Members msmooth Posted April 12, 2017 Members Share Posted April 12, 2017 Since 2014 my wife (vocals, percussion) and I (guitar, vocals) have been playing in an acoustic trio along with an upright bassist (very limited backing vocals). We play 2 gigs a month, sometimes 3 gigs. The bassist is also in two other bands, so occasionally my wife and I book as a duo. We wife and I feel that we are at our best as a full trio. We play venues that also employ solo/duo acts, so we don’t make a lot of money. We are currently attempting to break into the local winery/brewery scene. There are probably 20 such places within 45 miles from my house, including 2-3 that are less than 10 miles. Most of these places hire solos and duos. Some of these places don’t have enough room for a trio and some of them don’t want to book trios as they think we’d be too loud, like a rock band. I am sure I could book many of these places as a duo but I don’t want to cut Chuck (bassist) out. He has put in as much hard work as the rest of us. We don’t have an issue booking as a duo when he is booked with another band, which is what I am trying to do to get our feet in the door. I am hoping that we do well as a duo then I can try to bring bassist along, if there is enough physical space. Any thoughts or ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 If you continue to do the two or three gigs a month with your bassist and are simply adding one or two gigs a month without him, I don't see a problem. Where he might get annoyed, is if you are doing duo gigs instead of the regular trio gigs and/or doing a bunch of duo gigs and just a few trio gigs. I guess you would cross that bridge when you came to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 Success always necessitates a degree of ruthlessness. Given the choice of friendship or success, I'd probably choose success.Sting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pat'sStrat Posted April 14, 2017 Members Share Posted April 14, 2017 Few of the places i play solo provide a stage, let alone room. Usually, they shove a table out of the way and I literally have room for 1 speaker on a stick behind me, the powered mixer beside me, and a stool to sit on. Space is at a premium in a lot of these places, and the way one venue owner explained it is that for every table he has to take away, he loses X amount of income each table generates. Thus, besides what he pays me he has to factor that in as the cost of live music. This is why they don't provide a lot of room. If i showed up with even a duo, let alone a trio in some of those places, I'd never be back. Too, there is the issue of pay. These places pay what their budget can afford, and I can play for 150 plus tips plus a meal or I can play for 75 plus tips and an appetizer or I can play for 50 bucks, 3 way tip split and no food at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted April 14, 2017 Moderators Share Posted April 14, 2017 I think you need to explain the situation to 'Chuck'. This isn't about him, or you, it is about the venues and what they want. Or.... You could play it as a mix'n'match.Yes I see that puzzled look...do it as a duo with just you and Chuck once, and once without Chuck, just you and the Mrs. Smooth, and gauge the reaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted April 15, 2017 Members Share Posted April 15, 2017 Few of the places i play solo provide a stage' date=' let alone room. Usually, they shove a table out of the way and I literally have room for 1 speaker on a stick behind me, the powered mixer beside me, and a stool to sit on. Space is at a premium in a lot of these places, and the way one venue owner explained it is that for every table he has to take away, he loses X amount of income each table generates. Thus, besides what he pays me he has to factor that in as the cost of live music. This is why they don't provide a lot of room. If i showed up with even a duo, let alone a trio in some of those places, I'd never be back. Too, there is the issue of pay. These places pay what their budget can afford, and I can play for 150 plus tips plus a meal or I can play for 75 plus tips and an appetizer or I can play for 50 bucks, 3 way tip split and no food at all. [/quote'] Have to agree with all that Pat, this is about the smallest space I have been squeezed into, it was when one of the diners asked me to pass the salt I knew I would never play there again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted April 15, 2017 Moderators Share Posted April 15, 2017 that would have been a ukelele gig for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted April 16, 2017 Moderators Share Posted April 16, 2017 this is about the smallest space I have been squeezed into, it was when one of the diners asked me to pass the salt I knew I would never play there again. how small was it? He had to go outside to change songs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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