well, at least you didn't look like this last night (although our gig went well)
Yamaha DTX 500 module
Anatolian Kappadokia 14" Rock High Hats
Sabian El Sabor 20" Ride
Zildjian A 18" Crash Ride
Istanbul Agop 16" Trash Hit
1950's Zildjian 14" Splash/light crash
Istanbul 8" Splash (pre 1997)
Mapex Black Panther Steel Piccolo
1965 Premier 3 piece 10, 16, 22
About 15 years ago I was involved with a "wedding band" type act.
We wore white shirts, black pants, black sparkle vests and matching bow ties. (Almost looked like the wait staff at some places we'd play.) We did ballrooms, country clubs and other high end venues like Christmas parties and company parties.
One song that was sure to help us clear the place early (as long as we'd already been paid) was to play Santana's Black Magic Woman. It seems that it wasn't an appropriate song for this type of venue and it would clear the place if we were roughly 2/3rds of the way through the night. It more than not guaranteed we'd be able to quit early.
We never meant for it to turn out that way as we liked playing the song and some people enjoyed it. So it would happen more as a joke than a true plan.
It got to be comical after a while as the pattern would remain the same.
Most wedding receptions and gala events were well paid, roughly between $1000 and $1600 for a 3 hour gig between 4 members. Usually 8-11 or 7-10. We also ran our own sound so we were very efficient in everything we did.
It's good to be in control of the audience.
Signature here
In my experience.....may times when the band is told that they are TOO LOUD, the actual problem is UN BALANCED.
It doesn't take much or a 4-6k frequency to piss off an old cantankerous grumpy fart. Especially at an Elks, Moose or VFW.
Anyhoooooo......here's some drum pRon from my gig last night gig in Sedona, AZ.
Last edited by EddieV; 12-07-2014 at 09:02 PM.
"The problem with information on the Internet is that you can not validate it's authenticity. " -Abraham Lincoln
SILVERFOX DRUMSTICKS & SOULTONE CYMBALS Endorsing Artist.
Man that stinks, Slingy. As a rule I try to stay out of York. LOL.
it was for St Mikulas day, and I was one of the angels
Yamaha DTX 500 module
Anatolian Kappadokia 14" Rock High Hats
Sabian El Sabor 20" Ride
Zildjian A 18" Crash Ride
Istanbul Agop 16" Trash Hit
1950's Zildjian 14" Splash/light crash
Istanbul 8" Splash (pre 1997)
Mapex Black Panther Steel Piccolo
1965 Premier 3 piece 10, 16, 22
The social demographic of the VFW's, Legions, Moose and Elks clubs are changing though. These "clubs" used to be a room filled with mostly older WW2 vets that hated ANYTHING to do with rock and roll and anything with a decibel level over 10. Now, it has become a room where 75% (even 90%) of the people are Baby Boomers that fought in Vietnam and Korea, not to mention the Gulf War and the latest conflict in Afghanistan.
Newsflash....they like rock and roll. (Sex and Drugs too)
Unfortunately....the older WW2 vets (and pre-Baby Boomers) are still in charge and run most of the committees that hire the bands. Even if they don't - it only takes one of them to complain enough to ruin it for everyone.
Last edited by EddieV; 12-08-2014 at 12:58 PM.
"The problem with information on the Internet is that you can not validate it's authenticity. " -Abraham Lincoln
SILVERFOX DRUMSTICKS & SOULTONE CYMBALS Endorsing Artist.
SONOR 6 pc Special Edition 3007's red maple, old Pearl Brass 14x6 FF snare, Yamaha Tour Custom maple 8 pc., Tama 4 pc., honey amber B/B, Ludwig Supralite chrome 14x6.5 steel snare, Paiste, Saluda & Zildjianhttp://www.facebook.com/DerailedRockers/
Loaned out Slingerland upgraded 4 pc 1963 black, wrapped maple + 14" Pearl birch FT
My band is actively pursuing the small places with older clients. It always seems a better gig experience as opposed to the drunk & rowdy young crowd that picks fights. Our style of music lends itself to moderate volume & acoustic settings, so we're trying to exploit our capabilities and willingness to do so over the other local bands. Most local bands play "wide open". They don't mix the sound well and play with ZERO dynamics....which doesn't help. We try to keep the volume down as much as possible and still be heard clearly in the back of the bar. We try to concentrate on the mix and sound quality foremost.
Some good friends of mine are in a very good band. They are all excellent musicians, but they are extremely overpowering in terms of volume. They mic everything and play full volume. They have problems booking gigs because of it. Many bar owners have told me that they won't book them because of the volume issue. If they would leave half of their sound equipment at home and use a small, basic system, they could gig every weekend.
-Brian
"Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"
Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!
"I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham
The restaurant biz has changed.
20 years ago when satellite television programming became a decent option, many restaurants became "Sports Bars". In fact - many Nightclubs changed their format and converted into the Sports Bar business model. Leaving bands out in the cold.
This lasted about 15 years - until the average Joe could afford a big screen in his own home.
Combine this with a brutal recession, and an economic collapse that the country hadn't seen since the early 1900's. This SPORTS BAR SCENE, THE RESTAURANT SCENE and THE BAR SCENE dried up quite considerably. (Not to mention the large rock venues....which also went away).
What venues were left had to figure out how to get people back inside their walls....and many of them went to LIVE Music again. Some did it right and it worked....some didn't.
"When times are good...have a drink. When times are bad ...have TWO drinks!"
Over the years....recessions have been good for me, especially in the early 90's, early 2000's and in 2007 when EVERYTHING went to hell. This was because of the proactive establishments that were more aggressive when times were tough - simply because THE HAD TO HAVE more bodies in their place of business - and they did something about it.
These recessions and lousy economic times light fires under some restaurant/club owners to so something to attract people and promote. I've been fortunate to be in decent working bands when times were tough....I always ended up with more work because of it. That's not to say that we haven't been screwed by sudden club closures now and then. (as they never announce ahead of time when they are closing their doors). But, when all is said and done - I've remained busy playing live music during these times.
The corporate work leaned out a bit - ESPECIALLY after 2007....but I don't attribute it to Economy as much as many people do. I attribute it to the demographic involved, and the liability involved with alcohol.
Sorry for the hijack.
Last edited by EddieV; 12-08-2014 at 10:36 PM.
"The problem with information on the Internet is that you can not validate it's authenticity. " -Abraham Lincoln
SILVERFOX DRUMSTICKS & SOULTONE CYMBALS Endorsing Artist.
^^Great post EddieV ...
I've survived many a dry spell myself ... even the 80's solo singer/guitar player computer band trend that killed off many a band ... traitors ...
Last edited by dangermoney; 12-08-2014 at 09:18 PM.
Great post Brian. I'm with you. I'll take and hire your acoustic band over your good friends "loud" rock band. I struggle with the both guitar players in my band at every weekend gig. One guy wears a hearing aid, the other guy just likes to play really loud. I'm not a heavy hitter and I pride myself on dynamics but there comes a point where I throw my hands up and just shrug it off if the amps continue to be loud after my last warning.
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