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What's your gig?

Until earlier this year it had been a five-piece band that was doing parties and business functions, fundraisers, and (for the most part) nicer clubs and restaurants around north Georgia, NE Alabama, and SE Tennessee. Then we took an extended engagement at a bar that had been a veritable dive not long ago, and was trying to reinvent itself with a better kitchen, better atmosphere, decent entertainment and improved clientele. Last I heard, it's still trying. The band then parted ways due to some personal issues that were unfortunate, but they do come with the territory.

Have now been called upon to participate in the core of a group that will theoretically be able to function as anything from a trio to a full five- or six-piece band. The goals are corporate gigs, civic functions, festivals and maybe a little bit of travel for the better paying stuff. The potential is definitely there. We had a wild first rehearsal during which the keyboardist/vocalist, guitarist/vocalist and myself made it most of the way through probably 30 tunes that were a considerable departure from the standard covers of the earlier band. We hit a range of styles and artists including Chicago, Simple Minds, Steely Dan, The Turtles, BS&T, Cream, Neil Diamond, Free, Dire Straits, Santana, Kansas and plenty more. We were just tossing off song names and playing, and quite a bit of this material came off almost sounding rehearsed. We're going to take a couple weeks to tighten it up, rehearse a drummer, probably demo something on my DAW, and drop it on an agent. Then we'll see where it goes - I remain hopeful. It could be a very fun project.
 
I am playing large venues such as casinos, concert halls and festivals. I also do a lot of studio which has included commercial jingles, a TV show theme song for a program in South Korea. I am currently working on music for a program on The History Channel.
 
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I play only in an "acoustic" Beatles band with 7 other buddies, most of which I've known for 30+ years. I share bass duties, so when I'm not playing bass, I play percussion. The group has 3 acoustic guitars, a keyboard player, a guy on cajon/hi-hat, another who plays flute, and 2 on bass (I play a Rickenbacker, the other bassist plays a Rogue violin bass.) Everyone sings except me, so with 7 vocalists, the group nails the harmonies. The group is primarily made up of guys from 3-4 different bands. I left stopped playing back in 1988, so I felt like the luckiest guy in the world to be asked to be a part of this group.

The band stemmed from all of us playing at one of the guy's 50th birthday party 4 years ago. All of the other guys play in multiple bands, so they're busy. We played 6 times this year, anywhere from city events (Friday night series, summer concert) to private events. My goal is for us to play as often as possible and as my job allows. I travel a fair amount for work, so this works out great for me.
 
What's beneath a dive bar?

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Lots of church (50%)

(40%) Subbing with area cover bands in upper scale restaurants and lounges, jazz groups in music venues, weddings and private parties, subbing in 2 or 3 area original bands.

The last 10% is studio sessions, DJing events, and live sound for festivals aND events.
 
I do lots of different gigs: dance events (VFW halls, churches, festivals, etc.), festivals, music clubs, coffeehouses, parties/weddings, park gigs, libraries/schools, restaurants and pubs, bars (including some really scary ones)

Percentage of each has varied over the years but in general the amount of bar gigs is steadily decreasing...maybe 15%?

I haven't been in a rock band for about 30 years. I play retro C&W, folk, bluegrass, cajun/zydeco, blues, swing (no real jazz), retro R&B.
 
Weekly in church (mostly modern, some traditional hymns), with a small classic rock band (private parties, animal clubs, occasional bar gig), nursing homes, local fairs, some benefit shows with a mostly country band. Not much money available these days. Made more per night back in the 80's...
 
I have two gigs - the first is playing bass for the Baltimore Ravens. So I regularly play to 70,000 people but not a single one is there to see me. Heh. We play with the marching band and do fill in music during the game. Sometimes it's 30 seconds, sometimes it's two minutes. You get the call from the booth and you play, now! I view it similar to a late night talk show band. Every time we play it's something different. You have to be flexible, different keys, read and play on the fly and the group needs to gel enough to almost have ESP to know that we need to stretch out an ending with zero warning.

My other gig is with a local band, Artistic Differences, we play a mix of covers and originals in small bars and outdoor gigs in the area. it's a lot of fun since all the members get along well and we all love gear.

In other words "your a pro":thumbsup::hyper:
 
Three church services per week (mostly contemporary) and occasionally some time with a few old time Bluegrass guys. Also, the nightly featured attraction in my basement. Since I've turned into a cat, there is no compensation requested other than an occasional soda or yogurt in the nightly gig.
 
90% pubs/restaurants in and around DC and Annapolis
10% special events- weddings, NYE parties at hotels, fundraisers, etc.

we play covers with a few oringinals here and there, mostly classic rock/RnB/modern rock.
Heading into the studio soon for the first time in 20 years (for me at least, band leader has done a fair amt of recording)
 
Main gigs are being a classical singer and being choir director of a small church. I sit in sometimes as the bass player for the second service, which is the folk band service. I play in a cover band which hasn't really hit a stride, but plays the occasional party and wedding reception. I also have a small income stream from composing.
 

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