What does it take to actually pull a gig off?
Today, I want to tell you about an experience that one of my sax students lived recently, and what there is to learn from it.
My student posted a video of herself playing that got shared to many people. One person from those she reached liked what they saw, and contacted her to book her for an event. It sounded great, until it was revealed that the gig was in only two weeks.
Panic ensued. She did not know what to do. On one hand, she did not want to pass on the opportunity to play in public, even if for free. On the other, she did not feel ready. After consulting with family members and with myself as her teacher, she decided to go for it, playing a song she already knows well, and one she was working on. She did her best, and while she received no complaints, she ended up feeling overwhelmed and a tad regretful. She told me that she wished she could have an entire year to properly prepare. I can understand, I have been there!
Last minute gigs can open many doors, but they can also ...
Had you considered this responsibility of gigging musicians?
If you ask an unsuspecting person what preparing for a music gig entails, they are probably going to mention things like rehearsing the songs or making sure the instruments are in good condition. These are, of course, very important parts of the process, but they are not even remotely the only ones.
An independent gigging musician is frequently their own agent, manager, producer, technician and stylist. Things like figuring out transportation to and from the venue are as much our responsibility as knowing how to play the songs of our set list. After all, it doesn't matter how good you are as a musician if you never arrive to your performance and no one can hear you!
A good example of this happened last Wednesday, when I took part of the civic flag raising ceremony that the Association of Jamaican Nationals Birmingham put together to commemorate the anniversary of the independence of Jamaica. I needed to bring my PA system for the event, which meant I had to use my car. Now, if you'v...
Time For My Music's evening showcase was a roaring success!
The Time For My Music evening showcase on Tuesday 29th October was fabulous. The women stepped up to the mark and delivered a performance that blew everybody's minds. They were glamorous and classy, engaging the audience (a full house of it!) to share hours of great music played with their hearts and souls. Truly, the event couldn't possibly have gone better.
The significance of this achievement goes beyond the stage. The women didn't only perform at the evening showcase, but they actually organised it and produced it. They learned what's needed to put on a show, who to contact, and how to go about things. Using her experience producing the Not Just Jazz shows, Millicent guided them and provided them with the necessary skills so they can do it again by themselves in the future, being transparent with them in regard to location options and regulations, costs, etc.
The show is over, but the learning continues. There are things that still need to be taken care of, evaluations to do, an...