when to take the plunge?

moojii

Senior Member
hey y'all

at the turn of the year i started up a 4 piece covers band playing mainly rock/pop/blues but with a few off the wall choices too.

We have 25 songs in various stages of learnt/tight

first question is....is 25 songs enough for 2 x 45 minute sets...i know i know...just time them...well its about enough but i think we need at least 30 but the other band members in their eagerness to gig say we have enough!

question 2...when do you decide you are ready to gig? do you rehearse them to death to make sure you are super tight and beat perfect or get them about there and take a punt and get a gig at the local boozer?

whats your thoughts?

cheers
 
Hi, 25 songs will most likely fill out your sets as long as your band can improvise/extend a few of them in case you burn through your set too fast. 30 would be a little better but no big deal. As far as how tight to get them I wouldn't take them all to super polished perfection, it takes too long. On the other hand do not go out with sub-par material, make sure the groove and vibe are solid on 90%+ and that you would be proud to stand behind the music. Your band gets work based on reputation so any bad shows can mess that up. So as long as you can comfortably get through your songs the gig should go fine.
 
Is 2 x 45 minute sets the normal gig time? With breaks thats only a little over 2 hours. Is that long enough?
 
Big props to you for asking this sort of question!

A song is ready when the band can play it right the first time, no excuses! There are no "do-overs" on a gig.

Choose the set lists in advance and stick to it, at least for now. The band is ready for a gig when it can play the sets start to finish with minimal time in between each song, too keep the party going. This will prepare the group for common mishaps.

Broken guitar/bass strings -- Each player should have a backup guitar or bass, tuned and ready to go at all times. Strings should be replaced at set break.

Tuning -- Guitarists and bassist should be able to make a tuning adjustment in 10 seconds or less. In-line stomp box tuners with a bypass feature are a professional necessity, not a luxury. No crowd wants to hear your band tuning, or wait for it to happen. Ever.

*If someone needs to tune, he/she should let you know mid-song, and then the tuning can happen in between songs. Many times, tuning can happen mid-song, in moments when there aren't guitar or bass parts playing.

Tempos -- As the drummer, it will fall on you most of the time to count off the next tune, and nail the tempo. Use a metronome, so that adrenaline, nerves, and the tempo of the preceding song do not influence your judgement. Even in songs that do not begin with drums, be prepared to count off, for the sake of consistency. Only take this advice if you wish to avoid lots of arguments regarding tempo! ;)

On the gig -- No rehearsing once it's gig time! Many players will play their part immediately prior to the band playing song, which is amateurish. Don't play the song until it's time play the song!
If a fight breaks out, stop. The bar will know that something is wrong, and hopefully do something about it. When the situation has been handled, don't repeat the song, move on to the next one.
 
Is 2 x 45 minute sets the normal gig time? With breaks thats only a little over 2 hours. Is that long enough?

No, thats the thing, i don't think its long enough!

i wanna do more but round our way it seems 2 x 45 is about standard.

you all thinking 3 x 45?
 
Bands around here play from 9 - 12 or 8 to 12 depending on the venue. So you would need at least three sets.
 
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