Band every time for me. We're either all up for it or we aren't doing it. Having said that...
our guitarist and I have taken on a gig our fiddler couldn't do - but not with the same name, and doing different material.
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The gig or the band?
- Thread starter Bullitt5135
- Start date
our guitarist and I have taken on a gig our fiddler couldn't do - but not with the same name, and doing different material.
In our case, the sub is as good – if not better – as our regular guy. He's gigged with us before both on lead and rhythm, so he knows all of the material. That being said, kicking somebody out and retooling the band is not what we're talking about. We have a really good thing going, but sometimes it becomes a matter of weighing priorities.
Every time these Band Management issues come up for me, it becomes clearer that...
- the band needs to have a clearer understanding of priorities and expectations
- we need to have all of the information before considering a course of action
My band recently chose "gig" over "band", and I spent about 2 hrs on the phone with the subbed member, hoping to smooth over the anxiety and potential bitterness it caused. [all of that is fine, now]
On one hand, I'd expect most of us to be pretty open-handed if a sub is needed to cover an important gig. On the other hand, I'd expect the band to turn down gigs or adjust schedules if they aren't important.
My expectation as a band member is that we prioritize the gig up until it becomes known that any of us would become bitter as a result. At that point, its probably best to prioritize our band family.
This, of course, is all within the context of a weekend warrior band doing it mostly as a hobby.
Personally....I'd be mostly fine if a great gig came along, and got subbed for them to get it. But that's just me.
On one hand, I'd expect most of us to be pretty open-handed if a sub is needed to cover an important gig. On the other hand, I'd expect the band to turn down gigs or adjust schedules if they aren't important.
My expectation as a band member is that we prioritize the gig up until it becomes known that any of us would become bitter as a result. At that point, its probably best to prioritize our band family.
This, of course, is all within the context of a weekend warrior band doing it mostly as a hobby.
Personally....I'd be mostly fine if a great gig came along, and got subbed for them to get it. But that's just me.
Take the Sunday gig. It’s so rare that one gig “makes it” for a band that I just don’t think that kind of reasoning holds any water at all.
What makes this a Sunday no brainer is it’s a weekend event at one venue.
You said you have plenty of gigs and don’t do it for the money so that means you are cutting your vacationing band member out because you think your ego might be stroked harder on Friday.
You said you have plenty of gigs and don’t do it for the money so that means you are cutting your vacationing band member out because you think your ego might be stroked harder on Friday.
I agree with this. If your band is just a “beer money” band and not a “bread and butter” band then play the gig on Sunday with the whole group. Also throw your sound engineer a bone sometimes. Find a sub for them sometimes and let them sit in on a set with the whole group. Lot easier to find a sub for a sound engineer than a musician who knows your set. Plus the sound engineer is the unsung hero at the gig, they get stuck in the crowd with loud drunk people all the time, are working while your warming up, and a proper engineer isn’t drinking at the gig when the band usually are throwing back a brewsky.
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It's fun when a thread has been resolved but many posters post to give their opinions anyway, which means they didn't read all of the posts...good times!
I did the same thing.
I did the same thing.
This isn't your profession where decisions to cut other people is easier to stomach/implement. Cutting a person out of a fun times band for this reason would be petty to me and poor character on the ones who agree to it. Karma alarm warning. This is without knowing any personal dynamics within the group. You said it's about having fun so have fun with your presumed to be friends and do what works best for everyone
At Live Aid, Queen chose the lunchtime slot. It Was televised and that way they could reach a larger audience.
Just 2 cents. You're free to spend them on blackjack and hookers.
I think the overall concept as an example of how we all make decisions is still interesting whether the OP resolved his situation or not. Understanding how others think and rationalize decisions. I often scratch my head by the thought processes of band members I’ve worked with and I know they question my thinking as well.
OP should have the option to mark a thread as resolved with a sticky on top of every page linking to the resolution.
In this case, the decision was made for the band. We still don't know how it would have been resolved if both Friday and Sunday were available.
Do Sunday. The best band line-up. Easy hours. The kind of crowd that's easy-going and appreciative. That's my experience. Don't punish the guitarist for being a family man. Just my opinion, but backed by personal history.
BBB
BBB
For me it's not even a question. If I'm not available and you can gig without me, you have my blessing. It can be hard to do because I sing 90% of the lead vocals in one band and 10% of the lead vocals and all of the harmony parts in another band. But I'm grown up enough to recognize that what's good for the band is good for me.
Well, he asked for our opinions. How he resolved the issue isn't relevant to that question, unless I'm missing something?
I had a situation like this last year. The band took the primo gig but then stubbornly hired the most lame @$$, first come sub they could find who had a fetish for the singer. I told them it was a huge mistake and offered to have a top level pro sub ready for me. They took the easy way out and it was a F@#$!ng disaster for them. For me, I took the weekend off with family & friends, rested up, and looked even better when I showed up for the next gig playing everything in top form.
If your band cannot handle a substitution event, it is usually indicative of a much larger problem.
If your band cannot handle a substitution event, it is usually indicative of a much larger problem.
