Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

Who’s your boss? Are you the boss? These questions are important to ask when discussing matters related to employment. The latest in this saga is unfolding in California right now with AB5, causing a re-definition of some musicians from independent contractors to employees. We’ve seen this before, but is this time different? Paul Kent and Dave Hamilton begin the discussion… you c...

Playing music together often creates a very tight bond between musicians involving trust and compassion. But even though that bond is strong, it’s usually not something that’s naturally all-encompassing. How do you take that and build from it? And how do you use it to help your band? These are the interesting questions that you pose and your two favorite weekend warriors ponder. Speaki...

Two questions to start: How do you handle not-currently-in-use vocal mics? And when you setup on stage, do you make sure everyone can see each other without turning around? That’s how this Gig Gab episode starts, folks, and then it evolves, winding up with a dissection of having your audience help you choose the right songs for them, and how to decide upon the best interpretation of those so...

It’s time to start off the new year by thinking about your song list. Paul and Dave have a lot to say about song selection, mostly because they’ve both made a ton of mistakes in this regard, both about songs and the process of selecting them. Learn what they’ve learned so that you can avoid these pitfalls. But first, your two favorite weekend warriors take a breath to talk about...

How often do you go back and re-evaluate the way you play a song you’ve had in your repertoire for years? Those tunes that gain “autopilot” status are easy to ignore, but there can be value in dissecting them. Dave recently went through some of this, and has some thoughts to share. Then it’s on to money, fair money. What defines fair money for you? And what happens if you&#...

Have you ever been a house band? If so, or if not, what does that concept mean to you? Listen as Paul and Dave talk through the whole idea of what a house band could be, and how different folks are iterating on that idea. What can you adopt from the house band concept for your shows? But first, none of these gigs happen without learning the songs first. Paul grills Dave on the process of prepping...

Your band is filled with people, and that means there’s a psychological component to everything you do, including keeping your band together. How actively do you and your bandmates manage that? And is that enough? That’s not all Paul and Dave talk about today, though! Dave got to see three bands in three nights, and took away some lessons about the whole “Always Be Performing&#82...

When the crowd is there to hear you , paying attention to every nuance, it’s a completely different world. Dave had the option to re-experience that recently, and talks through it all. Then it’s time to talk about your vocal technique. Dave and Paul share the lessons they’ve learned as not-professional-singers, and perhaps there’s some wisdom there. Or perhaps they’re...

What do vanity songs, iPads on stage, Nashville, and your reviews of Gig Gab all have in common? Well, they teach Paul and Dave to get over themselves and just deliver the podcast for YOU, our listeners. Yes, it’s true, your two favorite weekend warriors sometimes get stuck in their own heads when the goal is to get stuck in yours. Listen … and see if they succeed! 00:00:00 Gig Gab 234...

What do you do to keep things fresh for your band and your audience? What more could you do? As much as we love the music, it’s not just about the music. There’s more we can all do – especially in today’s attention-distracted world – to ensure our fans are interested in coming to the next show. Heck, there’s more we can do to ensure we are interested in playing our next sho...

What’s it take to get you to put your pants and shoes on and leave the couch? That’s the question to ask your would-be audience when deciding how to advertise to them. You want them to get up off the couch and come to your show, so make ’em an offer they don’t want to refuse. Paul and Dave spend the second half of today’s episode talking through all this stuff ad-related, a...

Listener Sean brings us back to the marketing table asking how best to make that very first contact with a potential club to play. Paul’s the experienced one here, and he leads us all through a great lesson on how best to make that work. It seems we’re all now members of the blackout generation, at least in terms of generating power during blackouts. Dave shares some of his tips about...

Does your band have a new song approach policy? Maybe you need to adopt the rule of three. Maybe you need to tweak the wireless frequencies of your devices. Maybe it’s good to have a conversation about trust between your bandmates. Listen, there’s a lot of maybes in the world, and your two favorite weekend warriors can only tackle a few each week. Listen as Paul and Dave address these...

There’s a point you can get to with a band where playing together feels like putting on your favorite comfy slippers. Things are happy, things are smooth, and you have room and confidence to conquer the stage. But what happens when the slippers aren’t comfortable anymore? Or aren’t even there? Well, your two favorite weekend warriors talk through all of this. Listener Tom even ha...

It’s great to get your band to a place where you can just get setup and play without any issues. That’s not always easy , mind you, but it’s great. Paul and Dave both have a few stories – and a few tips – about how to make this happen… and what happens when it doesn’t! Crowd interaction is a critical tentpole of our “Always Be Performing” motto here at Gig...

If your band can successfully employ the concept of intentional inclusivity with your crowd, you are destined for success. Listen as Paul and Dave open up this topic, and then send in your own thoughts to feedback@giggabpodcast.com. First, though, a conversation about subbing percolates to the importance of confidence. No matter where you are, you’ve gotta be able to rock when it’s tim...

Have you ever had it where all the clubs you’re playing suddenly no longer want bands anymore? If you haven’t, you will. Thankfully, Paul and Dave have each been through it, and have some words of wisdom to share on the subject. First though, let’s talk about a few scenarios for hired guns out there, and how the right approach and mindset can make all the difference in the world....

When someone brings a new song in for your band to learn, what’s the process? What does it take for it to be a success? What does it take for your whole band to buy-in to the process? Listen as Paul and Dave share their successes–and failures–in this regard. They’ll share some of the tricks they’ve learned, and some that they haven’t. All this and more, on this week’s...

Contract riders have the stigma of being reserved for only the über-elite – and über-pompous – bands. The reality is, though, that riders can be very useful and helpful devices in ensuring not only a great performance, but a smoother gig-day experience for everyone. Listen as Paul and Dave talk through their favorite rider items, and why they have them. There’s more, including the legendary...

If you were starting all over again with your band, what would you do and how would you do it? That’s the question Paul poses to Dave – and, by proxy, all of us – today. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk through all of this and a LOT more. The LOT? Well, there’s a conversation about how best to handle people behaving badly (yep, time to revisit that one!). And then ther...

How do you introduce new songs to your band’s setlist? This is a pretty loaded question, it turns out, and your two favorite weekend warriors chat through this. Seems it might even need some kind of intentional process, especially if you want new songs to enter your band’s top 10. Mothballs might be involved. And you’ll need to learn about The Final 45. Dave certainly did, and th...

Are you in for a rollicking good time? Enjoying your summer, either playing in the streets or watching bands playing in the streets? That’s fun! Got a player who can’t stay in the pocket? What about when the bandleader isn’t up to snuff? How about when a festival doesn’t wanna pay local bands? Uh huh. And what do you do when someone spends too much time looking at your peda...

Sometimes you get to go on stage with a band of musicians with whom you’ve played many times before. Sometimes you get to go on stage with musicians you’ve never met! Both can be rewarding – and a little scary! – and it seems Paul and Dave’s bicoastal synchronicity has struck once again. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors discuss their recent (and upcoming!) experiences...

How do you define “great”? More importantly: do you and your bandmates share that definition? If not, is there someone in your band to whom you all defer on that topic? How do you make sure your band comes across “great” all the time? Paul and Dave think there’s another word that helps this: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. And that comes in a lot of forms. Hear your two favorite weeke...

Wanna hear about some cool, new gear? Wanna learn a new twist on how to have your band wish someone a happy birthday? Wanna hear some geeky stuff about how Phish appears to time their sets? How about some ideas for new venues to ply your craft? Well, Paul and Dave deliver all of that – and more – right here in Gig Gab 218. Enjoy! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Gig Gab 218 – July 8, 2019 00:00...