Off Topic What it's like to be a gigging musician

[tkarter]

Yes, exactly right. I'm definitely there... in the "good enough to get paid, but don't quit your day job" category.

I was thinking of the many people who do this strictly as a hobby, playing at home, in basements or garages, and have not had the opportunity (or desire) to go out on a real, paying gig.

The kids can all do go do what we do and have fun.

Anyone that just plays at home is having the kind of fun they want.

You should have titled the thread I think I am a gigging musician.

tk

 

[Smakbass]

I was a tuba player as well and at one coordinated equipment transport, transport for 50 ppl and hotels and food for a concert/marching band in the army. We used to pay cash for almost everything back then and I used to literally have a suitcase of cash a 9mm and handcuffs attached to said suitcase.....

im a working Joe....I work 630 to 330pm mon - friday....plus gigs and rehearsals sometimes it gets hairy...let me tell you my last 2 weeks sched.


Sun Gig 5-9
Monday day off
Tues Rehears jazz
Weds Rehearsal blues
Thurs Rehearsal country
Friday blues gig
Sat. Afternoon country gig (1 hr gig 1 1/2 hours to get there) blues gig
Sunday gig fill in rock 9-12
Monday off!
Tues Hang with Pete,buy strings from monty, Jazz rehearsal
Weds rehearse blues
Thurs Country Rehearse
Friday fill in rock gig
Sat day country gig (same one as week before they changed the sched but had us play when we showed up the week before since it was their fault) Evening paid to houseparty to jam and drink their beer
this week...
Sunday Reintroduce myself to my wife.
Monday off!
Tuesday Blues gig
Weds off!
Thurs old time rock rehearsal
Friday Charity gig with band from Thurs.

Anyone else have a sched like this?

 

[adouglas]

The kids can all do go do what we do and have fun.

Anyone that just plays at home is having the kind of fun they want.

...unless they really want to play out and just don't have the opportunity. Playing only at home isn't always by choice.

You should have titled the thread I think I am a gigging musician.

tk

I played a gig. I got paid. I got re-hired for another gig. And I have more gigs lined up for later in the summer.

Therefore.....

I do indeed think I am.

But I'm still not gonna quit my day job.

 

[Lynottfan]

Whats it like to be a gigging musician? To actually hear applause for something that you have done and to play well enough to have earnt it, is one of the very best moments going and I love it!

 

[tkarter]

You can get a gig using a Bose system? I'll be darned.

tk

 

[adouglas]

You can get a gig using a Bose system? I'll be darned.

tk

LOL...yep. They loved it.

 

[bovinehost]

cowpilot gig

- load everything in studio in car(s)
- stop at liquor store
- sit in cars outside liquor store
- forget where venue is
- find most stinky nearby bar
- play songs in confusing ways
- tell annoyed patrons "you're not smart enough to like us"
- run away
- repeat

 

[adouglas]

Never having the opportunity to attend a Cowpilot gig is one of the more tragic things in my life.

 

[Ed x TWWK]

I've been touring pretty heavily for the past two years, on and off for the past 3, not doing to bad considering I'm only 20. I took the opportunity to guess how much stuff we load in / out every day, for 50+ days straight. Here goes:

bass
50 lbs rack, 42 lbs head, 12lbs effects
20 lbs bass
20 lbs bass
330 lbs cabs
475 bass

guitar (2)
2 x 100 lbs - racks
220 lbs - heads
60 lbs guitar
400 lbs - cabs
880 lbs total

drums
120 lbs

merch
200 lbs

all for a total of around 1700 lbs.

Heres a reference picture, not shown are the massive guitar head road cases:

Those also weren't my bass cabs, i have two of the same ones, minus the american flags.

Our schedule is usually as follows.
Depending on the drive, either do it overnight and sleep in the van, or wake up around 10am, and start driving.
4-5pm: Arrive before the other bands we're on tour with to secure good parking/spot for gear
5-5:30: load in massive amounts of equipment.
6-10pm: show, we play a half hour set
10pm-12am: Waffle house, Denny's, or Taco Bell, sometimes In-n-Out, depending on where we are.
Then comes either sleep, or driving, depends on the day.

I couldn't be happier doing what I'm doing now.
www.myspace.com/theworldweknew

 

[adouglas]

The fact that you're willing to do all that, over and over and over, just to play for 30 minutes is a testament to how much fun playing live really is.

 

[rhythmCity944]

can't beat the enjoyment of playing live...especially when the audience is liking what you are doing

 

[Aussie Mark]

The fact that you're willing to do all that, over and over and over, just to play for 30 minutes is a testament to how much fun playing live really is.

+1, however he is only 20yo. I must admit that these days I couldn't be arsed loading in and out for just a 30 minute set.

 

[Mobay45]

After reading all of this I find that I'm really missing gigging! NOT!!!

I do think that I'll pick the bass back up after this shoulder heals though. I just don't think I'll be in any hurry to join a band.

 

[phatduckk]

ya my gigs are usually relaxed... i dont worry about forgetting stuff or breaking gear: one of the other bassists on the bill will lend me stuff if something goes boom. its happened before and I do the same for them.

usually we get our stuff in the cars
get to the venue ~ 2 hours early for load in
get drunk
play
sober up
drop off gear at studio
go home

sometimes someone will meet a girl or get blitzed and leave the venue & stick the rest of the band with carrying their gear back to the studio. it's all good

 

[jlepre]

adouglas,

I bet you had NO idea how much us knuckleheads would have to say on this subject?

Hey is that Mobay the famous nutrisystem/dargie dude?

I actually recorded that infomercial just so I could keep seing that dargie....man I think I MISS mine...

 

[Bloodfist]

Gigging is fun period. It does beat down on you sometimes, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. My bands typical show day goes like this.
1. Shower, shave,....
2. Load trailer if it's not already loaded, I'm not going to make a list of how much everything weighs, but to give you a general Idea, one of our guitarist's rack system weighs over 200 lbs, so it's a lot of heavy lifting.
3. Show up at the venue around 4:30 for load in and sound check.
4. Pre production meeting/dinner around 6:00
5. Radio interviews or other interviews and killing time for the next 4 or 5 hours.
6. Play the show, our set can range anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour depending on who we are playing with and the band line up.
7. Immediately after the show load the tailor.
8. Meet and greet with the fans until the bar closes.
9 Head home (if possible) or to wherever is home that night, talk about the show, we video each show so we watch it, then call it a night, or morning depending on how bright it is outside lol.

 

[Ed x TWWK]

The fact that you're willing to do all that, over and over and over, just to play for 30 minutes is a testament to how much fun playing live really is.

The set is a pretty intense one, even though it's only 30 mins...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDmkSmBZJFM]YouTube - THE WORLD WE KNEW "Intro/Barbarian" LIVE[/ame]

 

[tkarter]

It's a gig and not lugging a Bose system.

Keep doing the gig if it is fun.


tk

 

[MingusBASS]

I love gigging. I can't get enough of it. My current band has never played a show where we needed to supply our own PA. Most of the places we play are college clubs that have great sound systems and usually pay real well. Sometimes it's hard to drag myself to work after a long weekend but it's definitely worth it.

 

[strummer]

Jagermeister, We picked up this endoesement a while ago, being a "jager band" really helps too in getting shows I love it

Hey that's cool! Do you get to throw mini bottles at the audience, or is it like tees and stuff? I can somehow see the "ice cold" used in good ways on a rock stage