|
|
Post by Rick Knight on Sept 4, 2020 14:56:53 GMT -5
We were a decent band from a small country town, playing the music we heard on late ‘70s FM Rock radio. Nobody within a +/- 40-mile radius was doing what we did, and there wasn’t much else for young people there to do. Having at least 200 people at a gig was normal. My brother’s in-laws owned a place we used to play. His father-in-law later told him that they took in over $1000 at the door with a $2 cover the first night we played there. I knew we weren’t great, but assumed that the audiences would grow with improvement.
My last band was, objectively, much better than that first band, but never matched those audience numbers. I get that most people in my age group don’t stay up late anymore, and that they have a lot more entertainment options; but it would be so great to have those audiences again.
|
|
twangmeister
Wholenote
Posts: 349
Formerly Known As: Twangmeister
Age: 72 and fading fast.....
|
Post by twangmeister on Sept 4, 2020 15:25:16 GMT -5
My first and only full-time band was from 72-76. Those were the good days of playing 6-7 nights a week. Tuesdays snd Wednesdays were a bit slow but we packed the place 5 days a week. Unfortunately all good things must pass and economic conditions killed live music as DJs started taking over. I needed to return to the real world and quit. Our long stay at our main venue led to overexposure but with other bands the club could only support two or three nights of bands or DJs a week.
Although the name of the club was the Venice Room it was better known to the regulars as the VD Room.
I got back with the band as military duties permitted. We kind of coasted as weekend warriors after that. That was the Indian Summer for the band with small club and the occasional small festival gigs pulling up to several thousand people. Athough I've been in a number of subsequent musical ventures since then, none were like Red Wine.
|
|
mikem
Wholenote
Musician soundman musician soundman
Posts: 230
|
Post by mikem on Sept 10, 2020 21:16:29 GMT -5
In the early 80's I got into a band who's main gig was playing as the house band at a NH ski area.
(I remember when the leader of the band called....his first question was: "Can you drink heavily and still play well?")
The band's job was to get the people in the bar (apres skiers) drinking.
The gal that ran the beverage service at the mountain told me that when our band played the bar made way more sales than with other bands.
The place was always packed and the crowd was partying - so much fun...music/girls/beer/free chalet/free skiing....
(I bought a 2nd tenor sax that I left in a closet at the lodge as I didn't have enough room to bring my skis and my sax...)
After five years that mountain gig ended when the ski area closed due to poor investments (condos that didn't sell, etc.)
The band still played festivals and toured a bit for years.
Today I still play with THAT band (my 38th year). Up until this year we have had a busy September/October weekend festival season - the Covid has shut all area festivals down.
In the 90's I had the opportunity to play some significant shows playing in the bands of: Ray Charles, Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Four Tops, Tony Bennett, plus some others...
Those were really cool shows to play but not nearly as-fun-as the ski area days.... (I'm smiling right now just thinking about'em...)
Nowadays; I play in a professional symphony and contract my own classical ensemble (we play Newport mansion weddings). These are my main performance gigs - until September/October roll around.
Hey, at least I'm still practicing my craft...
|
|
|
|
Post by Vibroluxer on Sept 11, 2020 19:46:50 GMT -5
Dude. Glad to have you abord for us wannabes.
|
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on Sept 12, 2020 7:43:41 GMT -5
I hooked into my first real working band early 90's. We had a regular gig in Detroit's warehouse district (Woodbridge Tavern) that back then paid $1500 for a Fri/Sat, money I don't think I made at any bar ever since. It was the era of "The Commitments" and the like and the club was a seriously happening place.
*feeble elderly voice*
"Those were the days"
|
|
|
|
Post by Mfitz804 on Sept 13, 2020 8:51:09 GMT -5
My gigging band back in 1995 brought over 300 people to a small bar that was only supposed to hold 200. Not a lot of people in the grand scheme, but there wasn’t even room to move in the crowd, and that was pretty cool.
|
|
|
|
Post by Auf Kiltre on Sept 13, 2020 10:20:09 GMT -5
One of my last gigs with a working band was at a club where we jam packed the place. Our bass player has a music store and large young clientele that he teaches. We showcased the kids for a small set. When they left so did the parents and friends and we were left with about 5 people in the club. I pretty much quit gigging shortly afterward, lol.
|
|
|
|
Post by Laker on Sept 13, 2020 13:16:28 GMT -5
After being a performing musician for 60 years, I think the crowds I miss the most were those that came to see us perform when I was a junior high sax player in my first band and we played for crowds made up of my school friends. As a rock band, we were really a novelty in those days and would pack the house because we were the only show within many miles as we did Gene Vincent, Little Richard and Johnny and the Hurricanes covers.
In the years since, the bands I have been in recorded CDs and shared the stage at many festivals with Bryan Lee, Nugent, Bo Diddley, Chicago, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, George Thorogood and more I can’t think of, but the most memorable crowds (the adrenalin rush is what I remember) have to be those I played for in that first band.
A close second would be the time I spent in a 10 piece horn-based group around 20 years ago doing original stuff and TOP type material. The excitement that band generated was addictive but lacked that rush of those first shows in 1960.
|
|
