Members mstreck Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 How close to the gig date should a band be able to cancel and still give the venue time to find a fill-in band? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 It depends... assuming the gig is this weekend and this is health related (singer stricken with strep, drummer broke arm) not a scheduling conflict, I'd give a minimum 48 hrs notice. ASAP is really the protocol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FitchFY Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 IASAP is really the protocol. Yeah, that's really the key. As soon as you know it's not going to happen, contact the venue. Life happens: people get sick/ injured, bands break-up, people quit and subs can't be found/ band folded, family emergency, etc. At the end of the day, it's just a gig, and businesses will still prosper. I say do what you can to make it, but if you know you have to cax, do it ASAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 I recently had to cancel a gig with a brand new venue that I hadn't played yet. My wife purchased Zac Brown tickets and I wasn't supposed to book a gig that day. I was nervous that the venue would get pissed. I said hell with it and called about a month before and told her the truth. She laughed and said if I played the gig my wife would be pissed and that wouldn't be good. She rescheduled and that was it. It still sucked but she was pretty happy I gave her so much time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 How close to the gig date should a band be able to cancel and still give the venue time to find a fill-in band? Great question and a tricky one to answer. I have very, VERY rarely cancelled a gig. In fact, I can't even remember doing it, although it might be possible in the 26 years I've been in bands. For Pete's sake, I drove in a wicked snowstorm where the interstate was CLOSED off shortly after I got on it to play in a small town for New Year's Eve in 2010. Driving back on that same interstate (not knowing until we were actually driving on it that it was closed) and making it back home with my wife and friend in the car...I'll tell you, if I didn't believe in God before, I sure did after that night. By all rights, we should have died, freezing to death in that tin can (the heater didn't work very well), but somehow my old beat-up, crappy SUV made it through these massive snowbanks on the highway, barely able to see through the windshield and we got home, battered and shaken but safe. That's how committed I am for gigs! But I did try to cancel one a few months ago. I had a gig booked out of town for the middle of March this year. My new bass player was not going to be able to make it because he was already moving shifts around to make the previous gig and the one later in the month, so I called the bar 2.5 weeks in advance and told them that we would have to cancel. He was NOT happy. I basically called back an hour later and said, "Look, I don't have a bass player for that date...yet...but I think I can find one. If I can, we'll honor the date as usual. Let's just keep it on the books for now." He was receptive to that idea. I finally found the right guy and we were able to play. If I hadn't found him, we would have lost that (lucrative) gig forever. I hate dealing with that kind of stress, because I don't have a lot of contacts for fill-ins. I loathe trying to find guys to fill-in at the last minute. So I am glad that the guys I am working with are able to make the gigs now, as long as I book around my bass player's work schedule. I'd rather do that than cancel. So, the answer is: it depends on the bar owner/manager. I thought I gave that guy plenty of time, but he definitely didn't want to deal with the hassle. So, the hassle and stress was loaded up on me instead, which is what I asked for as bandleader. Again, I hate cancelling gigs and I hate having to use fill-ins, so I'm glad my band is pretty much ready to go every time I book now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stratotastic Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 We are black listed from a place for cancelling 2.5 months out. Really. Obviously an exception, but pretty funny nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FitchFY Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 We are black listed from a place for cancelling 2.5 months out. Really. That's ridiculous unless it was a wedding. And even if it's a wedding, it's ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeff42 Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 We are black listed from a place for cancelling 2.5 months out. Really.Obviously an exception, but pretty funny nonetheless. wow that's bull{censored} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kmart Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 That's ridiculous unless it was a wedding. And even if it's a wedding, it's ridiculous. Even for a wedding, it's ridiculous. 2.5 months might not get you THE band you want, but is more than ample time to get someone of similar quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 I would say 4 weeks if it isn't a last minute emergency. If it absolutely can't be avoided and you can't find the required replacement players then ASAP since there's really nothing you can do about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted September 5, 2012 Members Share Posted September 5, 2012 We are black listed from a place for cancelling 2.5 months out. Really.Obviously an exception, but pretty funny nonetheless.was there a good reason for cancelling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeff42 Posted September 6, 2012 Members Share Posted September 6, 2012 sometime in 2006 we cancelled a gig around month in advance and the bar owner would never hire us again. I was pretty vocal about why we cancelled when people asked why we weren't playing one of the local hot spots... Our singer was diagnosed with cancer so we cancelled all our gigs. After he went through treatment every other place let us pick up where we left off... all but this scumbag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stratotastic Posted September 6, 2012 Members Share Posted September 6, 2012 That's ridiculous unless it was a wedding. And even if it's a wedding, it's ridiculous. Just a stupid, {censored}ty bar nearby. Part of the local "blacklung circuit" as I like to call it (places where you can still smoke inside). Obviously we didn't give a {censored} about it--just thought it was pretty funny. It's just a lazy/stupid owner (a lot of those in these parts) that probably didn't want to be bothered sitting around waiting for some other band to call them asking for a gig, and popping them into our freshly vacated slot. To answer tbonehead, yeah, we had a good reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted September 6, 2012 Members Share Posted September 6, 2012 sometime in 2006 we cancelled a gig around month in advance and the bar owner would never hire us again. I was pretty vocal about why we cancelled when people asked why we weren't playing one of the local hot spots... Our singer was diagnosed with cancer so we cancelled all our gigs. After he went through treatment every other place let us pick up where we left off... all but this scumbag. WTF is wrong with people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted September 6, 2012 Members Share Posted September 6, 2012 4 or 5 years ago I was playing a bar once a month. I probably did 25 or so gigs there. My wife surprised me with tickets to Florida for my birthday and knowing that I had such a good relationship with the venue, wasn't worried about me canceling a gig more than a month out. She was wrong- the guy literally flipped out. It was so bad that all these years later a friend of mine needed to cancel a gig there and told the owner he knew that I was available. He refused and said I probably wouldn't show up. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members babalugats85 Posted September 6, 2012 Members Share Posted September 6, 2012 How close to the gig date should a band be able to cancel and still give the venue time to find a fill-in band? Isn't the answer simply: how long would it take for a venue to find a replacement if our band cancelled? And no matter the reason for cancelling, you tell the venue the minute you know. No reason not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FitchFY Posted September 6, 2012 Members Share Posted September 6, 2012 I just remembered a "day of" cancellation a few years back; I had completely wrenched out my back and could barely move out of bed. Absolutely no way I was playing drums, never mind move, set up, drive an hour, etc. I was physically incapacitated. Good communication with the venue, and no big deal. They were bummed, but we were back the next month shaking the place. This was before we knew had access to subs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted September 6, 2012 Members Share Posted September 6, 2012 If the band has to cancel, it's good to know another band that would be a suitable replacement. You can work some serious goodwill if when canceling you also tell the club that so and so's available and would be a good match. I know that the concern is that the other band would be too good or a better fit than your band and you will never play that place again. Cancelations are pretty rare for me but I never want to be a burden on the club owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbird 13 Posted September 14, 2012 Members Share Posted September 14, 2012 I pretty much won't cancel a booked gig without already having a suitable replacement lined up (should the club want the replacement). Around here, a lot of the better bands book 6 months to a year out.. so ideally, a cancellation would be that far out, to give them a chance to replace your band with one of equal quality. Realistically, 2 or 3 months out doesn't seem to be too soon. Anytime inside of a month, unless it's something where I KNOW I can send an appropriate replacement.. I'll figure out a way for the show to go on! Ironically, I had our gig for next Friday send me a message on Facebook last night that they "double booked" us and that we're cancelled. After some digging, I find that they're having a college night, and are going with a DJ that night. If we were truly double booked, than it's no big thing once. If we weren't though, I can't help but think this is a prime example of how NOT to run a business ethically! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted September 14, 2012 Members Share Posted September 14, 2012 4 or 5 years ago I was playing a bar once a month. I probably did 25 or so gigs there. My wife surprised me with tickets to Florida for my birthday and knowing that I had such a good relationship with the venue, wasn't worried about me canceling a gig more than a month out. She was wrong- the guy literally flipped out. It was so bad that all these years later a friend of mine needed to cancel a gig there and told the owner he knew that I was available. He refused and said I probably wouldn't show up. lol WOW!!! Great way to manage your weekend entertainment. What would've happened under short notice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mineame Posted September 14, 2012 Members Share Posted September 14, 2012 WOW!!! Great way to manage your weekend entertainment. What would've happened under short notice? Broken fingers and possible cement shoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted September 16, 2012 Members Share Posted September 16, 2012 was there a good reason for cancelling? That brings up a good point. Does the venue NEED to be told the reason? I lean towards no. When I call in sick to work, I don't state my illness - nor am I required to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted September 16, 2012 Members Share Posted September 16, 2012 Just a stupid, {censored}ty bar nearby. Part of the local "blacklung circuit" as I like to call it (places where you can still smoke inside). Obviously we didn't give a {censored} about it--just thought it was pretty funny. It's just a lazy/stupid owner (a lot of those in these parts) that probably didn't want to be bothered sitting around waiting for some other band to call them asking for a gig, and popping them into our freshly vacated slot. To answer tbonehead, yeah, we had a good reason. My guitarist did a three year stint in Nashville as a full time backing guitarist, and he calls those types of places the '{censored}house circuit'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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