How many of you have house gigs?

David Chockley · Post by **David Chockley** » 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 · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 1 Jan 2002 10:35 pm

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 · Post by **John Lacey** » 2 Jan 2002 5:21 am

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 · Post by **Jody Cameron** » 2 Jan 2002 5:33 am

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 · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 2 Jan 2002 8:51 am

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 · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 2 Jan 2002 9:49 am

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 · Post by **David Chockley** » 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 · Post by **Billy Peddycoart** » 2 Jan 2002 3:08 pm

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 · Post by **Frank Parish** » 2 Jan 2002 3:21 pm

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 · Post by **Ken Lang** » 2 Jan 2002 7:30 pm

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 · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 3 Jan 2002 11:35 am

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 · Post by **Hook Moore** » 4 Jan 2002 6:13 am

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

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HookMoore.com

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 4 Jan 2002 1:01 pm

"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 · Post by **Tom Hodgin** » 5 Jan 2002 12:08 pm

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 · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 5 Jan 2002 2:22 pm

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 · Post by **Bob McBride** » 5 Jan 2002 4:35 pm

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 · Post by **Danny Bates** » 5 Jan 2002 5:35 pm

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 · Post by **Charles Beshears** » 5 Jan 2002 7:43 pm

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 · Post by **John Rickard** » 6 Jan 2002 5:19 pm

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 · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 6 Jan 2002 9:10 pm

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<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Roller on 06 January 2002 at 09:11 PM.]</p></FONT>