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Post subject: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:14 pm
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If yes - how often and what type music/venues?
If no - why not and have you ever?

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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:54 pm
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ido1957 wrote:
If yes - how often and what type music/venues?
If no - why not and have you ever?

I think you might get more response if you post this on The Fender Lounge section of the Forum.

http://forums.fender.com/viewforum.php?f=2

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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 8:06 pm
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Ok - mods please move this

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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:09 pm
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ido1957 wrote:
Ok - mods please move this

Probably better if you just start a new post in the Lounge yourself.


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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2015 3:37 pm
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My band gigs.

So far we've been a cover band, and style depends on where and to whom we're playing, but we generally stick to classic rock, 70s and 90s things.

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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 8:39 am
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I just looked over in the Lounge and didn't see this post anywhere so I'll just add my response here. If it's redundant or rhetorical, my apologies.

Yes - ABSOLUTELY I play gigs! Of the 30+ years that I've been playing, I've been doing gigs for a good 25 years now (as well as some recording). While I will admit that I do enjoy the occasional summer day of sitting on a river side or even in a park just strumming a bit, for myself at least there just isn't anything like playing to a crowded room that's really into the music...just the greatest "high" there is. I guess some folks are happy just sitting in their bedroom or on their front porch (or annoying people in Guitar Center) and really have no aspirations beyond that, but personally, I'd rather be in front of a crowd almost any day (not to mention getting -payed- to play is certainly a perk! LOL).

As to what, where and how often...
Mostly I play covers - classic rock, oldies and blues...at least when I have any say in the matter, LOL!!! Anything from Chuck Berry to Eric Clapton I'm usually good with. In the past with other bands I've done a fair bit of original material, but even there it's always been a mix of originals and covers...here in Northern Ohio, covers are pretty much a must. That said, the band I've been with the past 3 years does a fair bit of Southern Rock (ala Skynard, Marshall Tucker, etc) and even the occasional country tune...although I do my best to make sure it's JUST an occasional tune. I don't mind the occasional Johnny Cash tune, but I absolutely loathe Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney and crap like that. That said, we actually do a pretty wide mix - a fair amount of CCR and John Melloncamp, some SRV, some ZZ Top, Clapton, Elvis, etc.. Whenever I get to work with a female vocalist, it's also nice to do some Fleetwood Mac, Janis Joplin, Heart, etc.. Mostly I enjoy doing stuff from the 50's, 60's and 70's...I tend to shy away from newer stuff, particularly newer dance stuff and I walk out of the bar if someone even suggests (c)rap or hip-flop.

Mostly I (we) play small to medium size bars and clubs...the current band for example has done everything from hole in the wall dives to some regular gigs at more commercial places such as Cowboy Food & Drink (nice place...I really enjoy those). That said, I've done everything from private gigs such as grad parties to block parties and such. Even headlined a "Pagan Music Festival" once. Right now we're even looking at places such as VFW's, Moose Lodges, etc.. Honestly a gig is a gig...I'll do just about anything EXCEPT weddings. Even with the money, weddings just are NOT worth the hassle (to me).

For the most part and for better or worse, I'd have to consider myself as a "weekend warrior". The current band usually does anywhere from 1 to 3 gigs a month. Personally I'd rather be doing 2 to 3 shows a week, but as I'm getting older (I'm almost 50) and tend to work with older musicians, the logistics of trying to get everyone in the band together THAT often is nearly impossible. My bass player for example works full time (anywhere from 45 to 70 hours a week) and has -7- kids, so most days he really doesn't even have time to stop and crap, not to mention his "day job" requires him to be at work at 6 a.m. so he's usually in bed before 9 on weeknights anyways. Same goes for our front man - the guy is a full time teacher, he usually coaches football or basketball where he teaches AND he's got a family (and the guy does a lot of fishing tournaments as well...freak), so just getting him once or twice a month can be a real chore sometimes.

I would also add that while most of the gigs I've done in my life have been with a band, it's not unheard of for me to do a solo show or for my wife and I to do the acoustic duet thing. I usually prefer working in a band, but again a gig is a gig and sometimes I'm happy just sitting in front of an audience with my acoustic...as long as the pay is good :-).


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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 9:23 am
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ido1957 wrote:
If yes - how often and what type music/venues?
If no - why not and have you ever?


My answer is not in a long time I use to play a lot of gigs from 1973 to 1990, Folk, Blues, Rock, Bluegrass acoustic and electric. This is before I played guitar, I was a harmonica player, then I became a Dad and had to support more people, buy a house, needed a better car than another kid, So I took on a full time Sound Engineering job, and that put me on the road for the next 17 years 150 days a year, so there was no more time for gigs, Now I am working AV at a college and I have since taken up guitar and love it for the the last 6 years, and thinking it time to start playing out again
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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:29 am
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I am the lead singer/guitarist in a rock cover band. We do a couple of country and blues tunes as well. We try to cater to the 25-50 year old crowd. We don't do oldies or stuff that's been played to death(songs like Sweet Home Alabama or Mustang Sally). We pride ourselves on having a great set list. Every gig we play we always have compliments on our song selection. We've been through tons of songs - we play only material that we're really good at and that fits my voice well. If we don't feel a songs completely kicks butt, we drop it. We don't have any "filler" songs. We play stuff from late 70's rock to today's pop - John Mayer, Tom Petty, Bryan Adams, a lot of tunes from the 90's and 2000's. People love it. Here in Memphis we have a huge music scene. Tons of bars and clubs and casinos, and they all have live music. A good band here can play almost 7 days a week. We all have day jobs/careers, so we just play 2 - 4 times a month. Like another poster mentioned, playing live and being on stage in front of people is the best drug ever. It's an incomparable high and I'm completely addicted. I love the way it makes me feel. It makes me feel like I'm special, or like a celebrity or something. Also, the women fall all over themselves. I'm an average looking, 37 year old dude, and I've had tons of phone numbers given to me, chicks have asked to leave with me, etc, all sorts of cool stuff, simply because I sing and play guitar and I connected with them on a deep level. Where else does this happen? Girls that would normally be so far out of my league are now lining up to compliment me during breaks and after the show. Now, it's not always like that. That doesn't happen at every show, and I'm sure it's the same way for most of you gigging folks. And that's my point, I'm not special, but put me on stage with a guitar and a microphone and now suddenly I am special. That's the drug, that's the "high" I'm addicted to.

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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 9:29 am
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Yes, I play gigs, but not as ofter as I used to. These days it's more
of where and when I want. In the past, I played in several "road bands"
and lived out of a suitcase while playing roadhouses, bars, cruises, clubs,
pubs, corporate functions, etc. It's all been a great learning experience.
There is no substitute for life on the road playing music. It has some really
nice and memorable times as well as the downside of seedy scumbag agents
and dives, but it is a real eye opener and great experience. I have a contact list
of hundreds of people that I've met through the years. Some of them have passed on but some of them I still keep in contact with.
Good luck!

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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:49 pm
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No - I found out early on (high school) that I did not enjoy being the center of attention . . . especially on stage. Call it stage fright or whatever, but I doubt I'll ever try it again. :(


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Post subject: Re: Do you play gigs?
Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:02 pm
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Lots of yoga, meditation, metaphysical events and festivals whenever I get the chance.
A couple of Strats, a Passport Venue, some weird effects pedals, have pick-up truck - will travel.

I'm fortunate that most of my playing is really not much more than ambience,
so I'm not the center of attention, thanks goodness,
and it's hard to miss a lick when you're up there washing and layering spacey drones.

Plus, most (if not all) of my audiences claim to be on "some other astral plane" at the time,
so that has to enhance my sound, right? 8)


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