I'm worn out from gigging and going to take a break...

[Strat+Marshall]

There are plenty of bands out there content with playing 3-4 gigs a month. Might want to just look for something new. Although if you're in a band now where everyone gets along and has their shit together good luck finding that again lol. I don't know if I have ever been in a band for more than a year that didn't end up with some tension between some of the members haha.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Hopefully you can strike a balance that won't burn you out so much Chris, because if you drop the band completely you'll be initially relieved but then may miss the experience further down the road. Good luck

Oh yeah, I'm pretty darn sure I'll miss it before too long. But I can't jump back in at this pace anymore.

Perpetual reunion?

j/k

 

[1big1]

i'm coming off a stretch where we've been busting ass. it's nice to finally get some down time until things crank back up after the first of the year. there was one day when we did an "in" two shows and an "out" on the same day. i think i had about 22 and one half hours in before i finally got some sleep after that gig.
in the mean time i'm trying to put together a project studio.. gig with one garage band and re-organize the other.
it does get to the point sometimes where you just have to put the tools down and walk away.

 

[Anonymous]

I used to be in a full on well booked bar band as well, after about 2-3 years I couldnt take it and had to quit ( and I was young and single at the time)...

I realized I hated spending all my free time in bars and it stifled any creativity I had ( I wanted to write my own stuff , but maintaining the heavy schedule made me never play guitar on any free time I got)..

Now I have a new cover band and the rule is , no more than 2 gigs a month and try to keep it to 1 nighters...


that seems just enough for a "family guy" like myself....

 

[CharFace]

If you quit your day job it would give you all week to relax

 

[BOOGIE444]

Doing 2 all night sets every weekend is harsh when you have a fulltime day gig and a family.
I've done 50 some shows the last 6 month and if the majority weren't just 2 hour shows...come to think of it (there were about 10 4 hour shows) I probably would have to rethink that as well.

Yeah, I agree. Here's my routine every weekend...

Friday
- Get up at 5:30am and get to work around 6:30-6:45am
- Get home from work around 4:00pm and get ready for the gig
- Leave home around 6:00pm and drive an hour to the club
- Setup, play the gig, tear down, and drive an hour home to arrive around 4:00am the next morning

Saturday
- Get up around 10:00-11:00am tired as hell and spend a few hours with the family
- Get ready for the gig around 5:00pm
- Leave home around 6:00pm and drive an hour to the club
- Setup, play the gig, tear down, and drive an hour home to arrive around 4:00am the next morning

Sunday
- Get up around 10:00-11:00am tired as hell and grouchy and try to spend the day with the family

I'm usually a walking zombie all weekend long and still tired as hell at work on Monday.

Chris

Wow, I wouldnt last two weekends with that kind of a schedule. Not to mention my wife would probably kill me.

 

[Gainzilla]

Have you talked to the band about slowing down a little. That's a fast way to burn out an entire band.

Yes, I've talked about it with them a few times. Two of the other guys wouldn't mind slowing down a bit, but not really as much as I want. I'd like to go down from 8-10 gigs per month to 3-4. That's a really big drop and I'm the only one that really wants to slow down that much.

I agree that it's a good way to burn out a band. The good news is that they all seem to understand and I don't think anyone will be pissed off at me about it.

Chris

I hear ya!!! When I started with this band, I had it in my head that I wanted us to get up to doing a minimum of 4 gigs a month. Getting back on stage and playing live brought back all of the memories of just how much of a rush it was and is, it lets the beast out in me in a big way.

However, as time has gone on and reality sets in, Ive come to realize that I couldnt handle what youve been doing( 8-10 gigs a month) let alone 4 gigs a month. I work 12 hour days as well as being a full time dad and 2 gigs a month( 1 every other week) is about all I could handle . I also dont want to play less than that either, I dont see the point of being in a band if Im not playing every other week.

I know you love doing this but I also know that youve been at this for a long ass time. Add work, the family and everything else and I have to believe that even the best of us have a breaking point. In the end, you have to make the best decision for you and to me, it sounds like youre doing just that..

Check your PM's and get back to me!!

Kage

 

[Gitfiddler]

It's good to go out on a high note, Thump. Too much is too much, especially if it's draining you and the family.

How are the ladies in the area going to take it when they don't see you on stage?

 

[thiswaythatway]

Hey Thump i hear ya. But to me playing on just Friday and Saturday's seems like a cakewalk compared to what we used to do. We never had off Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. In the Summers we had a regular Tuesday night show, and we often played on Wed. And we did shows hours away from the NJ shore all the way up to Vermont. I never quit my day job so it beat the shit out of me. It got to the point where i was going straight from work to shows and i never ate Dinner. I was with a girl at the time and the band life and schedule pretty much killed that and at work i did just enough to get by because i was sleep walking half the time.

But i never had a house back then or wife so i could see weekend gigs a bit much. And if you have kids i don't know how you pull it off. That 5 night a week band schedule is good if you have no responsibilities. That's why i can't stress it enough for the younger guys to get off their asses and play out before life says you can't.

 

[SuperStrat]

Can't blame you there... I didn't like gigging that much even when I was younger. 1-2 gigs a month + rehearsal once a week would be perfect for me. The band I'm in now only gigs about 3-4 times a year and nobody is out seeking more... we seem to all be happy keeping it very casual. The problem with that is it's hard to keep up the work needed to learn new material when there's no show on the horizon.

 

[jabps]

I know how Thump feels...my band is taking a solid month off. And we needed it. Plus the scene here in Nashville (original music only) and surrounding area's kinda dictates that...we had basically played out too much, started doing the regional thing...all of us with full time jobs...frankly I don't see how we pulled it off. One night your in one part of the state the next your in the other part of the state or surrounding states...working around schedules. It was tough. Basically we're trying to get it back to 2 gigs a month tops...with an all original band even your friends get tired of coming out all the time. And if the clubs are stiffing you on drinks, tabs, guarantee's and the like screw it, that will realy wear you down.

 

[Stratboy151]

i only wish i could do 8-10 gigs a month in my current band, i'd quit the day job!! right now we're doing 4-5 a month.

 

[vchizzle]

I hear ya Thump. I had a 2 year stretch of 80-120 gigs a year. I loved it, but it is tiring. My girlfriend and her son were always cool about it, they new from the get-go that's what I did. but playing or recording at times when you should be at home is tough. throw in the full time job and you're hardly home.

I've had the opposite problem the last year and a 1/2 though. one or more member of the band not doing what's neccessary for us to be productive and then kick ass live. procrastination, laziness and wasting my time. rehearsing 2-4 times a week and playing that amount of gigs in 2 years. I was spoiled before with individuals who did what needed to be done when it needed to be done...and did it well. now I've fucked around, members in & out. rehearsal is a chore, no reward of gigs(unless I want to play in a situation that's less than great)

I just don't feel like wasting the time any more. I need a break from unproductiveness. I just picked up all my guitars, recording equipment and a few mics today. I'm gonna kick it with the acoustic and my home rig for a bit. maybe whore some gear I'll look at the band thing again, but it will take something really impressive and special for me to dedicate the time I used to. maybe one day a week at most unless something blows me away. stellar vocalists are at a minimum around here though so I don't have high hopes.

 

[CharFace]

I'm just glad the band guys are so accepting of me quitting. We've become pretty close, since we're together so damn much. I was really hoping nobody would fly off the handle on me and of course, they haven't.

Chris

A good thing in my book especially since Big Dawg looks like could easily kick a man's ass

 

[GRK]

I wish I had that kinda gigging life. I can't even find a decent band...

 

[STLKINGV]

Chris, LJ would have ya sit in for a few tunes to make ya feel better... Hell, you can strap on one of my King V's and give'er hell anytime!!!

A~

 

[mysticaxe]

That's a brutal schedule. At my busiest, I've been doing about 4 gigs per month - and that's about all I can handle from a family perspective. Nothing like a Wednesday night an hour away from home to make you wonder whether you're being stupid!

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Looks like this will be my last weekend with Bad Monkey. I'm sad, because I'll miss the guys, the great music, and the fun times. I'm also relieved, because I'll be able to relax and enjoy time with the family, on the bike, etc... Kinda mixed feelings about it all, but I still think it's the right move.

Chris

Are you still going to hold onto your stage gear? I remember you saying you never used the stuff at home and kept it in an equipment trailer?

 

[Giga]

Why don't you try to find someone to share the gigs with ?

Giga.

 

[Telephant]

Im actually in the opposite boat! I wish we were playing MORE gigs and touring the world and kidnapping groupies to keep in our dungeon!