Class \"A\" Act...
We played to a great crowd last night at a small bar just outside of town. They had a customer appreciation day with a free pig roast and all the trimmings. So lots of people showed up for the pig roast and stayed for the music afterwards.
Our former lead guitarist, and founding member, showed up for the show and listened to us. This is the lead guitarist that was a complete butt head on many occasions and finally left the band, which improved the remaining band overnight. Shredd remembers my run ins with him. Anyway, a year+ later, he stops in to check us out, and we have a pleasant conversation between sets. He commented that he thought the band was really a Class A Act now. Our vocals, backup vocals, and harmonies were dead on last night and our sound was fantastic. He was really impressed. Knowing this guy, those words must have been bitter for him, but he really put it out there with the compliment last night.
We also saw a friend of the band from out of town show up last night and he also said that he was really impressed with the show. He has seen us from the start of our band and throughout our various lineups. But he was really impressed with our ability to make those harmonies and backup vocals work on our songs. Also, we blew him away with all three of us guitarists taking lead vocals on different songs (I only sing 2 songs, but I sang well last night).
Point is, I'm not bragging up the band, I just trying to say that a lot of hard work and practice is really paying off for the band. I think it makes an impression if you work on all those extra things like harmonies and backup vocals. I think it makes an impression to some in the crowd when they see everyone in the band taking a turn singing lead vocals and pulling it off. I think it really makes an impression when the band all hits those stops in the middle of a song, and at the ending, at the same time - it makes the band sound tight. I think it makes an impression if the band learns a few new songs and changes their set list over time.
Which reminds me, someone at our previous gig shouted out \"Holy S*$t, you guys really practice this stuff!\" Which was a pretty good compliment. But the fact is that we do practice, and even as a bar cover band, there are people out there noticing our efforts and that makes me feel like all the hard work is paying off.
Our former lead guitarist, and founding member, showed up for the show and listened to us. This is the lead guitarist that was a complete butt head on many occasions and finally left the band, which improved the remaining band overnight. Shredd remembers my run ins with him. Anyway, a year+ later, he stops in to check us out, and we have a pleasant conversation between sets. He commented that he thought the band was really a Class A Act now. Our vocals, backup vocals, and harmonies were dead on last night and our sound was fantastic. He was really impressed. Knowing this guy, those words must have been bitter for him, but he really put it out there with the compliment last night.
We also saw a friend of the band from out of town show up last night and he also said that he was really impressed with the show. He has seen us from the start of our band and throughout our various lineups. But he was really impressed with our ability to make those harmonies and backup vocals work on our songs. Also, we blew him away with all three of us guitarists taking lead vocals on different songs (I only sing 2 songs, but I sang well last night).
Point is, I'm not bragging up the band, I just trying to say that a lot of hard work and practice is really paying off for the band. I think it makes an impression if you work on all those extra things like harmonies and backup vocals. I think it makes an impression to some in the crowd when they see everyone in the band taking a turn singing lead vocals and pulling it off. I think it really makes an impression when the band all hits those stops in the middle of a song, and at the ending, at the same time - it makes the band sound tight. I think it makes an impression if the band learns a few new songs and changes their set list over time.
Which reminds me, someone at our previous gig shouted out \"Holy S*$t, you guys really practice this stuff!\" Which was a pretty good compliment. But the fact is that we do practice, and even as a bar cover band, there are people out there noticing our efforts and that makes me feel like all the hard work is paying off.
Comments
You guyz should be proud of yourselves. Everything I've heard you say about the group makes me think you guys are working hard and taking it fairly seriously, which is resulting in your success.
Now, if I thought I'd score a cute groupie, I'd make the trip to hear you play!!! :P
I don't know if any young guitarists are frequenting this forum anymore, but if I can make it up on stage with the band, anybody can. All it takes is some dedicated practice and stick to it attitude to get you through the tough times. It's just personally rewarding to me knowing that I am many times the bass player I was 3 years ago and that all my woodshed time is paying off. Ditto for my other bandmates. We all have grown both in our personal abilities and as bandmates supporting one another.
Even though we are a bar cover band, we do take our music seriously in the sense we always try to put on the best show possible. Over the past couple of years, we have built up a good reputation for the band. We try to have as much fun as we can and hope it shows to the crowd. Being serious about the music, and having fun at the same time, go hand in hand. The better we play, the more fun we have.
It's been my personal experience that the guys who party first, and drink to excess (or other vices), usually don't last very long in this game. Even at our level, it's almost all about dependability that keeps you in a group. I have come to know too many musicians that are without a group because of their vices and reputations as unreliable - despite their talent. But I suppose I'm preaching to the choir about now. Later....
Shredd, I'm still hoping that you will connect with some musicians and get something good going. As far as looks, not many bands around here have any eye candy, so that is not usually an issue. As far as talent, you play what you can and work on improving yourself. Many a song gets considered and passed up because one of us in the band cannot play and/or sing it. For a cover band, there are lots of other songs to play, so it's not a big deal. As we have grown as musicians, we can play more technically challenging material, but I would not say it's any more crowd pleasing. The people out in the bar just want something familiar that moves them. It's doesn't have to be more complicated than that.
Yep. It's great to know that all our hard work and practice is being noticed. I have no bigger ambitions than to just be in a good cover band, and we work hard on being the best cover band we can be. We have been able to please the crowds with our music, and now, lately, we are getting some great compliments from other musicians who have noticed all our hard work.
Our lead guitarist has a solo project going on the side and I do hope one day he breaks out and is able to support himself that way. In the meantime, our cover band helps pay his bills and keeps his solo project dreams alive. Original artists have a very hard time around here in our small (12,000+) community. Playing coffee houses for tips is not enough to pay the bills, so the cover band gigs are important.
FYI Shredd, the song most requested around here is also Mustang Sally. We only play the song on request these days, but it still gets the girls out there on the dance floor. Even though we have played Mustang Sally many, many times, you still have to put your heart and soul into it every time. We get paid to entertain the crowd...
As it is, I can't even pay people to listen to me play, so I do it strictly for my own edification. I live in a reallllly small town - less than 2000 people (few of which are interested in live music), at least an hour from anything. So I play open mic's and play what I want to, and don't much care who in the audience thinks what of it. Despite the lack of audience response and attention from hott groupies (which we have to import from LA :P ), I enjoy playing and it's good experience for me to play on a stage, in front of people, deal with \"playing live\" issues, and get some not-in-the-bedroom practice.
Now if only I could get Shania to show up and adoringly applaud for me, life would be good... :twisted:
Yeah, I'm glad to hear that you are still out there playing open mic nights. It's good to hear that you are playing what you want, which is great.
I started out playing open mic nights and played with a group of guys that were playing and singing songs I really did not like. But I figured it was still good experience - and it was. When I joined a band, I played mostly songs I did not like, but figured it was still good experience - and it was. Now, my band has evolved (with name change, lineup changes, etc.) and we are into the music I do like to play and I'm really glad I stuck it out playing all those songs I did not like. All those nights of playing songs I did not like still taught me to concentrate on the music, get tight with other musicians, work out some rough backup vocals, got over my stage fright, learned a bit about the music business, met other local musicians.... So it was all valuable and it lead up to my current position which I really enjoy. I don't know how long this Rock 'n Roll train will run, but I'm really enjoying myself with the band at the moment.
And if we have to play Mustang Sally yet again, I'll gladly do it with a smile on my face. Seriously. I can play it now without even thinking. So I just get to sit back in the pocket and watch the dancers. Oh yeah, I get paid to do it too! Actually, I tell everyone the band plays for free - we only charge for our transportation, equipment expense, and setup/tear down time. All my gig money goes right back into my music in one form or another.
But it's really not about the money, for me anyway. Which is why I can appreciate those guys and gals in worship bands. They love what they are doing and with rare exceptions, I don't know any guys getting paid for their time or music in worship bands.
So, if you only are out there and playing your music for yourself, that's still great. If you meet other musicians along the way, start networking. You never know when something might work out for you. Take care.