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[Tim McCulloch]

What ALL bands want is an audience.  From there the list evolves...

Bands want free booze, free pussy*, and a party that revolves around THEM.... at least at first.

If they grow up, they want free food, cheap booze, and sex with their spouses (it's called "getting some strange").

If they become a profit-oriented endeavor, they want a good show that attracts a crowd that allows them to negotiate a higher fee for return engagements.

As for what they want out of production, that seems to vary from band to band, but an over-the-top light show (appropriate to genre) and monitors they can hear well seem to top the list.

YMMV.

*ps.  I found out there is no more free pussy... our local Humane Society is charging $99 for cat adoption under 6 months of age - includes spay/neuter, microchip implant, vaccinations and a claw trimming.

pps.  Old pussy is free, I just found out... cats over 9 months.

[Keith Billik]

From someone who has been on the stage far more than behind the soundboard:

- The band wants to have confidence in you. If a musician plays a whole show in constant fear of the next feedback spike, or wonders if anyone out front can even hear their vocals, that makes for a bad show.
- The best way to instill confidence is by taking charge at soundcheck:

Rule #1: use a frikkin talkback mic! I can't stand the soundguys who shout back and forth across the venue to communicate.

Rule #2: Conduct soundcheck using clear instructions to the band, along with how and when you want them to chime in about monitor choices. The best way I have found is to check each source, and then tell each band member who wants it in their wedge to keep their hands up until it is loud enough. Next source, repeat.

Rule #3: Pay attention. If a band is staring at you waving their arms because you left the saxophone mic muted and you are playing Angry Birds, that is a problem.

... And what everyone else said. But these are the things you can control.

[Bill Hornibrook]

This may sound a bit cynical, but I've been in bands (both amateur and professional) for over 40 years.

1. Attention - especially from the ladies. It doesn't have to be sex. Most of these guys go through their week anonymously and unnoticed.  It makes their whole week if women think enough of them to even just look at them suggestively while they're onstage, let alone hang out with them on break or afterwards.

2. Booze. I'd say the majority of club musicians have merged playing music and drinking to the point where the two activities have become one. They can no longer separate them.

From a marketing standpoint, you don't want a shot of your equipment piled up neatly in a warehouse. You want it pictured in use - in a crowded club with scantily clad beauties smiling at the band, while a server is bringing up a tray filled with a round of shots.

[sam saponaro]

I find most soundmen shocked when I gig.As a lead singer/guitarist there jaw drops when my first request is to shut off my monitor(all but very large stages).
I find it weird how as a soundguy most people find the monitors so important in a small venue,cause as a musician I much prefer to listen back off the FOH.
But seriously I hate monitors seems you set a mix everyone is happy with,then 5 songs in,somebody wants more "this",then somebody else wants more"that",then somebody is drowned and wants more of themself,then as things go up the feedback starts.This also coralates with "as the booze flows" the bands get loud and can't hear over Johnny's guitar amp and the drummers inabilitie to not rimshot on every song.Running monitors off an AUX in the front sucks especially when you have 1 or 2 shared mixes. Seems to me lots of local bands(not all)expect concert style individual mixes out of a crappy single aux mix off the front.

[Paul Dershem]

A good mix to FOH, a good mix to the monitors, someone who understands, someone who's helpful, and someone that's not an asshole.

Absolutely! Human considerations are the most important and the most overlooked. It is entirely too common for "sound professionals" to behave as though knowledge/skill trumps interpersonal skills; without interpersonal skills, knowledge/skill is relatively worthless.

As a bassist, a sound professional who will collaborate with me to make the bass sound good is priceless; usually, it's, "Plug into this $49 Whirlwind DI (they don't care that I brought a Countryman, a Radial, or a Reddi) and shut up." When it comes to sound preferences, the guitarist gets 10 minutes; the bassist gets 30 seconds.

[Lee Wright]

Thanks for the large number of helpful comments some of which I hadn't thought of.

I think we all agree that an awesome monitor mix is high on the agenda.    As far as getting the audience up & dancing goes,  I find getting a really solid kick drum & bass makes a big difference - they need to hear that beat.  I almost aways run subs.  Good point about getting in good with the venue manager.   Good point about impressing the ladies - bands seem to be mostly guys.  Good point about the difference in band maturity.  Good point about building rapport with the band.  I don't go as far as Googling their guitar amps but I find it's good to find out their names.  Yes one does sound more authoritative & in charge over the talkback.  I used to have my own foldback down at the mixer - that was pretty useful.  Yep - interpersonal skills are important in any business.

So how's this for an ad:

Want to be a Rock God?  Want your audience going beserk on the dance floor?
Want to actually hear yourself in foldback?  Want to be hot with the ladies – even if you’re the bass player?   Want the venue to ask you back? Then hire us for your next event

[Ned Ward]

+1 to what Bob said.

As the "don't quit your day job" band, things we like (some of which may or may not be under your control)

Easy parking, easy load-in/out - much rather play at a bar/club with drive up parking and easy roll-in than carry amps & drums up the outside stairs of death to a cramped 2nd floor. Ample parking for the fans, even better.

Reasonably priced food/drinks - We played one bar where the "special" beer price was $5 for a Bud until 8pm, and then went to $10. We didn't play there after that and the club went under since. We're happy to bring fans who will order food and drinks, but not at moron prices - we're in the South Bay, not some hipster club north of LAX (I don't get out much).

Communication, communication, communication - having a stage layout and available backline listed on your website is helpful, but please use feet vs. inches (yes, there is a bar in the South Bay that does this. Their measurements are also off.) Also if your website states you have a full drumkit, it may be helpful to let bands know to bring their own snare/stand, cymbals, and drum pedals. (I understand this may be more common and yet another sign that we're that clueless as a band). Let us know how early we can load-in and set up. We're fine only getting a line check. Letting us know ahead of time that sound checks aren't allowed prior to X o'clock  is fine as well. Again, communication is great.

Clean power at the backline and front of stage for amps and pedalboards. Doesn't need to be OA Windsor boxes, but daisy-chained power strips do not inspire confidence. I'll still have my 2 Hum-X iso transformers just in case.

Strong vocals in the monitors, if nothing else. We can self mix around that, and our first song is really all about FOH getting a handle on the full band with all 3-4 of us singing and regular/lead levels. If after that song we need a little of something else, we'll politely ask. If there's only 1 monitor mix, that's fine - let us know what you can do and we'll figure it out (again, communication)

A few complimentary beverages go a long way and are appreciated. Doesn't have to be a case, but 1-2 per band member (water, soda, beer) are great. If you have towels since i sweat more than Bruce Springsteen, I will be a die-hard fan of that venue forever.

Again, I'm at the low end of the food chain, but imagine that some of these probably ring true through clubs and larger venues.

[Ned Ward]

So how's this for an ad:

Want to be a Rock God?  Want your audience going beserk on the dance floor?
Want to actually hear yourself in foldback?  Want to be hot with the ladies – even if you’re the drummer?   Want the venue to ask you back? Then hire us for your next event

Fixed it for ya...


Actually, I'd talk about making the band sound great; not sure you need to throw in the hot with the ladies. If they have confidence, sound good and can hear themselves, they will be hot with the ladies.

[Bob Leonard]

I agree Ned. That thing about the babes has never been a problem for you or I.

[Bill Hornibrook]

So how's this for an ad:

Want to be a Rock God?  Want your audience going beserk on the dance floor?
Want to actually hear yourself in foldback?  Want to be hot with the ladies – even if you’re the bass player?   Want the venue to ask you back? Then hire us for your next event

I don't think I'd make it that blatant. The big sell is always in experience and past success - a list of clubs and bands you've dealt with, festivals, perhaps a few testimonials... that sort of thing. Bands want to hook up with a winner.

But when it comes time for those photo shoots, make it look like there's a party going on No photos of gear stacked somewhere, or set up before the show in an empty room (I see this quite a bit, and it conveys absolutely the wrong message).

[ProSoundWeb Community]