How do you know you are ready to do gig.

[nobleheart]

My Dad(guitar), Wife(keyboard), and I(mando), have an unoffiacial band. We play at every family event possible and practice together often. My wife and I have taken a few steps into the recording world and have been very satisfied with the results. We strictly play for a hobby; no financial interest. The local Borders Bookstore and Java Dave's have shown interest in letting us play once a month. Now for a formal question: How do youknow that you are ready to play a gig? Also, should we? We are complacent with playing music for ourselves and family.
Thanks for any input.

[John Flynn]

There are no hard and fast rules. There are a couple of things I would do. First, start doing your practices and family performances as if they were real gigs and document them with a video camera. Don't play them back right away, but a few days after each taping, have another practice that starts with watching the video. You see for yourself if you are "ready for prime time." Also, the tape will tell you what you need to work on.

One thing that is tough, at least it has been for my group, is developing even a basic stage presence. I don't mean to suggest that you need to be all "show biz" playing at Borders, but you also can't sit there staring at your instruments while you play, acting as if there were no audience.You may never imagine your group would do that, but the first time you do a gig, there is that tendency.

My other suggestion is to find a couple of open mike nights to play at and see how you do. These are good because they are "high stress, low risk." By that I mean you are playing in an unfamiliar situation for strange people, which tests you in ways that are useful for gigs, but at the same time, there really isn't a big downside if you mess up. If you can get someone to run the camera, you could combine that with the video idea.

Finally, at some point you just go ahead and do it. Sometimes you do great. Some other times you mess up, you take some lumps and you learn.

[Michael H Geimer]

" The local Borders Bookstore and Java Dave's have shown interest in letting us play once a month. "

Well, there's your answer. You have already two places wanting *you* to play.

I suppose the only real question is, "How much material do you have?"

I had a lazy band when I started. We'd just play casually, sort of 'hit and miss' style at local pubs. So I didn't 'officially' book a more 'serious' coffee house gig until I had at leasst 45 mintues of stuff I could handle solo ... just in case no one else showed up, or forgot, or ...

I only had to do that once, and another guy did eventually show up ... [phew!] Things are great now, and we're comming up on one year of Sunday afternoons.

Go for it!

- Benignus

[Greenmando]

You might want to sit in a practice or a gig with someone who has a band, see if it's your cup of latte.

[nobleheart]

Excellent input everyone. The video idea is a particularly good one.

Also, as far as material goes--we have a total of maybe 2 hours worth, not that we would play that long.
Do any of you play certain songs that are audience specific; ghost riders in the sky/blues bros? We mainly play Jazzy/big band style covers and an occasional original. If we do a gig should we incorprate a few more genres into the act, or stick to what we are comfortable with.

Thanks again folks.....

[steve in tampa]

As you play, read the audience and see what they react to. If you play a slow song, and folks start to leave, speed it up, etc. Set a pace that keeps them in their seats comfortably. Try to engage them with a little, not a lot of dialog between songs. Remember the old adage, "always leave them wanting more."

[ethanopia]

I'd say just go for it. If you have been to a bunch of concerts you know what stage banter sounds like, and you know what people say when they are on stage.

One thing to keep in mind is that you may think at home it takes us 30 minutes to these 7 songs. But in a live setting you tend to rush the tempo, and keep banter to about 20% or the chit chat oyu do in a living room setting. So I would plan having about 20% contengeancy reserve of extra tunes just in case you finish your set list earl, you won't be sitting there going uh thats all we have.

[jim simpson]

I believe you are ready when you can play everything in your set from memory and not have a music stand in front of you (even for lyrics!). It is really important to connect with your audience (true in performance as it is in public speaking). Select the one person in your group that is the most natural and comfortable with public speaking. If they can convey a sense of humor then better yet. It is easy to cross the line with too much chatter between songs so try to minimize stories, long jokes, etc.
Hope this helps,
Jim

[Trip]

Quote: #I believe you are ready when you can play everything in your set from memory and not have a
music stand in front of you (even for lyrics!).



I been playing shows with a music stand in front of me for the last 2 years....
I cant even remember the words to my own originals...lol!

StrangerStringBand.com (http://strangerstringband.com)

[generankin]

My Dad(guitar), Wife(keyboard), and I(mando), have an unoffiacial band. #We play at every family event possible and practice together often. #My wife and I have taken a few steps into the recording world and have been very satisfied with the results. #We strictly play for a hobby; no financial interest. #The local Borders Bookstore and Java Dave's have shown interest in letting us play once a month. #Now for a formal question: How do youknow that you are ready to play a gig? #Also, should we? #We are complacent with playing music for ourselves and family.
Thanks for any input.
We had a similar 'band,' (the Yahara River Valley Boys) but it consisted of whoever showed up at the right house on Wednesday after dinner. We played the Dane County Fair, after first agreeing on a set list, used no music, had a grand time, and nobody walked away. Banjo player stared at his left hand the entire gig, though.

[johnwalser]

Try playing at your chapel on Sunday mornings. When you stop getting threatening letters from your fellow parishioners and the pastor stops sneaking out while you're playing to slash your tires, you might be ready to try other gigs.
John

[Ted Eschliman]

John, that kind of hostility has not been displayed in my experience with church playing. The only thing they can really throw is the hymnbooks, which we don't have, being a more contemporary format.
That said, I do try to avoid venues where rotten fruit is accessible to the audience. It's hard to dodge these kind of projectiles when I'm really concentrating on my playing...

[John Flynn]

If you take requests and the audience keeps asking if you could play "Somewhere Else," maybe you weren't ready to do gigs yet.

[MartinD_GibsonA]

<< # If we do a gig should we incorprate a few more genres into the act # >>

Play things that you enjoy playing. #First, you'll have a better time doing it. #Second, you'll tend to play them better. #Third, your joy will be obvious to the audience and they'll appreciate it. #Most people, no matter what they pop into the car CD player, enjoy many kinds of live music as long as it's not too off the charts. #Avoid hip-hop and opera; everything else will probably connect.

Other tips:

Vary the tempo from fast to slow and back again; too much of either is a bad thing.

I agree with playing Open Mics.

If you need a music stand, use a music stand; nobody in the audience cares.

I'd *definitely* tell stories, with the caveat being that they have to be about the song you're about to perform, not about your Aunt Flossie's cornbread or some other foolishness. #(The guy from Dry Branch Fire Squad can get away with that, but few others can!) #Here's an example ... We sometimes do "Wreck of the Old 97". #Now most everybody has heard that song at some point in their life. #But few know the story behind it ... where it happened, the engineer's name, why he was running so fast, what caused the wreck, etc. #Before we play that song, I always tell the story and it's amazing the way people perk up and listen. #And someone comments after almost every show about how much they liked knowing some of the history of the music. #So don't just rush from song to song -- use some of your time to draw the audience in and teach them something. #You might have to do some research to get some of this info, but it's well worth the time and effort.

[Jack Roberts]

That said, I do try to avoid venues where rotten fruit is accessible to the audience. It's hard to dodge these kind of projectiles when I'm really concentrating on my playing...
I play at the local rescue mission. We always play after dinner. But we be sure to start after all the food has been eaten!

Jack

[hellindc]

Good luck. You know, you can make hundreds of dollars a year in a band.

Pick out one set of songs and work on that only. Try tp get the tunes you are going to do as close to perfect as you can. The better you play the better the chance they will want you back of course. Once you have a solid set of songs go with it. It works for are band.