Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

It turns out it might be worth taking a minute to stop and think about how you discover new music (and new shows) to gain some insight into how your fans might do the same. Paul and Dave go through this exercise together and share some of the revelations they’ve recently had. That’s not all, though! Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk through the idea of being a career su...

You know how there’s that difference between knowing a song on paper and knowing it in your lizard brain? That can make a big difference in terms of how things go in the mayhem that we call gigs! Listen as Dave and Paul talk through this from a few different angles, and they even weave a Tom Petty reference in there. That’s not all, though. Your two favorite weekend warriors share some...

Triple threat sound, video, and lighting engineer Davis Thurston joins your two favorite weekend warriors this week to discuss tips, techniques, and overall vision for how he does what he does. Listen as Davis, Paul, and Dave chat through that which it takes in Front Of House to make your band look, feel, and sound good…and how it’s certainly possible to consolidate those jobs into one...

Ain’t it great when you’re on stage and you just know everything’s going right? Your two favorite weekend warriors do after this weekend. They both had some stellar shows…and believe it or not Paul refrained from saying, “butter.” (sorry Gig Gab Bingo players!). Listen as he and Dave share their stories from the weekend and beyond. That’s not all, though!...

How did you find your current band(s)? What advice would you give to someone looking to find a new band? Listen as Paul and Dave answer that question for listener Russ…and then send in your own thoughts to feedback@giggabpodcast.com. That’s not all, though…listen as your two favorite weekend warriors discuss their strategies for learning new tunes, and they also share their &#822...

Ever found yourself being asked to agree to a pay-to-play scenario? Ever wondered what to do next with your band? Your two favorite weekend warriors sure have! Listen as Paul and Dave share their experiences of learning these lessons as well as their advice for how to deal with them. And, of course, don’t forget: Always Be Performing! 00:00:00 Gig Gab 361 – Tuesday, November 1st, 2022...

Another Gig Gab, another rant about Facebook. But you’ll have to listen for a bit to hear which one of your two favorite weekend warriors rants the most! Mostly this episode is about communication. How do you communicate with booking agents? How do you communicate with your bandmates? And while you’re communicating…is it compromise? Is it collaborative? Is it instructive? Listen...

If you play covers, what songs have you found don’t work at all for your band? Is there anything they share in common? This week, Paul and Dave talk through some of their “favorites” in this regard and dissect why this might be the case. First, though, it’s Gig Gab in its purest form: your two favorite weekend warriors talking about their gigs…and all the trials and t...

Some gigs are totally relaxing…and others you can feel the high stakes before you even arrive. Interesting thing: the definition of a high-stakes gig can mean different things to different people, and your two favorite weekend warriors have completely different approaches here. Listen as Paul and Dave share their thoughts and then answer your questions! You know what’s worse than backl...

When forming your band, how picky are you? What criteria do you use to select bandmates? Do you prioritize talent or convenience? Listen as Dave and Paul dig in and share their thoughts about all this…with some select stories to highlight the realities of it all. Then…a Gig Gab challenge: what songs would YOU pick for a wedding band playlist today? Press play, listen, and enjoy. Oh! An...

Quiet crowds can be intimidating AF! How do you navigate that? How do you perform? Paul and Dave talk through some of their strategies when faced with this. Then listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk about bands navigating members who are in multiple projects. There’s no one right answer here, and there are also plenty of wrong ones. Press play and join the Gig Gab family …...

Every musician is a small business owner, and this week we have Shannon Jean from Business Brain join us for a crossover episode to dive into how we can better use our business brains in our musical endeavors! Press play to learn…and always be performing! 00:00:00 Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs’ Podcast #394 & Gig Gab 355 for the week of Monday, August 22nd, 2022 00:02:30 The Busines...

We’ve talked about collaboration on the show before, but the question remains: how collaborative is your band? If someone has an idea for a part for you to play, how does that land? How does it work in reverse? Listen as Paul and Dave talk through the various ways that this can happen — and not happen — and what pitfalls to watch out for. Paul’s been working on strengthening his voice,...

Have you ever stopped to think about what it would take to put together a Tribute band? Bruce Hilton of “Being Petty” did, and with the right people, the right ideas, and a lot of intention it can work out amazingly well. Listen as Bruce shares his ideas and gives us all some lessons we can apply regardless of whether we’re in a tribute band, cover band, original band, or somethi...

It’s not always easy to Always Be Performing, and yet that’s exactly our job as performers, isn’t it? Listen as Paul and Dave each share some recent lessons—from both sides of the stage—about how to best ensure you keep that performance going. Also this week is finding your bands own “Bill”…and we’ll tell you what we mean by that when you press play. Enjoy...

For many bands, vocals are the most noticeable element of your music. Has your band spent time learning how to sing together? How do you structure your vocal rehearsals…if you have them at all? Listen as Paul and Dave answer listener Rob’s question, talking through how they’ve approached this in various bands and projects they’ve had together (and separately) over the years...

With some of the best wisdom ever shared in seven years of Gig Gabbing, this week Paul and Dave help you take your band to the next level. Sure, Dave has some great technical advice, but it’s Paul’s brand of big-picture thinking that takes this episode to the upper echelon. If you think the titular (now, now, Beavis!) quote is good, just wait until you hear what Paul said next. Press p...

Listen as Paul and Dave discover why “the hang” might be the most important aspect of being in a band, especially on tour. Also… have you ever played a morning gig? Do you do a pre-show band huddle? These are the questions your two favorite weekend warriors ask of themselves, and also of you! Listen to the episode and then send your answers in to feedback@giggabpodcast.com and th...

It’s not rare for us musicians to find ourselves needing to juggle our musical lives with our personal lives, and then even within the musical realm we’re juggling priorities of gigging vs. rehearsing vs. doing-the-business-stuff, too. Listen as Paul and Dave approach this concept from a few different angles, and then chime in with your own stuff at feedback@giggabpodcast.com to share!...

How confident are you in your band’s ability to get setup on stage? What are the common pitfalls you encounter? Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk through the approaches they use with their bands, with a special focus on sound and, yes, in-ear monitors. Paul and Dave are here to share and learn, too, so make sure you send in your thoughts to feedback@giggabpodcast.com and, hey...

Your submissions to the mailbag help drive the bus today, with conversations about choosing good venues for your audience and selecting the right headset mics happening. Dave got to see The Coffis Brothers…and his audiologist. Both come with stories, some more pleasant than others, but a good PSA emerges, nonetheless! Paul brings an axe to grind with much wisdom and insights to be shared. Pr...

How do you approach mixing your band from the stage when there is no FOH sound engineer? It’s Q&A time with Paul and Dave. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors share their thoughts on putting together the right stage setup to get a good mix for your audiences…every time. That’s not all though! A recent experience leads to a conversation about venue staff and how they...

How often does your band rehearse? Would you consider yourselves a “rehearsing” band, or a “rehearsal-less” band? Either way, what are the costs of that on your band’s show? Listen as Paul and Dave talk through their experiences with both sides of this…and then listen as Gear Gab accidentally creeps into an answer to a question. Your two favorite weekend warrior...

As the world of live music sees more and more of a resurgence, what are the important things to consider? Listen as Paul and Dave chat through things like managing your health, negotiating your way with sound engineers, navigating the contract process, and preserving your worth as an Entertainer. Press play and enjoy…and then send in your thoughts: feedback@giggabpodcast.com 00:00:00 Gig Gab...

Keeping everyone on the same page in your band can be a trick, and Paul shares the method he used for his band this year, managing and then meeting those expectations so everyone could plan their lives. That’s not the only thing he and Dave discussed this week, though! Setlists are again a topic, this time from the angle of whether or not you should use the same one gig-after-gig. Listen as...