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Ever Tire of Gigging


Warthog

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Well, I don't gig...mainly by choice. I've been asked to a lot lately but can't make the committment. Anyhow, these guys that are gigging do so every Friday and sometimes Saturday. They're my age (mid-late 30's) with wives and kids. I see them setting-up every Thursday and then every Friday it's a gig with the same set list. I get bored just watching them, let alone doing it myself. The more I watch the happier I am that I don't have a hard committment every Friday night like these guys. It actually would get very old I would think after a week or two.

 

Any of ya'll experience this? Do you gig every week or just occasionally? And imagine the babysitter bills these guys are paying?? (Their wives come out every Friday too like they're 18 years old again.) For those who don't rely on it for the income, why do you gig? To me it looks like something that would be fun now and again, but every Friday?

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I never get tired of gigging! never have. Some people aren't cut out for it and so be it. The way I have always looked at it the more guys that can't find time to gig in my area the better!! In fact I openly encourage guys to gig in their own areas and in my area I always discourage it. I don't know how large or diversified your guys set lists are, but ours is huge and we can pretty much go with completely different shows from night to night, that makes allot of difference. It's an individual choice isn't it kinda impossiable to compare to anyone else and it sure seems that your guys don't feel that way. But yeah if you ever come into the Detroit market please don't gig!
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Gigging is fine as long as you're keeping some freshness about it. If you're playing as a house band in the same old bar for the same old drunks playing the same setlist night after night, then it's gonna be worse than working at Burger Doodle.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Originally posted by Tedster:

Gigging is fine as long as you're keeping some freshness about it. If you're playing as a house band in the same old bar for the same old drunks playing the same setlist night after night, then it's gonna be worse than working at Burger Doodle.

Right! and if your any good at all you don't let that happen, you control the show and the diversity of the things you pick to play.
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For me it`s the audience that keeps it fresh-if they are there to pick up a date or talk to their friends and the band is just getting in the way, yet neither they nor the club owner likes musical surprises, welcome to hell. If the crowd knows music, likes to get taken on a ride and is there with you, the owner is supportive and open minded, and you`re geting paid too, if you get tired of that you`re in the wrong field.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

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For about five years we played five nights a week with around 150 or so tunes to choose from. Most nights, in your typical biker bar type joint, we didn't use a set-list we just went with the crowd.

In the big rooms we went with a more structured tension/release type approach to the set.

 

It never got boring, but it did get old, just like any job. Doing potted-palm classical guitar gigs was boring, I found myself noodling just to see if anyone was paying attention.....

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Yeah, depends on the gig. I'd hate to play for people who are indifferent to the music. It seems like it's be extremely discouraging. I'd take that as a challenge.

 

I have a semi-captive audience about half the time at church. I play for elementary school-aged kids (captive audience) half the time and remaining is for Junior High aged kids (there by choice).

 

What keeps it fresh for me is being able to take my mind down a few different roads while playing: 1) I believe what I'm singing about so I can really pay attention to lyrics because I mean it, 2) I'm encouraged by the great participation and 3) I can thrive off the interaction.

 

My buddy who tours gets to sing the same song he wrote while he was suicidal over and over and over again, 200 times a year! What fun!

 

I'm kinda like Warthog, I get bored the few times my friend do his sets.

Mikegug

 

www.facebook.com/theresistancemusic

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I believe that's why a lot of bands burn out on tour. Heck, didn't Metallica tour with the black album around 3 years???

 

Now that would get old!

 

It's no wonder they changed up their sound.

 

But I guess I would agree that the audience and our interaction with them would make some difference night after night.

"Treat your wife with honor, respect, and understanding as you live together so that you can pray effectively as husband and wife." 1 Peter 3:7

 

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How hard is it these days to find a crowd that knows music and wants to hear it, rather than have background music for boy-meets-girl/drunk-meets-drink/bar owner-meets-buck?

Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.

 

 

 

 

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Originally posted by Picker:

How hard is it these days to find a crowd that knows music and wants to hear it, rather than have background music for boy-meets-girl or drunk-meets-drink?

OK that is a question, right? not a statement so the answer is not difficult at all, well at least it's not difficult here. There are all kinds of events to play at where people enjoy and appreciate the music. There are so many opportunities that we turn down gigs all the time because of time constraints. However it's all up to the band it's self, if you are an experienced player and you design your show to be appreciated and you handle yourself professionally in the business end and on the stage you can work great gigs all the time. As far as background music goes, in our case there is no way it's background music for anyone, it's up front and it's in their faces and they love it. But you HAVE TO BE A SHOW! not just play your instruments and sing, it's the banter on the PA it's the getting inside with the people and it's playing the right thing at the exact right time and then doing the music very well for them. Is it difficult to keep their attention- it's easy if you know how.
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Originally posted by Picker:

How hard is it these days to find a crowd that knows music and wants to hear it, rather than have background music for boy-meets-girl/drunk-meets-drink/bar owner-meets-buck?

Around here that's all you're going to find. If you enjoy playing some classical music you might land a gig or so here or there entertaining people who at least "think" they know music, but for the most part, the music scene around here is exactly as you describe. Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. It's just how it is.

bbach

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

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If there are no places where people want to come for the music, not the drugs, the alcohol, the cheap sex... invite them over to your HOUSE!!

 

Of course, if you are playing for a living, there are other considerations..

 

But I've been present at some really magical musical moments at people's homes.. food for thought!

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I never tire of gigging. It's never been a constant commitment, other than hosting jams for months on end, but it's never gotten to where it feels like work.
Never a DUH! moment! Well, almost never. OK, OK! Sometimes never!
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Originally posted by ellwood:

Originally posted by Picker:

How hard is it these days to find a crowd that knows music and wants to hear it, rather than have background music for boy-meets-girl or drunk-meets-drink?

OK that is a question, right? not a statement so the answer is not difficult at all, well at least it's not difficult here. There are all kinds of events to play at where people enjoy and appreciate the music. There are so many opportunities that we turn down gigs all the time because of time constraints. However it's all up to the band it's self, if you are an experienced player and you design your show to be appreciated and you handle yourself professionally in the business end and on the stage you can work great gigs all the time. As far as background music goes, in our case there is no way it's background music for anyone, it's up front and it's in their faces and they love it. But you HAVE TO BE A SHOW! not just play your instruments and sing, it's the banter on the PA it's the getting inside with the people and it's playing the right thing at the exact right time and then doing the music very well for them. Is it difficult to keep their attention- it's easy if you know how.
Yes, it would HAVE to be a show for me as a player. Otherwise, I'd probably quit as soon as I got out there.

 

I saw a video linked from here to a "guitar god" who is very well-known and written about in GP. I forget his name (he played a Steinberger(?)... those guits w/ no head stock and no wings on the body). Just BURNING up the fret board with lightning speed and tremendous musicality, but he hardly swayed while standing still. Didn't knod to the crowd or acknowledge the crowd while playing... no showmanship. It was the most awesome and boring video I'd ever seen. :confused: It was like, "Hey, look what I learned to do on this piece of wood!"

Mikegug

 

www.facebook.com/theresistancemusic

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Originally posted by ellwood:

But you HAVE TO BE A SHOW! not just play your instruments and sing, it's the banter on the PA it's the getting inside with the people and it's playing the right thing at the exact right time and then doing the music very well for them. Is it difficult to keep their attention- it's easy if you know how.

I couldn't agree more. I've already told my story of having a puke bucket behind the mains when we were sick. We would go behind the mains, puke and come back out smiling and bouncing around. It's like being in a play and you're playing the part of a musician. You have to always be on.

 

Regarding the question of getting tired of gigging; In the years I spent on the road (not including the time I spent in the studio or the bands I was in before and after being on the road), I think I spent about 4095 hours playing with that band. (average 45 minute sets, three sets a night, 5 nights a week, 52 weeks a year, seven years.)

 

I don't think I ever got tired of the crowd, but the whole thing did start to become more like a job then a gig. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but I love a lot of things and 4095 hours of it is just too much. I think a break for a few months would have reset me and I would have been good to go for another few years...Ah well, I'm too old for that crap now. Leave it up to the young (and single) of you. ;)

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