Advice on finding people to play music with

[Agent 00Soul]

Based on all the stuff I’m reading on this forum, can I assume to say that, at 57, I am about the average age here?  If so I have a question: Can anyone recommend strategies for finding people our own age to play music with?  Specifically, either originals or less common stuff like garage rock, shoegaze, trip hop, or Cavern Club/Hamburg-style beat.  The only options I have found locally are either weekly blues jams – I’ve never had any interest in that – or ads for pub bands who want to want to play covers to get people dancing – also not my thing.  I moved to west London 5 years ago and it’s become apparent to me that all the interesting stuff is in east London, but the people there are in their 20s and 30s so that’s no good either.  Do I have to face the facts that maybe it’s time to hang up my bass strap and pass the torch to the young’uns?

[Beedster]

Start a band and talk to people about it(people know people and some of those people play music). It's kinda what I did in my early 40's, and on a drunken night out in 2005 I found out that two of my then colleagues were actually very good musicians (and one a talented songwriter). We recruited a drummer and ended up in a band that lasted close to 10-years and which still occasionally gets together to play despite a couple of geographical challenges 👍 

[BigRedX]

I'm in my 60s now and I've never let my age get in the way of playing the music I want. Up until the end of last year I was in 2 post-punk/goth influenced bands, both of which I joined when I was the same age you are now.

 

I found one through a JMB ad that I placed. I was specific about the sort of music I wanted to play and the level of commitment that I was prepared to put in and that I expected from the band in return. It took almost a year to get a reply, but it was exactly the sort of band I was looking for and is the band that I am still playing with, albeit with only one of the members that was in the band I when joined.

 

The second was a band that I was a fan of and was following on Facebook, so when they posted that they were looking for a replacement bass player I got in touch. For this one because the band was reasonably well-know within the genre they had several other people interested and there were additions held. I was the one chosen and the only reason I'm no longer with them now is that I decided to concentrate on the other band when the singer announced he was calling it a day.

 

In both cases that fact that bands already knew who I was (my previous band had done gigs with both bands in the past) I think was an advantage when it came to auditions etc. So while you are looking go out there and and see some gigs by local bands playing the sort of music you want to play and get networking.

[Geek99]

Nope you’re a spring chicken around here. 
open mic nights and jam sessions is my advice. I’ve met a superb singer who encourages me to try songs on the fly, and a reliable guitard.

 

Look on Facebook for local events 

example here: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FHRWQeTn7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

I guarantee you will be one of very few bass players there 

One guy who attends my local events is a professional bass luthier and an amazing source of good advice 

Edited Tuesday at 19:26 by Geek99

[Geek99]

JMB is JoinMyBand

[Lozz196]

Check out Shake Some Acton promoters - based in West London obviously, but put gigs on all over London, mainly garage rock & psychobilly stuff. Some good bands on that scene, many of similar ages to yourself @Agent 00Soul,  new personnel often needed, put your name about, you never know. 

 

 

[Agent 00Soul]

On 02/09/2025 at 21:25, Lozz196 said:

Check out Shake Some Acton promoters - based in West London obviously, but put gigs on all over London, mainly garage rock & psychobilly stuff. Some good bands on that scene, many of similar ages to yourself @Agent 00Soul,  new personnel often needed, put your name about, you never know. 

 

 

That sounds great!  I'll check them out.  Thanks!

[gjones]

The idea of starting your own band sounds like a good one.

[Geek99]

I’d start with a duo and work up to that 

[BigRedX]

IME unless you are also a prolific song writer with plenty of drive to enable you to organise the other musicians, you are better off joining an existing band.

[Agent 00Soul]

Starting a project is more likely.  I've found interesting bands are harder to come by as you get older.  Unless you know a large network of likeminded people already.  Sites like Bandmix haven't cut it.  I'm just not sure it's even possible at my age.  This is uncharted territory for me.  But I appreciate all the suggestions!

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Agent 00Soul
grammah

[Lozz196]

Def possible at your age @Agent 00Soul, I`m 59 and currently in two originals bands, one (The Spacewasters, garage-type rock) where we range from 30s/40s/50s, the other (Knock Off, Oi/street-punk) 50s/60s.