Age Limitation

I think my first gig was when I was... hmm... eight?

Really it depends on where you are playing, if you are getting paid, if the venue serves alcohol, the kind of supervision you have...

I don't know every rule, and even if I did, it depends on what country you live in.

More specifics.
 
I think my first gig was when I was... hmm... eight?

Really it depends on where you are playing, if you are getting paid, if the venue serves alcohol, the kind of supervision you have...

I don't know every rule, and even if I did, it depends on what country you live in.

More specifics.
I moved to Europe because the US blocked me out of most club settings until I was 21. Now I'm 21 so I'm looking to return home. For most countries the universal liscense to perform any and all venues appears to be 18.
 
I moved to Europe because the US blocked me out of most club settings until I was 21. Now I'm 21 so I'm looking to return home. For most countries the universal liscense to perform any and all venues appears to be 18.

A gig could also be playing brass at a church, such as my first gig.

I doubt they will restrict that to 18 years or older.

I also know people that have played in venues that serve alcohol here in Australia underage and have had to leave after they've finished playing.

I don't know how legitimate this is, but it certainly happens a fair bit here in Melbourne, more so when venues used to have underage and overage sections (overage usually identified by wrist tape).

You also have all ages gigs.

It's pretty cool you had the option to go to Europe for that, I don't know many people that would be able to make such a huge life changing move for music.
 
As mentioned, it depends on what kind of gig. I was doing paying gigs as soon as I could drive, but didn't play my first lounge gig until I was 20. That was a regular gig, and a few months later on my 21st birthday, we had to kind of ignore it or the management would have known I was underage. :)

Bermuda
 
My first gig was a party at age 16. My first bar gig was age 19.

As others have said, in most countries you need to be 18 before you can play anywhere that alcohol is served (unless you can slip through the net). Not sure why the US age of drinking is 21 ... perhaps that's why its populace is so renowned for clean living? ;-)
 
My first gig was a party at age 16. My first bar gig was age 19.

As others have said, in most countries you need to be 18 before you can play anywhere that alcohol is served (unless you can slip through the net). Not sure why the US age of drinking is 21 ... perhaps that's why its populace is so renowned for clean living? ;-)

I think it is because Americans mature slower then the rest of the world *jokes*
 
I'm pretty sure that you have to be eighteen to play in the clubs in the USA.
 
My first gig was a party at age 16. My first bar gig was age 19.

As others have said, in most countries you need to be 18 before you can play anywhere that alcohol is served (unless you can slip through the net). Not sure why the US age of drinking is 21 ... perhaps that's why its populace is so renowned for clean living? ;-)

The age of drinking here is 16 (!), and that's also the minimum age required to play at a venue where they serve alcohol.

I'm pretty sure that you have to be eighteen to play in the clubs in the USA.

I guess that may differ by state.
 
I didn't start playing drums until I was 20, and the drinking age at the time in NY was 18, so I never had to worry about that. Ironically my 17-year old daughter was going to apply for a waitress job and asked me how she was allowed to serve alcohol to patrons. I told her that someone else has to bring the drinks to the table.
 
The age of drinking here is 16 (!), and that's also the minimum age required to play at a venue where they serve alcohol.



I guess that may differ by state.

It differs by state, but in a lot of states if you play at a bar and you are underage, you have to sit outside when you are not actually performing (i.e. during breaks) and you might also have to have a parent/guardian with you at the gig. Please, check the rules in your state!!
 
Silly me, here I thought you were talking about upper age limits! I've been lying about my age since I hit 40... Then I have to conceal some of my favorite accomplishments because they'll date me.
 
It differs by state, but in a lot of states if you play at a bar and you are underage, you have to sit outside when you are not actually performing (i.e. during breaks) and you might also have to have a parent/guardian with you at the gig. Please, check the rules in your state!!
It's 21 for sure and applies to all 50 states based on interstate highway funding. Several years ago Mothers Against Drunk Driving /MADD/ intimidated congress with a huge voting block. The result was to basically say that states could do what they wanted but if they didn't go along with the 21 age restriction then they could build and repair their stretches of interstate with their own money. All 50 states soon complied. Soon this applied to legal age to even ENTER the club. And BradGunner is right. Clubs get around this sometimes by having the underage musician enter through a service entrance /usually the back door/ then wait outside during breaks or never leave the stage. I did this a couple of times but got tired of not being able to use a bathroom.

The one loophole is the restaurant factor. If the establishment serves 51% food then it is not a drinking establishment but an eatery, meaning that the age for employees can be 18 or younger. However, after a time /especially in the south/ there are enough hassles that even that doesn't work. Besides what band wants an underage guy who can only perform part of the schedule?
 
What is the minimum age you have to be to play a gig or can you be any age?

What I did is let the bandleader know my age, and if he was fine with it I would take the gig and leave it to the venue to decide if I shouldn't be there- which never happened. You should know the law in case someone wrongly tries to throw you out- use the Google to find out your local regulations.
 
Back
Top