question for original bands

[rikshaw]

i've been playing some shows with an original band. they are pretty new and don't have much of a following. they are trying to play a ton of shows but it seems to me that they are playing too much. it seems that you can miss any show because you know they will be playing in a few days somewhere else. my question is how do you figure out how often to play out?

[Kindness]

As often as you can and still bring enough fans to keep getting booked. For some bands/venues that's once a week. For others that's once a year.

[skatalite]

Depends on what kind of town you're playing in.

 

I'm in two original bands, one going on nearly six years old, called Third Grade Scuffle. We're a punk/ska band based out of a relatively small city, albeit a university one. In any case, us and another local ska band were huge back in 2002 and 2003. We played the same place every weekend, and it was fine for a month or so, but eventually the showgoers got tired of it. I can't say I blame them, but playing too much definitely can hurt you; especially if you're in a small town playing the same places over and over.

 

From my experience, you don't gain fans by playing their ears off. You promote GOOD shows, specifically ones with more popular bands, possibly national acts. Play a couple times a month in and around your city's metro area and that seems solid enough.

 

If you feel you're playing too much to the same crowd, and that could turn into a non-crowd, then you're playing too much

[Darkstorm]

Depends on the music, venue and crowd. A good band should be able to play once a week and not get boring to the attendees esp if its just good dance music and band can jam with that. Imo

[rikshaw]

 

Depends on the music, venue and crowd. A good band should be able to play once a week and not get boring to the attendees esp if its just good dance music and band can jam with that. Imo

 

 

this isn't dance music. actually i have never seen an original 'dance' band in my life.

[Billy-B]

And therein lies the problem; girls wanna dance. No dancing, they don't wanna go. It goes downhill from there.

 

Anyway--good luck, Rik, you are a cool guy--hope it all works out!

 

Billy-B

[Gruntollio Bass]

We try to not book shows in the same area within 2 weeks of another gig. It's fine to play as many gigs as possible but best not to saturate the same area otherwise you find you get a good turn-up to one gig and an ordinary turn-up to the next. Usually things such as cover charge price are things to take into consideration. If you're playing in the same area and there's no cover charge at one pub, but the next one there is a cover charge, you can bet your left one which gig your punters will turn up to.

If you can play different towns or in different parts of the city each week this will usually work out OK.

[rikshaw]

And therein lies the problem; girls wanna dance. No dancing, they don't wanna go. It goes downhill from there. Anyway--good luck, Rik, you are a cool guy--hope it all works out! Billy-B

 

yeah but metallica packs the house every night and they aren't dance music.

(btw- i despise metallica and we don't sound anything like them )

 

billy-b: i'm going to be out that way again soon. i'll let you know when

[anothertxn]

Overplay when asked by the booker in the beginning because it helps build a relationship with the club...and then when the big acts come to town you have a better chance of getting an opening slot. Pick your chosen clubs wisely and try to bring out a crowd, but they know that they are taking a risk by overbooking you. It is better to be reliable in these cases because so many bands are flakes. In time, as the audience grows and you start to get a name because of the larger shows, scale back on the crap (all nights other than friday and satuday) unless you are doing it as a favor. Accept that you are going to have poorly attended shows, but at the same time bring out the big guns whenever you are going to play with a large touring band.

[Billy-B]

yeah but metallica packs the house every night and they aren't dance music. (btw- i despise metallica and we don't sound anything like them ) billy-b: i'm going to be out that way again soon. i'll let you know when

 

 

Excellent dude, see ya then.

 

Billy-B

[catphish]

Depends on many things, but +1 what Kindness said. There's no guidelines, and way to many variables.