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I think I only went to one club frequently because I knew the people there. We were friends and they had little parties after the music, etc.
But arranged sessions I found rather empty. They satisfied some people, I suppose, but I always felt like a hanger-on. I don't think anyone really listened to other acts, they were too busy thinking about their own. Some of them you had to pay to play, imagine. So I never really went to them at all unless I knew someone or got invited.
One guy I knew who ran a session/open-mike night murdered his girlfriend and hid her body in a Big Yellow storage unit. But it wasn't fun all the time, occasionally the music was quite good :-)
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02-21-2025 12:33 PM
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After college folky-dokey sessions in the 1960s, I went through more than 25 years of something like stage fright and became a sofa player, working on solo fingerstyle-acoustic and sometimes picking a bit for dinner guests--if I thought nobody was really paying attention. Then, the year I turned 50, a friend persuaded me to sit in with his bandmates for informal sessions at a local restaurant. I gradually lost the stage fright and recognized that music is a social as well as individual-achievement activity. Then I some of those same players invited me to be part of a loose bunch doing play-for-food gigs, and I was hooked on the performing side of playing. (We eventually coalesced into a couple of stable performing units and remained active until Covid and then death and disability stopped us.) Part of the draw for me was providing enjoyment for an audience and part of it was gaining the skills and discipline required for playing with others. It feels good to do something well and have others appreciate it. (The food was pretty good, too, and there was sometimes even a tiny bit of cash.)
So that social side of music runs in two directions: making art with colleagues and connecting with an audience, which can happen at public jams or in more formal settings. It's even satisfying to have my wife say, after I've noodled around with something on the sofa, "That was nice." There's the core of the music-making environment right there. The rest of it is commerce, which is not nothing but isn't the primal heart of making art.
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Also worth mentioning that -- as you get more experienced -- jams start to feel more like work. I love going to jams and the one I go to regularly is very open to all comers. I am also one of the people who gets tapped to make sure the plane lands safely when there are a bunch of less experienced folks on stage.
That's nice. But over and over again it starts to feel like work.
I also am really good friends with the guy who runs it so he always saves a tune for me or whatever, but if that weren't that case, it might turn into a slog.
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Agree with that. That's why I'm glad I have a BAND- a unit, 5 people for the last 5 years, all with a common goal... even if we didn't play gigs.
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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Passion. Excellence. Ego. Breakfast at a greasy spoon post gig. Money..just about enough to pay for the Corned Beef Hash and poached eggs. I've been gigging since i was 16 and through the outstanding performances and the so-so, playing out is where the rubber meets the road. And speaking of the rubber, I equate playing gigs with rapid sportbike riding in the Mountains:
1. You must be in reasonable physical health. Read: sober. Hey, there are tons of great players that can perform beautifully with a few drinks under the belt, or a few hits of gage, but not for me. Conversely, many motorcycle riders of a certain tribe enjoy a few beers or shots then journey to the next watering hole for another round. It's a social thing.
2. We spend thousands of dollars on gear, and in some cases multiple machines looking for the "perfect" platform to do the magic. To some, it becomes a obsession that threatens their financial and family life. Ironically, some of these acquisitions end up gathering dust.
3. Plan the route. This is the equivalent to a setlist. It doesn't always go as intended, however some of the best experiences are had seeking other roads in the area.
4.Cash. Always have some cash on you before a gig. At the very least, you need to prime the tip jar.
5. You will crash. Fortunately not much chance of visiting the ER after some bad clams during "Four on Six", however watch out for ex-girlfriends on dope that own guns.
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Damn! Where were you when I needed you ??? Originally Posted by SierraTango
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My first gig was in 1969 at the age of 13. Scared sh1tless!! Got paid 10 shillings which was half 1GBP. Never stopped since but worked in construction to pay the bills.
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For something like 15 years I organized what I called workshops. Musicians would get together to work on repertoire, almost entirely Brazilian jazz. "Work on" often meant looping difficult passages, listening to recordings to get things down, discussing problems, dissecting everything.
Now and then somebody would suggest gigging, but I didn't relish the idea of trying to market the band.
Eventually, I more or less stumbled into a regular gig (pushing 3 years now).
At that point, the workshops changed. Despite money that straddles the line between insulting and abusive, everybody wanted to gig and everybody approached preparation that it was going to be Carnegie Hall, which, I assure you, it is not.
Having an audience meant we wanted things to be perfect. That's not such a great goal since it tends to conflict with the goal to sound relaxed -- and we had to address that. That's an ongoing issue.
It was fun to have an audience. I think we felt good about being able to play the kind of music we'd been working on for years (bearing in mind that we all had other gigs, playing different music) and it was probably good for musician's-self-esteem, or something.
As time passed, we got other gigs from being heard in the first gig. Yes, the "exposure" helped. Some of them were paid at a non-insulting, non-abusive level. We approached them all exactly the same. Our idea of meticulous preparation.
We also recognized that we missed the original workshop format. Gig prep sessions rarely involved playing through an entire tune with solos. Rather, we'd go over roadmaps, play difficult sections and, too often, pencil in changes to the arrangements in the charts.
I also came to appreciate that we were playing instrumental music that most people didn't know -- which put a kind of ceiling over the possible popularity of the band. That's giving us the benefit of the doubt on quality of performance.
So, we got a singer, I started singing a few tunes. We added a bit of comedy and we'd put some American tunes in the middle of the set. So far, so good. I want the "show" to be entertaining.
We all cared, in a way, about the money, more as a measure of respect vs. insult rather than needing it to live. We understood that the venues were paying what they could (we could see how much business they were doing), and that was okay.
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At least you got paid! My first gig was aged fifteen. Also scared sh1tless. It was the height of punk rock. We were just happy to get through the gig unscathed. Originally Posted by garybaldy
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There were a lot of skinheads around when I was a teenager. My dear Dad would get me to and back from gigs when I had my 4x12s etc but walking home from the folk clubs with just a guitar was dodgy! Originally Posted by digger
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The obvious answer is that you feel the need for an audience when you perceive your own self-worth and want to share it with other people. Originally Posted by digger
Speaking as someone who is an audience member rather than performer, surely you must realise that music lovers seek out live music? And with jazz there's something special about seeing people engaged in improvisation.
I'm sure performers experience this too.
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I'm glad someone mentioned ego. I thought this would be more prevalent, even under the guise of, say, appreciation, but clearly it's not up there with the other reasons mentioned in this thread. I think when I started out it was party because playing in a band was cool (other cool activities were playing football - this in the UK - for the school team and riding moto-cross, neither of which I did), it was a good way to meet girls, we loved music and wanted to be rock-stars, and it stoked our egos. As time went on the money became nice (but never essential for those of us with day jobs - although I'd be lying if I said it didn't make a really nice difference some months). Originally Posted by SierraTango
Jump forward forty-five years and though I still gig very occasionally (I only just scraped into double figures for gigs last year, and only a third of these were jazz gig) none of those reasons are now relevant. I still love music and it's still great to play in front of people and have them clap and tell you how wonderful you are, but I'm now old enough and wise enough to know that's nonsense. I know exactly how wonderful I am at playing. Five minutes on YouTube cures ego easily.
For me, playing with other musicians is the thing I love, and as others have said, an audience is not essential. Jam sessions don't seem popular in this thread, but I love jamming with other players. This week I jammed for an hour with someone I'd only just met and then another day had a three hour session with a regular sparring partner. I have a couple of gigs in the diary and will probably end up with more (which is nice, of course), but to be honest as long as I get to play music with other folks I'm happy. I suppose forty-five years of gigging and carrying gear out to the car, into the gig, setting it up, sound-checking, playing the gig, breaking down the gear, loading it out. driving home, unloading the gear, does start to lose some shine eventually.
I get it that for some people it's a calling, and for others it's a living. There was a time when one band I was in started having serious discussions about turning professional. I looked at what we could make as a band, what I was making at my job, at my mortgage payments and pension payments and bills, and I said to the guys "I'm not going to go professional. But I'm not going to hold you back either." So I left the band. I wasn't a good enough player anyway, and they got in a much better guitarist. They did go onto slightly better things, but never made much money and divorces and house repossessions ensued. On balance, I'm very happy with my life in music then and now, but gigs are nice but no longer essential.
I enjoy riding round the mountains on my motorbike, too - but it's not a sportsbike and I go pretty steady. Bit like my gigging, really!
Cheers
Derek
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I gig cause I get paid for it and having one's own group is more fun than jams. I've also reached the point of no return cause I've gigged since I was a kid and I'm too old to be going back to school and reading books, that was a waste of time the first go round.
When I'm not gigging a lot I enjoy hitting jams even if I get stuck with some crum, which happens from time to time. It's nice to just kick back have some beers and listen to other players and not worry about it. The "jams suck" attitude sucks more than most jams. Be thankful that there are jams to attend and in my area at least, some decent players who show up even if a lot of them select the same three songs, lol.
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Most of my gigs have been big band or combo sessions. For me as a mostly rhythm player the best part is getting the audience on their feet to dance. Can’t do that sitting around the house or at jam sessions.
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True. Be the change you want to see in the jam. Originally Posted by DawgBone
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Some guys do it for the girls, but alas, unless you are a rock star, that ain't gonna pan out.
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Met plenty of ladies playing the guitar...knew my wife was special because she was completely unimpressed with me being a musician. Originally Posted by Stringswinger
Some guys do it for the girls, but alas, unless you are a rock star, that ain't gonna pan out.
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Same experience after covid, things really dropped off. And the drop in income, though auxiliary, was really felt. Covered a lot of groceries and misc expenses. But as I've "progressed" in age it's been increasingly a PITA to get to anything anyway, pay for gas, etc. I have always enjoyed playing for a knowledgeable audience and enjoy playing for people in general though. I think it is helpful to gig to develop concentration and focus and commitment if you haven't done so, but that depends on your goals. Playing for one's own edification is certainly valid and rewarding. Nowadays I can be my own audience via recording and can share music online if I want. Originally Posted by Mark Kleinhaut
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All the best people I met were thru gigging. Ladies included. My wife of 50 years included.
I haven't played one in decades, but here's why I'd like to: rehearsal. Sound weird? I like working on a project with the like-minded. Focussing, refining, and developing something. In fact, some of my best musical experiences have been there: rehearsing for the gig. Plus, at this stage in my life I could use a kick in the pants.
The idea of gigging some standards with a bunch who can do it in their sleep, without trying to make something interesting of it beforehand makes me sleepy. Not the kind of gig I'd like, but I'd do it for the ladies!
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Gigs have always been the reason I play....period. Maybe I'm a showoff but then, my favorite gig is a 'behind the ferns' wallpaper gig in a restaurant where I'm not noticed. I also have done a lot of musical theater which has involved being on stage and interacting with the actors. Whatever, it allows me perform for people in whichever way. I haven't had a gig since Covid and I've barely played. The singing half of my oldies duo (a life long full time singer) had to quit for health reasons and that left me hanging. I keep saying that I want to do a solo instrumental act at assisted living venues but not sure they want to hear Chet/chord melody/ragtime for an hour. I could also play at my local VA hospital (I'm a disabled Vietnam vet) but I'm guessing they would only appreciate Hendrix and 'Free Bird' as opposed to my fingerstyle rendition of 'Vincent', 'The Entertainer', or 'Moonlight In Vermont'. I'm really only interested in picking up the guitar if I need to prepare for a gig - otherwise, I just watch YT videos.
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well... it depends. I tell one thing, family life and regular gigging life don't mesh together. Once you're in a semi succesful band, watch out. Temptations, temptations... Or maybe it's just me. Originally Posted by Stringswinger
Some guys do it for the girls, but alas, unless you are a rock star, that ain't gonna pan out.
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As I've been thinking about this... (sorry for the ramble)
When I was a kid, I wanted to learn to play guitar... and did... because I wanted to play gigs. Rehearsals and learning more technique were simply tools to get to THE GIG. It was the whole "I want to be a rock star" thing. Even at 16-17 years old, it was ALL ABOUT THE GIGS.
That lasted through my early 20s, when "the band thing" stopped and I became a singer-songwriter. It was more about the craft then, but I also put playing on the back burner in favor of writing. At that point it was about the CRAFT to me. I had some gigs, but it really wasn't about that.
Fast-forward to about 8 years ago when I started my current band, with several old friends, and it's not about the gigs, or the craft of writing (we are a cover band), but "getting better as a player" is now at the forefront, and even moreso "getting better at playing with others". That's where the joy lies now. Something about making the "whole greater than the sum of it's parts." That's the challenge/fun now.
I have fun playing alone at home, which is mostly non-band related: learning songs I've always wanted to learn but never got around to, simply becoming better at this thing called "playing" (that never ends), and someday that's likely all I'll have. Can't gig forever. The older I get, it's more about the connection to the instrument and the music itself: even playing alone. It's almost a meditation, a therapy. I will be sad when I can no longer play with others, but I still have plenty "to do" on my own. Still lots of musical joy and contentment to be had.
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If only there was a jam where I played with people I choose, who challenge me, and the setlist is predetermined, and I got to play the whole time. Originally Posted by pamosmusic
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After 20 years of playing almost 200 paid gigs a year, I no longer feel the need to gig. Been there, done that. I am doing a few gigs this year to pass the baton to my bandmates who want one of my gigs to continue. I have walked away from my other gigs and ended relationships with three agencies that sent me quite a bit of high paid work over the years. I have answered the calling and paid my dues and I am prepared to move on.
I still love the guitar and jazz music and will be involved to some extent (as long as I am able to do so) with those things. Perhaps I am burned out and after a break will miss it? Time will tell. I can see returning to a sparse gigging schedule (less than 50 gigs a year) at some point, but I have other bucket list things to do and turning 68 this year has convinced me to pay attention to time. It is probably later than I think.
The gigging life means being away from loved ones, putting up with rude people at times, being stuck in traffic and being tied to someone else's schedule. There are positives of course, and we each have our own journey and reasons to gig or not to gig.
To those reading this who would like to gig, but have no gigs, I say this: Remember that the grass is always greener on the other side. And to those who are gigging and loving it: Carry on!
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