NWB - Community Blog

It's been like that pretty much since the year dot. I wouldn't take it personally.
Jon

The Weavers Answer??? That sounds like a family pub LOL
Sounds good, where is it?
(PM me or everybody will be on to it LOL)
Your experience of getting gigs is about par for the course I'm afraid...there aint that many who respond to emails from people they aint heard of..shame...and come to think of it, there aint many who reply to bands they have heard of

yeah don't worry about it..........

Some venues have 12 bands that play on a strict 3 month rotation with no room for new bands to get in....... and bollocks to whether the punters are bored with seeing the same ones.....!

As Kate Bush once said so memorably to Peter Gabriel ....
"don't give up ...... "

John McLaughlin and The Mahavishnu Orchestra also opined on the same subject thus (although not as memorably one suspects) ...
"go to the venue with some product man, don't leave til you've seen the people responsible for booking the acts cats, innit.."

Or as John Otway still sings to this day ......
"There is.. " What?? "a house...." Where?? .. " in New Orleans" .. What's it called?? ... " called the Rising Sun". What's it been John? .... "And its been the ruin of many a poor boy..." How do you know that John?? ... " I know, dear Lord," ... who's a Prat? .. "I'm one ... "

Well I know what I mean anyway!
Willowanychancetogetjohnotwayin

oooh, bit of controversy from hard to Handle...LOL
Except it aint controversial, its a fact!

Not going down the road of name and shame,BUT Venues SHOULD have the decency and common courtesy to at least offer up a reply to bands that make the effort to offer their services.

..and before Kate Bush was in full agreement, David Soul refused to be rejected, and was determined to get into every god damn pub east or west of Junction 23 of the M6!

Weavers Answer...a 'family' run pub.....nobody got it LOL
here ya go

Lie Ability
1. How old are you.....
2. Maybe your set list is the reason no fucker wants to book you.....
Teenage Kicks
Sex on Fire
i Predict a Riot
Creep
Ever Fallen In Love
Dakota
etc etc etc......
The most predictable, boring, cheesy 'popular' sheeple pleasers all in one set.....
Heard them all before a million times by bands just like yours.
I doesn't matter if you're any good or not....it's BORING.....
Venues will see your set list and YAWN.....
So maybe it's not them that's at fault after all eh.....

Bugger ;0)

If everyone on here has sent as many messages as me, it's no wonder they don't answer. Keep at em, took me 2 months to get anythin but now we get more offers than we can play.
Fone em or call in, this works better.
Good luck

Mark

that david soul song is awesome.

Weavers Answer is just down the road from us!! We'll come down and have a gander!!

Would agree with Last Gang In Town to a degree, check the set list thingie at the top ... you gotta serve up summat different matey .... we played somewhere (nameless) where the previous nights acts set list was still taped up on the stage .... and god it was the usual suspects. Bad horsie on here said to me once (and god he hit the nail on the head!) you get some places where fridays band could leave the setlist up for saturdays band.... Dunno about everybody else on here but I would be pissed if i went to a venue 2 nights on the trot and saw the same songs being played.

This is a personal bug bear of mine (aside from ignorant buggers - Willow - you heard about that one :o) ) - choose an intelligent, unique setlist and you will get gigs - summat fresh on the menu!

Look you might hate those songs but they're "...sheeple pleasers" for a reason. It's what the majority of the customers want to hear, but of course I can only speak for our venue.

A lot of people using this site are musicians and therefore go to see a band play to watch other musicians. Whereas MOST of our customers just want to be entertained, be able to dance to it, etc.

You have to please the majority in business as they're the ones putting most of the money in the till!! If it ain't broke then don't fix it as they say.

I like your setlist (apart from Creep - ugh!!) but I do think there's a case for throwing in some covers that the other bands don't, but yeah as far as we're concerned the setlist needs to be full of crowd-pleasers.

Marigolds
So book them then.....put your money where your mouth is.

@Piggery ... "aside from ignorant buggers - Willow - you heard about that one "

Yeah but you started it!!

agree re set lists ... but also have to agree with Marigolds. They don't want an empty pub listening to some super duper technically proficient band playing all their favourites. (Ed. how can an empty pub be listening to anything?)

But there's thousands of songs out there so surely more than the odd 30 can be deemed popular with the so called "sheeple".

Here's a starter for ya ... and I haven't looked through the set list, er, list yet but as I'm reading Aerosmith's autobiography I'm listening to their back catalogue. I'm not or never have particularly been a fan, but there's some awesome instantly recognisable rock songs there ........ and i don't remember many of them being mentioned often.

And that's just one band .......

Willow

LGIT .. must you always be so confrontational?
Willownotbeingconfrontational

@ LGIT there's nothing like empathy lol.Plenty of songs in your set that by your own standards are overdone.i fought the law, eton rifles, pretty vacant...which we also play.Why ? Cause folk know em.We do it differently to most bands of a similar nature and that's because I for one don't want to play whole lotta rosie for the next ten years of my life bookings or not.Pubs that only book repetitively may be aiding their own demise in time but they may argue they can't take a chance on new bands.All the songs listed were top ten at some point at worst, so someone knows em. But I do agree that it shouldn't be so hard for venues to give a response as someone on here posted "we need them but they also need us".

"Marigolds
So book them then.....put your money where your mouth is."

Ahhh maybe....but then we weren't one of the venues that they asked!!

Willow ..... I don't think I'm being confrontational.

Knight terra ..... Of course we play pretty vacant were a fucking punk band. Difference between us and the sheeple pleasers is we play it how it's meant to be played with attitude and bollocks.

Marigolds ..... Maybe they didn't ask you because they want to finish at a reasonable hour, and I sent you loads of e-mails/myspace messages which you ignored .

See, nothing controvertial here...just saying it how it is.

Yeah maybe that is the reason they don't want to play us, but then that's part of what makes us such an enjoyable gig to play and we don't have a shortage of bands that want to either.

As for you sending us loads of messages on here, just checked and we haven't got a single one from you going back until November, and we don't bother with myspace anymore. Besides we don't use punk bands.

With regard to replying to messages from bands I'm tired of politely replying to a band explaining that they're not quite suitable for us, only to get slightly shitty responses about how we should give something different a try or well everybody else that books us seemed happy, etc.

Or we agree a fee and then they kick off when they find out about the start/finish time. Maybe some bands could do some more research about a venue before contacting them?

And actually I think you are confrontational, but your first response to this blog:

"..no fucker wants to book you..."
"doesn't matter if you're any good or not....it's BORING....."
"So maybe it's not them that's at fault after all eh..... "

isn't just confrontational it was rude.

Maybe some people on here should consider things from the Venue's point of view instead of panning us all the time...

for a band that has it's first 2 gigs booked the friendly atmosphere round here must seem particularly shitty.

it does get really bloody tiresome hearing all the 'overlords' on here hark on about how bad your setlist is compared to theirs, and what they should be playing and what they shouldn't. how the hell does jumping down the throats of every newcomer to this site encourage them in any way to a) continue doing what they are doing, or b) become a regular contributor to the site?

we also play 4 of the top 7 songs on the nwb setlist chart. big deal. they are songs we enjoy playing, and the punters generally enjoy singing along to them. we also play a fair old mix of stuff, and even some punk stuff (although probably not with the required amount of bollocks!)

People aren't going to stay in a venue if you play a setlist composed entirely of stuff they've has ever heard of, and i don't want to hear about integrity or honesty or any of that other crap - unless you're in a band that does exclusively original material, you are copying other people's stuff. because you enjoy it. you can put your own take on the track(s), but they're still not yours. and anyone who goes on about how they put so much more feeling into their own performance than any other band is just talking bollocks. self-indulgent bollocks at that.

i personally believe that if a band takes the time to contact a venue, a reply is the least they could provide - even an automated one! and that's taking this blog back on-topic!

Mick

Book the 45's - your crowd loved us and you know - we'll be there no matter what. Better to book a proven band than to take a risk, hey Lindsey?

We are running out of dates, now looking at Oct, Nov and Dec - you know the min fee !,

Love,

Rick. xxx

Haha nice one Rick - actually you weren't what we usually have on so it was kind of a risk to book you but one that definitely worked - so don't let it be said that we're not willing to try something new!!

But I'm not surprised you're running out of dates as you're a really professional outfit, it's just that pesky min fee.....hmmmm we'll have to see.

xxx

Lindsey, less pro bands are packing in, left right and center - The Fix ect, we are here for ever, £250? we normally get that 9 - midnight playing local,

Rick xxxx - one kiss each from the band - lol.

Oh you know I'd love to get you back on at ours Rick but if I pay you guys that then it would only be fair to pay all my other bands that and we just couldn't afford to unless we went twice monthly to increase our budget instead!!

Sorry Lindz, I thought I has PM'd that ohhh!

Rick.

Dont worry guys we play loads of the sheeple tunes and turn dates
down as we are busy most of the time.

Also we get £1000 a gig at Marigolds....;0)


Aiden

MARIGOLDS
Just for the record...
I never said i sent you messages on here....and a never have.
I sent a myspace request (Gary The Punk) about 3 years ago which you accepted and then I spent the next year or so trying to get a response about a gig but you never replied once so I gave up.....

I may be a little brash but at least I'm dead straight with folk and say it as it is.....
You say you don't 'USE' Punk Bands.....fair enough, I don't wanna play there anyway.....I don't want to be 'USED'.....

Back onto the topic of Lie Ability. Just keep trying guys, try and many venues and as many agencies as you can humanly find. Spend the day looking for other cover bands and get all the details of where they're playing, they don't all play the same places. Don't just try NWB, try using google to look for live music in every town you can find on the map, try other networking sites such as bandmeup.co.uk.

What we do is something of a niche in terms of tributes, so it's difficult to find gigs, but I've sent e-mails to roughly 5,000 venues throughout the country over the past six months and we're now gigging at a level we aspire to. It can be disheartening to find an empty inbox but you've got to keep going.

Also, regarding song choice. Don't let what LGIT say to you, bother. Musicians have far strong opinions on music than audiences. At the end of the day you can fill your set with a load of Rush B-sides and play them amazingly if it makes you happy, but people will still come up to you and ask for Oasis. If I let what other musos think bother me, then I wouldn't have started playing covers in the first place.

Good luck to you,

Gareth

the key is to research the venues where your material will be suitable then pester them. There are a hell of a lot of bands doing the same set (regardless of genre) we try to vary ours and do stuff that people know but not many bands attempt. There is a catch 22 situation when you first start out but once you have a few gigs under your belt, the offers will come. Patience guys and wish you all the best

I'm going to have to agree with Last Gang In Town here.

Not to be harsh, but that's an uber-generic setlist and makes you sound like a group of 16 year old kids with their starter-pack drum kit and solid-state practice amps.
Looking at your myspace, that isn't the case (demos are serviceable, and you look like a good bunch of blokes) but you need project the band outwardly in a way that looks a bit more exciting.

Ooh...lets all slate the newbie like we know every single audience in the NW...

Get off their backs and be happy a bunch of guys are out playing what they enjoy (and what a lot of people like). Their Myspace says 60s to now anyway.

And Jez...nay worry about the lack of replies man get used to it, its cut throat out there.

Good luck guys.

I find it comforting that some people on here agree with me.....
Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind...why do people get so upset when you tell them the truth, you can't all stick your heads in the sand and live in denial.....bloody sheeple.....
I note lie ability are from Bury.....mates of yours are they Dean...???

Plus if you're gonna be emailing venues about how good you are 'Lie Ability' may not be the best of names :o)

Never met em' in my life Gary, didn't even know they were from Bury till just now.

Nice try though eh...

Nice try at what...?????

1)Lieability, dont rely on emails, nothing like being infront of people or 2nd best on the phone.much harder for them to say nothing when you are speaking to them.

2) Marigolds is a great venue run by great people. If you cant do the hours - retire!

3) Play what ever you want to - feck all to do with anyone else!

Well said Kingpin.
@ Asparagus they do indie rock pop like us and a few others on here.
you are a rock band and also have the generic rock tunes that alot of others play.
We all have our own tastes mate and that debate has been done.

Keep it up Lie ability the gigs will come.

Also Gary LGIT loves a good sheeple tune!!!!!!


Aiden

Aiden-not seen you for ages mate-long time since that audition in walkabout LOL

@LGIT "...why do people get so upset when you tell them the truth, you can't all stick your heads in the sand and live in denial."

Must have something to so with your bedside manner.
"Willow you are not going to get far playing that hillbilly music. I don't think, personally, there's a call for it"

"Oy twatty, you fucking dumb prick, playing sheeple banjo music. Fucking give it up you moron!"

see?

tell them the truth, it doesn't need to be the "fucking truth pricko!"

:0)

Willow

LMAO

I don't get the "sheeple" thing.

If Neil Young and Bob Dylan started up today, they'd be writing songs for Girls Aloud. Musical integrity? Yeah, right.

I supported the Anti nowhere League around 7 years ago at the Rigger. The place was packed. Most popular song of the night? So What. 40 year olds pogo to a song Metallica made popular again. Sheeple? Yeah. So.....

There's some serious musical blinkers on this site,we spent the weekend in York on the way back to the hotel heard I predict a riot blasting out of a bar,now I don't really like the kaiser chiefs all that much but my response "they sound superb" went in to hear soul man,there's no other way,rebel rebel and sex machine in fluid succesion,all faithfully played with passion and we spent half an hour dancing around like nutters, did they play or did I ask for wild side by motley crüe,no they weren't that kind of band,I loved every minute,went up to them and told them they were all very talented cos they were,open your ears people and let other bands be,don't slag off people doing the same thing that you love.goodnight

"# Posted by Robert Redfern - 01/04/2010, 00:17 (GMT)

There's some serious musical blinkers on this site"

Say it ain't so! :o(

Hahahahahah

Nice comment there lie ability,hope the negavive responses haven't put you off,all you've done is ask for tips and ideas,I despair at the responses genuine people get to a genuine blogs on here

all the best
rob
metalleeka

From a venues point of view, if I had to get a £1.00 for every band that contacted me I could close the pub and have an easy life!!!! Its not all abouts 'The Bands', booking bands is a FRACTION of what our business is all about and only covers a fraction of the people contacting us or trying to do business with us.......that by no means means that I delete the emails or contact details.....when i do get a chance i do my own research on the bands and will add them to my never ending list of bands wanting to play our venue.....its not the venues fault that there are so many good bands out there wanting to play the same venues is it????.......Switch off and do not take it personally.......

Life is a waste of time, time is a waste of life ffs just go an get wasted and have the time of yr life.......

Mr Lie Ability ... you have passed your induction onto NWB with flying colours!
"average bar standing sheeple not a genre specific minority sheeple"
haha
Will be storing that one away for when I retire from original blogging and become a covers blogger!
Tremendous

Willow

Yeh...welcome to the site Mr Lie Ability!!! Don't let anybody put you down...I can see you're tailor made for this site....
Have a look at some old blogs and comment on them too! LOL
(Me and Willow know the standard of blogs on here is gonna pick up now LOL

Bloody hell Kingpin that audition was along time ago.
Is that Keith..did you get the JVM410C?
how is it with all your pedals.

OI WILLOW
I hope you're not suggesting I'm responsible for any of those comments you're citing in your last blog.
If yyou are then you'd better be able to back it up with proof....
I hope LIE ABILITY now know a little more about who's who on this site now....who tells the truth and who the false, arse lickers are.....ooohhh lets all be nice to xxxxxxband cos they played a charity do even though we realy didn't like them.....FALSE.
You lot may not like me because I dare to tell the truth.....
I may be unpopular but at least I'm honest.....

Posted by LGIT:
"ooohhh lets all be nice to xxxxxxband cos they played a charity do even though we realy didn't like them.....FALSE."
-------------------

Any names? Let's be honest...

Dean
Loads have done it.....I've said before, it's hard to be mean to a band that plays at a charity do. It's all smiles and thanks to your face even if people don't like the band.....You gotts see through the falseness.....I've played them in the past and I've seen it.....
Seems your picking tiny phrases out of my comments and taking them out of context instead of looking at the whole.....
While you're on.....We played Rope & Anchor in Atherton the other week and were talking 'bands' to the Landlord Steve.....youre gig guide lists you playing there in October but Landlord said He'd never heard of you.....you may wanna check on this mate.....

@LG conjecture my dear boy, merely conjecture.
Examples of what would be considered, by me, to be your honest opinion put across in a non confrontational manner, against what your past postings would lead me to believe would be your actual manner.
The first may get me to perhaps consider what I'm doing and perhaps seek out more information from you. The second would be ignored.

You can be both unpopular and honest but mannered you know.

Willow

Willow
To someone who doesn't know better it would seems your 'examples' were direct quotes attributed to me.
I don't use words that cannot be found in any, school approved dictionary.
Your example..... ''Oy twatty, you fucking dumb prick, playing sheeple banjo music. Fucking give it up you moron!"
Is this how I address people on here...???? NO.
Two words of advice for you Mr Willow..... GROW UP.

Get a room you two then you can do the blitzkreig bop all night

"To someone who doesn't know better ".. etc
perhaps most people know better then and can spot hyperbole used in a sarcastic manner to elicit a chuckle.
Humour eh?
Lost on some people.

Sorry Rob ... my role here as an educator is done!
:0)
Willow

Gary
You're right mate re: Rope & Anchor gig in Oct...just spoke to Steve, he was adamant theres no booking even though I spoke with Irene only a few weeks ago and agreed the date & fee. He wouldn't even honour the date and said phone back in a few months as they're "going through a rough patch".

Anyway, their loss as Mary's just booked us at Jolly Nailor that weekend so we'll still be in Atherton whatever. Turned out pretty well really.

Yeah, we played R&A 3 times....first time was full, 2&3rd were disappointing.....I believe Steve is genuine and the place is struggling.....we're not sure if it's worth going back and we've nothing booked there.....
I know Out Of Town have a gig there soon, hoping for some feedback from them.....which I'll share with you.
Glad I could help you out, see I'm not all bad.

Ta...I prefer you in person as opposed to on here though I just never know how to take you...what you see is what you get right?

Have a good Easter fella.