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All of my band's shows so far have been at least "pretty good." The worst was probably our first one where our drummer (now former drummer) decided to get high and screw up a couple of songs and then "accidentally" take another band's drum. But we had a good crowd and people enjoyed our show. All the others have been great. Friday night, we finally had a crappy night.
For starters, the gig was about an hour away from my house. For those not familiar w/ the Nashville area, Franklin is a suburb of Nashville. It is locally known as a very affluent suburb. There was a big Civil War battle fought there and the city has preserved a lot of historic landmarks. It still has a town square. A house in my area would cost about twice as much if you moved it to Franklin. That's where our, a horror punk band, gig was.
I was 10 minutes away when it started raining. Cats and dogs kind of rain. I parked in one spot and had to move because there was 6 inches of water puddled in the spot. I ran in to the bar and there are about 20 people in there. It's the after work crowd. Like "after stock broker, banker, mid level insurance executive" work crowd. Sweaters and ties dominate. Our last show, the best dressed person there was wearing an 18th century Victorian dress. Our guitarist and I were the only ones there yet and we both were hoping that that crowd would leave and a younger, more hip crowd would show up in the next 2 hours. Load in was at 6, so no one else but us 2 showed up until 7:15, of course. It was still raining while I loaded my gear in. We got set up and started around 9. There were 2 other bands playing with us and they and their significant others were the only ones any where near the stage. Response from them to our stuff was good, the rest of the crowd, not so much. We played great, even got through our last minute addition: we added the intro to Slayer's Reign in Blood as a bridge between 2 songs. It was the cleanest and nicest stage we've ever played on though.
Load out was in the rain as well. I stayed a while to catch the other 2 bands (who played great to the same limited reaction as us). When I left, it was raining even harder. So hard I could barely see the road. I missed a turn and could only drive about 55 on the interstate. It took me an hour and a half to get home. Pretty miserable night overall.
Our set up. I added some purple LED Halloween lights inside one of my cabs. At Christmas, i'll add a set of green to the other (our logo is green and purple). Sorry I didn't get a shot of our guitarist's Genz Benz + Marshall stack for you guys. :D 
View from the stage. Other bands up front, people who have no idea what kind of ruckus they are about to hear in the back.
Posted : 02/11/2009 5:01 pm
Yea I could see that happening but if you played well at least you know it wasn't your fault you can't always make the people like what our playing but it's a heck of alot better than having the band screw up!
Probably the wrong venue or just an off night. I know rain and or snow always keeps people away from the bars.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Posted : 02/11/2009 5:23 pm
And, it will probably happen again! Sometimes you book yourselves into a place without really knowing what kind of crowd they usually have. Our rock band played a country bar and it was pretty much the same as you described. They wanted country music, we gave them rock. It was a disaster. That's why you need to check out the place before you play there. It's easy to just drop in the week before and see what they're expecting. I think it's a good idea to take a CD to a place that you want to play in, have the manager/owner listen to what you do and then you can decide whether it's a good fit for their audience. (I usually take a CD or two every time I go to a club, bar, whathaveyou, just to leave for the manager/owner to listen to at their leisure with all of our contact information on the back side of the front cover. If they like it and it works with their crowd, they'll call to book you, if they didn't, then, they won't.)
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-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
Posted : 02/11/2009 5:27 pm
There are definitely going to be days like that. As everyone's mentioned, you played well and keeping professional about it will win you kudos from people, even if you're not their cup of tea.
Your band's still relatively new, but you once you've got your core material down, it doesn't hurt to try working up different arrangements of the songs you play. Sometimes it doesn't take all that much work to turn something punk into more of a classic rock feel, which probably would have gone over with this crowd. It never hurts to have a couple of genre-twisters in your back pocket. Sometimes you can win over a crowd by playing one or two songs they like and still play most of your own songbook.
Some crowds, though (experience talking here), can't be won at all. That happens. You're be even better next time out, though! When (and where) is the next show?
Peace
Posted : 02/11/2009 6:00 pm
Our rock band played a country bar and it was pretty much the same as you described.
That sounds somehow familiar...
Did you play Rawhide? :lol:
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
Posted : 02/11/2009 6:56 pm
Topic starter
That's what's weird. The headliner we played with is probably the biggest horror punk band in Nashville (out of all 7 or 8 of us :D ) and they've played this place right around Halloween several years in a row. Our singer had played a show there fronting a Misfits cover band. The owner knew what we played. It might have just been the rain that kept the later night crowd away. Or maybe the patrons just like getting scared around Halloween by having some scary looking punk bands into their bar. :twisted:
We don't have any other shows booked at the moment. We were in limbo for a while because we couldn't find a full time drummer. Our sub drummer is perfect for us, but he is in 2 other bands and couldn't commit. After last Friday's show (where his wife told me that his main band had NEVER had a crowd like we did that night), he has decided to join us officially. The problem is, he can't commit to a weekly practice, but we're at the point now where we can get our new songs down in a practice or two, so it's ok. We're going to take some time to write some new songs before worrying about another gig. We've played 6 gigs now with almost the same songs. I think we've only added 2 new songs and 1 new cover since our first gig. Since we now have fans that actually come to see us, we want to make sure they don't see the same thing over and over.
Posted : 02/11/2009 7:16 pm
Our rock band played a country bar and it was pretty much the same as you described.
That sounds somehow familiar...
Did you play Rawhide? :lol:
LOL! No, we didn't play "Rawhide", but I was kind of wishing for a cage around the stage!! :lol:
..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
Posted : 02/11/2009 8:55 pm
like most people here have said - you played well and that is all you can do in the circumstances.
i know we have had similar nights where the pub crowd are obviously used to a completely different type act and playing to a wall of silence can be a bit soul destroying - but i'd rather play out to a silent crowd, than sit at home watching tv :D
hope the gigs keep comming thick and fast!!
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
Posted : 03/11/2009 7:40 pm
but i'd rather play out to a silent crowd, than sit at home watching tv
yup, think of it as a paid rehearsal!
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
Posted : 04/11/2009 12:47 am
yup, think of it as a paid rehearsal!
I've attended many of those. :wink:
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Posted : 05/11/2009 10:38 pm
Topic starter
but i'd rather play out to a silent crowd, than sit at home watching tv
yup, think of it as a paid rehearsal!
I tried to think of it as a paid rehearsal, just without the pay :D
Posted : 08/11/2009 4:58 pm