Why do we gig?

[Conan]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1363608086' post='2014572']
Never been in a band that was paid before playing nor played a venue where that was the common practice with other bands.
[/quote]

Me neither, but I can certainly see the value in it! Saves all that embarrassed hanging around at the end of the night when all the staff are telling all your mates to f*** off home but strangely are too busy washing glasses when you ask for your wages...

[Clarebear68]

I had a feeling starting this topic might stir up some heated but friendly debate - it's great to see so many people passionate about what we do.

I'm happy to admit that having had a break of ten years between gigs and two of the band never having played gigs before; we were probably too eager to get more gigs under our belts than to think through what recompense we were getting for filling two venues.

However, the reason I named the topic 'why do we gig' was to see what people's opinions were - how much do we do it to make money or is it just a bonus to doing something we love? I guess it's the old amateur v pro question. I know I really enjoyed both gigs but not getting anything for doing them made it a bittersweet experience. I also appreciate that if we all took not being paid for gigs lightly, the bar owners would stop paying everyone (don't you just love Capitalism ).

Incidentally, being based around Manchester and West Yorkshire... Is anyone around here getting £200+ for gigs (this seems to be the benchmark looking at all the posts)? I've spoken to a couple of other bands I know around here and they were saying they were struggling to get that much and and gig regularly.

[swanbrook]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1363608086' post='2014572']
Never been in a band that was paid before playing nor played a venue where that was the common practice with other bands.
[/quote]

I once got a cheque that bounced and took 3 weeks to get sorted. So about 5 years ago changed to this way and have never had anybody question it.

My band is run as a business and as long as all this is up front then nobody has a problem with it.
It's in the terms and conditions of the booking form. I had one guy who said he would only pay by cheque on the night and no other way so I diddnt take the booking.

But it's a method that works for every band no matter how big or small.

What's worse playing a gig and going home with no money for it or not playing and having a night off ?

If you doing the odd gig just for the love of it and the money doesn't bother you then this doesn't apply.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Clarebear68' timestamp='1363539576' post='2013803']
We play covers - although we do change them quite a bit.

We did an hour and forty minutes last night as well - so they can't complain they wouldn't get their money's worth!
[/quote]

If you're playing covers you need to be getting paid. For originals it's a bit more flexible depending upon circumstances, but once you've got to the point where your band is the main attraction of the evening you should be getting paid too.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1363613796' post='2014727']
If you're playing covers you need to be getting paid.
[/quote]

No, you don't [u]need[/u] to.

I enjoy sailing, but I don't expect my friends to pay me when I take them out for a day.

If sailing was an important source of income for me then it might be different, and I'd probably only hire out my boat and not bother sailing at all if I wasn't being paid, but since I do it purely for enjoyment then I'm just happy to be out there with the wind in my hair. Same with music and gigging. Same with loads of other things.

I can't really see the problem here, apart from some people telling other people what they should or should not be doing.

[JTUK]

It has to be a very special date for me not to think about the money.
I don't say that I NEED the money but I expect the money to be right 99% of the time.

If I get calls from band leaders, the first question I ask is what is the money, where is it and who is the band...as that pretty much determines everything else.

[discreet]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1363616615' post='2014770']
I can't really see the problem here, apart from some people telling other people what they should or should not be doing.
[size=4][/quote][/size]
[size=4]As you say, i[/size][size=4]t's more about whether you regard gigging as business or pleasure. I wouldn't play covers without getting paid, that's business. Mind you, I'd be reluctant to play originals without getting paid too, but that is more pleasurable and I don't actually [/size][i]need [/i][size=4]paying - as long as there is some other advantage in doing it, i.e. it's a showcase gig, and so on.[/size]

If I'm not actually out of pocket and there was a good reason for gigging, then I'm happy.
I won't play just for the hell of it, though.

Edited March 18, 2013 by discreet

[flyfisher]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1363617276' post='2014779']
[/size]
I won't play just for the hell of it, though.
[/quote]

Nor will I. The moment I don't fancy it, I won't do it. So you won't find me traipsing up and down motorways for a gig because that would spoil my enjoyment.

Still, each to their own, horses for courses and all that - it's when people start telling others how they 'should' run a band that irks me.

[Jack]

I can understand some of this 'if you're paying covers you should be being paid' is simply because if there were enough good people playing for free nobody would pay the rest of us to do it. To specifically answer the question: I gig because I enjoy it and so that I can spend ridiculous amounts on gear and not feel guilty. As long as it's money I've earned from gigging who can complain?

[swanbrook]

Who told who how to run a band,Did I miss that post ?
I said how I run my band and stated that the same rules "can" apply to most other bands. I dont remember any body else telling how we should run a band either.

We had the debate about the gigging for free not too long ago do we really need to do it again.

[cheddatom]

Some bands I love so much I happily play for nothing. Other bands i'd find it hard to keep turning up if there was no money. Some are like pure passion, others are like a job.

So, it depends why you're playing the music!

[Dr.Dave]

I gig for one reason - so that for a couple of hours I can feel like a creator and not a consumer.

Like some sort of part-time fountainhead !

[Low End Bee]

Why do I gig?

My ego likes a little stroke now and then.
It's generally fun.
I get to meet other people who are passionate about music.

[bremen]

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1363536433' post='2013755']
The 'why do we need to perform live?' Q puzzled me for years until I heard the great Rabbath explain. He says the adrenalin slows down time, so you have forever to form each note, and that's a very special thing.

Spot on. No amount of rehearsal gets that adrenalin going. You have to have an audience.
[/quote]

Love it, never thought of it that way before.

[Lynottfan]

I love to gig, have been fortunate to have played some very big gigs, flip side, played to only two people once, the love of playing in any form for me has never stopped, the worst feeling about gigging for me is when it has cost you a lot of money to play, sadly with the way the pubs etc are going the amount of venues that will offer you a set fee are dwindling, its pretty rough out there for halfway decent paying gigs at moment imho.

[tauzero]

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1363536433' post='2013755']
The 'why do we need to perform live?' Q puzzled me for years until I heard the great Rabbath explain. He says the adrenalin slows down time, so you have forever to form each note, and that's a very special thing.[/quote]

Don't forget the great universe of choices opening up before you with each note. I really should try and choose the right one a bit more often, given the amount of time I have to think about it.

[lojo]

I gig for similar reasons to why I still play football at 44, I love it .

Being in the moment, under pressure to focus and do the right thing, there is no clutter in my mind when I am doing these things, unlike when I do eveything else, including relaxing.

The buzz of getting it right, of a crowd enjoying it and dancing, and the comradary / social side

As for money, I'm fortunate enough to have got it for most gigs I've done in recent years, making it a self financing hobby, but it's not the main movitivation.

[xgsjx]

I gig because I love playing. I won't play for nowt unless there is a good reason (such as arranging to do a charity event).
In my last band we always arranged payment before the gig.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1363633167' post='2015078']
I gig because I love playing. I won't play for nowt unless there is a good reason
[/quote]

That sounds like a bit of a conflict.

I also gig because I love playing . . . . so much so that money doesn't come into it.

[steven gayle]

I've been looking at this post and all the very valid arguments about 'Why we gig'. Is it for love; Is it for money; is it for the love of money?

I must admit that after going through the stress of rehersals; getting to the gig; making sure youv'e got everything and that you get a good sound - getting a little change' can reallly make you feel good inside and valued...[b]but[/b] I'd do it all anyway for nothing ..oops I meant to say as long as I'm not out of pocket.
Lets face, gigging is a naturally progression for us bassie's. I can play by myself and or jam with a friend but,for me, its only in a band where we find expression. Its only in that environment that we can do our job - to outline and support the chords and provide the rhythm for what everyone else is playing.
I'm not a professional musician, so I'm not dependant on getting paid to play. I can well understand the conerns and viewpoints of those people who are and so depend on getting a fair whack and some respect for their efforts; but that different from having a day job and gigging 'on the side'.

I'm on the same wavelength as Dr Dave and Low End Bee - music is a passion 'and when it hits, you feel no pain'

[steven gayle]

lojo's got it right

[steven gayle]

and Flyfisher

[xgsjx]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1363634358' post='2015103']
That sounds like a bit of a conflict.

I also gig because I love playing . . . . so much so that money doesn't come into it.
[/quote]

No conflict. If it's a pub/club & the organisers are making money, I want paid.
If it's a free event & no one is gaining money (usually charity events), then I'll play for free as we might gain a bit extra publicity too & maybe get paid gigs on the back of it.

It's not my main occupation & the band is just about to start (never had a jam yet with the new line up & all 5 of us are meeting just for a band discussion on Wednesday, so we have no songs written in full as yet).
It's an originals acid jazz/house/breakbeat band with possibly a couple of unusual covers, so I expect the first couple of gigs to be low paid. Though I do have a couple of friends who own or run venues that will give us paid gigs without hearing us (based on hearing previous bands I've been in) & there's some festivals locally that we can use to boost publicity. But once we have a name & a couple of gigs under our belt, I'd not step in a pub for less than £250.

[bagsieblue]

........for those of us on the other side of the gigging fence.

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/202818-why-do-we-not-gig/