As musicians, we play because we love to play, and it’s an honor to be able to do that. But that’s not the only reason… and some gigs can feel pretty lonely, even if you’re surrounded by a crowd or fellow musicians. Dave and Paul start this episode thinking they have a few different topics to discuss – and they do – but in the end it all comes back to the same thing: loneliness and how to avoid it.
Well, there is ONE topics that doesn’t fit into that theme, and that’s the topic of how much to charge for your gigs and your merchandise. Listen for some essential lessons that your two favorite weekend warriors have learned this week.
Chapters/Timestamps
- 00:00:00 Gig Gab 151 – Monday, January 29, 2018
- 00:01:26 Bruno Mars
- 00:03:04 TAMI Shows
- 00:04:47 Multiple songs by the same band
- 00:07:46 Gigs for enjoyment, or gigs for a living
- 00:10:39 Pro vs. Amateur: Don’t Muck Up the Payscale
- 00:13:40 Asking for more money
- 00:17:36 The Frustration of Missing Measures
- 00:21:12 Getting up to speed with (almost) no charts!
- 00:24:25 Ticket prices – variable wins. Also merchandise.
- 00:27:38 The science of pricing
- 00:30:43 The Psychological Difference Between Tipping and Paying
- 00:32:19 Knowing your Locale
- 00:33:00 Pay what you want when you leave?
- 00:34:24 Playing just to sell merch
- 00:35:50 The Solo Mentality
- 00:37:46 In the way Wallpaper
- 00:40:06 Learning to focus when there’s no crowd
- 00:40:31 Learn your strengths… then exploit them!
- 00:43:29 It’s not always about you
- 00:46:10 Owning the Loneliness… and Maximizing it!
- 00:49:01 GG Outtro
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3 Comments
Leighton · January 29, 2018 at 6:26 pm EST
I’ve often compared having a really good experience playing with a band as like a one night stand-the energy is very intimate and intense; you are instant intimate friends. All great except that you have no history of relationship and getting to know each other to process the inevitable bumps in which come up in any partnership. So fights, drugs and other addictions seem to come with the territory. Watch “Some Kind of Monster” to see this played out in a documentary of a band who decided to hire a therapist 24/7 to help them communicate. By the end of the movie they are speaking poetry to each other. Amazing.
Leighton
dave · February 6, 2018 at 9:41 am EST
I loved that Metallica movie. Very interesting process, and it totally saved the band.
And yes, I agree… I’ve often felt the same way about great gigs being an extremely intimate experience, sometimes moreso than a sexual encounter. I suppose that might explain why so many musicians feel “betrayed” if/when someone they play with goes and plays music with someone else. An early drum teacher solved that for me long before it ever was an issue: “It’s not like your band is your f’in girlfriend, man! Go play with as many cats as you can. That’s how you’re going to get better!”
Leighton · March 19, 2018 at 4:29 pm EDT
So you’ve always been an open relationship drummer ! If only that worked with women ! Wait. I think I did get better at the physical part. : > ) Therapy has done the rest.
Leighton