Attendance Concerns

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, The fasting showman said:

I was watching a YouTube interview recently ( Questlove and Ad Rock from the Beastie boys) where it was said, it's easier to be booed at by thousands of people than a tiny audience in a small venue.

 

 

I'm not sure about that. Many years ago we had a slot at the Reading Festival that was a real poison chalice. We were on between Status Quo and The Faces. Quo fans didn't want them to stop and Faces fans didn't want to waste time with us, so we were being booed by everyone in the festival! A Party 7 sailed out of the darkness, bounced off the piano and, fortunately, over our heads. At least in a small venue you can see who the enemy is!

[chris_b]

22 hours ago, RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE said:

I was in a couple of bands in the ‘90s / early 2000’s who played in the Grey Horse in Kingston

 

 

I've played hundreds of gigs at The Grey Horse. It used to be run by guys who were only interested in selling beer and didn't care about the music. Some bands could pack the place to illegal levels and others couldn't get half a dozen in. I've done both! The pub did no promotion at all. It was then taken over by a landlord/musician and things improved a lot. Our weekly jam nights were usually packed and Sunday lunch sessions in the front bar were always full.

[Franticsmurf]

15 minutes ago, Grahambythesea said:

Is this an age thing/ type of music problem?

I can only speak from my experience of cover bands. Most of the bands I've seen play have a very similar set list; if not the same songs then the same kinds of songs. It's an understandable vicious circle in that the audience reacts to certain songs so the band plays those songs. However I used to play in a band where the BL said 'we play Sweet Caroline because everyone wants it'. No one ever asked for it at any gig I played with them and yet we often played it and, of course, the audience reacted. This confirmed the BL's thinking in his own mind but if we hadn't played it then the audience wouldn't have missed it. The few bands that play different set lists are the ones that stand out for me and, I suspect, a lot of people who go to see a band (rather than go to a pub with live music).    

[chris_b]

2 minutes ago, Franticsmurf said:

I can only speak from my experience of cover bands. Most of the bands I've seen play have a very similar set list; if not the same songs then the same kinds of songs. It's an understandable vicious circle in that the audience reacts to certain songs so the band plays those songs. However I used to play in a band where the BL said 'we play Sweet Caroline because everyone wants it'. No one ever asked for it at any gig I played with them and yet we often played it and, of course, the audience reacted. This confirmed the BL's thinking in his own mind but if we hadn't played it then the audience wouldn't have missed it. The few bands that play different set lists are the ones that stand out for me and, I suspect, a lot of people who go to see a band (rather than go to a pub with live music).    

 

I gig with a band who plays Hi Ho Silver Lining, All Or Nothing, Hi Heel Sneakers and others because of the reaction. The crowd goes crazy!! The landlord loves them, other landlords see that and give the band gigs, and so it goes. We also play "better" less popular songs but the guaranteed floor fillers are always in there. If you're in a cover band maximum audience reaction should be the goal.

[TimR]

Yeah. "They were really good when they played last time. Let's go again."

 

Unfortunately, it's not how, or what you play, it's entirely down to how you make people feel. As a musician it sucks, as an entertainer, it's what makes a good band. 

[The fasting showman]

1 hour ago, Grahambythesea said:

Is this an age thing/ type of music problem?

Fair question because I can't tell if there's a generational shift in the punters you're playing to, or a saturated market of bands conforming to archetypes of genres that are getting hackneyed. 

 

I've certainly got jaded with covers. Not that there's anything wrong at all with it but I've got ground down with the repertoire, venues and the people I've been in bands with. A lot of that could be a post covid lockdown problem with my motivation!

 

I rejoined and left a band earlier this year that I've played with on and off for over 5 years. Again, it's a specific unique case in point but it was hard to see what that particular band offered as an alternative to a solo girl singer with a PA speaker and a laptop backing track.

 

Bizarrely I'm back enjoying doing originals ( in my mid '50s!!) doing less gigs but it's sustained my interest. 

[The fasting showman]

1 hour ago, Franticsmurf said:

I can only speak from my experience of cover bands. Most of the bands I've seen play have a very similar set list; if not the same songs then the same kinds of songs. It's an understandable vicious circle in that the audience reacts to certain songs so the band plays those songs. However I used to play in a band where the BL said 'we play Sweet Caroline because everyone wants it'. No one ever asked for it at any gig I played with them and yet we often played it and, of course, the audience reacted. This confirmed the BL's thinking in his own mind but if we hadn't played it then the audience wouldn't have missed it. The few bands that play different set lists are the ones that stand out for me and, I suspect, a lot of people who go to see a band (rather than go to a pub with live music).    

The band I mentioned in my previous post had somehow acquired Sweet Caroline in their set by the time I rejoined. 

Transposed up a 4th to suit the female vocalist. They use an electronic backing track in lieu of a keyboard player....the opening intro caused my heart audibly to hit the floor.

 

It's a shame because previously they'd aimed at being a pop / soul band steering clear of all the nasty songs. And they'd picked up work as a result. But identically the BL manufactured a false need for Sweet Caroline. I just thought it was indicative of a race to the bottom. No offence to anyone intended...I'd happily play High heeled sneakers for instance!

[ricksterphil]

15 minutes ago, The fasting showman said:

..I'd happily play High heeled sneakers for instance!

 

and on that note. This has to be the maddest version of that particular classic

 

 

 

[BigRedX]

31 minutes ago, The fasting showman said:

Bizarrely I'm back enjoying doing originals ( in my mid '50s!!) doing less gigs but it's sustained my interest. 

 

A few months before my 50th birthday I joined two bands. A covers band which included a good friend of mine on guitar and an originals band started up by the singer from a band I had been involved with very briefly the previous year. Two years later I had to quit the covers band because the originals band was doing more and better-paid gigs, not to mention that it was a lot more fun! I haven't gone back to playing covers since then and TBH I can't see myself doing covers in the future.

[The fasting showman]

18 minutes ago, ricksterphil said:

 

and on that note. This has to be the maddest version of that particular classic

 

 

 

They don't do a bad job of it; I could cope with the visuals but ventilation could be an issue 

[Franticsmurf]

3 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

I gig with a band who plays Hi Ho Silver Lining, All Or Nothing, Hi Heel Sneakers and others because of the reaction. The crowd goes crazy!! The landlord loves them, other landlords see that and give the band gigs, and so it goes. We also play "better" less popular songs but the guaranteed floor fillers are always in there. If you're in a cover band maximum audience reaction should be the goal.

I agree to a certain extent. My point (not well made) was that the crowds I'm talking about would react equally crazily to us playing Sweet Caroline, or the juke box playing it, but they wouldn't complain if we didn't play it.  I agree there are some songs you have to play (in this neck of the woods, Dakota is required on every set list and is often called for by the crowd at the end of a gig) but as you say there are plenty of songs that will get a good reaction and the aim should be a strong set list that doesn't rely on one or two songs. My experience has been filling the dance floor and keeping punters in the pub makes the venue owner smile a lot, too. My current band gets all of its gigs through word of mouth and its because we are able to tailor the set list to suit the occasion. 

 

In the context of the OP, if bands are playing similar sets then punters will soon get tired of the lack of variety. And if the options open to a venue owner are limited it becomes pot luck whether you land the gig or the next band that plays the same sort of set does. A band I recently depped for are known for playing Bohemian Rhapsody (sadly, not when I played with them). That will get them noticed in a way that 'they play Dakota' won't. They also play Dakota (sadly, when I played for them 🙂) because it works.  

[Franticsmurf]

2 hours ago, The fasting showman said:

The band I mentioned in my previous post had somehow acquired Sweet Caroline in their set by the time I rejoined. 

Transposed up a 4th to suit the female vocalist. They use an electronic backing track in lieu of a keyboard player....the opening intro caused my heart audibly to hit the floor.

 

I like the idea of taking a classic crowd pleaser and doing something different with it, which is what I thought you were going to say when I read '... electronic backing track ...' . My mate's band does a version of 'Love Story', the Taylor Swift song. All they've done is take out all the subtlety, rocked it up and made it loud. Personally, I think it's their best song, and it still gets a decent crowd reaction. 

[The fasting showman]

39 minutes ago, Franticsmurf said:

I like the idea of taking a classic crowd pleaser and doing something different with it, which is what I thought you were going to say when I read '... electronic backing track ...' . My mate's band does a version of 'Love Story', the Taylor Swift song. All they've done is take out all the subtlety, rocked it up and made it loud. Personally, I think it's their best song, and it still gets a decent crowd reaction. 

Electronic backing track in a Spanish holiday 'Volare' sense...I didn't paint a clear enough depiction. You can imagine Sweet Caroline in that context. Song book chords, root note bass, perfunctory drums. Grim

[Woodinblack]

On 30/09/2025 at 10:33, BigRedX said:

IMO it doesn't matter if you are playing to just the bar staff and half of the other band on the bill or an adoring audience of several thousand. You have to give it everything. If you can't do that then maybe live performance isn't for you.

 

That is the spirit, but it is hard. Luckily our singer can summon the energy to put the same level of performance on to a single person or a crowded pub.

 

5 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

Is this an age thing/ type of music problem?

 

No, its an on/off thing.

This friday was like this, heaving on the friday and practically empty on the saturday. Actually I kind of prefered that as I was pretty tired on the saturday and didn't want to have another stage crush

 

But I have done the same venue on two different nights, one when you couldn't move and the other where you couldn't see anyone - depends on what else is on, whether people have been paid, the weather and just wether people feel like coming out or not.

[Bluewine]

8 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

Is this an age thing/ type of music problem?

Sometimes. However I've seen young top notch cover bands playing at poorly attended events.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

6 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

A few months before my 50th birthday I joined two bands. A covers band which included a good friend of mine on guitar and an originals band started up by the singer from a band I had been involved with very briefly the previous year. Two years later I had to quit the covers band because the originals band was doing more and better-paid gigs, not to mention that it was a lot more fun! I haven't gone back to playing covers since then and TBH I can't see myself doing covers in the future.

 

It sounds like the originals band had someone with connections and motivated to book gigs.

 

There are plenty of band better than my band. However, some hardly ever gig because while they're great musically nobody in those bands had booking skills.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

On 30/09/2025 at 06:05, JPJ said:

I think we’ve all played the gig to the bar staff and the gig to a rammed out room. My own highlights include travelling 50 miles to play in a remote Northumberland village pub to the bar staff and pub dog because two local lads were having a birthday party in the village hall (at least the dog seemed to like us), and playing to 4,000 Hells Angels in a big top tent on a Thursday night in Stafford.

Locally, live music is often seen as a way of saving failing pubs with the result that you get three or four pubs all offering live music of varying standards within a 1 mile radius. This splits the local audience with reduced numbers all round. Suffice to say that most fail and eventually close or get new management. We’re blessed with a few pubs and clubs with a reputation for good quality live music, and as both of my bands are shall we say ‘niche’, then we prefer to wait for gigs in these venues than take a gig in a dying ‘flat roof pub’ where the meagre audience are not going to appreciate your efforts.

But I think we have a huge role to play in attracting audiences. The prevalence of social media means that marketing/advertising your gig doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Timing your advertising is important too, too early and folk will forget, too late and they will inevitably already have other plans. Also, all band members have to share the workload of marketing as whilst we have many common connections, if we all hit the like and share on our bands posts, we will hit the widest possible audience. Oh and posters, many venues still rely on bands sending posters to advertise inside the venue.  

Some bands even if they're good will not and will never attract big crowds.

 

Most of the Milwaukee bands that draw large local crowds consistently are established cover/ show bands represented by one of two large booking agencies. These are well organized special event type gigs where these bands are guaranteed big crowds. 

 

Daryl

[Norris]

I think most people who have been gigging for a while have played to the one man + dog at some point (one spent the evening reading a newspaper!).

 

My personal worst was a wedding where we played to the bride, groom, maid of honour and 3 or 4 other people they managed to drag along after an hour of phoning around. We didn't ask the details but can only assume it wasn't a popular joining of families.

 

You can't take things personally. You can only do so much. You can't always predict the situation at the time you book the gig. All you can do is make sure it's on people's horizon (create Facebook events a month beforehand, followed by a photo post a day or two in advance as a reminder).

 

Some venues are great at plugging what's on, and are usually successful. Other venues just don't seem to have a clue and expect a crowd to materialise on the night with no notice. Then there's also random factors - weather, sports events.

 

Oh, and one of our USPs is that we DON'T do Dakota, Brightside, Oasis, etc. We're 70s "dad rock" and proud of it 😂

 

And wear shorts when it's hot 😜

[Geek99]

On 30/09/2025 at 11:44, Steve Browning said:

 

He was certainly board (I'll get me coat).

After that … I’ll get it for you 

[BigRedX]

11 hours ago, Bluewine said:

It sounds like the originals band had someone with connections and motivated to book gigs.

 

Not really, or at least no connections to start with. Our singer got all the gigs in his alter-ego of our manager. He simply contacted loads of similar but better-known bands through Facebook asking for supports and pulled in a couple of favours from local venues as a result of his last band. It paid off quite quickly as our 5th gig was a Psychobilly all-dayer with The Meteors headlining and we found ourselves playing an early evening slot rather than being on first at lunchtime. It also helped that we always put on a show visually and musically. After that the gig offers started coming in steadily from all over the country and we could have been gigging almost every Friday and Saturday night had the money and logistics been right.

 

By contrast the covers band was happy to plod along doing roughly one gig a month at the same handful of local venues.

[Lozz196]

9 hours ago, Norris said:

And wear shorts when it's hot 😜

Same here, they might not look cool, but in hot sweaty venues they ARE cool. 

[Muzz]

Ohhhh, bad weddings...I'd forgotten about them. The absolute worst, because you feel for the couple, even though there's always a back story to a very bad one. We played one once where the couple and their immediate families (about a dozen of them) had gone to get married in NY's Central Park, then hired a real hole of a place for the cheapest evening reception they could. Terrible food, but big B&W pictures around the place of The Chosen Few all looking delighted in the US for the actual wedding. You could taste the resentment in the room. The 50 or so people other than the immediates were all on their phones the entire first set, then when the rubbish food came out, they all buggered off, leaving about 15 people. We were paid off and never did the second set. Still, it was full money and a very early finish, and luckily quite local...

[Dan Dare]

Badly attended gigs are just part of life. No point in worrying about it. There could be a thousand reasons why few turn up, ranging from something good on telly to a major international incident. Just play the best you can for those who are there and move on. I've had people ask for our card at poorly attended gigs, leading to another booking, so it's not all doom and gloom.

 

The thing to bear in mind at functions is that the band is not the main attraction. People have come to see the couple get married, to celebrate Fred's 50th, etc, etc. The band is just another part of the picture, along with the catering, flowers, photgrapher and so on.

 

Tomorrow's another day.

Edited 1 hour ago by Dan Dare

[chris_b]

48 minutes ago, Muzz said:

Ohhhh, bad weddings...I'd forgotten about them. . . . .

 

I felt sorry for one couple whose wedding reception we played. We were a pretty authentic Chicago blues band and they said we've got a gig, a wedding!!! Me, alarm bells ringing, "A wedding? We can't do weddings, we're not a wedding band!!" They said, Yeah it'll be great. The bride's father is a big fan of the band. We set up in a big barn in mid Surrey and played  the whole night to an empty room. As far as I could see, the reception took place in the car park!!

[ezbass]

10 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

I felt sorry for one couple whose wedding reception we played. We were a pretty authentic Chicago blues band and they said we've got a gig, a wedding!!! Me, alarm bells ringing, "A wedding? We can't do weddings, we're not a wedding band!!" They said, Yeah it'll be great. The bride's father is a big fan of the band. We set up in a big barn in mid Surrey and played  the whole night to an empty room. As far as I could see, the reception took place in the car park!!

I have a similar story. I played in an ‘80s cover band and we did a wedding. Fortunately for us, it was the bride and groom who picked us. However, the bride’s father, who I guess was paying our fee, was not so impressed. He plainly wanted the usual wedding fare, whilst we played things like Owner of a Lonely Heart. His face was not a picture.

 

That said, I played in a band that did classic wedding stuff and we played one gig to a few small kids doing the sliding across the floor thing that they always do, the ‘grown ups’ (italics explained shortly) all stayed in the other room, where the food and booze were. They did eventually move into the ballroom, but only to have a punch up. One assumes that staying in the room with the booze for hours finally had an effect.

 

Always hated playing weddings. If you play a pub or club, it’s more than likely that folk have come to see you, or are hanging around because they like what they hear. Weddings, on the other hand, is where you are the hired help and are often treated as such.

Edited 23 minutes ago by ezbass