How many of you have house gigs?

David Chockley · Posted 1 Jan 2002 10:16 pm

I've recently started playing with a 6 piece band at a house gig, which luckily is about a block and half from where I live, and it's pretty cool because the lead player is great, and the other guys are great to get along with, and are pretty good players also. I never thought I would be happy staying in one place, but I've found It's so nice to be able to just walk out at the end of the night and go home. Who else out there had a house gig and how do you like it????

Reggie Duncan · From: Mississippi

I play at a restaurant every Friday and Saturday night from 7-10pm. We have an 8 piece band that plays nothing but country style gospel and southern gospel. There is not a lot of difference between the two styles. I have been there for nearly 10 years and it never gets old. I live about 45 miles away, but that isn't very far. The greatest gig in the world! We also have a 24 track studio there. I book all of the guests in, also. The site is www.countryvillage.com
Reggie

John Lacey · From: Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada

I play every Saturday and Sunday afternoons at a hotel 2 blocks from my house in a small town in the foothills of the Rockies. We're a trio, a 12-string player, bass and steel. We have up to 10 people sitting in with us sometimes as it's a jam. The gals I work with are a lot of fun and have pro attitudes, so this is a dream gig for me. It's difficult backing up some of the jammers, but that's the gig. We also get to play some of the girl's original stuff, which I've produced in my home studio. I'm a lucky guy.

Jody Cameron · From: Angleton, TX,, USA

I play at a theater in Lake Jackson, TX. every Fri./Sat. nights (www.laketheater.com) . I've been there since the place opened 2 1/2 yrs. ago, and I love it. It's the best gig I've ever had, and I've had many, many...including 4 yrs. on the road, 3 with a Curb recording artist.

I like it because the material is always fresh, the band is really good for the most part, and it's 8 mins. from my home. I also have some Sunday and Thursday night gigs with other folks in my area, but I really like the house gig.

Jerry Erickson · From: Atlanta,IL 61723

Hi Dave,
Glad to hear you're playing again.Who's in the band, and what nights are you playing? I'm still playing Thurs.-Sat. at the Rose Bowl in Urbana,IL. It's still fun and I've been there 3 years.
Jerry

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

When I left the newspaper, my wife said "great, now you can get a house gig!" And damn if she didn't find me one! Mondays and Thursdays its vacuuming and dusting, Tuesdays I do the bathrooms, Wednesdays and Fridays I do laundry, and Saturday is the easiest... only kitty litter. On Sunday, she lets me practice steel guitar.

What? Oh, musical house gig?

I've played every Thursday, for the last 3.5 years, at Jovita's Mexican Restaurant in beautiful South Austin TX with the "David Letterman of Country Music" Cornell Hurd. The band has done it for over 5 years. The gig has turned into one of the hippest gigs in Austin on Thursday, rivaled only by Dale Watson across town at the Little Longhorn and Jeff Hughes at the Broken Spoke. Great crowds who eat up our schtick with soup ladels.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

David Chockley · Posted 2 Jan 2002 1:25 pm

Hey Jerry what's up? I'm playing Sat. nights at a place inGalesburg. Bob Mcbride is on lead, and the piano player and bass player are from the quad cities.
The drummer, me, and our lead singer are from galesburg. We're doing everything from Merle and Porter, to Johnny Lang.
It's a fun gig and not bad money. Tell everyone Hi down that way, and thanks to all who replied to this topic.

later, Dave

Billy Peddycoart · From: champain,IL US.

I play every friday night at the Bement Country Opry, I love it...Hey Jerry did you get your package I left you at the rosebowl? Billy...

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Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

I've had a bunch of house gigs. Ride the horse until it falls down and then get a new horse we'd always say. Playing a steady Saturday gig for the last 2 1/2 years and got a Friday gig that hopefully will be a steady somewhere else. It takes two different rigs but I've got it covered. The Saturday gig is walk in and tune up but the Friday is a tear down each night.

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

In my steady playing days I had a house gig Fri & Sat night that lasted for 8 years. We'd even usually convince people that wanted us for their wedding reception to hold it at the club. We had to move our stuff once, when the owner moved the club from 20 minutes to 5 minutes away from my house.

It became almost a family affair, with most of us helping clean up after the job, bussing tables and the like, then sitting down for a few cool ones after hours and finally heading out for breakfast with the whole gang.

We embarrased ourselves more than once, marching into the resturant with the trumpet player blowing "When the Saints go marching in" and the owner, his wife, waitresses, bartenders, musicians and mottly other friends following in a train like a New Orleans parade. The resturant folks would roll their eyes and grimice a little, but they sure liked the tips we left.

I kinda miss those times.

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

I pick every Wed,Fri & occasionally Sat w/Cody Bryant at Viva Fresh down in Burbank.Lately I've also been playing w/The Riders of the Purple Sage(Buck Page is still goin strong at 89!)on Thursdays at the same club. -MJ-

Hook Moore · From: South Charleston,West Virginia

Every Sunday at 9:30pm at George`s Whitehorse saloon, Charleston WV.

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HookMoore.com

Glenn Suchan · From: Austin, Texas

"Mondays and Thursdays its vacuuming and dusting, Tuesdays I do the bathrooms, Wednesdays and Fridays I do laundry, and Saturday is the easiest... only kitty litter.
On Sunday, she lets me practice steel guitar."
Hey Herb, it sounds like a great gig! Does it pay well?

No kidding, though, your weekly gig at Jovita's is among the most popular shows in Austin. You and the rest of Cornell's band can be proud of what ya'll do. I know I speak for the forum when I say thanks for all you do for our instrument and it's players.

Keep on pickin' Herb!
Glenn

Tom Hodgin · From: greensboro, n.c. u.s.a.

Hi David, We don't have many country bars in NC., but I have been playing a VFW dance for 10 yrs. now...except for a occasional new one, we play the old stuff like Ray Price, Jones and Conway etc....it pays for our SUV so whose complaining....play well, tom

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Unfotunately, with the sorry state of live music here in the Bay area, the only gig you can get is in your house.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Bob McBride · From: Illinois, USA

Dearest Mr. Chockley:
If the lead player is "great" and the other guys are easy to get along with, then the logical inference is that the lead player must be a prick. Either that or you owe him money for drinks and you are hoping that he grants you amnesty after reading your post. Well, pay up - I'm a prick. (Only kidding, thanks for the kind words.)

Danny Bates · From: Fresno, CA. USA

I'm entering my 8th year on a gig now. In between the road and everything else, I've had 4 other gigs that lasted 3.5 years each. That's 22 years of steady gigs since 1974 ... ouch!

Charles Beshears · From: Leesburg, AL, USA

About 6 musicians jam every other fri.night
at my brother in law's house. I am the
only steel player that attends. I get to
play 90% c6th neck because of the music
they play all instrumentals. Its like
heaven....You know if playing with a band
on a show date or dance, it would be
95% E9th and NO instrumentals!
Those lead guitarist are pro's playing
Jazz and pop and some western swing.
Charles Beshears

John Rickard · From: Phoenix (It's A Dry Heave) AZ

I have been playing at "The Stardust" http://stardustcountry.citysearch.com/
for the last 7 years (since I moved to Phoenix) and I am also the bandleader (no lead singer head problems). The important thing here is that the owner of the place knows the difference between hiring a "cheap throw together" band and having a packed house 4 nights a week. We do road gigs occasionally and boy are they (owner, bartenders, servers) happy when we come back.
I have no complaints. The only advice I have is, don't let club owners abuse you/your band and keep the material (songs) fresh.
HAYWIRE http://haywireband.com/index.html
JR

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Slide It On Over

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

I play the Little O' Oprey in Westfork, Ar. every Saturday night. I have been there a little over 10 years with very few nights off. I have the longest tenure of any of the house band and am the band leader. It is a fun job!!!
Jerry

[This message was edited by Jerry Roller on 06 January 2002 at 09:11 PM.]

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