Somethings never change. Bars are struggling and look for a miracle draw. When things do not pan out, owners point fingers and look for excuses.
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This is why I dislike bar gigs
- Thread starter Bullitt5135
- Start date
I've played a few gigs where there was a "Band table". Mostly for wives, girlfriends, etc.
These bar owners forget that without bands, their place would fold. I came from that era where bands got paid enough to live off of, and guess what? The demographics have not changed. The band draws people, the people pay money to buy drinks, the club makes money. It always comes back to to cheap bar owners who don't want to pay bands, so they get cheap bands who are, shall we say, clumsy and amateurish.
I laid into one bar owner who tried to underpay us, when he said to the affect of "all you guys do is get up there and have a good time playing music." "Listen dude - that's in excess of 3 grand in bass gear alone, and, counting the real Hammond B3 and the guitar player's vintage Les Paul, drum kit, PA, horns, nearly 30K in gear on that stage. I practice 2 hours a day, the band practices once a week, and I have a music degree. Don't give me that crap - pay us."
FFS- for real? You've got a packed bar and you're bitching at the talent for 8 chairs?
The only bar I ever remember seeing "reserved" signs at tables was a place that closed recently. Those tables were not reserved for the band or any of our guests.
The only bar I ever remember seeing "reserved" signs at tables was a place that closed recently. Those tables were not reserved for the band or any of our guests.
Bar owners are increasingly difficult after about 2 in the afternoon.
My thoughts exactly.
Yes, a couple of tables with 4 chairs each. All of which were full by end of the first set and stayed full all night. This was the second gig the band has played there in the past two months, and both times they filled the room and kept the crowd all night.
The guy may have had a legitimate gripe about a couple of reserved tables (which he was entirely in his right to honor or not). He could have simply told the band that from now on it’s first come first serve, but instead he chose to dress down a 40 year old woman who just spent 3 hours filling his bar and keeping butts in seats.
I just looked at the bar’s Facebook page. They post a lot of pictures of beer cans and chicken fingers. They do nothing to promote the entertainment. And when the band does the job well, they get a few hundred bucks and a guilt trip.
Never been a problem. Possibly because our crowd skews older and female? They reserve tables for 20 and it is rare that fewer than 18 show up. Also: The way our BL books us is by first becoming buddies with the club owner. That drives out a lot of potential hostility. Here she is in action: When you fill up the club, give the owner a hug!
ESH.
It was very kind of the owner to reserve tables for the band. It was lame that the supposed guests never showed. The owner is a dunce for not rebooking the tables within a reasonable amount of time of the no shows and then arguing with the band about the seats not being filled.
It was very kind of the owner to reserve tables for the band. It was lame that the supposed guests never showed. The owner is a dunce for not rebooking the tables within a reasonable amount of time of the no shows and then arguing with the band about the seats not being filled.
I try and ensure each venue gets, at the very least, our logo for social media promotion. If we make a flyer, they'll get that. I also ask permission to use their logo for advertising.
I usually check each site/platform a couple of weeks prior to the gig, if they're utilizing promo materials.
Last time I checked, there's no guarantees to either fill the place, or play to the wait staff... usually, somewhere in between, right?
The pub I frequently jam at has reserved tables for family and friends etc... More often than not the tables stay open all night! It's annoying especially as a customer that actually wants to get some grub
Reserving a table and showing up late without a call is rude.
I would expect an establishment to hold a table for fifteen minutes or less- if a “running late” call is made. If no call- the table gets filled by someone else.
There are some basic courtesies that are ignored these days.
I would expect an establishment to hold a table for fifteen minutes or less- if a “running late” call is made. If no call- the table gets filled by someone else.
There are some basic courtesies that are ignored these days.
I was expecting maybe a small bar where people got too drunk or a fight broke out. Happened here recently. Ever heard of the Machine Shop in Michigan? Wasn't there was it?
When we were doing bar gigs, I don't think we ever asked for anything to be reserved for our "entourage".
That said, the venue owner could have cancelled the "reservation" after a reasonable amount of time. His joint = his rules.
We did ask for a table to be reserved in some of the bigger clubs we played and there was one bru-ha-ha when we were doing a showcase (We were [sort of] "renting" the facility for the night) and we had requested two tables be reserved for A&R people who had RSVP-ed and the venue did not make that happen.
That said, the venue owner could have cancelled the "reservation" after a reasonable amount of time. His joint = his rules.
We did ask for a table to be reserved in some of the bigger clubs we played and there was one bru-ha-ha when we were doing a showcase (We were [sort of] "renting" the facility for the night) and we had requested two tables be reserved for A&R people who had RSVP-ed and the venue did not make that happen.
Folks, OP has stated that the tables were full by 1/2 way through the first set, and they stayed full until the end of the night. So what was the owner out of? 8, maybe fewer, drink orders?
I think the owner is an azzhole dip who is bad at math and doesn’t realize who is buttering his bread.
And if it is a loss-leader, then there is a payoff for taking the preliminary loss. Did he lose sight of that reality? Guy sounds like a real jerk, and he’s bad at math to boot.
I think the owner is an azzhole dip who is bad at math and doesn’t realize who is buttering his bread.
And if it is a loss-leader, then there is a payoff for taking the preliminary loss. Did he lose sight of that reality? Guy sounds like a real jerk, and he’s bad at math to boot.
Bar owners like that usually have earned bad reps that precede them.
Since you generally can't fix stupid, they usually get proactively tossed in my to-avoid column.
Since you generally can't fix stupid, they usually get proactively tossed in my to-avoid column.
Just curious; was the lead singer also the band leader or just what the owner considered an easy target?
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
If I reserved tables and my peeps didnt show and there were people standing, I’d offer the tables up. If my peeps then showed, it’d be on them. Band starts at 8 and friends show at 10 and expect tables waiting? Yea, no.
I’m guessing the latter. He approached her, not the two guys in the band. It’s just weak and disrespectful to me. A simple “good job tonight, but next time the tables are first come first serve” would have sufficed. The band has proven themselves twice. Makes me think this is his scheme for keeping expenses low.
