Should I just say no to this gig?

[StratGuy22]

The bandleader is a vocalist btw.

 

Figures. They have no idea. Our keyboard player is similar. Oh let's do this this and this song for next gig. Ok. It's one thing to learn how to sing the song, that's all fine and dandy. We have to learn how to play these songs that we've never heard of or are too complicated to get done in time. I put the kibosh on more than a few numbers.

 

She just doesn't get it.

[senorblues]

A new song fits in one of the following categories:

1) A style you've never played before.

2) A style you've played but you've never heard the song

3) You've heard the song but never played it

4) You've played it but not recently

5) You play it all the time

 

If everyone in the band comes at the song from the same vantage point, you'll likely proceed at the same pace. In this case, you have a singer at 5) and a keyboard at 1). That happened to me once, on one song, and because she didn't get it, I was gone.

 

I've always approached a new situation assuming the repertoire will be pretty much exclusively what the singer already knows. If his/her head isn't screwed on straight, it's a waste of time.

[etcetra]

Here's another update on the gig. The band got cancelled a few weeks ago. Although big part of the problem was with the band being too loud for the venue, the owner also told me in private had problem with the bandleader too. He told me that one time the bandleader threw a fit at him because everything was not set up for him before the gig, basically saying "I am here to sing, not put up with this crap" or something to that effect. He has also cancelled gig on short notice, and when asked to find a band to fill in, he told the owner there was no latin band good enough to fill in, which meant the owner having to scramble a band together at the last minute.

 

I've talked to whole bunch of people and it appears that this guy has burned a lot of bridges with people at this point. I have yet to meet someone who had a positive experience with him. This is the only gig the band was doing at this point and now that it's gone, and bandleader is out of town for few months they haven't done anything since.

 

The good news is that I am still playing regularly at the venue with different people who are much easier to work with it. As much as dealing with the bandleader was a pain, it did lead me to playing at this place and meeting one of the nicest venue owner I've come across here.

[Monsoon]

Well that's a good outcome! For you, at least.