How many play live

[Greeny]

I've never been paid to play, but it's not something that I worry or even think about. I guess I could get paid if I went looking for the gigs, but I'd need to invest in all the amps, pa systems and mics etc that I would need as a standalone performer. At the moment I'm happy just to turn up somewhere and plug into somebody else's setup. Getting paid would be a step forward I guess, but an audience who will listen and maybe like my songs is all the payment I need right now...

[OsCKilO]

I'm Just Happy that people would sit down for 20 minutes and hear some of my songs...

Getting paid for it....?

Some Guinness would do..... 

[pjd1]

Hi fellow pluckers nice to see youre posts and the stories you have told !!! playing for money wasnt an issue along time ago but i have to admit ,i have a minimum fee which i wont go under , if we are playing in a pub or club someone is making money out of the fact that a live band is playing , so we always have that in mind with out trying to mist over the fact the we love to play and live is the thing we like to do !! we try to practice and play at least once a week so we keep things like use of equipment and song structures in our mind , but we still drop clangers !!! 

I must admit to having stage fright were my hands tremble just before we go , and i cant hold something steady never mind play a guitar !!! we usually play something easy for the first couple of songs and then once i feel comfortable i can go for something a little more adventurous , cant put my finger on why that happens but it does from a small pub to a large club !!! and i dont think it will go away ,, i also admit to having a Number 2 in every club that i have played ,, How is that for nerves !!

Paul

[nathanclarke]

I pretty much play live a few times every month. Previously i have had a couple of bands and when i was in that situation we played a good few times a week. Now i'm "SOLO" i pretty much just do the odd open mic and then book maybe 1 or 2 proper gigs a month where i get a backing band of mates together.  Theres nothing better than those nights. Just meeting up with mates, having a drink and then trying to outstay our welcome on stage.

[Ferryman]

Played live first aged about 14 in a band at school in the 1970s, then at University, then seriously for 10 years from 1978 to 1988 trying very hard to make it. Got thoroughly disilluioned with the whole music industry by the end of that period and gave up (and was glad to). Played occasionally in bands at work at things like the odd Christmas party between now and a couple of years ago. Since finding this place just over i year ago have renewed my interest in music and have hooked up with my old Univeristy band mates and we are looking to play the occasional gig.

I love playing live, never get any nerves (I am a born show off) and would have given anything to make music a career. But I hate promoters, A&R men, venue owners and all the general scumbags and shysters that populate the music industry and was glad to see the back of them. So actually on balance am glad I failed!

I started playing in bands in the 60's. My first band was in high school with a Canora guitar and an amp my dad made from a converted Wurlitzer juke box. The drummer played on a rubber covered piece of plywood for a snare and a metal chair for a cymbal. They friggin loved us.

Glenn, I LOVE this story!! I started playing through an old radio and by the time I played live I had a Sound City 50W amp with a homemade speaker cabinet. I thought we had basic gear in my day, but it was nothing compared to you! However, if you had an electric guitar in my youth that was a rare thing and when we played live people absolutely loved it, even though we weren't that good.

Cheers,

Nigel

[chapperz66]

In my youth I played in more bands than I care to remember, often in more than one at the same time.  I think my record was 3 bands concurrently.  I was in a bit of demand because I played guitar reasonably well and keyboards passably, but, if I'm honest with myself, my popularity was mainly because I found the money to buy both!  I have bought and sold a lot of gear in my time and it would take too long to list.  In essence: guitars mainly Fender, amps mainly Marshall, keyboards all sorts - even a Fender Rhodes (my back has never really recovered).

Mainly rock and heavy/progressive bands but also covers bands and even a folk band (of the English traditional beardy type.  At least we started off folk - but I soon changed that a bit!).  First band was a covers outfit when I was at school - early seventies. I have done literally hundreds of paid gigs, with the folky band (which rejoiced under the implausible name of "Aardark and No Money") accounting for more than any of the others. 

When I say "paid" I should point out that I never gave up the day job.  Mostly the money paid for the beer, petrol for the van, and usually a kebab on the way home.  Now and then we would get a few quid in the kitty and blow it on hiring a reasonable PA, lights etc for a gig - and then no bastard would turn up!  Still, it was fun.

Last gigs were in 1988 when marriage and kids meant that I was thankful I kept the day-job going.