Stylon Pilson Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1413410367' post='2578100'] Once you agree to do it you have to commit to doing the best for the charity. I would not be too bothered if we only ended playing ten minutes if the overall event was a success. In this case I would do it with good grace to humour the band leader, but take an absolute minimum of gear and make the point that if you do any similar gigs in the future then at least they must be properly organised… [/quote] Oh, don't get me wrong, when it comes to the gig I'll be a consummate professional. I would never be anything less. I just feel like we're being valued more for the equipment we're providing, than as musicians, and the other band members are willing going along with this. In my mind, you have to value yourself before other people will start taking you seriously. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I have and Do play some Charity stuff, but it is NEVER where a bar is taking money and potting it and expecting me to play for free . I have seen with my own eyes one of the letters sent to landlords about organising "charity nights" and soliciting bands to play, it even had a list of charities that supply free material for the promotion by post and was listed as a "zero cost opportunity" . It had example takings from other nights at pubs of around £3-7K region. I have no doubt the charity involved gets a few quid for just sending some posters out from raffle tickets and donated auction stuff, but the real scope is to make money by selling beer. Hence why they are usually in a[b] pub with a bar.[/b] Not in a church hall selling drinks with a temporary licence and all profits to the charity to raise money to buy a wheel chair for a local kid or something, for those are the kind of things I have no problem giving my time up for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I await the update after the gig.... but the thing that worries me is, none of the bands can supply anything..?? what sort of bands are you going on with... they sound like they'll chase people away ..? And in your dealings with the 'promoter'..do you get the feeling he us doing it FOR the charity or is that a smokescreen for 'himself'..?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1413451469' post='2578304'] I await the update after the gig.... but the thing that worries me is, none of the bands can supply anything..?? what sort of bands are you going on with... they sound like they'll chase people away ..? [/quote] It's an interesting question. I don't know much about most of the bands, however the bill does have one very big draw on it - the frontmen from two very well known former local groups are doing a one-off collaboration. Don't know whether they've got a full backing band or if they're just doing something acoustic. So they'll certainly pull in a fair number of punters. [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1413451469' post='2578304'] And in your dealings with the 'promoter'..do you get the feeling he us doing it FOR the charity or is that a smokescreen for 'himself'..?? [/quote] Haven't had any personal contact, but if I had to guess then I think that she's genuinely doing it for the charity, but she's inexperienced. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 ah.... the promoter is a 'she'... Yep...your band leader is trying to get into her knickers ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL POSTERS Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Whats will happen is you will be thanked for the use of your kit, and as these things always run out of time you will be cut, or cut short. You could insist that if time is short one of the others is cut. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 [quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1413456622' post='2578364'] Whats will happen is you will be thanked for the use of your kit, and as these things always run out of time you will be cut, or cut short. You could insist that if time is short one of the others is cut. [/quote] I've already mentioned the likelihood of this to the band, and the band leader's response was of the "que sera, sera" ilk. I was hoping that the drummer or guitarist would pile onto that, saying "hang on, I'm providing my gear for the night, what gives you the right to say (on my behalf) that it doesn't matter whether we play or not" but disappointingly they've been quiet. If they're perfectly content to just sit and watch other bands, then we could have saved a lot of money, time and effort. What a strange band I've found myself in. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1413454770' post='2578347'] ah.... the promoter is a 'she'... Yep...your band leader is trying to get into her knickers ... [/quote] There is probably a lot of truth in that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 So, here's how it went. Turned up with just my bass + leads in a gig bag, my amp in a bag over my shoulder. Very liberating, to travel so light! Started talking to the sound guy, and he was utterly perplexed at the concept of me not having a cab on stage. I talked to him for a few minutes about just needing the mids and highs in the monitors, because the lows would radiate back from the FOH, but he still didn't seem comfortable so I nipped out to the car to bring in my cab (which I'd stashed in the boot just in case the monitors were weedy). I'm not in the business of making sound guys resent me. Sound check sounded great, we then went to a nearby pub for dinner and a pint, and made it back in time for the first band (starting at 8). By 10 there's a really healthy crowd in there, I'd guess 200-300, and we've all got our fingers crossed that they're still there in an hour's time. The show's running about 10 minutes late, which is much better than I'd been expecting. The band that have just gone on are awesome, they play their full set and it's ace. The penultimate band then come on, and they're pretty bad. You know how there are some bands where they make your ears bleed, but you can tell that they're actually competent musicians and if they just turned the volume down then they'd be pretty good? These lads were just awful. They'd brought a fairly enthusiastic and decent-sized entourage, and the crowd soon divides into their friends who are down the front pushing each other around in the mosh pit, and everyone else in the room who is gradually moving towards the back of the room and out of the door. The organiser cuts their set 10 minutes short, but by then the overall crowd is looking distinctly less healthy. Admittedly it's quarter to eleven by now, so you'd expect people to start going home anyway. Anyway, that band finish, pack up, go home, and take all their friends with them. We go on at our allotted slot of 10:55. As far as I can see, none of the other bands are still there. We give it all we've got, make sure that the 20-30 people who are still there get an great show. I get home at about quarter past midnight but can't get to sleep until half one. So, in conclusion: my prediction of getting our set cut short, or cut entirely, turned out to be false. However, our prediction of having no audience left by 11pm was entirely correct. Not even the other bands, who'd happily used our equipment, could be bothered to stay around that late. Would I do it again? Hard to say. It was a good gig, and we all enjoyed it, but I'm not sure if the reward justifies an entire evening of hanging around. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Just think of it in terms of having built up a store of psitive karma and you will get your rewards in heaven! More importantly, did the frontman get laid?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I would be pissed off not getting the best slot if it was because of us that the whole thing worked as well as it did..i,e provide all the gear. I understand it is very hard to predict when that best slot will be on any given bill, but doubley galling that the other bands could not be bothered to support you the way you supported them. This is a common and ugly trait from a lot of muso's, I find. However, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, by the sound of it... but use this as a lesson not to get involved on those terms again. The first thing is to see what the rest of your band thought and then devise some sort of strategy about what YOU get out of it next time.. if you agree to a next time..!!! 1st rule..if you are a KEY part of the gig..then you get a KEY role/choice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1413533705' post='2579147'] Just think of it in terms of having built up a store of psitive karma and you will get your rewards in heaven! [/quote] Pffffffft. [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1413533705' post='2579147'] More importantly, did the frontman get laid?? [/quote] Nah, there was one point where I saw the promoter cosying up to some guy in a way that suggested they had a long-term relationship, so I reckon that the frontman never had a chance. Unless he's playing the long game. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1413534021' post='2579152'] I would be pissed off not getting the best slot if it was because of us that the whole thing worked as well as it did..i,e provide all the gear. I understand it is very hard to predict when that best slot will be on any given bill, but doubley galling that the other bands could not be bothered to support you the way you supported them. This is a common and ugly trait from a lot of muso's, I find. However, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, by the sound of it... but use this as a lesson not to get involved on those terms again. The first thing is to see what the rest of your band thought and then devise some sort of strategy about what YOU get out of it next time.. if you agree to a next time..!!! 1st rule..if you are a KEY part of the gig..then you get a KEY role/choice... [/quote] Yep, you've pretty much taken the words out of my mouth. I think that my bandmates will probably initially focus on the fact that we did play a good set, which is all well and good, but I'm definitely going to raise the issue that our actions caused us to miss out on an opportunity to play to a crowd of 10 times the size. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 (edited) [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1413534021' post='2579152'] I would be pissed off not getting the best slot if it was because of us that the whole thing worked as well as it did..i,e provide all the gear. I understand it is very hard to predict when that best slot will be on any given bill, but doubley galling that the other bands could not be bothered to support you the way you supported them. This is a common and ugly trait from a lot of muso's, I find. However, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, by the sound of it... but use this as a lesson not to get involved on those terms again. The first thing is to see what the rest of your band thought and then devise some sort of strategy about what YOU get out of it next time.. if you agree to a next time..!!! 1st rule..if you are a KEY part of the gig..then you get a KEY role/choice... [/quote] OR... you could take the view that the event is not about you but trying to raise a few quid for charity! It seems to me that this been organised by a girl with good intentions who has enlisted the help of a friend who plays in a band to make it happen. This friend has then recruited his band to help out. I don't see anything wrong with that and the rest of the band (with the exception of the OP) seem to have been happy to indulge a mate and help out. It makes sense to give the best slot to those acts that can pull the most people. If the OP's band were the biggest draw then more people would have stayed for their set. Of course it would have helped if the main bands had got into the spirit of the thing and hung around to show their support! Overall, it seems like the event was a success and the OP should be pleased that he contributed to this... Edited October 17, 2014 by peteb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1413533229' post='2579141'] So, here's how it went... ... [/quote] Well done, SP, for going through with it and contributing to a good evening for more than some, with your own band, but also by aiding the others. Kudos, you can rightly feel proud. If it didn't go down quite as badly as it could have, I would say that the glass is slightly more than half-full, no..? Thanks, too, for sharing all of this, including the run-down of how the evening went. Have a 'Like..!', lad, and a big hand... [size=4][/size] Edited October 17, 2014 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1413534742' post='2579158'] OR... you could take the view that the event is not about you but trying to raise a few quid for charity! [/quote] Indeed it is...but they wanted a favour and a bit of a one sided one at that as far as I could see..and more to the point, so did the OP, it appears. As i said... the band needs to review the outcome and decide if they can learn next time. I know how I would have approached the request... so as long as the OP's band agrees next time all is ok. But, one of them was obviously not convinced otherwise we wouldn't have had this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1413534742' post='2579158'] Overall, it seems like the event was a success and the OP should be pleased that he contributed to this... [/quote] Oh yes, don't get me wrong, I'm mostly happy with how the evening went down. It's just very disappointing when the place is packed out mid-evening, and a (relative) graveyard by the time our slot came around. It makes me question what value we brought to the evening? Our equipment was obviously instrumental to making the evening a success, but how did we contribute as musicians? Due to the way that the evening was organised, very few people got to enjoy our awesome set! [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1413534742' post='2579158'] It makes sense to give the best slot to those acts that can pull the most people. If the OP's band were the biggest draw then more people would have stayed for their set. [/quote] Well, that's why I always felt that the old way of doing things was the best - put the main draw on last, so that everyone stays to the end. I'd much rather go on early to a small crowd, than last thing. [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1413535506' post='2579170'] If it didn't go down quite as badly as it could have, I would say that the glass is slightly more than half-full, no..? [/quote] Heh, you seem hell-bent on persuading me to abandon my career of pessimism and join you on the light side. It'll never work. But no, you're right that my posts from yesterday do seem a bit negative in the light of what actually went down. They don't tell the whole story though. While I spent most of yesterday preparing for the worst, once I was in the car on the way to the gig, my mood did shift to something more like "this is happening, let's make it the best it can be." I wouldn't want to ever go into a gig with anything less, because that positivity translates into smiles and energy which then becomes a good show for the crowd. I'd never let bad vibes leak onto the stage. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Reading through this it seems like another text book case of headline slot fever. Many people who play in bands come over all unnecessary when told they are playing last, the mythical 'headline slot'. Especially on a good line up. Hearts leap over heads and suddenly you are the best band playing. Sadly for these local level gigs, be it charity or paid the situation is often the same as OP's, everyone buggers off before the last band, even the bands who played before. When I promoted I ALWAYS put my own band on bang in the middle, that's the true headline slot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='throwoff' timestamp='1413536253' post='2579181'] Reading through this it seems like another text book case of headline slot fever. [/quote] Not really. The running order was only announced a few days ago. Straight away we all knew that the last slot was the worst. But the band leader should have immediately said "hang on, we're contributing a lot to make this night work, that won't do." In fact, we should have anticipated this sooner - when the promoter asked us to bring the drum kit, when we were already bringing a bass amp, we should have said "okay, but in return we get to choose what time we play. Deal?" And THAT is what I will suggest we do next time. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I agree that the last slot is frequently not not the best attended, but in this case it was a charity event, not a musical showcase for bands. Notwithstanding all the arguments about whether to do such an event, if it is decided that you will then fighting over 'the best' slot starts to seem a bit Prima Donna-ish. Chances are that few people go along to small charity events to see a specific band anyway, and the fact that most of them drift off home before the 'headline' slot is all the proof you need that the specific bands are usually incidental to the overall proceedings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1413536074' post='2579180']...once I was in the car on the way to the gig, my mood did shift to something more like "this is happening, let's make it the best it can be." I wouldn't want to ever go into a gig with anything less, because that positivity translates into smiles and energy which then becomes a good show for the crowd. I'd never let bad vibes leak onto the stage... [/quote] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:167485] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 At least the bar till, was ringing up the beer sales... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1413537417' post='2579194'] I agree that the last slot is frequently not not the best attended, but in this case it was a charity event, not a musical showcase for bands. Notwithstanding all the arguments about whether to do such an event, if it is decided that you will then fighting over 'the best' slot starts to seem a bit Prima Donna-ish. [b]Chances are that few people go along to small charity events to see a specific band anyway[/b], and the fact that most of them drift off home before the 'headline' slot is all the proof you need that the specific bands are usually incidental to the overall proceedings. [/quote] Apparently they did...as they all went home after the biggest draw..?? I think a drawing band is pretty important if you want to get a decent attendence and iirc, 200-300 is decent. You have to commend the effort involved but I see no problem that the band doing the most 'work/involvement gets the favour back. Not wishing to derail further, but I think choosing the slot quite a reasonable request considering all the other bands seemed to do is turn up and go home when they felt like it leaving the OP's band to set up, provide kit and break-down it all. Anyway...doesn't much matter what I think or would do, until they ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Did everyone thank you? The lack of thanks has been instrumental in me never playing another charity gig. And what Spacey said but lets not go there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1413554279' post='2579493'] Did everyone thank you? The lack of thanks has been instrumental in me never playing another charity gig. [/quote] Me, personally? No. But I'm going to assume that they thanked the frontman as appropriate. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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