Do you usually gig on New Year's Eve?

bermuda

Drummerworld Pro Drummer - Administrator
Staff member
I was just checking my gig database for New Year's gigs, and realized that I haven't played a whole lot of them since being in working bands for almost 40 years. Specifically, including this past evening, I've only played 18 New Year's gigs. That date above all tends to pay more, and many musicians I know really hustle for a gig that night.

Do you prefer to have a gig on New Year's? Party with family & friends? Maybe just stay home and off the roads? I don't have a preference, if I work that's cool, if I'm at home and asleep before midnight, that's okay too. :)

Bermuda
 
I have only had 1 NYE gig in my life.

I actually would prefer to have a gig on NYE.

Otherwise, I'm sucked into the in-law family vortex, having to sit with my wife's family, watching the teeny bopper acts on the NYE show in a hot room, waiting for that Magic time at 12 where we can wish each other HNY and then get to go home.

I'm not a big NYE guy. Best way for me to spend that time would be to have a gig.
 

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Otherwise, I'm sucked into the in-law family vortex, having to sit with my wife's family, watching the teeny bopper acts on the NYE show in a hot room, waiting for that Magic time at 12 where we can wish each other HNY and then get to go home.
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Sorry, but this is so funny. Would your wife know you wrote such things, or know of your feelings on the in-laws?

Me, I have had a couple New Years eve gigs but don't like them and prefer to stay home. I occasionally like a good party, but NYE is one night I like to stay home, and luckily my wife is the same (and in-laws are all in other cities).
 
Sorry, but this is so funny. Would your wife know you wrote such things, or know of your feelings on the in-laws?

:)
She knows how I feel, and I kid her about this all the time.

I actually love her family, but, I'm not a fan of sitting around in a hot room because 50 years ago someone in her family decided that all family Must be in attendance together at 12:00 midnight. It's childish.

I never get to see my own family because my siblings dispersed around the country over 10 years ago.

Filling that time with a gig on NYE would be a big win for me. :)
 
I've been fortunate enough to have gigged for the past 5 straight New Years Eves. All at the same place, Stephens on State in Media PA. They love us there. We make them a shit ton of dough, the place is just a gold mine. The manager is a real music lover, and a huge fan as well. I consider it a compliment that, for all the bands that play there, we are on the NYE date. Makes me feel good.

And the place just rocks on New Years, dancing nonstop. We get double pay (200 each) plus they spring for a dinner, anything/as much as we want. Their food is sooo good there too, it's a high quality joint, see? Yea, I love my New Years Eve gigs. I had a Chilean sea bass last night that was out of this world, crusty and flavorful on the outside, really juicy on the inside, it was terrific. Plus I had some sushi, a great salad, cheesecake and coffee...Good times.

If I'm not playing, I prefer to have a quiet NYE with a dinner and a movie with my honey. But that hasn't happened since 2010.
 
Nothing better than upscale gigs where the crowd comes and gets into it.
 
Hi Bermuda, the past five years now I have been playing New Years and this year is a long extended weekend because of it. Money is good but most of all, it’s seeing the people having fun. That’s the best part of it for me.
Thanks and Happy New Years everyone.
 
I played my first one last night. GREAT time! This venue included a dinner, so the nice byproduct of that was the place was packed when we started and stayed that way all night! Dance floor stayed full all night, and they didn't want us to stop at the end of the night.

As others said, better pay, too (x2). Best part was, as we finished packing out, the bar manager sat down with our bandleader and booked us once per month all the way out to November (we only play 2-3 gigs/month). We're happy, because it's a really fun place to play.
 
I've played a few and the pay has always been very nice, but I've been out of working bands for a couple of years due to the day job's precedence over most other things. I spent last night being stupider than normal, probably due to all the shots.
 
I've played 4 NYE gigs in the last 6 years. Played last night....still recovering after playing 2 sets and a total of 52 songs!
 
I'm not fussed either way. I've played NYE gigs, but not for a few years now. last one I played, the pay was stellar, & included accommodation too. The overnight stay made it a much better night than having to pack down & haul out.
 
My Trio played this NYE and we did ok. One of the tight spots for me personally is after being sober for 21 plus years I find it extremely annoying at times putting up with obnoxious drunks. As a former drunk I know its not a good place to be but there is always a choice and it was one the best ones I have ever made.

One of the (special ones) at the gig was trying to get me upset but it didn't work. Whenever this occurs I become grateful that I don't have to do that anymore.

The passion I have for playing far out weighs the negative behavior I witness at times and I have to remember that it is a gift to wake each day clean and sober and being a drummer is the Icing on the cake.
 
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I'd like to play a NYE gig if it was very close to home. I don't want to risk driving too far on the craziest drinking night of the year (although on any given night at 1am, anything could happen on the highways.) As a father of an infant, I'd rather play any NYE gigs now rather than in a couple years when she wants me to stay home and stay up late with her.

Last time we were offered a NYE gig, it was a ridiculous LOWBALL offer. The band was offered HALF of what we normally play for but "all you can drink."

Two of us in the band were against it (the responsible/sensible ones) and two were for it, so we declined. I know the bar would be a packed house and a LOT of eyes on us, but that was an utterly ridiculous offer.
 
I think over the past 10years I've played 5 Ny's eve gigs. This years was fun as it was at a resort.. so we got put up in a swanky hotel, 5 star dinner, free skiing, fireworks and a great crowd that was there to party - from the first downbeat until we closed. I'm not sure if I spent my gig money or came out ahead - but I don't care - it was a blast!

I've played NY's gigs where the crowd was all 'blue haired' people, and thought 'oh no.. these geezers won't make it thru the night' - but - they turned out to be the best dancing crowd of all time! They just never let up.. something to be said for that era - where people would go to dances every week - and dance the night away!
 
I've played NY's gigs where the crowd was all 'blue haired' people, and thought 'oh no.. these geezers won't make it thru the night' - but - they turned out to be the best dancing crowd of all time! They just never let up.. something to be said for that era - where people would go to dances every week - and dance the night away!

I hear that! We've been playing NYE at the same venue for the past few years, and the older folks are out there for the very first song pretty much all the way until 30 or 40 minutes before the night ends. They are dancing machines!
 
For the last nine years, I've done them in our town:

http://www.rockportnye.org/

Two 45 minute sets with 1 snare and 1 bagpipe player. They make it worthwhile and since I can basically walk to the event; I have them give the piper a bit extra since he makes a two hour trip each way!

What's nice is that it's a dry event, meaning there's a lot of stuff for families and no stumbling drunks. We used to do 10:00 and 11:00 PM shows, but moved to an earlier slot so we could enjoy some of the other acts.
 
I usually squeeze anywhere from 2-4 gigs into NYE; it's one of my biggest nights for $$$.

This year, I played at a senior center with a crooner from 6-8, then went downtown to play with a rockabilly group for part of the "First Night" celebration from 9-9:30, then I went to a jazz/cabaret bar to play with another group from 10(ish)-2.

It's always stressful running around like that, but at the end of the night it's great fun! The schedule around here gets pretty hectic around November, and often times all of us musicians around town are working at least once a day from Thanksgiving to NYE, so that's like our big send-off. January, on the other hand, is pretty dead and many musicians just take the month off. I know for me, I pretty much have 2 gigs a week until it picks up around Mardis Gras and Valentine's Day.
 
:)
She knows how I feel, and I kid her about this all the time.

I actually love her family, but, I'm not a fan of sitting around in a hot room because 50 years ago someone in her family decided that all family Must be in attendance together at 12:00 midnight. It's childish.

I never get to see my own family because my siblings dispersed around the country over 10 years ago.

Filling that time with a gig on NYE would be a big win for me. :)

I love the "hot room" comment. Haha! I hate hot rooms (and houses). My thermostat in the Winter is no higher than 62. Helps your body burn more calories, and good for snuggling too.
 
I'm not usually a huge fan of playing any type of "holiday" date. I'd rather relax and hang out with friends. Halloween is another one there's a lot of pressure to play out for... But I'd rather do Halloween stuff! Haunted houses, scaring children, satanic sacrifices. The usual stuff that everyone else gets to do. I get amped up on gig nights, and don't relax till we play the last song, along with no drinking before I play... Puts a damper on my fun.

I guess it helps that I don't count on music to make me any real money, so forgoing a slightly larger pay for the playing isn't hard on me.
 
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