Jam Nights?What?

Busterthedog

For various reasons I have been away from the guitar for a while,last year I expressed an interest in playing live one day(at 56!!),now I can improvise some blues lead over chords but considering Jam Nights,stupid question but what does one do at a jam night?do you just plug in and play?,discuss what and when you join in?,will I need to play backing?etc

Gulliver

It varies from place to place, but nearly all of the ones I've been to tend to have somebody in charge running things - making sure people get the chance to play and organising other participants to form a little band.  Usually you'll end up playing mostly rhythm accompaniment, and get a solo break somewhere down the line.  In my experience of going to jam nights (over 10 years now) I've never been to a jam that forces people to play, or judges or is negative - just a bunch of people who enjoy playing.


Depending on where in the country you are, I might know a few places worth a visit.

mike_l

All the Cambridge jams are turn up and play.
Pretty easy going as to skill levels (no one has shot me yet).
The situation is 2 guitar amps, a bass amp and a small drum kit.
Usually one of the guitarists sings (not always). 
Paul who runs the night will tell you when you're up to play. Usually it's 2/3 song sets, depending on player numbers.
Having a few common songs learnt will help (see the single progression songs for jam nights thread for a bunch of them).

StageStruck

The ones local to me have a house band that play a few numbers to begin the night then anyone can put their name down to join the house band to play/sing. If there are bands in attendance they might do a few songs on their own. Most of the time, it's fairly standard material. The house bands are usually fairly versatile so can usually busk things out even if they don't know the song fully.

I have been to another busy open jam at a local music festival where they had listed players by instrument and simply pulled folks up in order from the lists and gave them 10 minutes to play, so for the most part it was generally 4 or 5 folks who had never played together on stage. It was a bit hit & miss as you might imagine.

Ossyrocks

I ran a jam night for about 8 years.

I organised the house band and we provided full PA and back line. I took names on a sheet and asked what they wanted to do.Sometimes they wanted to get up with just the house band, or a couple of mates, or sometimes it was a whole band that turned up to use the opportunity as a rehearsal in front of an audience.

I limited it to three songs per person/group and if there was time left at the end would get people back up if they wanted to.

It's OK to turn up and expect to use the backline and kit, or bring your own gear if you arrive early to set up, but it's a definite no no to turn up and expect to use a guitar, but it still used to happen!

In my experience, no one gets judged, and it's a good vibe. If you have the balls to turn up and play, then they have the balls to listen.

Get on it !

Rob.

Busterthedog

Thanks for the replies,I think I really want to play in front of others at least once in my life,i think I need to find a jam night,watch a few and then bite the bullet and play!!.

leejayd

Does anyone know of any jam nights in Chester/Liverpool?

viz

mike_l said:

All the Cambridge jams are turn up and play.
Pretty easy going as to skill levels (no one has shot me yet).
The situation is 2 guitar amps, a bass amp and a small drum kit.
Usually one of the guitarists sings (not always). 
Paul who runs the night will tell you when you're up to play. Usually it's 2/3 song sets, depending on player numbers.
Having a few common songs learnt will help (see the single progression songs for jam nights thread for a bunch of them).

Spot on; and as you say, just go and have a drink and watch if you like and get to know the people before you turn up with the guitar. Jam night people are generally very nice. Where are you?

mr-mac

StageStruck said:

The ones local to me have a house band that play a few numbers to begin the night then anyone can put their name down to join the house band to play/sing. If there are bands in attendance they might do a few songs on their own. Most of the time, it's fairly standard material. The house bands are usually fairly versatile so can usually busk things out even if they don't know the song fully.

I have been to another busy open jam at a local music festival where they had listed players by instrument and simply pulled folks up in order from the lists and gave them 10 minutes to play, so for the most part it was generally 4 or 5 folks who had never played together on stage. It was a bit hit & miss as you might imagine.

Oh hello, I recognise that photo.... Colin will be in house band for hosting a open mic/band jam start of November . Well hopefull seeing as booked his band as guest hosts

mr-mac

The one we run in Dundee started as an open mic an I was on bar, after 23yr out I hauled out my guitar and did johnny b Goode, sweet little 16, shake your money maker as a starter... At that point was just me and another guy on guitar and Debbie singing as well.... An old local started bringing his bass which is where band jam kinda started. I got a bass and amp for him so had it in pub. Since then we added a cheap drum kit, better mixer, some house guitars and proper pa kit etc.

the reason for house instruments was along lines of you don't always want to drag good guitars out if your having a drink or want to go out somewhere else afterwards. So have some house stuff ready to go if people want to join in or do their own solo work...

it works quite well if we know song we can back up a singer. If they play and sing we can easy back them if if not 100% a song we do. Or they can play sing and out bass/drummer can play along. Or they can grab acoustic and do their own solo stint. Lots of options.

also have plenty guitarists sit in for night or sit in for some songs of style they are wanting to play etc. I do think for modern music the band jam works a lot better than a simple open mic... For folky stuff I think an everyone turns up and all join in works well. But in this day a pure open mic is harder to make work as needs a lot of people who can play/sing solo.

this open mic which was failing and now turned into full band jam has got me back playing and kinda running it so hopefully if can keep it busy enough we can keep going.

defo sort of event I'd be looking for locally as its great for learning and improving if you can sit in here and there.

siraxeman

Aren't 'jam nights' just where pub landlords get muppets to give their punters some free entertainment ? ;-)

Ossyrocks

siraxeman said:

Aren't 'jam nights' just where pub landlords get muppets to give their punters some free entertainment ? ;-)

Every jam I have ever done, the house band gets paid. Usually only £20-£25 a man though.

mr-mac

yep someone at least would usually get paid to host and if its a full band/pa setup that doesn't come free either.  and all the setting up of kit. It's a lot of work running a good one so yeah its mugs providing free entertainment or could say somewhere for musician pals to get together for a drink/jam often people not in bands who wouldn't have chance to play with big proper setup/perform for audience otherwise

mr-mac

Often midweek or a night a venue wouldnt/couldnt afford a full band as well

Danny1969

The open mic night thing I'm involved in basically is just a free beer tab in return for backing whoever gets up to sing, so it's just a free night out at the pub for me rather than a paid gig. It's great fun though, I really enjoy it 

EricTheWeary

siraxeman said:

Aren't 'jam nights' just where pub landlords get muppets to give their punters some free entertainment ? ;-)

The ones I've been to tend to be where the audience is 99% people intending to play so there's no punters as such. Also means if you're playing last you play to an empty room ( especially if covering Empty Rooms as it's a very dull song). 

mr-mac

Ours is opposite way... Some weeks we get an ok number to join in but others its just a gig. But starting to get a few regulars / new people coming along which will hopefully balance it up nicely

Nikko

This thread prompted me to search for one in my area, and I found one than runs every Wednesday night in a pub about a mile from my house, sorted.

Going to go along tonight and have a mooch