General Music Chat

90+ profiles in Massachusetts updated within 24 hours, yet I see things like "Doping covers and originals. Building on recording a CD in 2011"; no outside website links, no email contact info. Dumbasses, nothing but people with no attention to detail. I've seen a ocuple of people who might possibly be worth checking out (for me), but I'm not going to subscribe here on the off chance they'll work out - because frankly, if they were serious, they would have been browsing the profiles and contacted me already.

Sorry you are having trouble finding the players you desire. You are a veteran musician IMO.
I often wonder how the folks here at BM can keep this site up and running, having said that I do believe it is because of the large metropolitan areas like Houston. I have had good results from the search function because there is a larger pool of musicians in the area.

Unfortunately, this area has really dried up for band gigs. Just too many acts around. The closer you get to Boston the worse it is, too.
At least I have noticed that the 'pay to play' gigs have all disappeared - these were ones where you had to sell 20 tickets @ $5 or $10 each and then any additional ones you sold you could keep the money - and you got to play one 45 minute set, sharing the stage with 3 other bands, and had to set up (and the last band break down) in the 15 minute window between sets.

Unfortunately, this area has really dried up for band gigs. Just too many acts around. The closer you get to Boston the worse it is, too.
At least I have noticed that the 'pay to play' gigs have all disappeared - these were ones where you had to sell 20 tickets @ $5 or $10 each and then any additional ones you sold you could keep the money - and you got to play one 45 minute set, sharing the stage with 3 other bands, and had to set up (and the last band break down) in the 15 minute window between sets.

Mike, something sounds fishy in Denmark? pay to play? well yes, I guess in a way I paid to play yesterday at the Fair Play swap meet, it costs 6 bucks to set up all day on any given Tuesday, but I had several rifles, shotgun, guitars, amps, to peddle.. the owner who comes by to pickup the fee of 6 bucks knows me from times before, and encouraged me to play solo, or get a band to play at this "festival" .. I told her I would play only to attract attention to my booth/spot for now and I would not be setting out a tip jar in the near future.. I had one lady interrupt me while I was playing late in the day, asking where was my tip jar to put money into it, and man that felt good, I was playing "Mood For A Day" and she felt it was played so well she needed to pay me for listening, I told her to forget about it for now, but I am so encouraged, I might pursue getting a small two or three piece band put together, playing the Fair Play swap meet, it would be my way of giving back to the world, the regulars there are pretty much poor and broke rural folks living on social security looking for a deal to flip when they get it home and put up on the internet..LOL.. so really probably Butch's new swap meet just north of Springfield on Hwy. 13 would be better paying..

Oh yeah, pay to play is not unusual at all. Or at least it wasn't a year ago, around here.
The guys running the evening - they get the bars/clubs to agree to it with the promise of a couple of hundred bucks and a 'packed house', and pocket the rest of the 'band ticket' money - the bands have to cough the $100 or $200 up when they sign up, then hope they can sell the tickets.
Most of these have gone by the wayside because the bands would end up only selling a handful of tickets to a few friends, then the bar would be mostly empty all night because people would only come and stay for the band they knew.

Wow sorry to hear gigs up there are so hard to come by. The sad thing is there are a lot of good players around Mike and Dane. I know the areas are different. Perhaps it is linked to the economy in your areas. Down here in Texas a conservative state the economy is booming like I haven't seen since the 60's and 70's. Lots of folks with lots of money to go party on!

I've always known Texas is that way, my twin brother always had as many gigs as they wanted, when he played with South Texas Express..

They thought it was you Dayne!

Talbot

Well Im finding there are gigs even if they are few and far between in my area. I live close to Memphis, yea a big music city, but most paying gigs in town are for $300 these days, some band pull $500.

I played last night with a local group, basically its a drummer/bassist combo that bring in a guitarist from whatever area they are playing, I guess I passed the audition cause I have a gig this sat night with them in a town that I can draw people, yea Im a rock n roll ho.

As I always say you have to find the people that are actively gigging and see where they are playing, aske how much they are getting, and let them know you are avaiable.

In Memphis most serious musicians have a weekend full band, then they do solo or duo acoustic gigs during the week or open mics.

Im starting to really get to know the "working" musicians in my area. Im getting calls to do gigs with a variety of different folks, Im back recording, and also still trying to put my own band together.

If you really want to play, then you just have to dedicate yourself to playing.

Rock On

John, there's no doubt that pay per gig has gone down in the last few years, unlike inflation. You and the other musicians in your area (and in places like Austin, and Houston) are lucky to have so many gigging options.
The place I looked at doing the open mics have bands Fridays and Saturdays and an occasional special Sunday party. The other 4 nights a week there is an empty stage and canned music playing and if there's a dozen people around the bar, its a busy night. And that's true at a lot of places these days.
The places that are having open mic nights do so because they are taking in as much (or more) money as payng the host costs, so its better than hiring a soloist or duo who don't draw as many people (on a Wednesday or Thursday night) and charge more money as well.
I know soloists and duos in this area who average 1 paying gig a month, a really good month for them might have 2 or 3 gigs. But then they might have a month with none.