Being in more than one band

[Lightningrt]

I've been reading a few threads lately where some of you are members of 2 or 3 bands. Sometimes it's a covers/originals thing, sometimes it's different styles of music.

I have never been in more than one band at a time, and in my experience, when a fellow band member tells you they've joined another band but will stay with you as well, they either end up leaving your band or the other because they become compromised.

How do you manage to be in 2 or 3 at a time, and what happens if you get offered a gig with each band on the same night? Do you have to let one or the other down?

[winkofaneye]

Its a hard juggling act,but necessary to make money.I have a rule where if I get a gig booked,then thats it,no cancellations for better or worse.So which ever band gets the work first,gets the gig.If I got offered a gig for both simultaneously,I'd pick the better payer.Luckily all band members agree to that philosophy.

[Brian Krashpad]

I'm in 3 bands, all doing originals, but none play so often as to cause conflicts. In fact, more than once some have been on the same bill together.

If you play in more commercially-oriented bands that are playing every weekend, it's a potential prob. Or if you're in originals bands that tour, it could be. Originals bands that don't play as often, and only play locally or nearby, have been zero problem for me.

Another advanatge is that originals bands on our local scene play one set, maybe 45 minutes. So it would be possible to play in one band at one venue as opener, and in another a few miles away a couple hours later as closer. I haven't done that myself but know folks who have. In fact, once my whole band played two sets at two different places in one night. Opened one place, struck the stage, moved everything 3 blocks down, closed another place.

[mprvise]

Two bands, but one plays once or twice a month, where the other is six to ten times per month. There are is almost always a choice to be made. Fortunately I have a very good friend (and excellent player) who is my "stunt double" in one of the bands. If he is unavailable one band has been know to do trio gigs (as was the case last Friday). My preference is to have both bands on the same multi band bill, but that has only happened once so far in over four years.

The worst is when one band has a 7:00 - 10:00 gig, and the other has a 10:00 - 1:30 gig. Set up two rigs (one at each location) and fratically make my way to the next gig, get in a different groove, and play pretty much all night long. The pay is nice though.

[TNJ]

I play in 2 1/2 bands...the "1/2" band only plays 1-2 times per year.
The other 2 consist of a classic rock band that stays fairly busy (every other weekend on average), and a funk/r&b outfit that is still trying to get its act together. If and when the r&b bands gets truly up and running, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it...but I like the rule of thumb that winkofaneye uses. Makes sense.

S>
j

[shredtrash]

I play in 3 bands right now. 1 is a 80's cover/tribute band that plays big shows about 6 times a year. Another is an original group that plays about 2 45 minute showcase sets a month if we're lucky. The 3rd is a 50's rock n' roll group that plays a couple of 2-3 set shows a month. The nature of each band allows me to juggle all 3. Before that I was in 2 bands that worked a lot and it was tough.

[mcknigs]

Most of the bands that I've played with over the past 10 years have been set up so that there are enough people who know the material that they can take the gigs and worry about who's going to play them later.

I front a band (covers and originals - mostly mine) - that's the one that's hardest for me to miss gigs for, though I have done it before.

Another band has a couple extra members and can get by with a sub if necessary. Sometimes that band gigs with a guitar and keys, sometimes two guitars. Sometimes I play guitar, sometimes I play bass.

Another band probably has a total of ~30 current and former band members and friends in various cities around the country and can get by playing as anything from 4-piece to 9-piece, depending on who's available and what's needed.

Another band has 3 regular members and I'm one of several bass players they call.

It's all about flexibilty. It helps that a lot of these guys are in their 30s-50s and have been playing together for a long time.

-Scott

[billm408]

I'm in 2 bands- one that's a side project for 4 of the 5 members. The hardest part is confirming dates when all of us are available. Fortunately neither band plays more than 10-12 dates a year so it's not that big a deal.

[Gas-man]

2 1/2 for me too.

I'm finding that the other 1 1/2 are taking too much time though from the 1, so I need to do something about that.

Hard to say no though when someone has a giggle booked and you know you will make the bread.

[screamtone]

I'm in three bands. Band number one was around a long tme before I joined. We play 50-75 jobs a year. When there's a scheduling conflict, there are a few guys that sub for me. Band number two(or won't) really play without me, so band number two will take priority in case of a conflict, but it's really rare. Band number two plays 0 jobs a year, tops. Band number three is a original thing that plays maybe four times a year.

In the summer, it's not unusal for me to have two afternoon weddings with band number one and two club gigs with band number two during a weekend. The money is pretty sweet on weeks like that. That's why I put up with the bullshirt of dealing with it all.

[Mattbedrock]

I'm doing two bands right now, both are playing 3-4 times/mo, so I am constantly juggling schedules. Each band has a schedule and an anti-schedule, so they know when I'm available. Once a gig is booked, I stick with it - you can't cancel stuff and stay working.

[shark_bite]

In and out of a bunch of bands. A couple church gigs, a brass quintet, two rock/pop bands that don't gig very often and mostly record, I occasionally sub with a 9-piece jazz group, and then I sit in pretty often with a couple other bands. I usually have a regular working group too if possible, but right not I'm between projects on that and if the last audition I had doesn't result in getting the gig, I'm taking the time to relax already.

Everything coexists because of different schedules and different expectations. The rock/pop groups are back burner because they don't pay. The working bands are front-burner because they do. The church gigs happen on Sunday mornings, and the sit-in stuff is usually on weeknights. All in all it keeps me pretty busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. It's good experience, good networking, and usually lots of fun. Not to mention the money.

[DocLovett]

I've done it before, I'm now in just the one, and find it much easier to stay focused, plus we stay busy rehearsing and writing as well as gigging, so I don't really have alot of "free time" to do another...I have and will occasionally do a "reunion" type gig with my previous band, as my drummer put it "from time to time, when the moment is right and the planets align, I find myself in the musical gumbo that is Doc Lovett and the Blues Punks"...it's fun to get together and blow off a little steam now and then, but I'm really very happy in the Mojo Gurus...I get to play original material that I like, to appreciative audiences...not much more I could ask for as a guitarist I should think. :AOK

[Jiffy_Jeff]

Yep, in three here... All cover bands.

Whoever books with me first, thats who I gig with. I play about 4-6 times a month.

But being that I also play bass, keyboard and drums, I get calls to sit in with bands all the time when they have a guy that can't make it.

There was a band that needed a bass player to sit in for a couple of dates. I told them I could help them out. They told me that since I was in other bands they didn't want me. They want someone who will be loyal to them...... But they needed a temp bass player.:NUTS

Funnything is they are pretty terrible, but since I know one of the guys, I thought I would help out. Oh well, guess my inability to be loyal to a cover band that will go nowhere is biting me in the Keeeeester!:jo

[dets1]

i've got three going right now. all a mixture of originals and covers. i just force myself to keep a good up to date calender. whoever goes into the calender first, is the gig i take. and i don't bail on a gig because better money comes along.

[T.Wesley]

2 original bands. Everybody knows about the other band, so there's no hiding anything in that respect - I thought that was important when I became involved in the 2nd band.

As soon as one band books a gig, I let the guys in the other band know immediately. That staves off conflicting dates.

If both bands do end up playing on the same date, it's gotta be the same gig (which has happened before & probably will again!).

The hardest part for me is that I use different rigs with each band, so I end up having to keep track of which stuff to put in the truck for which gig. Gets confusing sometimes.

--chiba

[The Golden Boy]

The hardest part for me is that I use different rigs with each band, so I end up having to keep track of which stuff to put in the truck for which gig. Gets confusing sometimes.



When I was in college I was doing 3 active bands, and I was either playing or rehearsing every night of the week. I was often confused about where I was going and what I'd be doing.

Not that I'm normally not confused about what I'm doing anyway...

[GDking]

I play in one busy band rather than multiples that equal one busy band which is what I see a lot of guys do.

If I did it for a living with no day job again I would definitely be in multiple projects.

[fuzzbomb]

I play in 3 bands as well...all originals. A punk band, a stoner rock band, and a heavy rock band. Most of the other members are in multiple other bands as well. I've found that with the right mix of people its no problem, as long as you've got folks who can behave like sensible semi-adults.

We do what the original poster does...whoever gets booked first, let's everyone else know they're unavailable on that date. No "better deal" cancellations. Unless our singer wants to cancel one of his solo acoustic gigs which is at his discretion.