The virtues of gigging - or otherwise

I've said in a few threads that I've lost interest in gigging. Happy enough in the studio and at home in low fuss, low stress environments with just the occasional gig for a change of scenery.

What are other members' attitudes towards gigging. I'm especially interested in what those who are paid chickenfeed for gigs.

Is it the brief mini adulation? Or because playing before an audience is the highest level of performance? Or it's a big party for you? Or you're looking for the rare buzz of a great gig - the occasional pearl amongst the swine?

I know darn well you could write my response so no need for me to elaborate. I will say though that doing about five a year fills my needs nicely and leave it at that. Sometimes 5 is too many.

ETA... I'll add more now that I'm not at my mobile device and can type easier.

I get more thrill playing in the rehearsal space as I do a stage. Why? I don't need to pack or move anything. I simply walk down the steps to my space and play. The other players core gear is already there and they come down, plug in and we're off...

The thrill of playing for a crowd (for great pay or no pay) has long, long, expired. I would miss severally the opportunity to play with others. That will always be something I strive for.

I'm not one of those drummers that only plays because I'm in a band. I play because I love to learn the instrument. The personal challenge and satisfaction drives me more than anything else.

Our band does the occasional gig. We would do a little more if given the opportunity, but none of us could ever swing it weekly.
But we still practice weekly. I think an upcoming gig is a good goal, or objective, for adding new material and to stay sharp.Not having that goal can lead to a 'fizzling out' of a band.

We're all 40+, so none of us need any adulation .....its simply fun. I agree though, it can be just as fun to get together for practice.

When I was gigging, I really enjoyed playing shows, but wasn't really interested in all the other crap that goes along with it. Drunk people are annoying, road trips get boring, floors and couches and cars are crappy places to sleep, and honestly I am not very social so the whole atmosphere of before and after the show just wasn't for me. Oh yeah, I almost never got paid either, as all the money we made would go back into the band.

Another thing that kind of erked me somewhat is playing the same songs all the time. Sometimes I would just get sick and tired of playing our material, no matter how good it was. Like the saying goes, variety is the spice of life.

Must admit, last night's gig encouraged a degree of re-evaluation for a moment, but then I shrugged it off. Played to a near empty venue last night. Unusual for this band, but it was the main (UK thing) bonfire night weekend, & I guess the venue lost out to most people wanting to go home after the early evening bonfire (firework) displays. Anyhow, playing to 50 people is bad enough, but to see that dwindle to even less by the end of the gig (well done band was even worse. Sure, if you've got a 30 minute setup then fine, but our show's a ton of work. Setup time greatly increased last night too, by us having to make way for an early evening unscheduled strip act booked for some poor unsuspecting guy.

For me, gigging is what a band does. Sure, it's nice to get together with a bunch of players for fun, no issue there, but it's on stage that a band really shows what it can do, plus gig miles improves a band's performance immeasurably. A band put together for recording purposes is also a satisfying deal, but still benefits from gigging IMO. Gigs are what gels a band together.

These days, I'm so damn busy, that sometimes, gigs are a significant extra workload that I could do without. I'm always tired the following day, but it's still worth the price for me. Maybe I'll back down to a simple setup band in the near future, as I don't find the playing part difficult at all in terms of draining energy, but my need to put on the best possible show will not be satisfied. Who knows.

BTW, adulation has nothing to do with it for me. It's all about the satisfaction of being part of a good show. I do go in search of that pearl though - don't we all?

Anon La Ply said:

I've said in a few threads that I've lost interest in gigging. Happy enough in the studio and at home in low fuss, low stress environments with just the occasional gig for a change of scenery.

What are other members' attitudes towards gigging. I'm especially interested in what those who are paid chickenfeed for gigs.

Is it the brief mini adulation? Or because playing before an audience is the highest level of performance? Or it's a big party for you? Or you're looking for the rare buzz of a great gig - the occasional pearl amongst the swine?

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Personal to me and fellow band members....

It's that buzz from taking the music we've written, arranged, and rehearsed, and putting it out in front of strangers and seeing that they get pleasure from it (hopefully).

Can't see much point us just playing it to ourselves. WE don't need convincing on how good our material is. We want to test ourselves in front of an audience with it.

If we weren't gigging, fairly regularly, I just don't think we'd bother.

I'am 60 plus and just started any real gigs, they are few and far in between . Being semi retired ,I look forward to them.Packing my stuff around is a lot of work,and I have never actually made any real money.It's all good. Being before an audience is a real blast,playing live,even at my early level, makes it all worth while.

keep it simple said:

For me, gigging is what a band does. Sure, it's nice to get together with a bunch of players for fun, no issue there, but it's on stage that a band really shows what it can do, plus gig miles improves a band's performance immeasurably. A band put together for recording purposes is also a satisfying deal, but still benefits from gigging IMO. Gigs are what gels a band together.

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I couldn't agree more with this. Bands play live, its just what they do. There is no greater measure of a musician than what he can accomplish on the stage. I have spent quite a bit of time in the studio and the joy of recording does not in any way compare to the rush of playing live. It is probably a bit of narcissism that drives most of us to put on a live show, but I personally cannot get enough of it.

I haven't done a gig for years, heck, I haven't played the drums since June this year (except a little at Andy's house and maybe 10 minutes at the LDS in October), so I almost forgot what it's like to be on that stage, the last few years was spent alone with my drums in the basement, but I loved it... playing almost everyday, what has remain intact is my love of the drums, I simply can't get enough of it, even after all these years, and if I'll never play in a band or on stage ever in my life, so be it, I'll love the drums all the same...

The virtues of gigging? Well, first and foremost I love playing the drums,I love making music, I like being part of a team, being creative and these moments were it's simply magical... it's the reasons I've been gigging in the past, the money or the chickenfeed are of second interest, it's nice to be paid for playing music, but it's not the crucial element, I don't rely on my drumming to put food on the table ( I'll be very hungry by now, trust me ).

I guess with my age and my (limited) skills, I would like to find/form a band which play the music I want to do, gigging with it if the opportunity rises, but mainly for my own pleasure, you only live once, it might sound a little selfish, but it's where I stand right now...

... and the clock keeps clicking and clicking

Playing in the studio is fun, as is playing by myself but nothing can compare to the feeling when everything is clicking live in front of an audience. I will literally get goose bumps down my arms and chills down my spine while doing it. I feel most alive at those points.

I've spent many years playing to empty bars and that can be depressing as all. Luckily, I'm now in a position where the bands that I play in do not have to do that anymore. We typically play opening slots for national acts or as part of a bigger festival lineup. Not massive crowds by any means but not an empty bar either.

If I had to choose between playing to 3 drunk old men and staying home, I just might choose the latter.

But, to ask a deeper question, when the art does not have a witness (such as playing alone or writing poems that you never share with anyone) does it become less of a true art form? Is art reliant upon an audience?

Either answer leads to some interesting conclusions.

I do it for the rush I get from playing for a big crowd that it is into the band. The lousy gigs about equal the great ones though. Next week my Irish band plays at the Maryland Irish Festival. There is a built-in crowd with hundreds in attendance. Backline kit provided so I'm only schlepping a snare and pedals. The hours are great as well. Those are the gigs I live for. Those half-empty bar gigs, on the other hand, become painful. I'm getting old for those 1:30 a.m. Tear downs.

Gigs are what I think I look forward to most about playing drums. Luckily for me I'm in a few different outfits and in each the people involved are very good friends and great players. A gig represents not only having fun doing what I love and getting paid to do it but also hanging out with me mates. Have a couple beers, a meal, social commentary, discourse on the shared language of music and, of course, laughs and good times.

Sure there are bum nights, drunks, idiots calling for requests and getting in fights, and other drama causing stuff, but to me that is part of the wonder of the experience. Every job has desirable and undesirable things about it.

But as was mentioned before, there is nothing quite like a packed venue with band killing the repertoire. Adulation? An unnecessary, but fun, perk as far as I'm concerned. Smile and nod, say "thanks for coming down", pack up the gear and grin for the rest of the week. Love it!

Mad About Drums said:

I simply can't get enough of it, even after all these years, and if I'll never play in a band or on stage ever in my life, so be it, I'll love the drums all the same...

The virtues of gigging? Well, first and foremost I love playing the drums,I love making music, I like being part of a team, being creative and these moments were it's simply magical... it's the reasons I've been gigging in the past, the money or the chickenfeed are of second interest, it's nice to be paid for playing music, but it's not the crucial element, I don't rely on my drumming to put food on the table ( I'll be very hungry by now, trust me ).

I guess with my age and my (limited) skills, I would like to find/form a band which play the music I want to do, gigging with it if the opportunity rises, but mainly for my own pleasure, you only live once, it might sound a little selfish, but it's where I stand right now...

... and the clock keeps clicking and clicking

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+1, Like, Ditto, etc.

Couldn't have said it better myself, Henri.

I get excited about jam/rehearsal/practice days of the week. When I know I'll be playing some drums in the evening, it just makes my whole day.

Tonight I get to jam with another drummer who is fresh off the road touring with a band in the Mid-west. He couldn't wait to get back here to jam at our studio again. He's a grad of PIT and he said jamming with us is some of the most fun he's ever had with a band. It's great when you get to jam with people who are that enthusiastic about jamming. Gigging is great too, but half the time, I prefer when lots of people just show up, bring their own alcohol, and jam at the studio. I like gigging too, of course, but studio jams are pretty awesome too. I used to go to my uncle's studio jams in the 80's and 90's on the weekends. There was always lots of people there hanging out and listening and drinking a little.

Jeff Almeyda said:

But, to ask a deeper question, when the art does not have a witness (such as playing alone or writing poems that you never share with anyone) does it become less of a true art form? Is art reliant upon an audience?

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Art is what you make it. A lack of audience should never disqualify anything as art. After all, a person playing by themselves still has a listener. The poem that never gets shared still has a reader.

Unless you are playing in a cave, 500 miles from nowhere, someone can hear you somewhere.

I love gigging because almost always we play at a much higher level in front of an audience than in any other situation. It's great fun, I love it! Sometimes you get in "the zone" and everything is ... well, it's a great feeling for the people making the music and those enjoying it. My favorite recordings are those made on live gigs in front of live audiences.

I simply enjoy playing drums. It's not necessarily an artistic thing or some deep-seated need for expression... I just like it. Context is important though, I definitely prefer playing in a group situation as opposed to sitting behind a kit at home, so I suppose it's not just the drums that attract me. But beyond that, it doesn't much matter what music I'm playing, as long as I'm playing. I'm just as happy playing covers or originals, rock or blues, for 10 people or 10,000. And except for occasional issues with load-in or parking, I always have fun. I suppose when I stop having fun, I'll stop playing.

Anon La Ply said:

I'm especially interested in what those who are paid chickenfeed for gigs.

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Cluck cluck cluck...

While money isn't really the driving force behind my playing, a number of people I've worked with apparently think my talents have value, and who am I to argue? As such, it would be unfair to do gigs for free, as it causes resentment among those who do pay, and also sets a bad precedent (since this is how I make my living.) However, my pay range is pretty wide, from embarrassingly low to fairly enviable among my peers.

Bermuda

Gigging is still pretty new to me so the novelty hasn't worn off yet. I've gigged very sporadically in the past but now I'm on a more regular schedule. I currently about 2-3 times a month.

Recording, on the other hand, is something new. I hooked up with a blues band a couple months ago and we are recording a demo CD in a few weeks. It will be my first experience with a studio.

So basically, I'm still very much in the honeymoon stage with all of it.

I play with a Jazz band that meets almost every Monday evening at my home.
We played together for over a year and we never gigged. We were so happy to just get together and play Jazz standards from the real Books that we didn't care to gig.
A few months ago the bass player decided to book us a gig and we agreed that if he booked it we would play it. He booked a gig at a club that most of us know well. We played the gig and all went well. The owner who likes Jazz said that we were awesome and he paid us in cash and gift certificates. The next week at our Monday session we talked about booking another gig. We all agreed that the gig was fine and we would gig again in the near future. I made some videos and I put up a website for the band. So far no one has booked anymore gigs. I don't think that any of us really care if we gig or not. I know that I don't. I really don't get anything out of gigging but a backache from moving my kit. On Monday eves I come home from work and I take a nap for an hour and a half. I get up at 6:30 and and I relax until the gang shows up at 7:30. I don't have to do anything except move some music stands and chairs into my living room. I also spend 5 mins setting up the electric keyboard that the keyboard player leaves at my home. It doesn't get any easier than that.

As a noob to gigging, it still gives me a thrill. And I always play better with an audience...I'm able to be less self conscious and just enjoy the music. I get very nervous playing with other musicians since at this point I have to figure I'm usually the worst or least experienced player in the room. For a gig, I figure most people there just ewant to have fun and hear good music and don't care or even realize if I miss a fill or skip a beat as long as I cover it well and keep on playing. The moving of equipment sucks and I don't think I want to do it all the time but right now, I'd love to get some more gigging under my belt.


Great thread by the way...I'm loving everyone's responses.

For me playing for and entertaining an audience is job one. It is the only thing that makes setting up, tearing down and playing worthwhile.
An audience of one or more it does not matter. I suppose I get some enjoyment playing with others members of a band with no audience.
But entertaining people is what playing music is all about. Period.



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