blue

I play as well as gig with all my basses. I usually rotate them and bring 2 to every gig. Although those of you that have seen my pics might say I favor my German Made Hofner Club Bass with Cavern PU spacing. And you'd be right. Blue

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1414802971' post='2593594'] [size=4]Have a look at this from one of our local bands and you'll see the difference [/size][size=4][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOmU_iVy4s8#t=75"]https://www.youtube....OmU_iVy4s8#t=75[/url] or at a lower budget level but still a good video [/size][size=4][url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-iJbyKKbM8."]https://www.youtube....?v=7-iJbyKKbM8.[/url] [/size][/quote] Loved the [size=4]In This Time - Sound of the Sirens [/size]promo. I'd book them in a minute.Very good example. The women are not over the top sexy but still sexy and they convey good energy and emotion. Which is lacking in OPs promo. For the OP (original poster), it depends on what his plan is. He might want to re-evaluate the promo and look into some resources that can make the band look more professional and marketable. Were musicians,we can see that musically you guys have it. Club owners won't. Blue

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1414794462' post='2593508'] We are at the excellent Bay Horse in Sudbury, for the third year running. They go to great lengths to decorate the pub and bands and customers are expected to turn up in fancy dress. Last year the barmaid spent 4 hours making up her face to look like it had all started to fall off - fantastic. We love it, it's a top night and a great gig. Some images from last year: [url="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153387675220524.1073741832.342366270523&type=1"]https://www.facebook...66270523&type=1[/url] [/quote] Nice Gig! Blue

Just got home, it's 2:00am. Place was packed. So packed that I was afraid someone was going to fall into our stage monitors or spill a drink on my pedals.We played and got paid for an extra hour. Good gig, however I was struggling with stage volume and tone. And it was 32 degrees (ouch!) outside when we were packing up. Blue

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1414785699' post='2593391'] Ours isn't until tomorrow night. We have rehearsed Monster Mash and we are wearing make up [/quote] Great idea, I wish we had the type of band that could ad that sort of stuff for these holiday gigs. Were just not that type of band, adding material is not our strong skill set. Although for kicks we were able to ad "On The Road Again". Were a blues/rock band but were in the Midwest so we get requests for that sort of stuff. We might play it tonight for the first time. Blue

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1414785246' post='2593383'] Never done one, nor seen one organised (although I may be a touch out of touch these days...). It's not a big thing in France. [/quote] Halloween is huge over here for bands. Blue

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1414784389' post='2593367'] Hmm don't remind me We (the Angry Badgers) were until yesterday. First the support pulled out and then there was a problem with the venue PA so it's cancelled. We're re-scheduling and playing there once the problems are sorted. [/quote] Good thing you guys re-booked. A lot of bands get so hung up on the gig being canceled they drop the ball on re-booking, which is like leaving money on the table. Nice job! Blue

Always a good size crowd. were playing the Filmore House. It was a fun night last year. Lot's of chics. My car is loaded, but I'm kind of beat right now. I have only a few hours to get the old enthusiasm machine running. Blue

[i]Halloween[/i] is one of my favorite gig nights, always has been. I Think I played my first paid Halloween gig in 1966. Who else has a Halloween Party gig tonight, and what are you expecting? Blue

[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1414714203' post='2592704'] This guy on Youtube tickles me a little. The 3 reasons to do a cruise gig are spot on. The three negatives are also correct but I honestly wouldn't class them all as "negatives". For me, working for a large corporation actually works really well. For me, it fills me with purpose and the hierarchical system of it is great. The teamwork aspect is great. You can't eat TOO healthily on a ship but there's fairly healthy options. The drinking every night aspect - For me, it's great. It was so sociable. You can take nights off of drinking obviously but you'll always be certain to see friendly faces in the bar. The cramped quarters things, you just get used to unfortunately. On my last ship, musicians had their own rooms though. The had around 8' x 3' of floor space and a murphy bed that folder to the wall. It was a small room but it was your own small room. [/quote] Yeah, the whole cruise thing would work for me. I think I waited too long for a lot of this stuff .However at this stage of my life I can get up and go anywhere. Blue

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1414705949' post='2592591'] Then you have to be able to all get along like a house on fire, same sets, same routines, night and day in and out, 3 shifts on some cross channel jobs ![/quote] It's a job, it's work, I have no problem with that. Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1414706783' post='2592609'] Maybe the kids see the fast track talent shows where people get TV time and an audience without never ever having to put some real time in... [/quote] I think a lot of the kids on those talent shows were already pros before they were contestants. Many have already been on international tours and have had recording contracts, but they don't disclose those things. Blue

Off Topic but interesting. [b] 3 Reasons To Do A Cruise Ship Gig (For Musicians) [/b] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sGQA4S80iE [b] 3 Reasons NOT To Do A Cruise Ship Gig (For Musicians) [/b] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikD3RSteUa0 Me, I could take off in a second for a cruise gig. Like many I'm not networked for this type of opportunity and don't have a clue on how to get networked. It's what happens to local bar band guys. You can get stuck in a rut. blue

[quote name='Subbeh' timestamp='1414687123' post='2592274'] Liked the bass playing a lot by the way! [/quote] Yeah, I was impressed, I don't see that many guys that can read music. Blue

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1414672187' post='2592039'] I think the simple factor is that there is not really any bands that are in the charts these days so your 20 somethings arent going to have grown up listening to rock bands etc because nowadays they just dont exist in the charts. The other thing to consider is if you go into a pub full of 20 somethings and play 60s blues and rock they wont be interested because its the wrong type of audience. Same way if a band of 20 somethings played chart music to a pub filled with bikers. I'm 21 myself and play in a pub covers band - its great fun and we try to mix it up to cater for all age groups with music from people like Chuck Berry to Katy Perry - though the crowds in Cambridgeshire pubs are mostly filled with a middle aged audience. It does make me fear that we just wont see live bands anymore and I will lose what I love doing because kids my age just arent interested. The music they listen to doesnt and mostly CANT get played by bands because its all over produced dance beats. [/quote] Good point, the fact that top 40 went [i]"bye bye"[/i] years ago really hurt us For us over 60 guys, you might remember when everyone knew what the number 1,2 and 3 songs were on the charts. Now everything is segmented, kids will say, i only listen to this or that. My generation, we listened to everything, you had to. I mean The Beatles were charting but so was Frank Sinatra. blue

[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1414617457' post='2591517'] I've done the wedding band gig for the last 5 years but it's not my own gig. Someone else runs the band and what not and I want more control. I've done the cruise orchestra gig and absolutely love it and will head back out as a cruise orchestra bass player, but alas I have a girlfriend of 5 years, who's the vocalist in our lounge band, and my compromise of wanting to go out again on my own on the seas was that we set up a lounge band and take that out and I can take contracts around of orchestra and lounge band. And the gig food chain? I'm giving up a £20k a year job in a wedding band for ships. Money doesn't drive me. Happiness does and to be at sea playing in the orchestra for 7 months at a time is a great drive. The music's (usually) great, it's usually a challenge and the social aspect of ships is great. I'm done with weddings for the time being. Well, the band I was in at least. I've loved my time and experience at sea and that's why I'm heading back out. But to bring money back in to the equation, lounge bands are paid more than orchestra musicians, whilst lounge band musicians get more privileges than orchestra musicians. [/quote] Well good luck with this new project. Your in charge now, do your own thing. I'm jealous, however I know I'm not a band leader. Blue

[quote name='bassist_lewis' timestamp='1414617830' post='2591526'] Re your previous comment,I'm thought this was a discussion about pub gigs in general. I went off topic. Sorry No surprises: Sweet home Alabama, alright now (occasionally), brown eyed girl, mustang sally, a little respect, Roxanne, Billie Jean, superstition, I feel good. Not all classic Blues/Rock and not exactly expanding musical minds but they work 90% of the time. [/quote] I guess , but those tunes seem like a stretch for 20 somethings. Funny story, I was at a big club with a big agency 80's hair band playing 80s stuff.The place was full of 20 somethings and the band was good for what they do. Thing is none of the kids would get on the dance floor, only once for [i]Sweet Home Alabama[/i]. lol blue

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1414617646' post='2591522'] New york duo "Pete & J" did a small bar tour here in 2006 and loved it, so maybe you could ask them what they thought & how it was organised? I spoke with them when they played a bar near me. By a massive coincidence I literally bumped into Pete in Manny's in NYC a few weeks later. [/quote] Cool, I didn't know Manny's was still in business. I purchased my 1st Fender P bass there when I was in High School. It cost like $350.00 brand new in 1970. Thanks Blue

Question, would a band like mine with a 29 year old female front and lead guitarists doing 70s style blues/rock get decent crowds in your pubs if we came over to do a short pub tour. Or would we fall into the same boat as your local bands. I was thinking cause were Yanks we might be different and interesting. Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1414608838' post='2591341'] Sounds a great player...but you can't blame kids for not having the required taste..or any taste, come to that and that is the problem with any audience...there is no accounting for what they like and why they like it. The problem is getting them out in any numbers to be viable.... One of the most popular bands around here are also one of the least capable but they are a live show and people will go and see them..so much so that they sold out a 450 hall in 29 hrs at £10:00 a ticket. Now...which ever way you skin that.... that is pretty good going for a pub standard band.. and I'd say maybe not a great pub standard band at that. But...they have something that people will buy..!!! No justice, maybe... but there you go..!! [/quote] Agreed, same here. All the bands that get the big stages, big money, all the good sponsored corporate gigs are marginal musicians and as you say are the least capable. The very good accomplished musicians here get all the scraps. Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1414609266' post='2591351'] Neither would I blame him..but presumably he had to do them for some reason.[/quote] A lot of these guys have been playing Milwaukee area bars for years and it's really getting to the point where guys that play at Greg's level are just saying, [i]"screw it, enough is enough" [/i] I think those YouTube clips are from some clubs in Germany and I think it's different over there. By the way, Greg did open for your Robin Trower here in Milwaukee 2 weeks ago. Blue

Would the ladies be willing to go this route? I mean they're both attractive enough to pull it off. joking

[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1414607816' post='2591320'] No offense taken. We are new to this side of the business. We all play in different wedding bands but none of us have ever managed anything before. I've played orchestra gigs on cruise ships, but never taken out a band to play in lounges but I do know what's out there and I do know that we're better than most that are out there in lounges. We're not a "showband" or "party band". We're looking for a more jazzy lounge than a lounge than a party band would play in. And yes, I'll have to agree on you about "look"and that the girls could look a bit more like entertainers rather than school teachers. [/quote] I have another question? When you say you want to have a "[i]couple of local gigs under your belt". [/i]I was thinking bar/club gigs. Is that what your looking for, if yes that could be tough because the band is not a bar/club band. And my question is, if you guys play weddings and you have played orchestra gigs on cruises, why do you want to go backwards in the gig food chain? A lot of us bar band guys would love to get cruise work but most can't. It's not a good match. I'm thinking you might want to contact some of the Supper Clubs that book the more jazzy lounge sound. Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1414605281' post='2591267'] Nope..they wouldn't go for that over here either.... It will get you into a few bar gigs but it wont get you out of them. Younger crowds want a bit more modern stuff. Gtr music would start around the 90's indie bands if you want 20 something crowds. And I agree you probably don't, mostly, but if you want to sell an event with around 1000 plus heads... which is going to have to cater for 20's 30's 40's and 50's age group you have to have an appealing across the board show for them. Younger kids aren't going to flock to an 80's band ...even less so a 70's band. They'll put up with the Stones and Stevie Wonder but will be more intune with The Killers.. [/quote] Here is our local guitar hero, the 20 somethings wouldn't have a clue or interests. And the most of the folks around here my age that appreciate the genre are to old and lazy to go out. If Im not gigging I'm still out there pstroning local bands and looking to turned on. No different then when I was 17 and I have no plans on stopping. I don't think Greg has much interest in doing bar gigs locally anymore. I don't blame him. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3dfVPWZOCE"]https://www.youtube....h?v=e3dfVPWZOCE[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrVWYFHg6N8"]https://www.youtube....h?v=XrVWYFHg6N8[/url] Blue

Scenes must be different over here. The clip is of one of our local guitar heroes. He opened for your Robin Trower when he was in town a few weeks ago. But I don't think Greg will do bar gigs anymore and i don't blame him. People weren't willing to come out. They will come out for the bands covering Katy Perry though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3dfVPWZOCE Blue