JTUK Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1330190895' post='1553981'] There is a band round here like that - can't play to save their lives but nice guys who can mobilize lots of friends and family to pack out a couple of biggish local gigs in their part of town Local landlords love 'em as they will always sell a lot of beer, even if it is generally acknowledged that they aren't any good, but I don't think that they would want too many other bands like that otherwise they would drive a way their regulars who turn out to see better bands Of course this band only play regularly at these two venues as if they play out further away or even the other side of town they NEVER get rebooked! [/quote] Well, this band call themselves a function band..which I find incredible and they seem to rate themselves quite highly. Their pub set is dire in both choice and execution though and I don't think they alter it much for a function anyway.. I can understand the chummy songs being a matter of taste etc etc ... but the rest..!! As I say, I find it laughable. The guys are nice enough but it all puzzles me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1330286445' post='1555286'] big + 1 to this So many bands get caught up with the sound, technical ability, gear etc and forget that they are there to provide entertainment. 99% of punters don't care about your amp or strings or if you know every scale or some super duper chops. Its taken me about 20 years to realise this [/quote] Playing songs [pretty well can be entertainment in itself...but it is also true that most of the more popular bands round here have frontmen as opposed to singers. Personally, if a person can't sing and screeches everything, I can easily do without that all night.but that is what you get. I don't really care if he thinks he is the DB's and has the audience eating out their hands. I agree that that in itself is a art..but at the local level, you very very rarely get a frontman who is very charistmatic AND can sing. Give me a tune and a singer anyday rather than a screech anthem. Having said that ..there are two excellent vox about and they play in the same pick-up band, mostly. How galling is that..?? . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1330288547' post='1555331'] If - indeed - there [i]is[/i] anything else going down onstage. God knows, at worst punters are used to things like the telly where the entertainment is - again at worst - professional. So they walk into a boozer and see a clutch of pudgy middle-aged men, one of whom is wearing an inappropriate hat, while another sports a lurid shirt. 'The Band' kicks off a hideous row and stop 3 minutes later to an embarrassed silence. 'Hello' says the frontman and dabs his forehead nervously. Songs you've heard a million times stumble around before collapsing into each other in a welter of panicky glances, weak jokes and muffed intros. After half an hour, the noise subsides and someone says "We'll be back in ten minutes". I mean, is that like - a threat - or what? 'The Band' edges six inches away from the bit of carpet that denotes the performance area and stand around in abashed silence. Someone's brother-in-law laughs. No-one knows why. The second set is no different from the first except that a number of 'regulars' have sidled quietly into the other bar where they are pulling exaggerated faces and sticking their fingers in their ears. As the final climactic chord dies away, a cymbal stand falls over. The scowling drummer rushes outside, where he can be heard slagging off the guitarist in a loud voice. "Dear God, we should be paying the audience" says the bass player. He is right. [/quote] EGAD Skank! You went to our last gig? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1330327165' post='1555610'] Playing songs [pretty well can be entertainment in itself...but it is also true that most of the more popular bands round here have frontmen as opposed to singers. Personally, if a person can't sing and screeches everything, I can easily do without that all night.but that is what you get. I don't really care if he thinks he is the DB's and has the audience eating out their hands. I agree that that in itself is a art..but at the local level, you very very rarely get a frontman who is very charistmatic AND can sing. Give me a tune and a singer anyday rather than a screech anthem. Having said that ..there are two excellent vox about and they play in the same pick-up band, mostly. How galling is that..?? . [/quote] Trouble is that being a muso makes it hard to see things through the eyes of the punter. We forget what its like even though we are punters ourselves. On another note i see you are "Down South". How far south are you? Dorset? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1330339237' post='1555776'] Trouble is that being a muso makes it hard to see things through the eyes of the punter. We forget what its like even though we are punters ourselves. On another note i see you are "Down South". How far south are you? Dorset? [/quote] I am in Kent. I think we are all punters if we go and see a band so my observations are what they are If that means a bunch of musos come to see you and run their rule criteria over you then so be it. And anyway.. I can only view this the way it makes sense to me... I can't let a band off just because I might look at things differently from anyone else. but by the same token I can lighten up and enjoy an event for whatever reason it appeals Generally, though, I am quite a hard person to please in this musical regard and apply this to myself and other others in the band. Has caused a few rucks I can tell you, but I do it to make us better, that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairyhaw Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1330339237' post='1555776'] Trouble is that being a muso makes it hard to see things through the eyes of the punter. We forget what its like even though we are punters ourselves.[/quote] Well, that's it exactly. When punters talk, they often want to talk songs (in the mistaken belief that because I played a Killers song, I own the entire back catalogue) or they want to know when we're next playing. To be pretty blunt about it, a lot of people that chat to me at gigs can't even make the distinction between a bass guitar or an electric guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='hairyhaw' timestamp='1330355394' post='1556072'] Well, that's it exactly. When punters talk, they often want to talk songs (in the mistaken belief that because I played a Killers song, I own the entire back catalogue) or they want to know when we're next playing. To be pretty blunt about it, a lot of people that chat to me at gigs can't even make the distinction between a bass guitar or an electric guitar. [/quote] But does it matter whether they know the difference between a guitar and a bass? The important thing is did they enjoy the band and will they come and see you play again (and buy some merchandise if you have any)? IMO other musicians make the poorest audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) There's a couple of local bands I've seen that seem to be "entertaining", judging by the number of younger and older women who are happy to dance themselves to death in front of them. The formula for this appears to be a) get a youngish, reasonably good looking front man (ie male) with a forceful, but not too aggressive delivery b.) play "My Sex is On Fire" and as many other songs that sound like that as you can c) all look like you're enjoying it. Admittedly there are other models, running around in mid-calf shorts with your top off being one, but for us almost-pensioners that's not an option either. Edited February 27, 2012 by spinynorman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairyhaw Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1330359714' post='1556196'] But does it matter whether they know the difference between a guitar and a bass? The important thing is did they enjoy the band and will they come and see you play again (and buy some merchandise if you have any)? IMO other musicians make the poorest audience. [/quote] Yeah, that's basically my point - muso's are a minority in most audiences. Everyone else is there to hear music, and they don't really give a hoot how it's made either. Its a bit like cars really - some get really excited about engines, tyres etc while most people don't care as long as it looks acceptable and does the job its designed for. Not the best analogy, but there you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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