Shift work and bands

[charic]

I might have managed to land a job and should find out if I've got it later today with any luck

The shifts are 6-2 one week and 2-10 the next. In theory my band could just play gigs the weeks when im doing mornings which would suit me fine but I dont know if its unreasonable to ask them to do that. Also weekends are free aslong as I dont do overtime. My band had their first gig last night and it went great. I really dont want to stop playing with them just as things are kicking off.

So your thoughts on the subject?

Also I suppose once i know people their I might be able to shift swap?

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='charic' post='258127' date='Aug 8 2008, 02:13 PM']I might have managed to land a job and should find out if I've got it later today with any luck

The shifts are 6-2 one week and 2-10 the next. In theory my band could just play gigs the weeks when im doing mornings which would suit me fine but I dont know if its unreasonable to ask them to do that. Also weekends are free aslong as I dont do overtime. My band had their first gig last night and it went great. I really dont want to stop playing with them just as things are kicking off.

So your thoughts on the subject?

Also I suppose once i know people their I might be able to shift swap?[/quote]


Congrats on the gig mate! nicely done!

On the work note tho, have a good chat with 'em about it. We had a drummer who got a shift job and said me can only book gigs around him, which we grudgingly agreed to, but it was always a sore point...esp when he would have his shift pattern changed at short notice, leading to cancelling gigs, and turning down gigs that we could've done in the end etc etc

Don't presume that it'll be all cool with your band, but talk it out with 'em and I'm sure (if they're sound) you'll be able to work something out!

[Bilbo]

Depends how often you gig, whether you can dep some out, whether the gigs pay, whether you can get days off work to do the odd gig that clash with your shifts....

but, in a nutshell. yes it can be done.

[ped]

When I was at uni I used to finish at Safeway at 10 and normally had time to lash it home and get changed and get to the gig, but once I was late and had to rock it in my Safeway uniform hehe.

Don't worry mate, where there is a will, there is a way.

Good luck with the band, sounds exciting...

ped

[charic]

I dont think honestly we'll all be gigging that often tbh. We've only got a 25minute set at this moment in time. I know a couple of people who could probably dep for me if i taught them the songs. Also a lot of venues round here don't really pay unless you have your own pa. Which we dont at this moment in time. Only way we'll get cash is through the door IF enough people come through

[charic]

[quote name='ped' post='258143' date='Aug 8 2008, 02:21 PM']When I was at uni I used to finish at Safeway at 10 and normally had time to lash it home and get changed and get to the gig, but once I was late and had to rock it in my Safeway uniform hehe.

Don't worry mate, where there is a will, there is a way.

Good luck with the band, sounds exciting...

ped[/quote]

Thanks ped. The job is in a cleanroom environment so... i suppose i could go dressed as an astronaught

[ped]

Maybe that would work as a band image! Sounds cool mate, good luck.

ped

P.s most venues and bands will be flexible with the order of play, so you could play last if you are coming back from work etc. Give it at try and see how it goes.

[Dr.Dave]

In the dim and distant past when I figured that the 3 or 4 songs I could acually play entitled me to a Rolls Royce , a Mansion and the ability to snort coke off a mucky birds arse I actually gave up a job when I was put on shifts. I suspected at the time that it was a deliberate move on my form's part to put a stop to my playing - as they had done with another guy at the firm.

Shift work is a consideration long term if you're intending gigging to be a life choice. If you're talking a serious , rewarding career here though - and depending on commitments you will have to put gigging second.

Yes you can gig around shifts - even swap them etc but it won't be easy and it will come to a head at some point. If I had my time again I'd do the same thing , but that's just me - you have to decide what sort of life you want.

[charic]

Gigging is for my fun, my time and a hobby. I dont really see myself going professional to be honest (+ ive only been playing 2 years)

[Platypus]

Swapping shifts may work for you, when required. Depends what day of the week your talking about - if you want people to cover a Friday evening for you - you'll have more chance of being struck by lightning !. If on the other hand you’re looking for a Monday - Thursday swap AND you can offer to maybe occasionally cover a Friday evening for them, they'll think you a great guy

For people who work shifts Friday evening is King

Good luck

[charic]

Good plan that man!

Seeing as most gigs are thurs for some reason that sounds good. Fridays occasionally but if thats the case ill make sure i either get tonnes of notice or get in a dep

[beerdragon]

I work a three shift system. days, afternoons and nights. if i'n unlucky enough to get a gig falling on a friday evening when i'm on afternoons, and i usually know in advance when i'm gigging, i book a days holiday. as i say i have to let my firm know well in advance.

[joe_bass]

I used to do shifts anywhere from 8am to 10pm. The real bitch was say working 2-10pm & then having to be back in at 8am the next morning!!

People would normally be willing to swap shifts, only thing is once you've done it they will expect you to jump when they want to swap for some thing.

[Gamble]

I start a rotating shift pattern on Monday and I'm not happy about it, but I'm sure as hell not letting the bands down for work! We're going to have an official shift exchange scheme with forms to fill in and everything, and I might have just landed myself a job in a much smaller department - leaving about ONE person who I can actually ask to switch with me. I reckon it's going to be a chore, but I'm looking at it like this:

It's only every other week, I still have every Saturday night free and I should be able to take holiday if I can't shift-swap.

It wouldn't be such a bitter pill to swallow if we were getting a decent premium for working a rotating pattern, but we're getting stiffed with an extra 20% on any hours worked after 6pm (24 out of 78 hours). It's fkkking balls.

*off topic rant over*

It'll be alright Charic, as you've only just started gigging the band wont know it any other way so it shouldn't cause too much friction. Take the job, make all the time for the band that you can, and enjoy it! Good luck with it.

[charic]

Got the job! Im no longer a bum and im writing my resignation to co-op as we speak. My acg will be underway soon!

[Deep Thought]

I work 12 hour shifts (ambulance service). Fortunately the whole band are ambulance staff so in some ways I suppose it's easier for us-the drummer keeps the 'band diary' with everybody's shift patterns in it, so we know exactly when all three of us are going to be off at the same time. We've had to turn down gigs on occasion because of two or more of us working, but not too many, and we can usually wangle something to get one of us off if necessary. They're long shifts but thankfully we get a lot of time off as well. As seen in the 'Rehearsal time' thread, we do struggle to get enough rehearsal time and are forced to resort to a day or so once a month (if we're lucky!). Don't know how things would be if you're in a band with non-shift workers-it's a thing we've always avoided because we never thought it would work, but I suppose when there's a will there's a way.