fretmeister Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Bar staff and a couple of people who couldnt get in to see Van Morrison round the corner. So, 3, but none of them wanted to be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 IIRC The Police got their deal, because they decided to play when only 3 people had turned up. One of them was the A&R guy who signed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou24d53 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) Hahaha, this thread has actually made me feel good about our audience of 9 last night! ***Metal note, for ticket selling gigs, make sure those who come out with the "I'll get a ticket off you on the night", actually do buy one beforehand - schoolboy error*** This actually reminds me of when a previous band I was in played Rockers in Glasgow, we were the last band to go on and at 11.45pm, even the three who had turned up to see us had decided to call it a night before that. We ended up playing to an audience of one, as well as the owner, two bar staff - who were by now sweeping up and cleaning the venue - and two bouncers - which is a joke in itself!! To make matters worse, there were actually five American guys who ventured in - by choice! - paid their £5.00 entry only to leave after a single pint due to our drunken a$$hole of a singer giving them the 'Dubya' Bush and the "United States of Texas" patter. Still vividly remember them flipping the finger at us on the way out! Not surprisingly, I think that might have actually been our last gig with that twat of a singer!! One of the bouncers did say we were easily the best band of the night though, so every cloud...... Edited June 16, 2014 by lou24d53 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinson Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Once did a tour with Muse (Get me), on a few of the nights it was us watching them and vice versa. Bet they're glad they kept plugging away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 In my early bands we often played to just the other bands and their girlfriends... No excuses here though, the reason no-one came was because we were sh*te... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogHammer Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Played to a few empty rooms/bars/pubs. Its pretty disheartening. We wont play a gig if a world cup game is planned to be on. Its hard enough as an originals outfit trying to get people to come to your gigs let alone when the kickball is in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 [quote name='DogHammer' timestamp='1402917798' post='2477795'] Played to a few empty rooms/bars/pubs. Its pretty disheartening. We wont play a gig if a world cup game is planned to be on. Its hard enough as an originals outfit trying to get people to come to your gigs let alone when the kickball is in the way. [/quote] I once played whilst people were trying to watch Doc Martin which was on the TV above us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Saturday night gig was a turnout disaster for us, about 20 people in all, everyone else in the world being sat on Brighton beach watching footie on the enormous screen they put up. Still those twenty people enjoyed it, the organisers apologised, but what can you do, the punters wont come if there is footie on, last gig we managed to snare a huge footie crowd and getting them right into it, so you win some lose some I guess. Damned hard playing to a virtually empty room though, the lack of feedback and what have you just saps your energy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I've played to 3 people before: the bride, the groom & the maid of honour. Not the most pleasant of atmospheres, I must admit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 [quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1402918096' post='2477801'] I once played whilst people were trying to watch Doc Martin which was on the TV above us. [/quote] Found a picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) I was once in a band where we were basically given the option of cutting the second set short as there were so few punters in and I asked a couple of mates to come along too! TBH until we got the booking I wasn't even aware that they did gigs at that venue on a Sunday, notorious graveyard shift after having good bands on the previous two nights. The band had already decided to fold anyway so we weren't looking for another date in any case and had considered cancelling it. No idea what the head count was, its a reasonably big venue with lots of areas you can't see from the stage, doubt whether it got much into double figures though excluding staff. Edited June 16, 2014 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 [quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1402919661' post='2477832'] Found a picture [/quote] More importantly where's your cape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomjbass Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Played to a micro-audience quite a few times, the best one though was the barmaid, promoter/owner and sound guy - on a rainy Thursday night in Accrington. No other bands on either...I guess we had one person there but she was the guitar player's girlfriend and the only reason she was there was 'cause she drove him around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 October 2012 found us playing to a dog. Not even one man and a dog. The man stayed outside to have a fag. Luckily enough, this was one of our earliest gigs with a photographer (Bluejay) so we even have evidence: [URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Performance/121012%20The%20Old%20Ford/JDTheOldFord34.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Performance/121012%20The%20Old%20Ford/JDTheOldFord34.jpg[/IMG][/URL] In the interests of fairness, I should point out that dog was almost as entertaining as we were. It picked up a beer mat from a low table, tossed it in the air, caught it, threw it away, chased it, worried it, destroyed it, then started all over ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Maybe it was the dog on the bass drum that frightened him off!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigash Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 We played at a local football club the day they were playing at the other end of the country. 6 people turned up. We ended up introduciong the crowd to the band as it would be quicker. To their credit they stayed all night and danced When we were packing up 2 Bus loads turned up and demanded that we set up again and played The Manager was very apologetic and said he would book us again on a Bank holiday Sunday as it's always packed then. The only problem was the August Bank holiday is not a Bank holiday in Scotland and only 12 turned up. We have'nt heard from them again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Gig in the wee folk club in Edinburgh on Sunday evening started with three punters, went up to seven and finished with the original 3 again!! A combination of the World Cup and a Sunday afternoon/ evening with nice weather (unusual to say the least for us) meant that most stayed at home. Was a great gig though, the few who attended really enjoyed it, we got paid and are asked back in August so all in all, well worth doing it. Cheers Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Once played in a place the size of a barn - a big barn! - in Corby to a crowd of one lunatic who spent the whole gig on the dance floor movin' to the music. He was having a great time! We did get paid but we didn't get asked back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leen2112 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I'm now really not looking forward to our Monday night gig in Edinburgh bannermans....the place is normally quiet on weekdays but footie and pay on the door Mondays do not work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 We were booked to play a Xmas party for a local surf club. The party started at 9pm but the surfers had all gone out drinking at midday and none of them made it to the venue. We ended up playing to the bar staff and helping ourselves to the free food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL POSTERS Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Years ago played an engagement party where the happy couple had split up earlier in the day. We had already been paid so we got on with it. People turned up, but then left when they were told it was off. So it was a sort of shifting audience of ones and twos walking in and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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