Rosa Floydian Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Pending my guitarist and drummer's temporary residence for the summer in Naperville, and myself and other guitarist living in Lemont, I want to gig out for fun and cash as a side job / experience for this upcoming summer. I have never gigged before other than a holiday inn benefit thing (see nightmare gigs post) and I was wondering on where is a good place to start, do you need a demo, how much should you ask (4 piece group), who should you talk to, and how should you ask (or do you offer a price)? This is all very new to me but with all the stories from the guys I work with I really want to try gigging out because I am so young. I think it will be a great experience but I don't know where to start. I am looking for places near southern Chicago or that radius (I live in Lemont / Lockport / Woodridge area). Any help is greatly appreciated. As of right now, I'm clueless so my ears are as wide as the ocean. Jackson C20 Concert Bass / Polytone Contempo B Solid Body / Peavey MAX 750 Watt Head / Ampeg 810E Sometimes you just need to let go and jam Peace, Corey http://www.myspace.com/onemanpomegranate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 How old are you? What kind of music does your band play? These two things will set some parameters for suggestions. "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosa Floydian Posted April 4, 2007 Author Share Posted April 4, 2007 19 but all other memebers are 21 or older. Group can and will play anything from rock, country, funk, (we all play in a jazz combo already), blues... Depending on the gig we can play anything. Whatever is biting we'll try to catch it. Does that help at all? Jackson C20 Concert Bass / Polytone Contempo B Solid Body / Peavey MAX 750 Watt Head / Ampeg 810E Sometimes you just need to let go and jam Peace, Corey http://www.myspace.com/onemanpomegranate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbn Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Fireside Bowl on Lemont, although I think I heard they stopped booking shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosa Floydian Posted April 4, 2007 Author Share Posted April 4, 2007 I'll look into that. Funny, I live in Lemont and have not heard of that - though I try not to spend much time there... Jackson C20 Concert Bass / Polytone Contempo B Solid Body / Peavey MAX 750 Watt Head / Ampeg 810E Sometimes you just need to let go and jam Peace, Corey http://www.myspace.com/onemanpomegranate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theTragicRich Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 Well, if you want to test the waters, you can hit up openmikes.org (I think that's the URL). The punk band I was in, we would stop by the bars that do full band open mics and was a good way to gig regularly, and to break in some of those that might be stage shy. And if you're good, the people who run the open mics might either ask you to play regularly, or some bars do weekend (paying) gigs if you can manage to draw a crowd. The two open mic's we played was Miss Kittie's on ogden (near naperville music). They'll dig rock and blues. And we also hit Ditka's 46 Zone (the bar next to Ditka's Sports Dome) in Bolingbrook right down route 53. Some people I work with have suggested places to me, but I can't remember them. Maple Pub (maple and route 53 I think; used to be tailgaters) has bands. Another good place to look might be the IE (Illinois Entertainer) magazine that you can pick up at Guitar Center. They usually have a few pages of bars/clubs that are looking for bands. Not sure if their online page has that as well (illinoisentertainer.com) I remember years ago, that 2 story place used to have jazz bands (I think it's Shapes now?... right on Ogden and Naper), but again, I think it's a pool/bar now. The only problem I can forsee, is you being under 21. I know the places I have played (even the open mics) don't allow under 21 past a certain time (think it's 9pm or so). As for the city... the only place I've played recently is The Mutiny... and they are more of a punk crowd. They have a great urinal though... [Carvin] XB76WF - All Walnut 6-string fretless [schecter] Stiletto Studio 5 Fretless | Stiletto Elite 5 [Ampeg] SVT3-Pro | SVT-410HLF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosa Floydian Posted April 4, 2007 Author Share Posted April 4, 2007 That sounds like great advice, i'll start there and see what happens. I thought that most places, as long as you are in the band, you didn't have to be 21 but then again there are exceptions to everything. I'll look up and call the places you've suggested and hope something comes through. Thanks for the tips! Anyone else know of good places? Jackson C20 Concert Bass / Polytone Contempo B Solid Body / Peavey MAX 750 Watt Head / Ampeg 810E Sometimes you just need to let go and jam Peace, Corey http://www.myspace.com/onemanpomegranate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbn Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 I'll look into that. Funny, I live in Lemont and have not heard of that - though I try not to spend much time there... D'oh. I meant on Fullerton. Specifically: 2648 W Fullerton Ave Chicago, IL 60647 www.firesidebowl.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicklab Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Just watch out for all of those coyotes that are hiding in deli coolers! Obligatory Social Media Link "My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theTragicRich Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 LOL, yea how about that? The coyote walked through downtown Chicago (cars and pedestrians) right in the door, hopped in the beverage cooler and took a nap! I wonder if the thing was separated from its pack somehow? [Carvin] XB76WF - All Walnut 6-string fretless [schecter] Stiletto Studio 5 Fretless | Stiletto Elite 5 [Ampeg] SVT3-Pro | SVT-410HLF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosa Floydian Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 I'll have to look them up, but what about the other things, i.e.e pricing, demos, asking... any suggestions as far as that goes. Not to or anything but anymore places would be great, the more places I have to try from the better my chances are of getting at least one gig Jackson C20 Concert Bass / Polytone Contempo B Solid Body / Peavey MAX 750 Watt Head / Ampeg 810E Sometimes you just need to let go and jam Peace, Corey http://www.myspace.com/onemanpomegranate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Ross Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 The last time I played around Chicago was in '92-93 or so in the NW Suburbs. Malo's in Aurora(?) was a decent dive if it's still around. If you're willing to drive a bit, Otto's in DeKalb was a great place since they have a captive audience of NIU students. It's not simple to be simple. -H. Matisse Ross Precision Guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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