How to Play Festival Gigs

[@ArnoldVeeman]

I am 50 years old, played live gigs for over 35 years and still... I learn a lot from your awesome videos. Thank you!

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Thank you, kind sir! Glad you're here. 😀

[@tlb2732]

Another great video! Brings back so many great memories of festival gigs, fair gigs, and opening for big name acts on large stages. At our first experience in a sports arena, we were booked by our agent at the time, at a benefit concert at the Roanoke Civic Center in our home state of Virginia. We had a 45 minute set on a huge stage. We spaced our gear out as wide as possible to fill the space better with our four piece country rock band. Big mistake. We couldn't hear one another in the way we were used to in clubs. What saved us was we were quite experienced by then and we knew our material inside and out. On another occasion, we opened for a charting Country band at the time called Confederate Railroad at the Augusta Expo in Fishersville, VA. The show was great. Sound crew and promotion staff were most accomodating. We had a great sound on stage and a strong response from the crowd. We'd learned by then how to get the crowd warmed up for the headliner and we did our job well that night. Funny thing is, this was the second time we'd opened for this group. The first time was a year or two earlier at the New River Valley Fair in Dublin, Virginia. We went on, did our set, and while we were moving our gear off stage, a heavy rain opened up. It rained so hard that Confederate Railroad never went on. The crowd left and the band had a schedule to keep and left for the next town. On another gig at the same fair in a different year, we opened for a major Country artist at the time. He was at his peak and on a very successful run at the time. We didn't get the opportunity to meet him, but my fondest memory of the night was that after putting in a respectable set ourselves and enjoying stage side seats with my wife and three children for the headliner's show, the lead guitar player walked from backstage a few minutes after the encore, sat down on the edge of the stage closest to us, and introduced himself. His name is Rich Eckhart. Obviously, he is a very accomplished musician. And yes, he did answer my questions about his rig and offered to let me play his guitars through his gear before the backline crew came to break it down. But as much as I wanted to, I respectfully declined because it was evident to me that he was feeling homesick. We sat there for almost an hour while he visited, talked, and laughed with my children. I couldn't interrupt that to satisfy my own interests. He stayed with us until someone yelled that the bus was pulling out. The time seemed to be as refreshing for him as it was exciting for my family. What a great memory. Thanks for your channel!

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Thank you, Tony, and have a great weekend!

[@hydraulics]

Filled out a lot of online applications to the local ribfest every year. Crickets. Then played the worst gig of our career at a car show (don't lol). The head of the ribfest service organization saw us there and came over to the stage and gave us a ribfest slot (bumped another act). After the ribfest show, he said we headline next year. So exposure bucks folks. The bands that refuse to play for exposure usually aren't very good. If you're good you'll get gigs when seen.

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Useful wisdom. Thanks!

[@NoCoverCharge]

Played quite a few festivals … bass player can sometimes bring his head and use their cabinets … drummer can sometimes bring his snare and chair …. M Y singer brings his own mic …he is a germaphobe … also if you use wireless sometimes the rf won’t work there too much interference so bring cords as back up … learned that one the hard way …

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Good tips. Thanks!

[@ericmyers3561]

Love this video. Great ideas for anyone trying to land a festival gig.

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Thanks, Eric, and have a great weekend!

[@nickroe1]

You are 90% better than the other "Music Industry Gurus" you deserve more recognition. Great video as always!🎉

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Wow, thank you, Nick!

[@MickBrownFolksinger]

Great video

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Thanks, Mick!

[@seangroc]

These videos are great. Good insight and excellent production values. Thanks to you

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Thank you, Sean!

[@JoeGrahamMusic]

I’m enjoying your content! Getting it late but still enjoyable

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Glad you're here, Joe!

[@nickyjames8417]

Cable distancing issue can be remedied by wireless guitar transmitter check your speck my lacato rig work well to 25 ft at least .normal WiFi frequency

[@theworkingmusician8842]

For footpedals-to-amp?

[@jamieslate64]

Good informaion Brian. Good luck in 2022.

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Thank you, Jamie, and good luck to you!

[@mojoemurphy]

"bass amps all sound the same anyways" Me: screams in angry SVT fanboy

[@theworkingmusician8842]

😅

[@jimi272]

Bass amps sound the same Me: Screams in my Musicman Tube Bass amp😂😂

[@theworkingmusician8842]

😂

[@Theweeze100]

Great channel…I subbed!

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Thank you, Frank! Have a great weekend! 😃

[@tomconklinvo]

One of the issues I run into when I'm trying to book my original band at a music festival or venue that wants original music to avoid paying licensing fees... Is that my music is published and I am a member of a PRO. I can't be the only one with this issues. Any advice?

[@theworkingmusician8842]

Whether you play cover songs or originals at a festival, if the music "published", then they have to pay PRO fees. If the festival is a stickler about non-published songs, then you might need to evaluate the quality of the event itself. Thanks, Tom!

[@tomconklinvo]

​@@theworkingmusician8842True enough. Thanks!

[@delzmusique7934]

me and my 4 keyboards can stay lol

[@theworkingmusician8842]

I don't envy you moving those around. Thanks!