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For Those Looking For A Gigging Band


Bluewine

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Wasn't this made a few weeks back?

For me it's all about the music and the people first. Start with great musicians, become a family over time, enjoy playing together songs everyone likes - result: a booked agenda earning good money playing for packed venues. For me this is the natural order of things. My band doesn't aim to play every day or every weekend, if we wanted we could but that would involve lowering our price. We leave the house only for a fair pay and enjoy ourselves everytime.

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5 hours ago, mikel said:

There is obviously a huge difference between bar/pub bands in the US and ones in Britain.

To my understanding the difference is our bars are all located in business zones while your Pubs can be located in residential zones. 

We play 4 hours while Pub gigs are 2 hours.

Blue

 

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3 hours ago, Bluewine said:

Yes they are, however I recommend for anyone looking for a consistently gigging band to avoid them.

Blue

Some of the best musicians I have encountered have been a bit "flakey". They can be infuriating at times, but the reward for putting up with it can be musically (and financially) very rewarding. I've also met plenty who talk a good fight and are well organised, but who cannot cut it musically. It's a compromise. I, for example, am together, own an expensive PA and tend to end up organising things. However, I'd be the first to admit that I'm musically pretty ordinary. Each of us plays to our strengths. In any band, you need a mixture of all types - some who are musically inspired and some who can take care of business. 

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4 hours ago, Bluewine said:

I'm not sure about that Dan.

This thread is specifically about  the plight of anyone looking for a gigging band and things you might want to consider when evaluating bands.

This thread is not about me or who is or isn't entitled to play music or why we play music.

Blue

I'd say it's very much about you. You post it, or variations on it, quite regularly.

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9 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

I empathise with Blue, as someone in a band that plays stuff for money, and am very glad he posts topics like this that glean a lot of different responses.

For sure there are those who play purely for fun, and that's the other end of the spectrum. 

For Those Looking for a " For Fun" Band would be a very good thread. 

Blue

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36 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

I'd say it's very much about you. You post it, or variations on it, quite regularly.

And I'd say it's not about me at all.

There might be a few personal references I use for examples or to justify a position. But the thread is clearly not about me.

The CD promotion was off topic, a mere side note.

Blue

Edited by Bluewine
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53 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

Some of the best musicians I have encountered have been a bit "flakey". They can be infuriating at times, but the reward for putting up with it can be musically (and financially) very rewarding. I've also met plenty who talk a good fight and are well organised, but who cannot cut it musically. It's a compromise. I, for example, am together, own an expensive PA and tend to end up organising things. However, I'd be the first to admit that I'm musically pretty ordinary. Each of us plays to our strengths. In any band, you need a mixture of all types - some who are musically inspired and some who can take care of business. 

We might be talking about different levels of flakes. The level I'm talking, I'd never play in a band with or recommend anyone to, no matter how great a musician they are. I wouldn't even allow these types to step foot into my home let alone play with them.

Playing in a band with even one flake can take the enjoyment out of the band experience.

By the way, I'm probably the most average bass player on Bass Chat. My strength is the ability to work with others as a part of a team. And another strength is knowing when and how to keep my mouth shut.

Blue

Edited by Bluewine
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3 hours ago, Wolverinebass said:

Maybe one day Blue will leave his current band and we won't see these threads every 2 months and he'll be a regular poster in Jack's "auditions in hell" thread instead.

I understand and know the area I live in as well as what realistic opportunity there is for me.

When my band folds, I'm done. I won't be auditioning for anyone.

Blue

Edited by Bluewine
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5 hours ago, Ghost_Bass said:

Wasn't this made a few weeks back?

For me it's all about the music and the people first. Start with great musicians, become a family over time, enjoy playing together songs everyone likes - result: a booked agenda earning good money playing for packed venues. For me this is the natural order of things. My band doesn't aim to play every day or every weekend, if we wanted we could but that would involve lowering our price. We leave the house only for a fair pay and enjoy ourselves everytime.

"We never look for the great musicians we look for great people "

Emilio "Mimi" Castillo ,  Band Leader Tower Of Power.

Blue

 

Edited by Bluewine
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I love the side topic on flakiness.

The only originals band I was in, the main guy was massively talented... possibly even a genius.... but he was an unbelievable flake (is there a correlation?) Ultimately I had to go... can't work with flakes.

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1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

For Those Looking for a " For Fun" Band would be a very good thread. 

Blue

Advertisement: Bass Player Needed

Looking for a fun band? We rehearse on Tuesdays (except when we don't because of unexpected spousal emergencies, short-term amnesia or just because). We play the same two songs in different arrangements every time, the extent of the variations depending on whether the guitarist has taken his meds or not.

The drummer can't keep time and hits his kit like an angry butcher hacking out pork chops. The keyboards occupy precisely the space where the bass would normally be so you'll have to play everything up beyond the 15th fret. The singer has his own music stand and a jokey hat bearing the embroidered motto: 'I'm The Star'. We might have another guitarist joining but no one's really sure because he's the drummer's mate and we haven't heard from the drummer for six months.

We've been rehearsing for four years and have a charity gig possibly booked for July 2027 which will be great exposure. We don't play for money, just for sh!ts and giggles and artistic self-expression, so no bread-heads, ha ha!

If you're interested, give us a call but only if you own a van, a PA, a lighting rig, have website building skills and are sufficiently incompetent that we can slag you off behind your back then fire you by email two weeks after you've joined.

Ciao!

Edited by skankdelvar
Edited for: stupid fücking profanity filter
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