Gig Dilemma

  • Thread starter Joseph "Stix" Davis
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Joseph "Stix" Davis

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Hello DrummerWorld!

I have a gig dilemma on my hands, and I need some assistance. The band I'm a part of, Split Velvet, has a gig at a local venue called the Warehouse on July 16th. We will be opening up for Psychostick.

There is also a concert happening at another venue called the La Crosse Center on the same day. It was just announced this morning, and our other gig was booked over a week ago. My all time favorite band, Avenged Sevenfold is playing. I DJ for the radio station that is putting on this event.

The owner of the Warehouse would refuse to book us for a lot of shows because we wouldn't fit in with the bands that primarily get booked there. We are straight up rock, though we do have material that leans towards metal, and the bands that normally get booked there are metalcore. We do not incorporate screaming vocals in our songs. Then the Warehouse books us with some other bands that do nothing but screaming vocals. They also put up the wrong logo and information about us and keeps ignoring us when we try to contact them to resolve the issue. Some people have a feeling the Warehouse owner is trying to set us up to fail, mainly because he doesn't like our front man, and the owner has a bad reputation of being very hard to work with. The venue is failing, the owner keeps begging for money, but only wants a very select type of music to be played.

On the other hand, we may get the chance to open for Avenged Sevenfold, as well as hang out with them before the show.

So now we are not sure what to do. If we get the chance to play at the La Crosse Center, we really, really want to. But at the same time, we don't want to cancel the gig we had previously booked. We feel that would reflect poorly on us.

The Warehouse is smaller, mainly plays metalcore, owned by a person that is very hard to work with and simply put, mean, and will have Psychostick. The La Crosse Center is bigger, run by nice people, sponsored by the radio station I work at, and will have Avenged Sevenfold.

Thoughts? My mind is racing right now, I don't know what to do. Help! :)

Thanks!

- Stix
 
What happens if you cancel and then don't get the Sevenfold gig? When and how will they determine who gets selected to open for them?
 
Although I would never cancel a confirmed booking in favour of a better opportunity, these circumstances seem different. As I see it, you stand little chance of repeat bookings from the confirmed gig, & the owner is difficult. The other gig shows more promise, & you can use your employment status for a potential "in" on something better.
 
If we were going to cancel, it would only be if we were offered the other gig. So either way, we would be playing a show that night. The only exception to that would be, if we didn't get the A7X gig, but we got to hang out with them backstage. :)

I'm not sure when or how they will determine the opening band. I'm going to talk to my program director about it later today.
 
Although I would never cancel a confirmed booking in favour of a better opportunity, these circumstances seem different. As I see it, you stand little chance of repeat bookings from the confirmed gig, & the owner is difficult. The other gig shows more promise, & you can use your employment status for a potential "in" on something better.

This is how we feel about it too. We would just hate to cancel a show for another show. It seems like a low-blow to the smaller venue. But this seems like an exception.
 
Tough one....

My first response to these sort of things is if you've committed then you're committed. But..

There are a few things that you have not addressed that could be important if it were me.

First, have you been officially offered the gig at the La Crosse Center? If not, play what you already have. When in doubt, play.

Second, what is your band's MO? Exposure? Continued local gigging? You'll probably not be offered another shot at the Warehouse gig again, no matter how the venue owner views you now. And does this guy have other connections in the local scene?

Third, money? Are you getting paid for the gig you have now? Is there potential for money for the bigger show? Bands need money to run properly.

I know it sucks that tons of folks will no doubt go to the bigger show, and probably a lot of your supporters. It's the way things work. But, worse case scenario is to blast though the support gig you have and hightail it over to catch A7F. Done that sorta thing myself many a time.
 
A support act travels with the headliner, and is chosen/approved by them. An opening act ("opener") is chosen by the local promoter. Sometimes the promoter may ask the venue to choose an opener, usually where that venue is familiar with which local bands are suitable in the opening spot. If the radio station is promoting/sponsoring the show, that would be a real advantage towards grabbing that spot!

As for the Warehouse gig, it sounds like a situation you'd want to avoid regardless of the other possibility.

Bermuda
 
It sounds like your more attracted to the prospect of a backstage hangout with avenge than playing a gig. The old adage Never Meet You Heroes goes a long way. If you bail on the booked gig, you may get a bad rep as an unreliable band and at the same time, the guys from avange wont live up to the fan hype and may not even talk to you.
 
Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Your reputation will likely recover.

Do not let a game-changing opportunity pass you by, you will kick yourself forever. Opportunity knocks- answer the door. (insert favorite cliche here)
 
First, have you been officially offered the gig at the La Crosse Center? If not, play what you already have. When in doubt, play.

Second, what is your band's MO? Exposure? Continued local gigging? You'll probably not be offered another shot at the Warehouse gig again, no matter how the venue owner views you now. And does this guy have other connections in the local scene?

Third, money? Are you getting paid for the gig you have now? Is there potential for money for the bigger show? Bands need money to run properly.

We have not been given the offer. This is more of a "what if" scenario. What if we have been offered the opening spot? Should we cancel the show at the other venue?

We are a fairly new yet established band. We each have our own connections. We released an EP, we're recording an album, and we have 4 other local gigs coming up this month and in July. We have received offers to play in local clubs and bars.

As far as I know, we aren't getting paid for either show. But we do have the opportunity to sell merchandise.
 
A support act travels with the headliner, and is chosen/approved by them. An opening act ("opener") is chosen by the local promoter. Sometimes the promoter may ask the venue to choose an opener, usually where that venue is familiar with which local bands are suitable in the opening spot. If the radio station is promoting/sponsoring the show, that would be a real advantage towards grabbing that spot!

As for the Warehouse gig, it sounds like a situation you'd want to avoid regardless of the other possibility.

Bermuda

I just talked to the program director at the radio station. She said that it is just those two bands, no openers, especially no local bands. I'm afraid it seems like A7X wants more attention focused towards them. I hope that's not the case. but it may be. =\

A lot of people like the Warehouse, and everything was great when we finally got the offer to open for Psychostick, but then the Warehouse started posting out of date and false information about us, just because it looked better than our new and current logo and info. We feel that we are being messed with.

Why can't this stuff be easy? ;)
 
It sounds like your more attracted to the prospect of a backstage hangout with avenge than playing a gig. The old adage Never Meet You Heroes goes a long way. If you bail on the booked gig, you may get a bad rep as an unreliable band and at the same time, the guys from avange wont live up to the fan hype and may not even talk to you.

Honestly, it kind of is. The rhythm guitarist and myself are HUGE A7X fans. I really hope the "Never Meet Your Heroes" wouldn't happen, but it is something to consider.

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Your reputation will likely recover.

Do not let a game-changing opportunity pass you by, you will kick yourself forever. Opportunity knocks- answer the door. (insert favorite cliche here)

It's a really hard decision. But if we don't get an opening spot for A7X, we will probably play our other show and high-tail it over to the concert. They are only a few blocks apart.
 
I just had a meeting with my program director. She said that the only two bands that are playing that night are Avenged Sevenfold, and Fight or Flight. I think Disturbed's guitarist and drummer started FoF.

She also said they aren't doing meet and greets of any kind. Even working at the concert, no one from the radio station would get to meet them. It sounds like they're very seclusive while on tour.

I threw Split Velvet in the ring anyway, and gave her an EP. We aren't expecting to get an opening position, but she has us in consideration for future shows.

I think we are going to play the Warehouse, to stick to our commitment, put on a good show, and show the Warehouse owner what we can do instead of letting him walk all over us.
 
It sounds like your more attracted to the prospect of a backstage hangout with avenge than playing a gig.... the guys from avange wont live up to the fan hype and may not even talk to you.

That's very possible. Headliners are often busy before a show doing whatever they do, and that's usually not hanging with the opening act. Sometimes they don't even catch the opener's show.

I just talked to the program director at the radio station. She said that it is just those two bands, no openers, especially no local bands. I'm afraid it seems like A7X wants more attention focused towards them....

Ahem, they are the headliner... few people are coming to see anyone else.

Why can't this stuff be easy? ;)

It's business, and business isn't always easy, or kind. The headliner isn't coming to town to help promote a local band, or hang out with local players. What they want is to sell tickets (and merchandise) to people who want to come see them, so they can pay for the tour, eat, buy gear, keep recording their music, pay their mortgage, and hopefully have some money leftover when all is said and done.

Bermuda
 
I think we are going to play the Warehouse, to stick to our commitment, put on a good show, and show the Warehouse owner what we can do instead of letting him walk all over us.

That sounds like a plan. Bring whatever friends you can, and tear it up!!!
 
I just had a meeting with my program director. She said that the only two bands that are playing that night are Avenged Sevenfold, and Fight or Flight. I think Disturbed's guitarist and drummer started FoF.

She also said they aren't doing meet and greets of any kind. Even working at the concert, no one from the radio station would get to meet them. It sounds like they're very seclusive while on tour.

I threw Split Velvet in the ring anyway, and gave her an EP. We aren't expecting to get an opening position, but she has us in consideration for future shows.

I think we are going to play the Warehouse, to stick to our commitment, put on a good show, and show the Warehouse owner what we can do instead of letting him walk all over us.

I think you're doing the right thing.

People have long memories and live music in a geographical area is notoriously incestuous
 
Dude you will have a blast playing with Psychostick. I've seen them twice and they put on one of the most enjoyable shows I've seen. Plus they are also really cool guys and will more than likely be willing to hang with your band after the show.

Having been the "opening act" numerous times, the headlining band doesn't usually watch your set, talk with you, party it up after the show with you, or any of that hype. They usually just stay on their busses until showtime, play their gig, then get back on the bus. Very rarely would any of the bigger name players take the time to talk music, gear, weather, whatever with the opening act.

Don't underplay your show just because it isn't the band you want to play with that night. You will have a great time as long as you allow yourself to.
 
If I have a booked gig, I never bail for a better one that comes along later BUT under the
circumstances you have described I believe you should ditch the warehouse gig if you can
get the other one.
 
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