New Aberdeen Band Seeks Gig(s): Take II

[ASFG]

Hi there,

Im just attempting to organise a few gigs for a new Aberdeen rock band in the vein of Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, Brand New. Id add that although the band has yet to perform together onstage, the members are all gig-experienced musicians who can be relied upon to act in a professional manner. I had originally hoped for dates around Aug/Sept but outside factors mean Im now looking to book from the 11th of October onwards.

Gigs that would suit us would probably include Moorings and Snafu sized venues or Tunnels at a push. Having said that well take a serious look at anything on offer; varied line-ups are fine with us and were always more than happy to take part in promotion.

Last time I asked on here we had some really great opportunities come our way; its a shame that circumstances overtook proceedings and we werent able to take things further forwards.

If you have anything that you think might interest us or are a promoter with some questions please just PM me for further details.

Many thanks,

ASFG

[HeinzHines]

You should probably include a link to your music.

[ASFG]

You should probably include a link to your music.

If I had such a link that would be ideal, but I dont.

[waltz]

If I had such a link that would be ideal, but I dont.

At risk of sounding patronising, I'd advise it's best to record a few songs and put them on myspace or the likes before asking for shows. If you see it from a promoter's perspective, it's a bit of a risk putting on a band that they've never heard. I mean, at least some dodgy recordings on an mp3 player would do, but if you can borrow someone's 8 track or do a session at the likes of the Foyer, even better.

Just a bit of advice.

[Soda Jerk]

In previous bands, I've always found that having no music is better than having some really terrible recording of a song that will probably be dropped from the repertoire at a later date. A bad recording of a bad song has always been a bit of a put-off for my bands, where as just saying "Oh, we're a new band, we try to sound like these bands" can work for at least 4 or 5 gigs.... Maybe.

I guess if you were to combine the advice from Euan and I, it would result in "Don't be shit". That one pretty much can't fail.

[Lemonade]

In previous bands, I've always found that having no music is better than having some really terrible recording of a song that will probably be dropped from the repertoire at a later date. A bad recording of a bad song has always been a bit of a put-off for my bands, where as just saying "Oh, we're a new band, we try to sound like these bands" can work for at least 4 or 5 gigs.... Maybe.

I guess if you were to combine the advice from Euan and I, it would result in "Don't be shit". That one pretty much can't fail.

Funnily enough I was just reading a thread about this yesterday. See here for how not to do it.

http://www.aberdeen-music.com/forums/feedback-forum/20775-leave-egon-track-online.html

[Chris]

My opinion is if you're not in a position to record a couple of songs to a decent enough quality that you'd let other people hear then why would you be ready to gig?

Gigging too early is just as tragic as recording too early.

[Soda Jerk]

Recording can be a bit costly if you don't have the right equipment, know-how or know the right people, where as playing a gig is free. Playing a gig and getting that confidence in your own material can add a bit of charisma to your stuff, or make you realise what sounds good and what doesn't as a means of development.

There's always more than one way of doing things.

[Alkaline]

My opinion is if you're not in a position to record a couple of songs to a decent enough quality that you'd let other people hear then why would you be ready to gig?

Don't agree.

Recording can be a bit costly if you don't have the right equipment, know-how or know the right people, where as playing a gig is free. Playing a gig and getting that confidence in your own material can add a bit of charisma to your stuff, or make you realise what sounds good and what doesn't as a means of development.

There's always more than one way of doing things.

Agree.

[Chris]

Recording can be a bit costly if you don't have the right equipment, know-how or know the right people, where as playing a gig is free.

If you can afford to practice at Toms or Musical Vision you can afford to record a couple of tracks to listenable quality.

[ASFG]

At risk of sounding patronising, I'd advise it's best to record a few songs and put them on myspace or the likes before asking for shows. If you see it from a promoter's perspective, it's a bit of a risk putting on a band that they've never heard. I mean, at least some dodgy recordings on an mp3 player would do, but if you can borrow someone's 8 track or do a session at the likes of the Foyer, even better.

Just a bit of advice.

I appreciate that. Thank you for taking the time out to offer it. What youre saying certainly has some merit but from personal experience I think there are, as Original Spies says, alternative routes to explore which might be better.

I do think every band should make the effort to record a demo, and if it is of a high enough standard should put it online to garner interest. What I dont subscribe to is the theory that any recording is better than no recording at all; if your approach to recording is half-assed, your band will come across as half-assed.

My personal feeling is that putting a bad recording online is the equivalent of playing a gig unrehearsed.

More specifically, I can't remember a single time when I had to go down the route of sending a demo to a promoter in order to get a gig at this level. It just doesn't happen - at least not to me. If a promoter specifically has a gig offer (or offers) for me and specifically requests to hear some of our work I will send him/her an mp3 of one our songs.

All this is presuming that the promoter really cares what the band sounds like anyway. I suspect many promoters would just be happy to find a band that could turn up on time, do what was asked of them, bring a decent crowd along and not piss about too much. Imagine that?

In summary, if you ARE a promoter, please PM me for details.

[The Milner]

If you can afford to practice at Toms or Musical Vision you can afford to record a couple of tracks to listenable quality.

whats listenable quality?

I'd much rather hear something semi good than any old shit demo from toms that doesnt really give you an indication of the band.

[Chris]

Something that doesn't sound fucking dreadful. Admittedly, that's subjective.

[The Milner]

Something that doesn't sound fucking dreadful. Admittedly, that's subjective.

So would you rather hear a rubbish version of a bands songs or would you rather wait till you heard something of a better quality?

[The Milner]

I appreciate that. Thank you for taking the time out to offer it. What youre saying certainly has some merit but from personal experience I think there are, as Original Spies says, alternative routes to explore which might be better.

I do think every band should make the effort to record a demo, and if it is of a high enough standard should put it online to garner interest. What I dont subscribe to is the theory that any recording is better than no recording at all; if your approach to recording is half-assed, your band will come across as half-assed.

My personal feeling is that putting a bad recording online is the equivalent of playing a gig unrehearsed.

More specifically, I can't remember a single time when I had to go down the route of sending a demo to a promoter in order to get a gig at this level. It just doesn't happen - at least not to me. If a promoter specifically has a gig offer (or offers) for me and specifically requests to hear some of our work I will send him/her an mp3 of one our songs.

All this is presuming that the promoter really cares what the band sounds like anyway. I suspect many promoters would just be happy to find a band that could turn up on time, do what was asked of them, bring a decent crowd along and not piss about too much. Imagine that?

In summary, if you ARE a promoter, please PM me for details.

I wish we all had the contacts you seem to have......

[Chris]

So would you rather hear a rubbish version of a bands songs or would you rather wait till you heard something of a better quality?

What I mean is something in the middle. If a band knows their songs and their sound then they should be able to get at least 1 or 2 of them recorded to a passable quality to put up on myspace (or call it Death Magnetic and get to #1 in the album charts). It doesn't have to be CD quality, just give a fair representation of the band's sound so that potential promoters and the gig going public will get a chance to decide if they're worth spending money on.

The songs on our myspace aren't great quality, but they'll do for the moment to give people an idea of what we sound like and they cost us less than 40 to record.

[The Milner]

What I mean is something in the middle. If a band knows their songs and their sound then they should be able to get at least 1 or 2 of them recorded to a passable quality to put up on myspace (or call it Death Magnetic and get to #1 in the album charts). It doesn't have to be CD quality, just give a fair representation of the band's sound so that potential promoters and the gig going public will get a chance to decide if they're worth spending money on.

The songs on our myspace aren't great quality, but they'll do for the moment to give people an idea of what we sound like and they cost us less than 40 to record.

Getting a guitar sound for recording and for playing live is two different things tho. I do agree with you up to a point mind but i think your generalising it a bit too much. I'd much rather hear a decent version of a song rather than a shitty cheap version that could just put me off the band before ive really heard them. As for your recordings, you dont have any vocals, so what you paid for them doesnt really come into it as vocals usually take up a lot of the recording time.

[Chris]

As for your recordings, you dont have any vocals, so what you paid for them doesnt really come into it as vocals usually take up a lot of the recording time.

Fair point.

[The Milner]

Fair point.

for what its worth tho, appart from a few out of tune guitars i quite like those songs you have up, good quality as well like you said.

[Guest idol_wild]

I appreciate that. Thank you for taking the time out to offer it. What youre saying certainly has some merit but from personal experience I think there are, as Original Spies says, alternative routes to explore which might be better.

I do think every band should make the effort to record a demo, and if it is of a high enough standard should put it online to garner interest. What I dont subscribe to is the theory that any recording is better than no recording at all; if your approach to recording is half-assed, your band will come across as half-assed.

My personal feeling is that putting a bad recording online is the equivalent of playing a gig unrehearsed.

More specifically, I can't remember a single time when I had to go down the route of sending a demo to a promoter in order to get a gig at this level. It just doesn't happen - at least not to me. If a promoter specifically has a gig offer (or offers) for me and specifically requests to hear some of our work I will send him/her an mp3 of one our songs.

All this is presuming that the promoter really cares what the band sounds like anyway. I suspect many promoters would just be happy to find a band that could turn up on time, do what was asked of them, bring a decent crowd along and not piss about too much. Imagine that?

In summary, if you ARE a promoter, please PM me for details.

I do a spot of promotions and I am not going to make the effort of contacting the band/artist to find out what they sound like, when it is the band/artist that is looking for gigs. The most investigation I would ever do is type in a myspace address or click a link.

And if a promoter doesn't care what an artist or band sounds like then why are they promoting? If a promoter doesn't really care what you sound like then I suggest you're playing gigs for the wrong promoters.

I realise this post makes me sound really arrogant. It's not meant to, but it's the only way I have of articulating my point. I, personally, as a live music promoter, would never book a band if they didn't have recordings accessible online, unless I had seem them perform live before or they went to the trouble of contacting me to offer a CD or an MP3 of at least one or two songs.

[Cloud]

As an aside, look at the tone of this guy's post. He knows what he's talking about - the whole inital post oozes supreme confidence in their ability, and for that alone, they're worth a shot. How many bands can be so articulate and yet straight to the point in a no nonsense manner?

To the OP - chuck a post in the Fudge forum. They're bound to take a shot on you, particularly if you can promise to get the job done with the minimum of fuss.

[Lemonade]

As an aside, look at the tone of this guy's post. He knows what he's talking about - the whole inital post oozes supreme confidence in their ability, and for that alone, they're worth a shot. How many bands can be so articulate and yet straight to the point in a no nonsense manner?

To the OP - chuck a post in the Fudge forum. They're bound to take a shot on you, particularly if you can promise to get the job done with the minimum of fuss.

What balls you speak at times. You can't judge how good a band are by how confident they are. I've heard so many little gromits boast about how their band are great and are going to be the next big thing, and they almost invariably suck on an epic scale.

[Cloud]

What balls you speak at times. You can't judge how good a band are by how confident they are. I've heard so many little gromits boast about how their band are great and are going to be the next big thing, and they almost invariably suck on an epic scale.

But come on, look at the tone of the post. It's not bragging, it's not in your face - but it is ridiculously assured.

There's a mature, grown up tone about the inital post. I don't know what it is - but it sounds like they know what they're doing and aren't afraid to say so.

[Guest idol_wild]

But come on, look at the tone of the post. It's not bragging, it's not in your face - but it is ridiculously assured.

There's a mature, grown up tone about the inital post. I don't know what it is - but it sounds like they know what they're doing and aren't afraid to say so.

Music will always always speak with more volume then any words can. A confident tone should never be enough to merit the offering of a gig slot.

"It's bigger than words, and wider than pictures"

Rep points if you can identify the reference

[Cloud]

Mogwai?

I guess it does depend on the lineup too - if it's just a random local bill, promoted for the sake of promoting, then there would be no harm in taking a punt on the band without hearing them.

But of course, it would be suicidal/ridiculous to do it if you were promoting some decent out of town act - like you've been doing?

Just depends on time and circumstances really - I actually think it's interesting to have the arrogance to say 'contact us'.

I really want to hear them now