The end is nigh

Roland

I said I’d stop gigging at 65. Then I said it again about 70. Both deadlines have come and gone. Anybody else in this situation?

The end is at last in sight. Later this year we are going to relocate to a Dorset. That means I’ll be leaving the band I’ve played with, in various guises, for the last 16 years. Our last two gigs are coming up on 30th May and 5th June. Saturday 30th is at the Vale Social Club in Nottingham. This is a large venue with traditional stage. Friday 5th is my local pub, the White Lion in Rempstone, where we are squashed in between the toilets and the dart board. It’s also our singer’s birthday, so I’m hoping for a party atmosphere to bow out with.

Of course I’ve already started scanning Guitarist Wanted ads in Dorset … and I’ve got loads of equipment and guitar parts to put in the Classifieds.

TheBigDipper

Whereabouts in Dorset? It’s cover band central down here. 

Jimbro66

TheBigDipper said:

Whereabouts in Dorset? It’s cover band central down here. 

Oooh, can we expect to see you in a Brian May wig @Roland ? 

mudslide73

I remember @koneguitarist finishing a few years back - not sure if they're reformed?

We've had a couple of cancer situations but luckily the two of us who were affected have come back swinging! We've had the same lineup for 20 odd years and some of us have been playing together for 30 now. I don't envisage starting up again when the time comes, tbh.

I hope all goes well @Roland .

Roland

TheBigDipper said:

Whereabouts in Dorset? It’s cover band central down here. 

There’s a lot of covers band work during the summer season, but I’m not going to do that circuit again. Going back to my roots in jazz or funk would suit me better.

maltingsaudio

If you still want to do it you’ll find a way simples

ESBlonde

maltingsaudio said:

If you still want to do it you’ll find a way simples

Don’t sell everything yet. Each time I thought that’s it and took time out, things came back to draw me into another band. 

Good luck whatever you do.

Logie

I didn’t start playing guitar in bands till I was in my mid 50’s and I never really got over the nerves playing live as I didn’t gig enough. 

It was suggested by a friend I had a go at singing and wierdly enough I didn’t get nervous and gigged for about 7 years. 

I packed it in last year as I found it quite demoralising spending 6 hrs on a Saturday night on a gig just to play to 15 people.
 I know some people call it a paid practise but I don’t see it that way. 

I must say though, as I’m about to turn 65, I do find myself looking at Joinmyband and Bandmix longingly so I wouldn’t sell all your gear just yet

Supportact

I'm 48 and still gigging and do occasionally worry I'm a bit mad for doing it  (usually regarding late nights, long drives, ridiculous situations with venues) so this gives me some hope! 

If anything I think I appreciate it a bit more these days so I don't think I'll stop unless for health reasons. 

You never know @Roland , and obviously there's a lot of ways to keep gigging and playing music without relentless gigging several times per week.  Hope you find something to keep you interested.  

Supportact

Logie said:

I didn’t start playing guitar in bands till I was in my mid 50’s and I never really got over the nerves playing live as I didn’t gig enough. 

It was suggested by a friend I had a go at singing and wierdly enough I didn’t get nervous and gigged for about 7 years. 

I packed it in last year as I found it quite demoralising spending 6 hrs on a Saturday night on a gig just to play to 15 people.
 I know some people call it a paid practise but I don’t see it that way. 

I must say though, as I’m about to turn 65, I do find myself looking at Joinmyband and Bandmix longingly so I wouldn’t sell all your gear just yet

15 people?! Mate you're a rock star compared to some of my gigs. 

Logie

Supportact said:

Logie said:

I didn’t start playing guitar in bands till I was in my mid 50’s and I never really got over the nerves playing live as I didn’t gig enough. 

It was suggested by a friend I had a go at singing and wierdly enough I didn’t get nervous and gigged for about 7 years. 

I packed it in last year as I found it quite demoralising spending 6 hrs on a Saturday night on a gig just to play to 15 people.
 I know some people call it a paid practise but I don’t see it that way. 

I must say though, as I’m about to turn 65, I do find myself looking at Joinmyband and Bandmix longingly so I wouldn’t sell all your gear just yet

15 people?! Mate you're a rock star compared to some of my gigs. 

At our last gig in Swindon there was 6 people in front of us and 3 behind the bar at the start ( and we delayed it! )
At the end there was 16 plus the bar staff and the cheeky buggers asked us to play longer as “ it was only just getting going “
Packed up the gear, stood outside having a beer with the rest of the lads and announced my retirement from public performance

mrkb

I saw a band that have released an album and are played on Planet Rock at a local gig, and there were 8 paying punters. The audience halved when the support band left.

relic245

Hats off to you for still gigging in your 70's!

I'm 61 and wonder how much longer I've got an appetite to do this. 

I've been with the same covers band for 17 years and these days we average 1 gig a month.

On nights where it feels like a hassle I feel like I'm done now and wouldn't miss it.

On nights where it goes well I'm mentally planning Doug it for another 10 years. 

Whatever you decide then make sure you have something that stimulates you in the safe way that music has.

If you're the kind of person who is gigging into his 70's then I can't imagine you as someone who will suddenly talking up pipe and slippers and watching countdown as a way to fill your days. 

Good luck with it all.

CaseOfAce

55 here - did over 10 years in a local function / pub band - gigging on average twice a month (sometimes 3) with a midweek rehearsal (20 miles away from home) once or twice a month and left not under the best of circumstances.

I haven't missed it in the slightest. The biggest change was suddenly having weekends free. I had got used to having half the year's weekends "booked up" and always keeping an eye on the clock Saturday's for that night's gig (and fatigue the next day). Holidays, BBQs, seeing gigs, going out for dinner, meeting friends had to be arranged around it. It's a wonder the wife put up with it for so long.
To not have to do all that was truly liberating.

The number of venues is declining (those pensioners ain't getting any younger), the karaoke singer going out with backing tracks schtick has massively impacted the remaining market and too many bands are doing the same 40 or 50 (or even 60) year old songs over and over again at the same clubs (we eventually arrived at a point where we weren't adding any new venues to our list).

Do I miss anything? Well.. there's no surer way of getting competent (and I stress competent - skill / technique wise I plateaued a long time ago) and there were nights driving out to a venue in the countryside or along the coast  as the sun went down looking forward to playing guitar for a couple of hours which I still enjoyed ( and getting paid for it) . Getting to use gear I'd bought for the purpose it was meant to be used for was a buzz. But ... whether I ever gig again (or indeed am required to do so - AI in 10 or 20 years will have made many musicians redundant)  is very much in question for the future.

JAYJO

Logie said:

Supportact said:

Logie said:

I didn’t start playing guitar in bands till I was in my mid 50’s and I never really got over the nerves playing live as I didn’t gig enough. 

It was suggested by a friend I had a go at singing and wierdly enough I didn’t get nervous and gigged for about 7 years. 

I packed it in last year as I found it quite demoralising spending 6 hrs on a Saturday night on a gig just to play to 15 people.
 I know some people call it a paid practise but I don’t see it that way. 

I must say though, as I’m about to turn 65, I do find myself looking at Joinmyband and Bandmix longingly so I wouldn’t sell all your gear just yet

15 people?! Mate you're a rock star compared to some of my gigs. 

At our last gig in Swindon there was 6 people in front of us and 3 behind the bar at the start ( and we delayed it! )
At the end there was 16 plus the bar staff and the cheeky buggers asked us to play longer as “ it was only just getting going “
Packed up the gear, stood outside having a beer with the rest of the lads and announced my retirement from public performance

The Landlord must have felt like doing the same...

Logie

JAYJO said:

Logie said:

Supportact said:

Logie said:

I didn’t start playing guitar in bands till I was in my mid 50’s and I never really got over the nerves playing live as I didn’t gig enough. 

It was suggested by a friend I had a go at singing and wierdly enough I didn’t get nervous and gigged for about 7 years. 

I packed it in last year as I found it quite demoralising spending 6 hrs on a Saturday night on a gig just to play to 15 people.
 I know some people call it a paid practise but I don’t see it that way. 

I must say though, as I’m about to turn 65, I do find myself looking at Joinmyband and Bandmix longingly so I wouldn’t sell all your gear just yet

15 people?! Mate you're a rock star compared to some of my gigs. 

At our last gig in Swindon there was 6 people in front of us and 3 behind the bar at the start ( and we delayed it! )
At the end there was 16 plus the bar staff and the cheeky buggers asked us to play longer as “ it was only just getting going “
Packed up the gear, stood outside having a beer with the rest of the lads and announced my retirement from public performance

The Landlord must have felt like doing the same...

Funnily enough he’s just announced he’s packing it in citing poor attendances and lack of footfall!

JAYJO

Logie said:

JAYJO said:

Logie said:

Supportact said:

Logie said:

I didn’t start playing guitar in bands till I was in my mid 50’s and I never really got over the nerves playing live as I didn’t gig enough. 

It was suggested by a friend I had a go at singing and wierdly enough I didn’t get nervous and gigged for about 7 years. 

I packed it in last year as I found it quite demoralising spending 6 hrs on a Saturday night on a gig just to play to 15 people.
 I know some people call it a paid practise but I don’t see it that way. 

I must say though, as I’m about to turn 65, I do find myself looking at Joinmyband and Bandmix longingly so I wouldn’t sell all your gear just yet

15 people?! Mate you're a rock star compared to some of my gigs. 

At our last gig in Swindon there was 6 people in front of us and 3 behind the bar at the start ( and we delayed it! )
At the end there was 16 plus the bar staff and the cheeky buggers asked us to play longer as “ it was only just getting going “
Packed up the gear, stood outside having a beer with the rest of the lads and announced my retirement from public performance

The Landlord must have felt like doing the same...

Funnily enough he’s just announced he’s packing it in citing poor attendances and lack of footfall!

Its a shame how things are going...i really do believe we were the lucky ones when a pub on every corner was packed out. 

Plectrum

This all reminds me of a conversation I had with the landlady of my local a while ago. She'd love to put on more bands (he husband is a very good player and has been in bands on and off for his whole adult life) but she has to to pay the band and put on extra staff, who'll also want paying, and hope that enough punters turn up to make it worth while. She said that the last band she'd put she ended up making no more overall than she would on a normal Saturday. It really doesn't seem worth the risk.

horse

I've been wondering how it makes financial sense for pubs for many years, but I think some of the ones we play might actually be empty without the live music these days. They have a regular crowd in because they put rock bands on regularly.

Roland

relic245 said:  If you're the kind of person who is gigging into his 70's then I can't imagine you as someone who will suddenly talking up pipe and slippers and watching countdown as a way to fill your days...

One of the reasons for moving is that we want a new life adventure. I guess I’m also tired of the covers circuit, and the repertoire which goes with it, and want to play a different type of music.

firepaulmusic

mudslide73 said:

I remember @koneguitarist finishing a few years back - not sure if they're reformed?

We've had a couple of cancer situations but luckily the two of us who were affected have come back swinging! We've had the same lineup for 20 odd years and some of us have been playing together for 30 now. I don't envisage starting up again when the time comes, tbh.

I hope all goes well @Roland .

I think there was a petition going round to stop @koneguitarist from making a come back...