What To Take To The Ukulele Gig

I was looking back over some of my oldest posts on Got A Ukulele and found one, very briefly and clumsily written about what to take in your uke gig bag. Thought it was about time to write a more expanded version.

With many readers considering appearing on stages now as solo artists, in clubs or with bands, I am sure one thing crosses all of their minds - what gear do I need to take with me to a show? I know, the ukulele is small, and the concept of taking a lot of gear probably seems a bit odd to many people who play it, but there will be some 'must carry' items, and some which are a bit more luxurious. I suppose what you take also depends on what sort of show you are playing. There is a world of difference between going out busking acoustically to playing your own solo show where you may be expected to take the amplification as well as the instrument. Likewise playing a dedicated stage at a festival or theatre can be a different experience altogether. What you take needs to be tailored to what you are going to be doing. Most of all though - the gear is your responsibility and not that of the venue.

Warning though - you thought Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome was bad? Beware GAS - 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome'... (I know some people as obsessed with FX pedals, microphones or even instrument cables as they are with ukes..)


THE ESSENTIALS

- The ukulele - Naturally - make sure it is in good order. If it needs batteries, make sure they are fresh. Make sure you are happy with the strings. If they are showing signs of wear, consider changing them. Murphy's Law dictates that if a string is due to break, it will break during a show.

- Spare strings - Think about it - do you really want to be one song in to your set and lose one of your strings? It can and DOES happen. Just keep a spare pack in your gig bag... Simple. And if you use one of them, make sure you top up the pack before the next gig! Of course, another alternative can be found in the Luxury section below.

- Instrument Cable - If you are plugging in, there is every chance that the venue engineer may provide you with necessary cables. But to ASSUME that they will do that is a sure fire way to being caught out. If you amplify this way, carry a cable. Oh, and make sure it's not only 4 feet long.. (There is a bit more detail about cables in the footnote). If you are relying on someone else for cables, you are assuming they have enough, and you are assuming they are in good condition. Sadly, cables for loan at venues are usually pretty dreadful.

- Song sheets / crib notes - If you need them, carry them. You won't want to be without them if you rely on them. Just remember it looks far far better to an audience to have them placed somewhere that doesnt encourage you to stare down into them rather than looking and engaging with the punters!

- Set list - Take a few set lists printed out. What? You don't use a set list? That's very brave. Seriously - it's just a list - you are allowed to depart from it - but a bit of pre-planning for any show makes perfect sense, especially if you play with other people.

- Your tuner - If you use one - pack it (and a spare battery!). Seriously though - when you are plugged in on stage,  if you need to tune, please mute the instrument. Nobody wants to hear you tuning up! And your tuner can be a tuning fork - as Phil Doleman once said to me - it's the only tuner that you can use to eat a Chinese takeaway with after the gig.

- Other essentials that you always use.  - Depends what you use - if you use a strap, take it. If you use a capo - take it. If you use picks, take them.

- Copy of your PLI insurance certificate - This is a whole other subject in itself. Seriously though - more and more venues are asking for insurance these days. You can moan all you like about the concept, but in my experience, with some places you either have it or you don't play. It's as simple as that. Bad advisors are out there telling beginners that the responsibility is for the venue, but that is just plain wrong.  Bad advisors are also saying that performers should tell the venue to get stuffed... Sure, you could do that, but remember, you performing is COMPLETELY up to the venue.. Turning up and saying 'yes we have it, but the certificate is at home' is the same as not having it at all.  It's like telling a policeman your car insurance is 'in the post'... Keep a photocopy in your gig bag. There is more on insurance for musicians in this post.

THE VERY HELPFUL

These will very much depend on how you gig and the sort of venues you are playing, so tailor them to fit.

- FX Pedals - Not for everyone I suppose, but if you do use pedals - make sure you have all you need, have batteries or power leads for ALL of them and all interconnect cables. Once again, don't assume an engineer will have all this for you. Your responsibility - make sure it's all ready to go! Ideally - have them set out on a pedal board you can pack into a small suitcase with the interconnect cables already in place. Then it's just a case of plugging in the power, plugging the uke in one side and the other to the amp and you are ready to go. Nobody wants to watch you build your pedal rig every time you start a gig.

- Your own microphone - Sure, a lot of venues will provide microphones, but some don't. Even if they do, you may prefer not to use one that has been drooled into by a hundred other stage performers. Nothing wrong with swapping your own in place - just tell the engineer before meddling so they know. Oh, and perhaps carry a spare mic clip - always useful.

- Microphone stand - If you are using your own mic - well.. naturally - a stand makes sense..

- Extra cables - that is - extra cables for EVERYTHING - If you plug your uke in - take a spare instrument lead. If you use your own microphone, take a spare cable for that. If you use power cables, take spares. Cables DO eventually just give up the ghost and you can spend forever trying to track down a bad connection. You don't want to be doing that with five minutes to show time.  Often just easier to say, 'fine, I'll work on that bad cable tomorrow - for now though I'll just swap this spare in place and get on with the show'...

- Spare batteries - See above - spares for your spares...

- Clothes Pegs / string or twine - Just because they are useful for holding a multitude of things, but not as useful as...

- Duck Tape - Is it Duck or Duct? Is it Gaffer tape? Whatever - there is no item on the planet that cannot be jerry fixed into working at short notice with this stuff. Good for taping down cables to the floor so you don't kill your audience by tripping them. I even saw somebody once attach a strap to a broken pin by taping their guitar to the strap. Where would we be without this stuff?

- Peg winder - If you do need to change strings - these things cost pennies and will make the whole thing less painful for the audience (and you).

- Spare picks / spare strap / more spare strings - If you use them, then why not? They are small - fit them in the front pocket of your bag and in any spare spaces in your gear. Picks also have an uncanny knack of not being where you left them. Carry a load in your pockets if you use them. As for more strings - well, if you have stack of string packs at home, leaving them in your gig bag is probably the best place for them.

- Screwdriver -  Again - they are small. You never have a screwdriver when you need one..  Seriously, I have changed fuses on 13 Amp plugs on stage before now, but at the very least they can be used for tightening friction pegs.

- Music stand - Hey - if you use one! Have you thought about a clip on light for it - you can't guarantee a lot of light on stage to allow you to read.. Oh, and that's where clothes pegs also come in handy for outdoor gigs.

- Sharpie - Nothing worse than making alterations to a set list or song sheet with a biro that is running out so you then can't read it. Make it clear. But hey - Sharpies are just handy for all sorts of things..

- Toolkit - I've covered some tools above, but you might want to consider a fuller toolkit to take with you. Speaking as someone who has taken a lighting rig apart pre-gig and rewired several microphone cables, trust me - they do get used.

- Pocket torch - A small Maglite can be invaluable for finding things on a dark stage.

- Power reel - Sure, most performance venues will provide you with some power sockets on stage, but it is your responsibility to have the extension reels to get power to where you want it. It may be helpful to carry a range - a longer reel and some shorter extension bars. Again, remember Murphy's Law. If your gear requires X number of plug sockets, you can guarantee that the venue has one less than you need.



THE LUXURIES

So, where do we stop with these? I suppose some are more luxurious than others, but worth thinking about.

- DI Box - Basically a box that turns your unbalanced ukulele signal (with a jack socket) into a balanced signal suitable for entering a mixing desk on the other side of the room with no issues, degradation of sound (or vice versa). Engineers will love you and may even high five you if you have your own. They are relatively cheap and if you are playing plugged in just one of those things that many people carry. In fact, some wouldn't suggest these should be in the Luxury box at all.

- Spare ukulele - Why worry about the on stage string change when you can just plug in another instrument. Seriously - many people do this - and why not - ukuleles are not that big. Bear in mind, it might not be a string snap that foxes you. I have seen pickup connections fail on stage on more than one occasion. It's happened to me once where I suddenly had zero sound out of the jack socket - swapped to another uke and carried on.

- PA system - The ultimate I suppose is the system that you can pack into your car or van that allows you to perform anywhere there is power - speakers for the audience, perhaps foldback monitors for your vocals - this really is though a whole other discussion point!

- Mixer - If your act involves a number of people and you are currently amplifying individually through small battery amps you may be considering a PA. If you are considering a PA, then a mixer should also be looked at - basically a device to allow you to 'mix' numerous vocals and instruments into one output for the amplification.

- Lighting rig - if you are setting up a show in an otherwise dull room such as a village hall - you would be surprised how much more professional things will look with some lighting. With the advent of LED lighting rigs these days, portable stands offering colour washes can be obtained for very little money compared to the old rigs.

- Spare PA system - A spare just in case... this is getting silly.. (or perhaps not - most professional touring bands carry backup amplifiers)

So generally speaking it's all common sense. Everything will depend on where you are playing - not all of this will apply to busking gigs for instance. Just run through and work out what may apply to you. Hopefully some food for thought though.

Remember this - if YOU are booked, then it is YOUR responsibility to deliver what you said you would. Whilst many venues will assist if they can (and other bands can often assist here), if you turn up and fail to play because you say to the venue 'sorry, I broke a string', 'Sorry, I forgot my words' or 'sorry my instrument cable is broken'- then that is a sure fire ticket to never being asked to play there again. Glitches do happen, but in the wise words of the Cub Scouts - BE PREPARED..

----

A final word on cables. If you are an absolute beginner this may confuse you, but this article is referring to two main types of cable.

Standard instrument cables (for plugging a ukulele into an amplifier) are usually ¼ inch jack cables with a male plug at either end. One goes in to the uke, the other into the amp or mixer. I'm often asked if ukuleles need special cables or will one marked 'guitar' work. The short answer is - a cable for guitar will work perfectly.

Standard instrument ¼ jack plug

Standard microphone cables tend to be balanced XLR cables - these are three pin sockets that connect the microphone to the mixer (or amplifier). The male end goes into the desk or amp, and the female and into the base of the microphone. Confusion arises where you don't have an amplifier that takes and XLR input - for this reason XLR to ¼ inch jack cables are available.

Female end of XLR cable

Finally, an instrument like a ukulele can be plugged into a mixing desk XLR input through the use of a Direct or DI box. With these, you run the ukulele into the box with a standard instrument lead, then run an XLR lead from the box to the amplifier or mixing desk. Generally speaking, in all applications XLR is the better quality option, but in reality, when on stage, plugging in a ukulele will usually use a standard jack lead.







© Barry Maz

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Jake Shimabukuro To Tour The UK!

I am probably a little bit late to this party, but I don't usually put up gig or tour announcements on Got A Ukulele. This one is a little special though. Jake Shimabukuro is touring the UK for the first time ever. You heard that right - THE Jake Shimabukuro.

That is pretty massive news actually, with Jake being probably one the most well known and highly regarded players of ukulele on the planet. And this is his first time in a proper tour of the UK.

He is playing four dates:

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Sarah Maisel and Craig Chee at Grateful Freds, The Atkinson, Southport - REVIEW

Well I figured that I couldn't let ukulele greats Sarah Maisel and Craig Chee pass me by again before they leave the UK following their tour. Having seen them again at the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival, I was therefore delighted to learn that Grateful Fred (organiser of some top music nights in the Liverpool / Formby / Southport area) was putting them on as headliners at one of his revered Roots and Acoustic nights. Time for a road trip to Southport!

So picking up one half of Chonkinfeckle on the way up we arrive at a smashing Studio Theatre at the Atkinson in Southport - what a great venue! We take Sarah and Craig by surprise as I had kept it a secret that I was going up (hugs and hellos), then see that one half of the Mersey Belles had also come along for the show. Hang on half of the Mersey Belles and half of Chonkinfeckle? So that's Either a 'Merseyfeckle' or 'Chonkinbelles' then?. Great to see them and some other ukulele faces in the crowd too. Well I guess it's not every day you get two of the most in demand performers on the ukulele circuit in your backyard.

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Mike Hind to hit the UK!

Really pleased to see how this has come off - Mike (aka Uncle Elvis) is a great performer, resident in Bermuda but is making the trek to a no doubt cold UK for a mini tour this year!

Dates as above and I will certainly be in attendance at at least a couple of them. Being brought to you by the team behind GNUF. If you want to know more about Mike (as well you should) then visit his website on the link below!

See you at one of them!

http://uncleelvis.tumblr.com

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Manitoba Hal - UK Performance and Workshop Tour 2014

A little while ago on Got A Ukulele I was lucky enough to interview Manitoba Hal and he explained that he would be conducting a short tour of workshops and performances in the UK during the summer.

At that time, the details were being worked out, but I am thrilled to note that the events are now live! See all the dates below.

(Poster design - Shelley Rickey)

As you will see he is performing all over the place so there is bound to be an event near you somewhere. He is a mesmerising player, but on top of all that, a very nice chap to be around. The whole thing has been organised by the team at the Grand Northern Ukulele Festival which takes place later this year in Huddersfield, and for details on booking any of these events on THIS LINK.

There is also a FACEBOOK PAGE for the tour too!

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But That's Not On The Songsheet! Get Out Of Your Ukulele Rut

Time for another ukulele rant. Well, like other rants on Got A Ukulele, actually more of a discussion piece to promote some debate and hopefully inspire someone. This time, do you want to move away from up down up down ukulele boredom?

OK, OK, I can hear the angst growing, and that opening was deliberately incendiary, but do read on... I have been meaning to write this piece for some time, and actually decided not to. But then I thought about it  and spoke to several players in clubs who thought it would be healthy and welcomed. . The aim is simple - how do you get beyond unison playing with your club or band when going out performing?

The post starts with a confession. I really, really don't like the sound of dozens or more ukuleles playing exactly the same thing at the same time. It might just be me (suspect it isn't though) but I find the sound rather annoying in a nails on a blackboard kind of way. You see the standard tuned uke is a very trebly instrument by its very nature. Play two of those together and you are doubling that up. Play 100 together and just consider the sound. Add to that the fact that if the multiple ukes are not all precisely tuned to each other (and not just to their own clip tuners, to each other!) then you can get layers of warbly bad harmonics which kind of jar my ear. Is that just me? I'd much rather hear things being mixed up a little.

I am not pointing fingers here, and certainly am not aiming anything at the many ukulele clubs around the world who have fun playing in mass jams. I take my hat off to the organisers of these clubs as getting multiple players, particularly beginners, all playing together is no mean feat at all. It's also incredible to see these players stand up (when many ukers may have only been playing a matter of weeks) and perform songs in public. For those sort of performances, a rigid integrated team performance is absolutely necessary unless you want to alienate newcomers and beginners. I totally 'get' that system and if it makes people confident to play with others, then I think that can only be welcomed.

But more recently I've had quite a few club players get in touch explaining they are creating a 'band' or a breakaway group, and asking for advice on 'arrangements' and changing their sound. I've seen many more clubs and units doing exactly the same thing and this is great to see. And it is particularly pleasing to see that these players recognise when they go out and perform they want to try to work on something a bit more complicated and worked out. A fuller sound if you will. A band sound.

Sadly though, many of the same people who have talked to me have said that they want to change and develop, was because the previous club or band they were with were totally resistant to any form of departure from what the club has 'always done'. In a very sad real world example I know of one such outfit who refuses to deal with anything that is 'not on the song sheet'. No transposing of chords, no individual playing parts, no changing the basic feel of the song by experimenting with alternative rhythms and patterns, no vocal parts. No, if it's not on the sheet, it's not acceptable, no more discussion.. the end.. I have had it suggested to me that some 'leaders' of uke clubs prefer the status quo rather than player development... (can't think why...) What the hell is that about?  At a fairly recent gig I played at in front of uke players, mid set I encouraged the audience to experiment with their playing, and if their club refused, to stamp their feet and shout about it. I got several 'hear hear's' back from the crowd and that, in part, encouraged me to get around to writing this.

The song sheet really is a blessing and a curse in my opinion. I totally get them but I think they can only take you so far. Worse still, many song sheets out there in internet land are actually just plain wrong.  Many are transposed badly in order to avoid things like E chords and as such lose the feel of the song, many miss out interesting chord progressions in instrumentals or middle sections. Sure, they are a great way for a beginner to get playing quickly, and a godsend for a uke club to hand out to new players. I use them myself all the time. But they become a curse when anyone then tries to 'insist' that the playing must stick to what is on the sheet. It really doesn't. In fact, surely more fun comes from going off piste a little? Actually, I will go further. More fun really comes if you start working the chords out yourself and thinking about your own versions, variations and style. In my last band, some of the songs that proved most successful in our shows were not ones that we downloaded a sheet for, but rather kind of fell out of jam sessions, sounded good, and then one of the players went away and worked it up themselves. Far more satisfying we think when you make it 'your own'.

So if we are going to explore getting out of a rut with your playing, the first thing to bear in mind is that the song sheet is not gospel, it's just a guide. You ARE allowed to experiment. In fact I would positively encourage it.

Sadly, I can't write a complete guide to working with ukulele band arrangements in this post. It's not just that I don't have the time or the space, it's just that it is a massive topic, with very personal elements. When we worked on band arrangements, they were our own arrangements that made us sound like 'US' (we hoped!). That wasn't to say our arrangements were perfect or suitable for everyone, they were just what we have worked out and we liked.  

What I can do though is provide some thinking points that may help you experiment. Not everything may work for you, but consider this. If you are in a band with five ukes and you move to getting at least half of those into playing separate parts, then you will automatically have given yourselves a far different (and far more interesting) sound. Take a look at these ideas, and bear in mind that these are just simple structural changes you can consider. One of the best ways to improve your sound of course it to improve your playing, learn to use more of the fingerboard etc. But you knew that already!

• Everyone is not duty bound to play exactly the same thing at the same time. Back to the song sheet dilemma again. All you are then doing is just expanding exactly the same sound to the audience, but not filling out the sound space. Speak to the band members and talk about people doing something different. Not everyone will be comfortable, and that is just fine - having a couple of ukes on rhythm doing the basic song (i.e. - whats on the sheet!), will work for the core song, but try adding in other parts to give some counter balance to the sound. 

• Think about the bass. And in that I don't just mean the inclusion of a bass ukulele, double bass or bass guitar (although I would heartily recommend that to offset the naturally high uke sound and fill your performance), but think about the bass on the ukes. That may sound odd for such a high pitched instrument, but even the inclusion of a low G on some of the instruments will add a different dynamic to you overall sound. Try having some of the band keep some basic strums to the low G and C of one of the ukes in a percussive style. Better still, why not look at a Baritone or a Guitar? They are allowed!

• Picking. Often considered scary or just overlooked by those starting out, but even a very basic picked roll over the ukulele chords joined with a partner playing the same chords as strums will immediately change your sound for the better.

• Lead breaks. Ah yes, release your inner guitar rock god! More seriously, if you have multiple players then you will have 'room' for one or more of your band to play out the melody or a blues lick over the top.

• Less can be more. Not every player needs to strum like a demon on every song. The beauty of a band with multiple players, is that certain members can just accentuate certain beats and strums in songs to give them more emphasis. Sure individual players can do this too, but if two players alternate such strums on different sounding instruments you can get some cool effects.

• Starts and finishes. Again, often overlooked as in many cases they are 'not on the sheet', but pick up any record you own and have a listen to some songs. Not that many start with "1, 2, 3, 4" and then go straight into the song. Similarly not many end with a 'dooby dee doo' and then stop. Work on each song and see if you can build up some longer starts and finishes. In most cases, these intros and endings will work through a repeat of a bridge / chorus or verse pattern, and there are no rules really.

• Transpose / learn your inversions. Just because the sheet says that the song is played in the key of G, does that really suit your style and the vocal range of your group? Don't try and stress the vocal chords out just to 'stick to the sheet' - consider transposing the song to suit the majority of the band. Even when the song works and you are happy with the key, bear in mind that there are several ways to play the chords and often a chord played at a higher position can enhance your sound dramatically. There are no hard and fast rules to this - just experiment. (Oh, and an E7 is not exactly the same as an E - just learn the E...)

• Harmonies. Firstly on vocals - it is just a simple fact that vocal harmonies between two or three people sound hugely better than those singers performing exactly the same melody. The same works for the ukes too and you can find harmonic patterns on chord sequences that will naturally work together, yet still keep the feel of the song right. The science of harmonies is too big a subject for this blog post but I would recommend you do some other reading on the subject.

• Instrumentals. Another failure of many song sheets - they can often just be verse chorus verse chorus throughout. As well as missing the intro and endings, they often miss out an instrumental verse. Even if they don't miss one, there is no reason why you can't add one to both lengthen the song and allow some of your players to show off some chops in the middle of the song.

• Look beyond the ukulele. This point is perhaps the one most capable of stirring the hornets nest.  If you really want to work on complimenting the ukulele, getting a thicker sound, then please, please, don't be afraid of bringing other instruments into the mix. Drums, keyboards, other strings, melodicas, fiddles, whistles, brass, bass, whatever, it's all good!

• Challenge everything you do. A simple last thought. Record your performances and play them back. Does it sound 'samey' or 'simplistic'? If so, at your next practice, try and work on an addition. I am not suggesting you throw everything away, but week by week if you work on adding some other interesting elements, before you know it you may have a fully fledged song on your hands.

But those are just ideas, and as I say, they are not compulsory and may not work for your band. But at the very least they should help you get some variation in your sound, and in doing so I strongly believe you will have more fun in your gigging exploits. Make notes of what you practice and then keep experimenting. 

I may well get get some questions back on this such as 'but we want to be a ukulele band'. I get that, and I am not suggesting that you stop the ukulele playing, but consider this. How many 'guitar bands' out there consist of a range of guitars, all playing exactly the same pattern, chords in every song? Mix it up!

Oh and finally - no, the Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain don't sit in a line and all play exactly the same thing. Look closer! They are actually playing many complex individual parts to make up the whole.

Have fun experimenting!

AND! Be sure to check out my other ukulele RANTS - where I explode the many myths and bad advice that surrounds the instrument - CLICK this link! http://www.gotaukulele.com/search/label/rants

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On Ukulele Performing, Gigs and the dreaded Dirty Money

I have had the bones of this blog post almost ready to go on the site for some time, but hadn't gotten around to posting it. I was also a little unsure as to how it would go down, but wanted to share some views on performing with the ukulele and the dreaded issue of the cold, dirty cash.. File this down in another of my 'rant' posts that tend to put the proverbial cat amongst the ukulele playing pigeons! (I fear these are becoming a regular feature!!)

What prompted me to write it however was that I had been speaking to some gig and festival promoters for my band and came across the increasingly common response of 'oh no, we don't pay the bands'. I had a bit of a moan about this on Facebook, and what followed were hundreds of responses all supporting my point of view. Since then I see regular rants about the same subject (in fact one is running today where the same point of view is being agreed with). But do all ukulele players share that point of view? I am not so sure. And if there are so many people who agree that bands and performers shouldn't be ripped off, then why is it still happening?

So, back to the post...

If you are developing your uke skills and your club is looking at getting out there and performing, you are taking a step into a wider musical circuit in which ukulele players form only a small part. How should you approach that? I must say at the outset that you are all, of course, entirely free to approach such things exactly how you want to. It is not for me to tell you what to do. But, I hope reading this may give you some things to ponder.

So what is a gig? Pretty basic starting point but an important one as I see a lot of reports of bands playing gigs that are not really that at all. I personally think that a 'gig' is the step up you take beyond busking at events or in the local town. I am also not talking about club nights, jam nights and general get togethers - they are something else entirely.  I would class a gig as being booked and billed in a pub, venue, function or event in your own right (or perhaps part of an event), but definitely something that was arranged by not just the band themselves. Something you promote, something you work up a set for, perhaps you take your gear and rig with you.  Something where the venue see the 'value' in you being there and perhaps do their bit to promote you as well. I am seeing more and more uke players taking these steps now, and that has had me thinking on the issue of, 'should we charge'? Quite simply - yes you should.

As I said in the opening, it is becoming increasingly common that venues are expecting the artists at their events to perform for nothing, not even expenses. In my experience this tends to be backed up with comments such as 'we have no budget' or, 'no, this is a free festival or event'.  Both upset me greatly. The reason is simple. What they actually mean is, 'we don't value the musicians in this, but of course we had to pay for the stage guy, and the promotion, and the security staff etc'. Even if an event is a no profit affair, I would wager that there are very few that have no people on their books being paid for their services in some way.  With pubs and clubs it's a slightly different affair, but the same thing applies. A pub introduces extras such as entertainers to their venue to bring more people through the door and to make more money. It is simply business. So, they may hire a fruit machine or a pool table. They pay for that. They pay for them in the hope that they will keep people in the venue, spending more money. Why is booking a musician different?

For our band, the only times we will play for free is where the event is a genuine charity affair - and by that I mean it is a charity where everybody involved - crew, staff etc are giving their services for free as well. I mean, if the bar staff are getting paid, why shouldn't the entertainment? Sadly I have come across a few events we have initially considered where the excuse for no pay comes on the back of a very vague reference to charity. What it actually amounts to is that the bands are expected to donate their services to charity, but nobody else. Don't get me wrong, charity events can work, and we play them regularly. But don't insult me by saying that the musicians are the only ones in on the charity thing. Charity events can work in pubs too and we have played for nothing, but on the strict condition that our normal fee goes in the charity bucket. At our annual N'Ukefest we charge the venue a fee, and our fee goes into the charity bucket. I know lots of venues who are pleased to do this. Playing a charity gig in a pub passing around the buckets, but the venue not contributing is NOT the same thing. For those venues, they are merely getting more beer money over the bar at your expense. And don't tell me their contribution is the venue - they are delighted to have live music in - it means more punters and more sales. Think about that a bit more. If you play a charity event in a pub that normally has live music - if they put their normal band fee in the bucket then everyone is a winner (they would pay that to another non charity act anyway). If they don't, then they are getting a free band. Ask them - if they refuse, find another venue!

In one of the comments on my post on Facebook, one chap said that it should be about the love of music, not the money. That is admirable and if only life could be like that. What it should really be about is being 'fair', and not having the musicians being taken advantage of. Sure - if nobody got paid for anything at all, then fine, but that is ultra utopian!  How about this - I know some chefs whose sole passion in life is cooking, but would we expect them to give their meals away for free? Of course not. Just like that, playing music comes with costs. Not just the physical - the cost of gear, strings, fuel to get to the venue, but also time and effort in preparing the set and delivering it. Would you expect a plumber to fix a burst pipe for nothing? No. The examples are, of course endless.

Another increasingly common response I am seeing from venues is, "you have to do the first gig for nothing, and if we like you we will book you again". On the face of it, that looks like an audition, but I am not so sure. Put it another way - try responding to that pub and tell them "I will be in your pub next Friday and I am going to sample your beers, perhaps have a bite to eat. I am not going to pay you though, but if I like what I try, then I may come back...."

And then there is the huge corporate event type affair - totally driven by money, and during the planning someone thinks it would be a good idea to have live music on, but the committee agree that 'bands don't need paying'. Sound crazy? Earlier this year we were 'booked' at a pretty large Christmas Extravaganza to play on a couple of days. The event was expecting a footfall of about 500,000 people, and every one of those people pay £5 to get in (do the maths). Beyond that, activities inside such as ice skating, santa etc were charged extra. They put up stages, hired security, bar staff, promotion, glitzy brochures, websites, and took sponsorship money from one of the leading High Street Department Stores. What part of that (huge) budget did they put towards musicians? Not a penny. News on this broke and they faced a backlash from musicians in the UK. They suddenly changed their position claiming that the musicians they had booked were just amateurs, schools and the like. Were that true (it wasn't - they went on a drive through various Facebook music groups looking for 'bands'), I am not entirely sure it makes one jot of difference. This was a high turnover, totally corporate event that simply did not assume that bands should even get their costs paid. Their response to me was that it was their 'policy'. Laughable. We pulled out, though sadly I am aware of a ukulele outfit who are agreeing to play it on those terms...

So why am I having this rant? Well it goes back to the reason I posted on Facebook. It is becoming increasingly common that venues are expecting performances for free. Perhaps it started with Open Mics (something I am kind of in two minds about, but will save that for another post), but I think it is also fuelled by performers who are willing to play for free. Think about it. If you play venue X for nothing, those venues DO talk to each other and when you approach venue Y, they may well think you are free as a matter of course. This then builds and builds.  In our locality there are three fairly sizeable music festivals. In one (the one we play at) every band is paid by the individual venues. It isn't a lot of money but it does cover the costs. At another festival the bands are based in very similar pubs, but because they bill it as a 'free festival', the bands don't get paid. Therefore the venues, which are packed with revellers are getting free promotion. At the third (and this one really irritates me), they put up stages in a village (stage crew get paid) they provide PA (engineers get paid), they have traders and stallholders (who pay the event). The bands on the other hand get nothing. Not a penny. Quite ridiculous I am sure you will agree. The festival we agree to pay at proves it can work.

And why does that matter - 'who cares?' you may think. If I want to play for free, I will do so - not up to you Barry.... Well, sure, but I'd suggest you bear in mind other performers. As I said above, performing in local venues puts you on the circuit with other bands. Some of those bands perform for a living. I mean it - that is their JOB. Gig money pays their bills and puts food on their table. If you support going in to venues and playing for nothing, that venue may start to realise that, 'hey - this is good! Free entertainment!!". And then that spreads. For the band that gig for a living, opportunities for them to make a dollar and keep gigging get squeezed out. It's actually happening, and if you are playing for nothing in a pub then I am sorry, but you are part of the problem no matter how you dress it up.

I could get a bit more deep and meaningful too. I could point out that playing for nothing means you are placing zero worth on your skills and talent. That you are worthless. Is that how you feel about yourself? Perhaps you don't think you are ready for a booked live performance - that is fine - but don't go and take a slot that a band that relies on payment could fill by playing for nothing. (In some of the responses I have seen online on this subject, many people point out that if you are in a band that are continually playing venues for nothing, then you probably shouldn't be playing live in the first place..). And if you don't think you will get the money or are 'worth' the money, then, well... that is kind of the same point.

In that regard, one comment I have had back on this subject represents an understandable concern many new bands or performers have. 'If I give them a price, they won't book me... I need to start somewhere'. Maybe, maybe not, but I know many venues that DO pay, and WILL give new bands a chance. If you are good you will get more bookings and get paid again. If you are not you won't. If you are in a band and cannot get a gig that pays you then as I said above, I would respectfully argue that you are probably not very good. That may sound blunt, but I can't see it any other way. Getting that first gig can be tough and that is where a website, Facebook page and sound recordings / videos will help you. All of that said, I am not against a loss leader if you are desperately looking to get that first gig. Reason with the venue if they reject your price. Offer perhaps a cut rate, or to get drinks and expenses. Then after performing go straight back (assuming it went well!) and ask for another booking but at the original rate you first asked for. If they like you I am sure you will get it. And remember if you step on the ladder and perform well,  you will then get the very best form of promotion there is. Word of mouth.

But hang on Barry - you are sounding a little obsessed with all this - very Capitalist of you .... is it all about the money?? Well that is unfair. In our band, we are never going to be rich doing this as there are 7 of us. In fact we do well to break even. But if we take our full set to a venue, it will involve hiring a van or taking three cars (and the fuel). We carry gear worth a few thousand quid, and we give our time. Those are actual costs. If we do make a profit, it gets ploughed back in to the band for improved gear. I see nothing wrong with that, and everything wrong with a venue who expects all that cost to be taken on the chin by the performer.

So yes, this all concerns me. I know a lot of clubs who are performing for nothing. That coupled with the common misconception of the ukulele as something of a novelty is only adding to the struggle for it to be taken more seriously. If you think about it, it makes sense - 'oh yeah we had this band in, playing these little toy guitars... good fun, and they are free too of course...Just a bit of fun... You should book them at your place! (free of course). That perception IS out there. I have had it thrown back at me when trying to get a gig booked.

So. Please don't devalue yourselves and exacerbate the problem. The point of this post isn't to criticise, but to make you think about what is fair. If you are playing your 30th gig for no recompense then that is surely nowhere near as impressive as being on your third that you are being booked and paid for in my view. In those cases the venue wants you and values you and that means something. And no, this isn't about holding venues to ransom, or money grabbing whilst forgetting the fun of playing the music. It's just about not being taken for a ride.

Have fun!

AND! Be sure to check out my other ukulele RANTS - where I explode the many myths and bad advice that surrounds the instrument - CLICK this link! http://www.gotaukulele.com/search/label/rants

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pUKEs at anti racism benefit gig

I am always pleased to share some promotion for friends in UK punk uke band The pUKEs, and especially so when they are giving their services to a very good cause. Clara from the pUKEs got in touch to share this.

The Pukes are proud to announce that we are taking part in an anti-racism event which includes uke workshops and a punk gig in London on 2nd November.

The day starts at T Chances, Tottenham with a family-friendly Halloween party in the afternoon. Entertainment includes Cake For Breakfast kids’ band, face painting, disco, fancy dress – and ukulele workshops by The Pukes. Entry is £3. 

Later in the evening there’s a gig with London punk bands Left For Dead, The Pukes, Dread Messiah and Bottlejob. Entry is £6. The Pukes are on stage 10.15pm. 

All proceeds from the day go to Green and Black Cross who who give practical and legal support for protesters. The grassroots project has supported thousands of people from many backgrounds in their rebellions and protests, including the 286 anti-racist protesters who were arrested while trying to prevent the English Defence League march through Tower Hamlets last month. With the police cracking down on protests on a massive scale they are busy and need dosh! Come down and show your solidarity! 

T Chances Saturday 2 November 2013 
399 High Road, Tottenham N17 6QN

Halloween party 3.30pm-6pm 
Beginners Uke Workshop 4pm 
Intermediate Uke Workshop 5.30pm 
Door: £3 

To guarantee a place on the uke workshops please paypal £3 to thepukes77@gmail.com
 
Gig 7.30pm-midnight
LEFT FOR DEAD, DREAD MESSIAH, THE PUKES, BOTTLEJOB 
Door: £6

For more info visit http://thepukes.co.uk/ukes-racism/

Good luck and have fun guys and raise loads of cash!

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Say Hello To Ooty And The Cloud

Time for a Got A Ukulele shout out to some friends of ours - the very lovely Ooty And The Cloud!

Ooty are a three piece based in Chester who play a delightful mix of self penned and cover songs in a very laid back, sometimes melancholic, but always pretty style that I like very much. You may have heard mention of them before on this blog as they attended the N'Ukefest this year and played an evening performance.

Ooty And The Cloud at N'Ukefest

Ooty are made up of Stephen Fowler on vocals and uke, Rekha Fowler on penny whistle and melodica and Sally Gallagher on uke and vocals. I think they are refreshing as they have a sound all of their own - oh and they are a lovely bunch of people too! And that has been noticed as they have made it through to the grand final of the Cancer Research Talent show held at the prestigious Mitchell Theatre in Glasgow this November. Go Ooty!



And I am also delighted to report that before they are appearing as special guests of The N'Ukes at an evening of ukulele fun being held at the Halesowen Athletic Club on Saturday 30 November. Tickets are only £5 and details on how to get them are HERE. And if you don't Facebook, just email Lynn Raybould at therayboulds@sky.com for details. The tickets have been selling like hot cakes, so don't delay - when they are gone they are gone. Promises to be a great night.

And, of course, please do check out the Ooty And The Cloud page on Facebook and give them your thumbs up!

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N'Ukes at The Cosey Club

We knew that this venue had a good reputation, but were really blown away by the stage set up at The Cosey Club. Hope you like these show pictures from our last ukulele gig!

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One week until N'Ukes rock the Railway

One week to go until our first ukulele gig of 2013 (has it really been that long since the last one?)

The N'Ukes are rocking it up at the famous Railway Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire UK on St Patricks Day - 17 March from 8pm. Free admission too!

So why not come along, have a Guinness and dance to the N'Ukes. Great venue.  More details HERE

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N'Ukes take ukulele to the Just So Festival

We are quite looking forward to this one. The Nantwich N'Ukes are delighted to be taking their ukulele set to the Just So Festival at Rode Park, nr Alsager in Cheshire.

The festival looks to be an interesting affair, and we are playing on the afternoon of the 18 August.

For more details, tickets etc have a look at their website http://www.justsofestival.org.uk

See you there!

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N'Ukes at the Cosey Club

The Nantwich N'Ukes are delighted to take their ukulele show to the Cosey Club, Haslington, Crewe on May 11.

Our events page is HERE and it would be great to see some new faces.

Should be a great night. And you can keep an eye on all things N'Ukes on our Facebook page at http://thenukes.co.uk or clicking the tab marked N'Ukes at the top of this website.

Cosey Club website is HERE

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Nantwich N'Ukes at the Nantwich Music Festival 2013

Save the date! I am delighted to announce that our ukulele band, The Nantwich N'Ukes are booked to play at the 2013 Nantwich Jazz Blues and Music Festival!

The Nantwich Festival has really become hugely popular over the years (this one being the 17th) and thousands will be in town to see acts in many venues. For us, as a band from Nantwich to be playing in our home festival is a real treat. Better still we are at the Crown Ballroom - the HQ for the festival with a full stage show!

You can learn more about the festival here http://www.nantwichjazz.com/ and keep up to date with the gig on our Event page here https://www.facebook.com/events/201186966689104/


Hope to see you there!

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N'Ukes rock the Leopard

So did the N'Ukes rock?

Finally got ourselves back to PC's and Mac's and been able to go over some sound recordings we took at our last ukulele gig at the Leopard. Our recording tech needs a little more polish but think you will see that we had a whale of a time!

Have a click of the sound samples below!

N'Ukes! (credit Chris Clarke)

And, our set list for the night


Bad Moon Rising
Folsom Prison Blues
Orange Blossom Special
It Must Be Love
Mustang Sally
Valerie
Your Cheatin' Heart
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Jumpin' Jack Flash
No Woman No Cry
Minnie The Moocher
Hey Good Lookin'
King Of The Road
Honky Tonk Women
Teenage Kicks
You Can Call Me Al
I Got Stripes
LA Woman
I'm A Believer
That's Entertainment
I Wanna Be Like You
Pencil Full Of Lead
Handle With Care
Lean On Me

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Ukulele Christmas with The N'Ukes

Really pleased to announce that our group - The Nantwich N'Ukes have been asked to lead a night of Christmas sing songs and fun all in aid of the St Luke's Hospice Charity.

We are playing on 19 December from 7.00pm by kind invitation of the Leopard Pub, London Road, Nantwich CW5 6LJ, and the whole night is in aid of the very worthy St Luke's Hospice in Cheshire - an Adult Hospice offering support and care for those suffering with cancer and other life threatening illnesses. The pub also has a facebook page which is great for updates too.

The N'Ukes hope to be joined by ukulele players from other local groups - the more the merrier - and even if you just want a sing song, why not come along. The Pub are putting on festive treats in aid of the charity and we will also be running a raffle in which you can win a ukulele of your own - donated very kindly by the good people at Merben Music of Hightown, Crewe.

It promises to be a lot of fun and hope those within easy reach can pop along to say hello. We will be putting together a songbook that you can download to know what to expect very soon - details to follow.

The events page for up to date info on the night can be found HERE so keep an eye on it!


Thanks again to The Leopard for hosting this and inviting us!

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