ninehertz

1. • sweenard
   • Conor from Electric Red here. We are a band based in Belfast and are hoping to try to get over to England for some gigs around Easter time.
     
     We would really appreciate it if any one could help us out. We can get gigs for bands in Belfast, Dublin etc if any one was interested in coming over here in return.
     
     We hopefully have a show lined up in Manchester and possibly Newcastle so we are thinking of staying around the North.
     
     You can check us out on www.myspace.com/electricredband or download our cd for free at www.electricredband/music
     [Edited by sweenard at 15:58 on 31/01/09]
   • [15:58 on 31/01/09]
2. • mike
   • Gigs here are a joke most of the time, ask Standup Guy!
   • [16:09 on 31/01/09]
3. • sweenard
   • We went over and played some gigs in England a few years back with Stand Up Guy in our previous band. Some of the gigs were good and some not so good. You have to start somewhere though!
   • [17:36 on 31/01/09]
4. • the chap
   • mike says:

     Gigs here are a joke most of the time, ask Standup Guy!
     
     remember that when your asking for shows...
   • [22:58 on 31/01/09]
5. • mike
   • I'm just bitter after so long booking the bloody things, both for bands and for Flatlands etc, this country doesn't really care about gigs on our level, but I'll stop there, just prepare to make do, thats all that you can do.
   • [11:20 on 01/02/09]
6. • the chap
   • well depends who you book i suppose...
     we as junior showtime very rarely had a bad show/arsey bands/indifferent punters..
     we were lucky.
   • [11:58 on 01/02/09]
7. • mike
   • Yeah, its swings and roundabouts for me, last night went to a show and it was a great one, but went to a dead one the week before, same kinda music, same kinda price, same kinda day, weird.
   • [16:59 on 01/02/09]
8. • Podge
   • people tend to only go se their mates bands these days, hence why last nights gig was busy, they all know each other.
     
     if you a an out of town band playing to people you don't know, chances are that you'll play to a reduced crowd.
     
     we played to no one last Saturday, it sucked but it was some where different, if you want lots of people to go to your gig, become popular or stop bitching that you are in a minority music scene.
   • [17:52 on 01/02/09]
9. • the chap
   • a show is a show...
     
   • [19:50 on 01/02/09]
10. • Podge
    • i'm with you on that one
    • [21:22 on 01/02/09]
11. • Big Si
    • Really? I don't care about playing to a crowded room, I just hate coming away from a gig feeling like it was a complete waste of time and effort, not to mention money. And that's the same whatever size the audience is.
      I accept we're not a draw as a band, but I sometimes get the feeling that the person running the gig has made fuck all effort, and that gets on my tits.
      But, having said that, there are still enough promoters (for want of a better word) who put the effort in to make it worthwhile.
      [Edited by Big Si at 22:23 on 01/02/09]
    • [22:21 on 01/02/09]
12. • mike
    • Yeah I used to think a show was a show, but travelling for miles, taking time off work, paying your own money to get there and its shit is no fun at all.
      
      Its totally balanced as Si said with the good ones, I'd gladly drive to Scotland all the time to play shows there as both the promoters and crowds care about gigs on our level.
      
      I think we have a right to expect a little effort on the promoters side if we are making the effort to get over and play.
      
      I'd say some of the empty ones are fun too, like every time we've played Newport in Wales, mates are there, the sounds great, no fucker there but who cares when the atmosphere is ok?
      
      As you can probably tell, my attitude towards all this shit changes depending on each gig, alot of shows are awful, some are great.
    • [22:30 on 01/02/09]
13. • TomKhuda
    • Podge says:

      
      we played to no one last Saturday, it sucked but it was some where different, if you want lots of people to go to your gig, become popular or stop bitching that you are in a minority music scene.
      
      
      This was totally shite. you were really good too. hope you got back alright!
      
      Gig wise to offer my opinion on the stuff here, its just totally hit and miss. Playing as an out of town band can go one way or another, it can either be the case that people are curious as they havent heard/seen you live before so will stick around and check you out meaning it can be a good gig. OR people will just think ah, not heard of them and not watch you.
      
      Just try and look around for promoters who do stuff relevant to you. Ask bands too. Myspace is a decent tool for finding relevant bands to ask for a gig. You can do crazy things like search for bands influenced by bands you like that live near *insert city name*.
      
      Just don't be too disheartened if you play a bad show, as there will most likely be 5 good shows to make up for it!!
      
      We did a tour in october as a relatively unknown band (we'd only played one of the cities (and our hometown) before). And every night was ace as we booked it through bands that were like minded and promoters who we could tell would put the effort in to promote the shows!
      
      
    • [02:35 on 02/02/09]
14. • Podge
    • if i like doing something i'll happily take time off work and pay money out of my own pocket be that bands or not. i've never understood why peoples ideas change when music is involved. i don't make any money from going away for the weekend and riding my bike all over the welsh hills, why should i from playing in a band? at both i have fun and hang out with mates.
      
      playing gigs is fun, people enjoying you is an added bonus.
    • [08:29 on 02/02/09]
15. • Ollie
    • Exactly, I figure I could easily blow £50 in a night on going out for drinks by the time you factor in a couple of taxis, a kebab, entry to a club/venue and a shit load of booze, why shouldn't I chuck that £50 in the pot and go play a gig, meet cool people, get pissed and have an even better time!!! Obviously it is nice if you get paid a bit of fuel money but in the band we pay £20 just to practice in front of no-one so playing a gig to a handful of people who may like it is a bonus.
      
      Anyway, back on track...is anyone up for helping Electric Red out? their EP is a fucking belter.
    • [08:51 on 02/02/09]
16. • sweenard
    • Being from N. Ireland we totally appreciate that loads of gigs are played to fuck all people. Was just looking for anything in the North of England around that week. If any of you guys are in bands that would be playing gigs anyway, or would be able to organise something without too much hassel we would be happy enough. Cheers
    • [17:51 on 02/02/09]
17. • mike
    • Sorry, we've totally hijacked your thread, good luck with getting some gigs and hope people turn up!
    • [17:59 on 02/02/09]
18. • Big Si
    • Podge says:

      playing gigs is fun, people enjoying you is an added bonus.
      
      
      You seem to have missed my point. I'm not moaning about how much it costs, or people not coming out to see us. I am moaning that it's very easy for an inept promoter to make playing a gig no fun at all. I've played plenty where I'd rather have been at practice. I've even played some where being at home watching TV would have been more fun.
      Cue predictable responses along the lines of "why do it then?". Answer: for the good ones, numbnuts.
      
      To get back to the topic then, Scotland has never failed to be awesome for us. Electric Red peeps, I recommend looking for some gigs up that way. For the north of England, we've done a couple of good'uns in Lancaster, of all places.
    • [21:24 on 02/02/09]
19. • mike
    • Yes, Lancaster is a great place to play. I'm going to get on that actually, we need to go back.
    • [21:29 on 02/02/09]
20. • Podge
    • i wasn't replying to you direct, knucklehear, it was a general post
    • [21:30 on 02/02/09]

Forums - Music Discussion and Promotion - Gigs in england?