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Forming a bush band and running a bush band By; Tony Gill

Band practice goals

Performance training

Band suggestions

Tips for Band relations with client

After Gig learning

Tips for stage work

Tony Gill wrote this (below) for a lesson he was conducting at one of our shows. I thought at times he was being a bit too idealistic.

So what does he mean, "have a boss that every one accepts!?" O.K. then, I'll appoint myself "boss." Being in a band is a bit like being a member of a Simpson's cartoon family, / it's all really quite dysfunctional!!! But like a Simpson's family, one can still sense a certain kind of 'love.' But what kind of love is it I ask?! Perhaps someone should invent a new term or a new kind of love. You have "maternal love," / "paternal love," / "siblings love," / "friendship love," / sexual love, and then there's, 'band love.'

And what is meant by the comment, "be punctual at gigs?" Some musicians in bands seem to have a habit of turning up just when the P.A. has been set up. It's like they have a 'sixth sense' in knowing just when all the hard work has been done. Indeed, some bands turn up late to gigs. Then, leave early and while they are there, drink all the publicans beer. (Dominic Gill.)

Band practice goals

Learn some bush songs and tunes.

Practice old traditional songs, arrange them with imagination.

Learn to call bush dances, from some of the many good books available.

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Go to dances, listen and learn.

Find a spot to perform and gain experience. ( Give examples of Diddychwy at the Abby or Traitors Gate.

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Make demo tape.

When you feel confident contact The Folk Federation, get on their mailing list.

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When  hired for a gig, make good contacts with client.

Make sure your client knows that you are a bush band and not a country and Western band.

Find out where halls.

Check whether it has a stage.

Help the customer 0with publicity. E.g.: 5UB folk shows, 5EBI south coast radio. The advertiser gig guide. You can get a poster made up, ( Show Diddychwy’s )

Be punctual at gigs.

Turn up early to set up own P.A. ( Make sure someone is there to open the doors.) ( Have phone numbers of customers and ring up on mobile phone if necessary.)

Ask for pay on the night or arrange method of payment. ( have G.S.T. details or A.B.N. details handy.)

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Performance training

Hire or try to own your own sound system. (Make sure it works. )

Learn to use a microphone properly.

Give example: ( Hire school hall to practice in.)

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Band suggestions

Practice on a regular basis, even if there are no gigs for the period.

Keep up enthusiasm.

Put in new material when ever possible.

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Tips for Band relations with client

Keep breaks short and work in with the customer as to when and how a break would be.

Cooperate with client regarding speeches of prizes that may be given out.

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When calling dances, speak clearly and precisely and in general terms.

Give example of how not to do it.

Never scold

Try to keep the enthusiastic up right until the end of the gig.

Don’t drink too much, the music is likely to suffer.

After Gig learning

Make tapes of the gig.

Now and then listen and learn from the tapes and learn from your mistakes.

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Learning tunes and words

Learn off parrot wise at first and then the dynamics latter.

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Tips for stage work

Have music on stage.

Also have an idiot sheet  on stage.

Plan program.

Have written down who ever has the introductions to songs.

Who ever has the introduction must start in the right key.

If guitar strings break or something unexpected happens, have jokes handy or a story or poem ready to fill in the time.

Dynamic of band.

Have a boss that every one accepts.

Work on a consensus model.

Have the bookings done by one personas opposed to all of the band.

If two people must do the bookings make sure  that the books are the same and check them constantly.