Discussion Group: Prog or Fusion Bands ACTIVELY Gigging and Playing Live!

[John Miner]

I posted on the main forum, but was told to redirect this question here, the artists forum.

I think it would be of great value and benefit for all of us who are actively playing mostly original complex music out live, to be able to brainstorm and share experiences, techniques etc, how to get more gigs, quality gigs and what can be done to keep us successful, prolific and prosperous.

Getting good gigs can be hard. I like gigs that pay $$$ so I can keep my band members motivated and committed to what we are doing.
There are often other factors pulling on band members, family, spouses, friends, peers outside of music that keep putting negativity in their ears... "your wasting your time with this stuff" etc. But no doubt that "a paying gig" quiets those kind of influences quickly.

While we all love these genres and the artistic personal value of being creative and challenged, it's not always easy.
Personally, I need top shelf players to execute what I want to get done. These kind of players are in high demand for other projects and often much better paying situations... but that being said, If I can pay them "something" it's much easier for them to justify doing something "for the love of it" than if nothing at all.

I am sure these are not unique personal experiences as a bandleader, but imagine this is a very common situation for many bands who need high caliber players to keep up with the demands of more complex music.

In my current band, everyone is happy more or less, and we have been gigging regularly, at least once a month, but not always great gigs.
We headlined three festivals last year which was great, but we also play very small venues just to keep in practice for live playing.

A lot I could say here, but really interested in hearing from other bands, and networking, sharing ideas and info etc.

[John Miner]

Interesting that there have been over 100 views at this point and no replies.
Speaks volumes really. Doesn't sound like there are many actively gigging musicians on these boards.

[Nijinsky Hind]

Looks like you might be the only one John.

[battema]

There are a couple whom I know of, but I won't speak for them or tag them here. If they choose to participate, they will in due time. Not everyone checks in on PE regularly and it can sometimes be weeks or even months between posts.

[Sputnik]

I'm cross posting this here from the other thread, as this may be a better place for this discussion:

I'm an actively gigging musician and I have played Prog Rock in the past and am currently in a Jethro Tull tribute band, as well as a Latin jazz band that strays into Fusion territory (mostly early RtF stuff).

I didn't respond to your thread because I don't think there are any easy answers. Gigging in almost any style has become difficult. The number of venues has shrunk, and many venues expect the band to do all the work getting an audience, providing little in terms of promotion. Most venues are also incredibly unprofessional in their treatment of artists. Many never even respond to inquiries and just say "use our website," which is typically out of date and obviously unattended. Pay is lousy, and we recently got completely stiffed for missing a minimum ticket sale number by literally $20. There are exceptions to the rule, but for the most part the process of securing decently paying gigs is horrific, and the more off the beaten track your music is, the harder it becomes.

When Eccentric Orbit was gig-worthy, our best gigs (with the exception of Prog Day) came through connections with the New England Art Rock Society. I think through the "Prog community," you at least had a fighting chance of getting enough audience for a show, though even that was marginal. There were a couple of clubs that became the epicenter of NewEARS performances, and thus, at least some semblance of a local "scene" was developed. The problems are that the audience is very fragmented - people into the poppier styles don't patronize more complex/dissonant styles, and vice versa - lesser known artists simply didn't draw well, and that occasional shows were not quite enough to sustain the scene.

Still, I think creating a local scene through an affinity group is a very good way to reach people, and helps a lot with promotion. They key is execution, which is harder, but conceptually I think that is a reasonable avenue to pursue. Start local, then move to a regional level then maybe try some areas farther afield. That's a tried and true model, and if you really want to be a gigging band, you have to play regular gigs, and it's not practical to start with some kind of national tour.

Sadly, the bottom line is that the bands that get the gigs are playing music that people know and want to hear, primarily as an accompaniment to dancing. Playing Prog and Fusion, especially original stuff that really pushes the envelope, is a hard sell in clubs oriented toward this type of listening. You either have to build your audience to a point they can pack a place, find a venue that's willing to work with you on promotion to a sub-section of the market, or you have to build your own venue (rent a room or play at a party that is subsidized by a person or group that really wants to hear this kind of music).

None of this is easy, and in fact, at a certain point, I surrendered and went back to classic rock. As it turns out, it was just as hard to get gigs as a classic rock band as a Prog band, assuming you don't want to just recapitulate the local classic rock radio station playlist. My next group was a more acoustic-oriented band, and we played mostly breweries, which was great because they have a built-in audience, and are actually quite open to a wide range of music, including originals, as long as it's largely an accompaniment to their good time of drinking, eating, and talking. Not an especially great environment for Prog Rock.

It sucks, but from my perspective and experience, there it is.

Bill

[John Miner]

There are a couple whom I know of, but I won't speak for them or tag them here. If they choose to participate, they will in due time. Not everyone checks in on PE regularly and it can sometimes be weeks or even months between posts.

I guess that is the argument for having this posted on the main thread. I can't think of a thread that could be more important to the future of the genre in a live setting. Maybe a moderator here can chime in... give it a blessing or not.

[battema]

These sorts of conversations take time. Most people come here first and foremost for social/entertainment value, even those of us who are also musicians/artists ourselves. Networking does happen for sure, but it's often secondary. And not everyone who fits the desired target wishes to post outright about it. Fair or otherwise, someone coming in brand new and trying to drive a particular discussion may be met with a lot of hesitance.

All of that being said, there is a lot to learn and a lot to discover here, and IMHO the biggest benefits come not from trying to jump in and dive straight into a major subject...rather, become a part of the community. Let folks get to know you.

Having been here for a very long time, passions and loves always resonate more strongly with the community versus dislikes and hates. For example, a thread about favorite gigs that artists have played here could jumpstart some very interesting discussions.

Just my $0.02.