Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

I just had a good time performing and listening at an open mike in Madison, and there was a bunch of good musicians and singers there.
I saw TWO Bandmix members there,
>JillShorline, from Madison
>Singing Cowboy, from Guilford.
"Singing Cowboy" met Jill through Bandmix.
I told them about an event in East Lyme on Sunday, and it looks like they might be coming to that event, too.
Jill's co-host, "bandmate," Howard (a Bass-man), is interested in stopping over my place to play some new stuff.

Annnnd . . .
THAT'S how it works: ya gotta meet good folks, and get them to the places where other good folks are.
At these two events, alone, there'll be a total of about 45 performers.
Get out there, perform in public, and TALK to people, extend invitations.

45 people at 2 open mics? Unless there are a lot of multi-person bands, how does everyone get a chance to play?

45 attendees X 10 minutes ea. = 450 minutes ÷ 60 minutes = 7.5 hours..simple math gives the answer..start @ 7 PM quits ar 2:30 AM..easy peezy

exactly how open is Mike? did he confide in you about his drinking problem? did he come out of the closet?

GuitarMikeB wrote:45 people at 2 open mics? Unless there are a lot of multi-person bands, how does everyone get a chance to play?

Last nights open mike lasted about 3 hours and had about 8-9 performers - some of them perforned rock as a trio.
Tomorrow's open Mike runs from about 11Am to about 6pm, depend on turnout, and will generate anywhere from 20 to 45 performers, depending on weather and such . . .

RhythmMan-2 wrote:

GuitarMikeB wrote:45 people at 2 open mics? Unless there are a lot of multi-person bands, how does everyone get a chance to play?

Last nights open mike lasted about 3 hours and had about 8-9 performers - some of them perforned rock as a trio.
Tomorrow's open Mike runs from about 11Am to about 6pm, depend on turnout, and will generate anywhere from 20 to 45 performers, depending on weather and such . . .

7 hours? What kind of venue? That's crazy work hosting an open mic running that long! I would want at least $300 (cash!) to run one for 7 hours.

I've played gigs that SEEMED like they were seven hrs!

Never play out for free

I swear some folks are not happy unless they are trying to find fault with something . . .
Geeze . . .
The open mike was at a farm, in a barn heated with a fireplace and two wood stoves.
There's a permanent stage set up, and hard-wired microphones and speakers.
The guy who hosts it LIVES there, and people bring casseroles and pizza and plates of lasagna and stuff, as an admission charge. It's a highly popular event - by invitation only - and it brings business to the owner.
He's got a donation jar, and does all right for himself. He's a hard-working farmer, and also runs a construction business, and does snow plowing and such . . .
I bought a gallon of freshly pressed cider when I was there (it's the last batch of the season; it was made the day before.).
. . . there's a full kitchen. One year his wife baked and sold over 425 pies.
Geez, guys, stop trying to find fault with everything . . . that makes for a crappy climate for friendship. No wonder folks don't post much here . . .
Anyway - at the back of the main room is a huge, hard-wired mixing board and computer, to run the recording studio.

And there was some world-class talent there, guys.
It was a great time; a lot of great people, great music, great food, and laughter . . . and you can't take that away . . .

I hope you didn't take my comments as 'negative'. AN 'invitation only' open mic at a privately-owned building is a different animal than the usual bar/coffeehouse/coffee shop event.

Ancient Vegan wrote:Never play out for free

An open mic performance is something completely different, but maybe you are not aware of what they are, being stuck out in East Bumfuque.

RhythmMan-2 wrote:The open mike was at a farm, in a barn heated with a fireplace and two wood stoves.
Anyway - at the back of the main room is a huge, hard-wired mixing board and computer, to run the recording studio.

now you have my interest. do any videos of this open mic exist on youtube?

Never play out for free.

That's not negative, that's respecting all the hardworking musicians trying to make a dollar.

no, i didn't and don't view your reply as negative at all, AV.

I don't agree that you NEVER play for free, but I do think that many musicians should do better about not allowing themselves to be taken advantage of because they are so in need to be playing out somewhere. When they do that, they make it harder (often impossible) for musical working stiffs like your's truly to get a fair wage for our work.

i also don't think my comment was particularly negative either. it was said tongue in cheek and certainly wasn't meant as grousing at all. when it come to good, fun gigs played.....i have ZIP to grouse about. over 40 yrs, and a gazillion gigs later, i can count on one hand the "bad" gigs that i've played.

Planetguy wrote:I've played gigs that SEEMED like they were seven hrs!

hmmmm, perhaps seeing negativity where little or none exists is ....wait for it........ negative.

GuitarMikeB wrote:I hope you didn't take my comments as 'negative'. AN 'invitation only' open mic at a privately-owned building is a different animal than the usual bar/coffeehouse/coffee shop event.

Ancient Vegan wrote:Never play out for free

An open mic performance is something completely different, but maybe you are not aware of what they are, being stuck out in East Bumfuque.

Yeah, and here come the insults . . . that's the kind of thing that keeps people from posting.

Ancient Vegan wrote:Never play out for free.

That's not negative, that's respecting all the hardworking musicians trying to make a dollar.

Agreed.

But, still, there may come a time in your life, where you just want a day off from work, and want to be with friends having a good time.
Or . . . maybe not.
Still, I played 3 songs with my friends, and it was a room full of smiles.