!

Band first, sales later.

 

[moogieotter]

Maybe you can find a drummer who is also a hot chick?

 

[gln1955]

I'm with @BassCliff, as I work, and have for years, with pickup bands and bands with rotating members all the time. Hire a sub drummer, play the gig, collect the money. Then evaluate and decide whether to continue.

There is no money to collect. I thought hiring a sub was the thing to do until we learned it is a no pay gig. Unless the OP has a compelling reason to pay for play, they should bag it. It sounds like they have decided just that.

 

[Not yet]

Agree w Hired gun votes. Usually a couple pros in most towns who can sit down and sound great

Played Casinos and big stages regularly wo a steady drummer in San Diego and got the callbacks every time

 

[voodoobassist]

One of the casinos I work regularly decided to start doing an earlier Thursday night deal. My band couldn't do it because it involved about an hour and a half drive and they all have early hours to get up for work. I decided to "invent" two trios to book for the Thursdays since the money was good. I booked 4 dates and then called two front men I know. They were more than happy to accept the gigs.

We did one rehearsal with each trio and played the jobs. Management loved it, return bookings the following day. I actually make more playing the early Thursday gigs than I do with the regular band on weekends. Moral to the story,.....if it pays well, you can find quality players to do the job with a simple phone call.

 

[LowActionHero]

I once joined a band as a drummer where they had a gig booked already, had 2 weeks to learn their originals. It was fun, but definitely not an ideal situation.

For you, without a drummer or even a prospect, AND missing one of your guitars?... PASS...

 

[Slater]

Info on the gig: the most important part - UNPAID.

What is that last word in the quote? I’m not familiar with that word.

 

[turf3]

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.)

Last night, for example, our regular guitarist was not on the gig. There were some original and unusual tunes the sub guitarist didn't know. Here's how we managed it:

"XXX" - "Oh, I don't know that." "Well, it's in F, but the bridge goes to A. Otherwise it's pretty much vanilla." "OK".

Guitarist plays minimally first time through and I play so as to very clearly outline the changes. Second time through, guitarist has the tune (it's those things on either side of his head, you know...) Third or fourth chorus he takes a solo, nails it.

In the professional groups I've played in, that has been what was expected.

If you have unusual arrangements, you might do a rehearsal to cover just those tunes with unusual arrangements.