What's your gig and why?

[Deezer Butler]

I've played in original rock bands bands for years, trying to be some big rock star. Gave it all up 10 years ago, then was asked to join a Sabbath tribute. 8 years later, I sing (Ozzy) in one tribute band and play bass in another (Dio era) Sabbath tribute.
I get to play alot of fun shows on the weekends, from bars to outdoor events to festivals. .... and be home all week....

 

[stevecaronna]

My band currently plays the better paying bars and we are getting more and more into fairs and festivals which pay way better than bars. This year we seem to be really getting into the fair and festival circuit pretty heavy which is great because I have been playing smoky bars all my life and it is really not healthy. Also playing fairs and festivals are family events and also not 4 hour gigs, so making twice to three times the money in half the time is really nice.

 

[Ductapeman]

Living in Washington State makes it very easy to play internationally (Vancouver, BC). Just don't piss off the good folks at the border crossing and you'll be fine.

ETA: I did not claim International status on the poll, however-- and I'd love to know who those two guys are.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

Local bars

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I play a steady, busy pro worship and church scene. I don't do bars really anymore, but plenty of upscale listening rooms and high end lounges and restaurants, as well as weddings and corporate events. Besides the church gig, I am a sub for most of those gigs or band leader for the one-off events. I'm a whore but a choosy one.

 

[DwaynieAD]

before the band went on indefinite hiatus we would have fell between local bar scene and regional.

so I picked regional because I wanna be a big deal.

 

[Remyd]

If you exchange the word "bar" for "venue", then I'm a Very Local type, when I have a band that's gigging, which isn't nearly often enough.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I have literally never played in my bedroom, and I've never even taken one of my instruments or amps in there. I do store the guitar & bass cases under my bed though.

My biggest "gig" was when a couple of gals from the clinic next door were hangin' out at their smoking station, which is overlooking my back porch.

 

[LowFish]

Current project- group of 6-singer, guitar, sax, keys, drums & bass. We play R&B, Blues/Rock mostly covers and a few originals. We gig around 2-4 times a month, local bars & clubs, weddings, corporate parties, and local/regional festivals. December is our busiest month with 7-8 gigs mostly Holiday parties. We do not travel more than 60 miles
for gigs, and have a few on a local island that are overnighters because the ferry stops running at 8pm. We have 20 gigs in the book thru the end of the year and feel very blessed to have them. I also sub on bass in a 18 piece big band/swing band--they seldom gig anymore, and free-form jam guitar & bass with friends.

 

[Johnny Crab]

Put carrots.
We're all 60 except guitarist(58), have fulltime careers, and still manage about 87 shows per year. About 50 of those are a "house band" gig once per week that is technically where we keep chops up, have fun, get audience involved, and "test drive" new songs. The rest are corp gigs, private parties, weddings, etc. All of us have been playing music for 50 years or so, drummer degreed in percussion(owns a business), keyboard/guitarist toured for 10 years with a #1 country act in the road band, 58 y/o guitarist is GIT grad, singer is a natural and audience-friendly, and I'm just lucky(got emailed to join them in 2006 after they fired their bassist...can you learn 100 songs in a month). I was "retired" from bands and doing petrochem/instrumentation engineering + being a Dad. Wife and children(15 and 17 then) said "Go for it!".

Keeps us all in good shape and happy and alive(at this point).
The 12 shows in February was a bit much though......

 

[40Hz]

Is there a category for "project-focused freelance" or "Have bass - will travel."?

That sounds a lot better than "between bands."

 

[J Gold]

Houston bar scene in a classic rock cover band, and, hopefully-soon-to-be regional original heavy metal band that's starting to make some noise, plus steady gig as a church worship leader.

Plus a full time job, wife, and two young kids .

 

[Muttleybass]

I could have clicked on 3... Weddings, Private Party and Local Bar scene...

...Where's "Wherever they let us play"?

 

[kbakerde]

Somewhere between very local bar scene and local bar scene. I'm on the other end on the tri state area, DE-PA-NJ, so we play Wilmington and Philly. Dive places. Trying to expand out to Baltimore and DC

 

[Jools4001]

Play local pubs within about a 20 mile radius of the band's base - so very local by US standards - we do play more than one or two venues though. We have around 5 regular venues and do about 3 repeat bookings per year at each of them plus a few ad-hoc gigs, such as the birthday party which is our next gig. This gets us to around 15-20 gigs per year, we've all got other commitments that mean this schedule, plus a few rehearsals to get new material ready is just right for all of us.

 

[twinjet]

My main gigging band is a jazz/rock/funk influenced group that does stuff from Fiona Apple to Etta James. We play out once a month.

 

[stuonbass]

Local bars in and around St Louis Missouri and Illinois. Cover gigs 99% of the time. One can play originals here but its a totally different scene and different clubs (and almost no $). If you can handle $100 / night gigs, there is a healthy cover band market here. Weddings and Festivals are better pay.
Why? I play because I must. I seek to work when I play and make a little cash. it validates my devotion, time, investment in gear, etc.. I have been in many bands playing a wide variety of covers from metal to country and I love it all.

 

[stringtapper]

Hired gun.

 

[fdeck]

You should allow multiple choices. My main band has a steady gig at a club, but I also do weddings, corporate, private parties, etc. I'm mainly a hired gun, but with one steady band. Virtually all of my calls are within a 50 mile radius.

 

[bw66]

I chose very local bar scene. We're not opposed to doing weddings or private parties, but it is very hard to get all of us in the same room on a day that we don't choose ourselves.

I also sub in at church fairly regularly.