Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

How tough do the tough conversations get in your band? Today Paul and Dave talk through some of their experiences with that, especially as it relates to band members relative preparedness levels. Yeah, that’s a mouthful, and that’s not all there is in this episode. Your two favorite weekend warriors have been busy. Paul’s been digging into what it takes to raise your price, and h...

Today, Paul and Dave jump from subject to subject in a seemingly random fashion ( hint: whatever they write next, it was  random ). But it’s never truly random, is it? Nope. This one is about ego. Seeing egos on stage, managing your own ego, when to have one, when to suppress it, and when to use strobe lights to manufacture it! ( Ok, you’re going to have to listen for the explanation o...

Today Paul and Dave get cerebral, which is fitting given where the conversation goes. Come sit at the Grown-Ups’ Table (just this once!) and enjoy a heady conversation about managing all day gigs, managing the song list, fostering FOMO and, of course, the “Sweet Home Alabama” vs. “Freewill” discussion. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Gig Gab 165 – Monday, May 14, 2018 0...

Whether you’re a band or a solo artist, a musical performance is always a collaboration. There are sound engineers, bandmates, audience members, and venue staff that are all involved in making your performance a success. Today Paul and Dave talk through the realities of this, both objectively as outsiders and also what it’s like to deal with it all in the moment. “Intentional col...

Sometimes there are songs you play even though you don’t like them. Most of the time you play songs you like. If you’re lucky, though, every now and then you get to play a song you truly love. Yeah, yeah, we’re all pros and we always say, “my favorite song is the one I’m playing,” but that’s not necessarily true, is it? Paul and Dave talk through different...

We always say, “Always Be Performing”, but what does that mean to you? Are you actively performing? Are you thinking about what to do to perform? Or are you just letting it happen naturally? Is naturally good enough for you and your crowd? And are you the kind of musician for whom “good enough” would suffice in any other aspect of what you’re doing on stage? Paul and...

Today your two favorite weekend warriors have a jam session of the spoken kind. Covering topics from early start times, ways to bring the same crowd back again and again, playing for opportunities instead of dollars, and proactively replacing gear, they cover a lot of ground. Paul and Dave also address the Facebook dilemma that’s been plaguing humans ever since we discovered the ability to a...

Every show has a theme and this one – not surprisingly – is about overthinking. Or is it just thinking? Or maybe it’s not thinking, but it is about your brain doing something on its own. Is that still thinking? We think it might be. You’d better listen and find out, otherwise we’re not sure what will happen to Paul and Dave! We think they’ll be OK… Chapters/Timestamps...

Every time you take the stage, you have an audience out there waiting for you to deliver. In fact, the expectation is for you to do exactly that. How aware of this are you? How much do you focus on ensuring this happens, even in the event of trainwrecks and other, on-stage surprises? Paul and Dave have a little experience with feeling the pressure to deliver for an audience, and they share these t...

Rock gigs always bring out the best from your two favorite weekend warriors, and this week had Paul and Dave experiencing some real highlights. There’s always something to be learned from every gig, isn’t there? Really, though, it all comes down to awareness and having an honest conversation with your audience. That starts on stage, of course, but it can very much continue when you&#82...

Dave’s just back from attending a full week of the SXSW Conference and Festivals, and he and Paul have a lot to discuss! From new bands that Dave found, to new films that Dave saw, SXSW provided an infusion of new info and new thinking and, well, that’s the point of exposing yourself, right? To new things, we mean. Not that other thing. Dave stayed clothed during both SXSW and the reco...

Have you ever peed next to a rock star? How about a former Vice President? Dave has peed next to both Dave Grohl and Al Gore, and for some reason Paul gets him to tell those stories perfectly in the context of your normally-scheduled Gig Gab. Guess which one has tighter security? You’ll have to listen to find out. Also, Dave shares a few SXSW stories from the past as he prepares to head to A...

When should you have a contract? If you follow Paul and Dave’s advice and definitions, you should have something resembling a contract for every gig. Listen to hear what they mean… and why. Sometimes a cascading series of bad events turns into a great night, and Paul’s got a story that at least starts this way. You’ll have to listen to hear how it ends! Your two favorite we...

Talk about a verbal jam session! Sure, your two favorite weekend warriors talk about their strategies for when to post your events on Facebook, but there are about a zillion other topics that seem to weave into one another. From managing your core strength to the history of the National Anthem to Gibson dying out to managing your weight, this episode covers it all. Press play and enjoy, folks. And...

Have you ever thought about traveling with you band? How about putting together a band whose only purpose is to travel? You two favorite weekend warriors talk all about this just for you. And, as should happen at the center of any conversation about booking gigs, it’s expressly decided that praise should always go to the go-getters out there booking the gigs that we all love to play. Moving...

Sometimes it’s nirvana, and sometimes it’s a fight. The thing is, you never really know which way the gig is going to go until you’re in the thick of it… and then you just have to take it as it comes and deal with it! Whether it’s discussing the harnessing of the karma gods or the Facebook algorithm, your two favorite weekend warriors bring their A-game to you each an...

As musicians, we play because we love to play, and it’s an honor to be able to do that. But that’s not the only reason… and some gigs can feel pretty lonely, even if you’re surrounded by a crowd or fellow musicians. Dave and Paul start this episode thinking they have a few different topics to discuss – and they do – but in the end it all comes back to the same thing: loneli...

The stage is sacred ground for most musicians… but how does it get to be that way? Certainly it’s not comfortable the very first time you walk on stage. Depending on how you look at it, it may never be comfortable walking on stage… and yet, it can still become a comfortable, safe, and secure place for most performers. Paul and Dave find themselves in the midst of a conversation t...

Paul and Dave each had experiences – from both sides of the “rail” this week – with that concept where musicians need to manage what’s going on inside their bodies while on stage. They talk through Paul’s first gig with the Houserockers new drummer, and Dave’s experience watching seasoned, Grammy-winning professionals … all of which deal with the fact that every...

Is your band for sale? Of course it is! Otherwise you’re not getting paid. And if your band is for sale, then who is the salesperson? Listen to hear your long-time Weekend Warriors put on the relevant parts of their weekDAY hats and talk through their process for selling … anything. There’s lots to learn here this week, folks, and Dave and Paul are on fire with this one! Then it&...

New Year’s Eve came and went for your two favorite working musicians. One of them played and one didn’t, and they have some stories to tell because both Paul and Dave learned some important lessons that night… and they share! Payment for your valuable services as a musician is definitely a highlight of this episode, and then it’s on to the care one must take when inserting...

Are you someone who’s trying to break into the music scene? Maybe you took some time off from playing or maybe you’ve never played out. What can you do to get going? Your two favorite weekend warriors were asked this question by a fellow listener and they spend some time exploring all the different ways you can make this transition. But first, it’s time to talk gigs. It is Gig Ga...

Sometimes that person in the crowd that wants to sit-in can be awesome… sometimes they can be awFUL. How do you tell which it’s going to be? Listen to Paul and Dave share some war stories and advice. Then it’s on to answering a question about Facebook and marketing and more. And, in the middle, Dave talks about a new toy for drummers who want to add some sounds and feels to their...

New sound for your band, new thoughts from your band members, even new sound for the show. Yep, the theme for this episode is, most undoubtedly, Listen and Learn. First we share a comment about getting sound on stage just right and – no surprise here – it’s all about listening. Then we talk through Paul’s drummer replacement process. There was a message loud and clear there, too. Dave...

When it comes to being a singer, pitch is fundamental to doing it right. But that’s not all there is, and your two Weekend Warriors (and still-working-at-it-every-day singers!) talk through their respective journeys of gaining confidence and functionality in front of the microphone. But first, it’s time to talk about making music your life. It’s like two episodes in one, and Paul...