"dead nights" like Sunday and Monday? I've played several shows on these days, a few gigs were around 5000 in attendance, most had 500-1000. I suppose it's who your playing with and where. Then again, I have played for 10-20 people on any given night as well.
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Waste of time things your band should avoid
- Thread starter BritPicker
- Start date
Be selective when choosing your gigs. Not every gig is worthy of your time and your music may not even be appropriate. Be wary of any local venue, bar or club that expects you to bring in the entire audience or you'll end up playing to the bartender. Also beware of any establishment with Hut, Shack or Landing in its name. 
Local inside joke.
Local inside joke.
This guy comes from my neck of the woods - Down Under.
In Melbourne, Sunday and Monday nights are usually pretty dead. There is maybe one venue in Melbourne that is known for a decent Sunday night, but even then it's covers.
Original music is Thurs, Fri and Saturday here.
Off Topic:
Melbourne has a pretty rockin music scene with a great mix of original, covers and jazz gigs every night of the week. Probably best in scene in Australia. If you can't find something to see you ain't looking.
Biggest issue is that the pubs here let anyone who can put a 3 band lineup together to have a gig, as there are a lot of bands in this city there is A LOT of average bands. The good bands though are really good!!
Couple of different experiences myself, to go through your list
(a) ANY music competition, they're either scams or irrelevant
Agreed 100%
(b) 'Services' that ask for money upfront in order to promote your music.
Also agreed 100%
(c) Multi-band (>3) gig lineups.
We play at quite a lot of festivals, but an average gig we play we'll have 2 support acts, so my experience has differed. I'm guessing you play in a cover band?
(d) Gigs on 'dead' nights like Monday or Sunday evening
I'm also guessing you've never done any extensive touring? If you're touring and taking days off, you're not earning. Playing to half your Saturday crowd on a Sunday and getting your fee is better than taking the day off and wasting time.
(e) Band members that are flakey, or druggie or egos
Agreed
(f) Waiting for band members to 'get good'
While I wouldn't do it now, sometimes a great way to develop as a musician is to "get good" along side other musicians, so I guess you'd be waiting on these guys to get good too. Likewise, it'll take any new member a while to get up to scratch with new material. Where do you draw the line waiting?
(g) Reading TB when you could be practicing
(h) GASing when you could be practicing
These two could be substituted with any non-essential activity that isn't practicing and are fairly pointless. You can't spend all your time practicing either.
(a) ANY music competition, they're either scams or irrelevant
Agreed 100%
(b) 'Services' that ask for money upfront in order to promote your music.
Also agreed 100%
(c) Multi-band (>3) gig lineups.
We play at quite a lot of festivals, but an average gig we play we'll have 2 support acts, so my experience has differed. I'm guessing you play in a cover band?
(d) Gigs on 'dead' nights like Monday or Sunday evening
I'm also guessing you've never done any extensive touring? If you're touring and taking days off, you're not earning. Playing to half your Saturday crowd on a Sunday and getting your fee is better than taking the day off and wasting time.
(e) Band members that are flakey, or druggie or egos
Agreed
(f) Waiting for band members to 'get good'
While I wouldn't do it now, sometimes a great way to develop as a musician is to "get good" along side other musicians, so I guess you'd be waiting on these guys to get good too. Likewise, it'll take any new member a while to get up to scratch with new material. Where do you draw the line waiting?
(g) Reading TB when you could be practicing
(h) GASing when you could be practicing
These two could be substituted with any non-essential activity that isn't practicing and are fairly pointless. You can't spend all your time practicing either.
These I agree with 100%...
I'd also say that *insisting* that you play only music you thing is "art" or "cool" is a waste of time. I've learned more from playing music I didn't much care for than I'd ever imagine...
Tuning or talking after every song.
Taking drugs or drinking when you should be working your @$$ off.
Being a musician JUST to score chicks or get famous.
Writing ANOTHER cliche love song in the key of G.
Writing ANOTHER minor verse, major chorus, major guitar solo, Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus pop/rock song.
Trying to get a Record company to sign you. DO IT YOURSELF!!!! CD BABY IS ADVERTISED ON TB.
Changing yourself/your band's image or sound or level of musicianship to gain more success or fame.
Taking drugs or drinking when you should be working your @$$ off.
Being a musician JUST to score chicks or get famous.
Writing ANOTHER cliche love song in the key of G.
Writing ANOTHER minor verse, major chorus, major guitar solo, Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus pop/rock song.
Trying to get a Record company to sign you. DO IT YOURSELF!!!! CD BABY IS ADVERTISED ON TB.
Changing yourself/your band's image or sound or level of musicianship to gain more success or fame.
- Jun 3, 2006
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Facebooking your band. It's the last place I'm looking for legit music. I'd Myspace a band before I Facebooked them. Old people and bands DO NOT belong on Facebook.
Yeah, not hard and fast rules, obviously! There's ALWAYS exceptions!!
It's interesting that in different places the experience is, err different. As Mr Stone says (Don't I know you from another forum? oh yes!), maybe Melbourne is different.
dj150888: No. we are originals. We do a few covers for when we are the only band on. I draw the line waiting for others to get good if they are beyond teenage years.
BigOldHarry: "Art" can be fun! but yeah I hear ya.
OPBASSMAN: LOL! And wholeheartedly agree!! DIY, every time
heath r 91: yeah, 'headliner" 2nd on in 3 band lineup is generally best if you aren't that well known. At starting level headliner simply means "on last".
It's interesting that in different places the experience is, err different. As Mr Stone says (Don't I know you from another forum? oh yes!), maybe Melbourne is different.
dj150888: No. we are originals. We do a few covers for when we are the only band on. I draw the line waiting for others to get good if they are beyond teenage years.
BigOldHarry: "Art" can be fun! but yeah I hear ya.
OPBASSMAN: LOL! And wholeheartedly agree!! DIY, every time
heath r 91: yeah, 'headliner" 2nd on in 3 band lineup is generally best if you aren't that well known. At starting level headliner simply means "on last".
You're situation was not typical. Most Battle of the Bands are schemes to make promoters money and nothing else.
I agree with most of your original list, although I would add this. "Playing to nobody for no money"
...unless you just want a dress rehearsal you can get a lot more done at the practice pad. Now, I've played to an almost empty house for decent wages and I've played to a packed festival for zilch and there was some satisfaction out of both of those situations...but to put forth the effort to move gear, set up and play for the bartender (unless she's really hot and into you)...well that situation should be avoided if at all possible.
...unless you just want a dress rehearsal you can get a lot more done at the practice pad. Now, I've played to an almost empty house for decent wages and I've played to a packed festival for zilch and there was some satisfaction out of both of those situations...but to put forth the effort to move gear, set up and play for the bartender (unless she's really hot and into you)...well that situation should be avoided if at all possible.
could be a regional thing, but MySpace is dying and dying quickly. Unfortunately FB is taking over the social network world. I have seen people using strictly FB and sites like Bandcamp while ditching MySpace.
That "old people" comment is really narrow minded. FB is for everyone to use, and there are many many many bands with band members who are in their 30's 40's 50's, and there is no reason not to pimp shows on FB. Regardless of age.
It's not narrowminded. I'm 24 and it's creepy when you see your parents, friend's parents, aunts, uncles, etc. roaming around facebook. It's bad enough young people get sucked into Facebook and its inevitable adolescent stalker/drama vacuum...but that's a tangent it itself.
Myspace is the same way here too but Facebook just seems to me like an amateur place to promote a band...much worse than craigslist. Myspace isn't much better but the way its set up its much better gauged for things like that.
Competitions aren't entirely useless for bands that are just starting out and don't have enough material to play anything more. You can play 2-3 songs, get live photos, get live video. It looks a little better when trying to book your first real gig when you have some promotional materials that at least show you on stage.
But once you have enough material to play more than three songs, yeah, don't bother. I've won a few of those things, and not a single one of those victories has ever been worth it. I won't ramble on about the specifics...
But once you have enough material to play more than three songs, yeah, don't bother. I've won a few of those things, and not a single one of those victories has ever been worth it. I won't ramble on about the specifics...
good advice, I think I'm wasting time now, I need to practice every arp on one sting while saying the note. wait... that seems like a waste too. hummm
Yeah, I can understand that having older relatives and friends of relatives tooling around on FB can seem weird. Maybe what I'm trying to say is all of them have the same right as you to use FB.
BOTH my Mom and my Son have FB accounts, and NEITHER of them are my "friends". Also, Privacy settings come in handy...you can customize it anyway you want to exclude people from seeing stuff.
Regarding Band info---In the circle of Jazz / Rock / etc. people I deal with, FB has been more successful promoting shows lately than MySpace. The "events" function of FB is great !
You can have your own PAGE dedicated to your Event, and send out mass invites.
Sorry for the Tangent from OP, but I just wanted to defend the rights of us "old folks" (PS...I'm 44) to use FB.
