Do you accept every gig you're offered or are you picky?

Erberderber

Senior Member
I've got a gig on Friday in the tiny basement of a squat. The band I'm in seem to accept absolutely everything that is offered to them and it got me wondering about at which point bands start to refuse certain venues. Are you someone that would play absolutely anywhere because the joy of gigging comes in all sizes states and smells? Or are you the type who would rather wait until a more attrctive offer came along?
 
I know that a lot of different factors go into deciding what gigs to take, but generally I would look at:

1. Money - Is the gig paying a fair rate, or at least what you would expect for your time
2. Are there going to be any good opportunities coming out of this gig? Networking with potential clients or musicians? Any influential people there?

I've made exceptions, but they are few and far between. If you really enjoy the guys you're playing with, that can factor in too. Just remember that it's a job, even if it's only part time; you need to think about immediate benefits ($) and long term benefits (future opportunities).
 
I usually square it on three things-

1. Is the music fun and good players?
2. Are the people cool to hang with?
3. Does it pay well?

If the gig pays well but the music sucks but the hang is fun, that's better than a gig that has fun music, but the people involved are jerks and the pay is meh. A gig that pays well with fun music and good people is always the bonus!

Also, how often does a bandleader call me for work and what does my schedule look like. I'll take one-off gigs when I'm not working but if the bandleader is a flake and I gotta dun them to get paid then I really would rather not have to deal with that.

But I'm moving to Seattle at the end of September so I'll probably be taking gigs with whomever calls... at first! :D
 
As I got older, I got more picky. Like Bill said, there's all kinds of measurements: good people to hang with, good music to play, good money to be made....you definitely don't get all three. So I started scrutinizing incoming gigs. I think I made good choices.

When I was younger I'd say yes to everything and on some jobs, you definitely earn every cent!
 
Once you get your name and your reputation out there, you can definitely start picking and choosing gigs. When I was starting out, the only reason I'd turn something down is if I was already booked that night.

Currently with my day job going crazy with 60-hour weeks, I have pretty much "unplugged the phone" for the time being. I take one-off gigs here and there but I am not accepting ongoing gigs, to include my summer theater gigs. I do keep networking and talking to people so that if/when things mellow at work, I can get back out there with little delay.

I am looking forward to a retirement full of gigs, though...
 
48 now. Getting picky.

But I do look at who I am playing with's skill level and drama probabilities.
Skill level high, drama probabilities low = Good.

Then the money. Even though I have a full time career I still enjoy a little hobby cash.

Then the venue. If it is gonna be full of idiots flying all over the place then I'll pass. Just a few idiots is ok.
 
I'm always concerned about being mis-booked. If an audience wants to hear metal, well I don't play metal. It's just not my thing. So I avoid those kinds of gigs.
 
I'm always concerned about being mis-booked. If an audience wants to hear metal, well I don't play metal. It's just not my thing. So I avoid those kinds of gigs.

Know the feeling, I've run into this several times. Being booked to follow up a punk band with a piano based indie outfit....wtf?
 
If it were up to me, I would be more picky about which gigs we play. I've played a lot of gigs. The rest of the band wants to play every gig possible. They're pretty new at this gigging thing even though most of them are older than me, all like uncles to me.
 
If it's an originals thing I'm happy take anything just to get out and play and practice the music in a live setting.

If it's a professional thing it's not up to me, my band leader is a nazi about the $$$.

I tried to line up a gig down at the snow and they were gonna give us 3 days accom + breakfast as payment and he still turned it down.
 
Me and our band will play any gigs we can play with the exception of the cancer of 'pay to play'.

But we'll play for free if it's local and we'd a) be rehearsing anyway or b) have nothing else on.

Why not? It's fun. What else are we gonna do other than vegitate in front of a TV set?

We've had some nice paid rebookings as a result, and in any event most pubs/small live music venues will feed us and beer us... it's usually a free night out :)
 
Me and our band will play any gigs we can play with the exception of the cancer of 'pay to play'.

But we'll play for free if it's local and we'd a) be rehearsing anyway or b) have nothing else on.

Why not? It's fun. What else are we gonna do other than vegitate in front of a TV set?

We've had some nice paid rebookings as a result, and in any event most pubs/small live music venues will feed us and beer us... it's usually a free night out :)

This pretty much sums up the mentality of the band I'm in. Even if we don't get paid, we get fed and beered, watch other bands and have a night out while getting the opportunity to network with the other bands, which sometimes leads to more gigging possibilities and recognition. I'd also feel that if I refused, I'd be letting the band down. If it came to that, then there'd be no point in being in the band if you're stopping the others from gigging.
 
Connecticut actually has a great underground music scene. There are a couple of dozen great local bands that gig all around the state. We also have several hard working promoters that put together gigs. There are a dozen or so clubs/bars that we rotate between in state. We really only play those places because we know that people will show up and we will be treated right. Our decision to take gigs is something like this.

1. Do we like the bill and want to play with the other bands.

2. Has it been a few months since we last played there. If its a new place we will scope it out and see if its something we want to do.

3. There is no money is original music, so we don't even factor that into our decision.

We don't take every gig, but at the same time we hate turning down gigs so we play out quite a bit.
 
I've always played in bands that play originals - being in the punk/indie scene we'd play basements, record shops, house shows, squats, all ages venues, bars, outdoor shows, benefits etc. I'm fine with all of them - the only type of show I've little interest in is where you have no common ground with the other bands so chances of their crowd being interested in your sound are slim to nil.
 
Picky... I'm not a Bar band player any longer but there have been a couple in recent history....and thank you whomever took smoking out of the clubs. Whew... it is so much better in there without it.

I have also played one "private" club (Moose Lodge) which was a throwback to old bar days... hazy, stinky, rowdy... I was sort of surprised and have also stricken that joint off of my list.

The Go list features

Fests
Weddings and other special functions
Private Parties (outside only)
Remotes

Outside gigs are always better (IMHO).
 
I only take JAZZ gigs with guys that play REALLY GOOD, otherwise I don´t play, the ammount of money is secondary, ´though, of course I don´t play for free.
 
Growing up in a city like Las Vegas I learned to play a variety of styles. In doing so I worked most of the time. From jazz to big band to funk, rock, Latin, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban to weddings, corporate gigs, shows and so on.

If you want to work all the time, the more bags you know the more calls you'll get. If you're flush with cash then by all means, be selective, you can afford it.

But being realistic and knowing how fickle this business is, I take everything that comes my way...

Just and old farts perspective from working in this town since I was 17 in 1969...

Good luck.

Mark Dalzell
Drummer for the Tournament Of Kings
Las Vegas, NV
 
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