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But it’s good for folk posting “simple” long lists of expectations to be aware that it works for them and their preference for the relationship - it’s not how bands “are” - it’s how they like theirs to be
For some reason a lot of people just like the idea of the people making the music being in the room even though it's just coming through a PA like the record would be.
Our current bassist let's us know an hour before practice he can't make it, complains we dont get enough money for gigs but wont book them ("I'll get it done this weekend"), tells us what we should do for the punters but doesn't actually suggest songs that will suit (ie we're a blues, soul band and suggests steel panther). Says he learns a song but then when he gets it wrong he admits he hasn't!
Our area is pretty bereft of bassists so deal with what we have eh!
When I've seen cover bands they generally just play a gig the same way a normal band would, hence my surprise.
I really want to do something that's heavy on the 90s-00s stuff (grunge, alt, punk rock, nu metal), guitar based versions of current pop songs etc but nobody else seems interested. Maybe for good reason for people around my age (late 20s-early 30s) it's all the nostalgia tunes from when we were teenagers that I thought would go down well. Maybe too niche.
And most people in pubs just aren’t as interested in music as people in bands are so what they recognise is more limited, that’s not a criticism - if you play an instrument you are probably more interested in music than people who don’t.
Live music is, well, live. It's in the room, happening in front of you in a way that queuing up songs on the jukebox isn't. Add in a bit of patter and repartee between songs, point and smile at the person dancing like crazy, etc. and it's a shared experience.
If you've gone for a beer and a bop, a bit of sass with the band is more a night out than dancing to CDs.
After all, why do you go to see your favourite "real" bands live? You could stay at home, listen to the recordings, and save a shed load of cash ...
I only mention my own experience as a laugh though, obviously the majority of gig goers do enjoy the experience a lot. But I don't think that the enjoyment is really coming from the music being played live in the room. I think it's just listening to loud music with friends or in a place to meet new people and have a drink and possibly a dance.
It started out with live bands before there were records so that was the only option. Then when records came along, live bands was already established as a thing to do to enjoy hearing loud music in crowds so that format stayed for a long time even after records came along.
But I think my theory is supported by the fact that the more time goes on, the less people are bothered about the music being a live band and DJ's are taking over. Because the people aren't bothered at all that it's a record they're hearing - they're enjoying the other things I mentioned.
Another thing people definitely like about going to gigs is having a collection, a list of bands they like to say they've seen live. That's another reason I'm more surprised that people like cover bands than I am that people like going to see the real bands live - it doesn't incorporate that aspect.
Like when someone says they don't understand how some vintage pickup has more mojo than an identically made modern copy, it doesn't necessarily mean that the person is missing something.