When I was 17 (I'm 46 now) I saw Motorhead in the Sunderland Empire theatre. Motorhead's most recent album was ''Eat the rich''. Motorhead weren't very popular at the time, it was a world of Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake and Motley Crue. The Empire Theatre could seat a couple of thousand people I would say, but on that day Motorhead had less than 50 people in the audience. You could tell Lemmy wasn't happy, he said he'd sold out stadiums. Thing was though, for the small bunch of fans there on that day, it was an EPIC experience. I was 10 feet away from Lemmy. It was like having him play in your house. The moral of my story is simple, a bad day for the band can be an awesome day for the fans.
I saw Motorhead once, in 1995, in Milwaukee WI on a week night of a cold winter. It was the Overnight Sensation album/tour (a dark era in Motorhead's career). Same scenario, about 50 people in a room for 1,000. However they did not play very well, in fact the whole thing was a bit of a mess until they got to the classic tunes at the end of the set. I will forever regret not seeing them again in a better setting.
I saw Krokus YEARS ago in an almost empty theater that could hold a few thousand. The singer said “our manager told us to cancel the show!! We said fuck that we’re playing!!!” They walked down the aisles giving high fives to the few that showed. That I remember it so vividly shows small crowds can still equal a big show/experience.
I've been there too. I feel your pain. My band drove 3 hours to an out of town gig and got lost. This was before GPS and all those helpful tech resources that are now at our disposal. When we got there the place was packed, which offset our initial panic . We were both naive and elated. When we got to the venue there was absolutely no parking, which to us meant we wouldn't be playing to empty room. I mean who drives hours to a gig to play to an empty house? We felt like rock stars .When we went inside all the bands agreed to give us the headlining slot. Little did we realize what was to come. The local band before us had the place jam packed. We stuck around and caught all bands. No sooner had the band before us finish did all locals including all previous bands packed up and headed straight for the door. We learned the hard way that the locals only supported local bands. We set up and played to two people. One was the bartender who had no reason to be there, now that all the locals had left. She threw her apron down and made a beeline to the most convienent exit. Adding insult to injury the sound person, the second person followed the bartender's lead, leaving outside two songs in. We played our set and left feeling defeated. And to make matters worse the person who was supposed to put us up that night bailed on us. We tried to get a room at a motel or anywhere in town but everywhere was booked. With no options or even a Plan C. we parked on the beach and hung out til the sun rose. We talked all night and even laughed it off. I still remember that sunrise even after all these years...
Same exact thing happened to us, we were from Northern California, doing a Southern California mini tour(8-10 hr. Drive) One of the shows was in Orange County. Place was packed, we were listening just outside the door to the local band while tuning our guitars and setting up. The singer said”This is our last song” Audience says “Noooo” Singer says, “But there’s another band coming on after us” , someone in the audience says”F..k those guys!” Everyone else concurs😳We were thinking, oh no! When we went on stage we were playing for the staff and about maybe 4 others max, but they enjoyed it! And the staff apologized, and the few people there came up to us and said it was great...paying our dues 🙃
a friend said he saw Stevie Ray in a bar, 50 people, he played like an arena was filled.... aggressive, full stop, played to every audience member... and nailed it....
Stevie Ray was playing at Fat Dawgs in Lubbock for about 15 people one time. His fingers were bleeding because of the way he played so he asked the owner to give him some super glue to stop the bleeding. The owner said he didn't have to continue. Stevie Ray said, "These people came to hear live music and I came to play."
Van Halen got signed playing to an empty club because they put in 100% for the few people there. Had they put on a lackluster show we might have never heard of them.
ZZ Top played a concert to 1 person once. The guy still shows up to their shows and asks "remember me" for which they always say, "Of Course we do, how could we forget"
Right? when the band population is greater than the wait staff and audience combined, it really works against you. You either have to buck up and power through, or after 25 years I'm doing something else.
Been there before and it is not fun at all. In my case the lady behind the bar came to sing woth us as she was bored as well. Yet we soldier on cause it is what we love doing.
Dudes got a voice on him! I’m a drummer and an audio engineer. I’ve done house engineering jobs where a bunch of KILLER bands have torn the house down to basically me and the support acts and their girlfriends. It’s just one of those things. Doesn’t reflect the talent on stage and their worth as musicians etc. Love your videos, Rhett. 👌🏻
My first concert ever was an obscure Christian rock band called "Servant" that played in front of about 50 people in a room at a local college. That was 1980. I was 14. They totally rocked, and I loved it. My life was changed on that day, and I've been going to concerts and playing guitar and bass ever since. I reached out to one of the band members a few years ago via email to say thanks, and to let him know that even a small gig in an obscure place can have a profound impact on someone's life.
I saw primus play on tour in at shank hall in Milwaukee with around 8 people. A couple months later they were huge. They were awesome and friendly to boot!
Had one of those this weekend. Friday night, played to a jam packed bar, Saturday night, literally played to the bartenders. One of the risks of out of town shows, for sure.
Years ago I saw Lou Rawls do a matinee show at a lounge in Honolulu. Maybe a dozen people were in the audience. He and his full band gave it their all. After the show I expressed my appreciation (I've been a fan ever since). He said "You never know who's out there - could be a booking agent, could be someone casting for a movie. You owe it to your audience and yourself to be a pro." He was a pro's pro...
Every person that loves your music is the icing on the cake. Even few people made time to see you. Don't take it personal, it's out of your hands. It can have a million reasons like poor promotion, wrong season, everybody thinking, "Well, if I don't come it won't matter, one person less...". And we live in times in which many people confirm an appointment/event but then don't commit to it. It actually makes you grow and deal with your expectations.
Had the same experience 2 months ago but it also costed me my friends that I have known for like 18 years or so. Kinda too depressed to start a new band again.
@@zeevshaff we Reunited again but in a punk band form. The previous project fell kinda dead when I left and when their second guitarist quit the band had no writer/studio engineer anymore. We are writing stuff now and the tension is gone at least.
I know there is quite a difference in energy level between a crowd of 50, and a crowd of 5000 or more. So, if that buzz is what gets you going, maybe you could develop the same or very similar buzz, by shifting your inner game to give you that, then it doesn't matter if you are playing to one person, or to the entire planet. :) Ya can't control what's outside, but you can control what's inside, and the buzz is inside. :)
We played a show in a bar called the Ratt where we were playing for the bartender, 2 regulars that sat at the bar with their backs to us, and the other two bands. We had a blast! At least the 8 or 9 people watching us were digging it ... of course they were the other musicians who were in the exact same boat (a glorified dress rehearsal) but it was a lot of fun and camaraderie.
I’ve met one guy who saw Aerosmith at his school and there were just around 6 people because they were warming up the school dance. One year later he saw Kiss at a NY club where there was around 10 people. That’s how great bands begin, playing for themselves, then for their girlfriends and eventually you’ll have fans.
quality over quantity! Some of my favourite shows have been to 20-30 people (mostly house concerts and small event spaces). "All of the hours I spent on the road, outnumbered the people that came to the show. But it could be my last, so I'll play at full blast, then I'll pack up my gear and I'll go" - from my tune "I Can Sleep Anywhere"
I’ve played to just the bartender and the other bands on the bill before. It still turned out fun but it’s definitely a humbling experience for sure. Makes you grateful for any size audience.
In 1993, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, I walked by a small little Italian carryout joint called the Pasta Bucket and playing inside were 3 guys blasting punk rock. Nobody was paying attention really, but one song of theirs stuck with me. Realized a year later we were watching Green Day.
i played in a casino regularly for years. it was a boat. we played in the restaurant. the first time i played there, it was a packed house. during the first set they announced boarding for the next gaming session. the entire room stood up and walked out in the middle of a song. humbling. very humbling
awesome solo there Rhett. Your singer has an amazing voice. Keep it up. even if there are only 5 people in the audience you made THEIR day and it means a difference for them. think of it as an expensive (time wise) sound/practice session :) keep it up
I’m glad you posted this...as you said, it happens to everybody now and again. You have to love what you do; your band, your music, (ideally both lol). Also, your tone is killing; esp that octave fuzz solo at sound check. 👍👍
I really enjoy your vids Rhett. Had the internet and your channel existed 45 years ago I would have had a totally different career as a drummer rather than an mech engineer. I for whatever reason didn’t have the fortitude to go after what I wanted. I was afraid of it. To get over an empty room. To put in perspective all the other downsides you talk about. I enjoy watching you grow as a player. I very much appreciate the professionalism you practice. Thanks for all the really good stuff.
My personal situation is very different. I'm disabled, I have epilepsy. I've had my drivers license taken away. Having to depend on mass transit to get around in New Jersey is a nightmare. I can't find anyone who can play the music I write so I'm stuck being a solo artist. When I do get out and perform I'm busking. And since I can't drive I either have to load my gear onto a bike trailer and ride my bike someplace and perform. Or I put my gear on a hand cart, walk through the field behind my apartment building to a highway A bus runs on. And I'm always doing this alone. On the night you've made this video about, you drive to your gig in what looks like a very comfy car. You had a nice lady accompanying you. You played inside, (the only time I play under a roof there are trains going by me). You were able to set up your equipment and walk away from it. You could take a break between setting up your equipment and playing. You got to play with a cute little doggie during the break. And I'm willing to bet that you folks were paid, and that you were paid the amount that was agreed upon. You didn't have to deal with "Well You Didn't Bring In As Many People As I Thought You Would". You described this as being a "Really Tough" gig. But it looks like a night of luxury to me. I'm not judging I just wanted to speak my mind.
Thank you for this video. I honestly just stumbled on this randomly from my suggested videos. I have been through the same shows many times and it is tough, but you always keep your head up because every single soul that connects to your music is what really matters. I was amazed when you pulled into The Firmament, my very first show was there. Greenville is my hometown and I have played there countless times, sometimes to hundreds and sometimes to much less. Being based in Greenville can be a challenge as I don’t see much support from this area at times and it can be very disheartening. To see you guys share a similar experience and come out positive is so uplifting to me, especially seeing it happen in my backyard.
Once dated a girl who wanted to go see a particular band one Friday night at a local hall. Literally other than the lead singers son showing up about halfway thru the show we were the only people. The band was decent, I felt terrible for them. Just one of those nights.
We had a gig playing in ATL piedmont park. We were under the impression we are playing on the main stage in a 3000 people event but discovered once we got there that we are on a stage located at the worst area ever (reception). After we refused to play there we looked around for an alternative location that was practically on the kids playing area. We started playing after we only had 15 min to sound check (after setting up the stage ourselves). After the first song we were playing for 1000 people. Improvise and never loose hope 😀
The winter of 1989-90, I had recently got out of the Army and my brother's band had a gig at the Port Lyden Hotel in upstate NY. My brother asked me if I could pick up the sound man in Rome NY and drive him to the gig. The whole trip should have been an hour and a half in good weather. However, an ice storm decided to set the mood for the evening. Getting to Rome wasn't too bad but from Rome to Port Lyden was like driving on the mountains of Korea. Every ten minutes we pulled over to scrape ice off the windshield. After a few hours we made it to the gig and we glad we left early. It was a Saturday night and because of the storm the bar was empty. Storm or no storm, the show must go on. It was a paying gig so for the next three hours the band rocked the house for three people. When the show was over and it was time to break down the equipment, we all chipped in and helped. Except, the guitar player. He was at the bar getting hammered. It was a learning experience for the band and a memory that will stick. The guitar player on the other hand, he left the band to play back up for Joe Bonamasa and eventually was canned by Joe's dad for his drinking. Just like the show, life goes on.
Yes, I'm glad you shared this episodes. Back in 1977, I was working selling T-shirts on the Fleetwood Mac Rumors tour. We had show in the Miami Ball park followed by a show in the Orlando Tangerine Bowl. This was the first time they had held a concert at the Tangerine Bowl which has a capacity of 60,000. The line up was Kenny Loggins, Bob Seager, Chick Corea and Fleetwood Mac as the headliner. They messed up the scheduling so everything was running late.. They brought on Fleetwood Mac as the 3rd act and they finished up at around 10 PM. They kept making announcements to stick around for Chick Corea, over the stadium's PA but most people left. I checked in my remaining product and went to sit down on a blanket on the stadium field with some people I had just met and watched the show. Probably half the people there were passed out from too much alcohol or whatever and there was nobody in the stands. Chick Corea and Return to Forever came out and played a nice little "Private concert for those that were left. My new friends told me that this was the act they came to see. Chick Corea told the audience that they appreciated us sticking around and they really liked playing for us. It was an even better show than they put on the day before in Miami.
6 years ago I played a July 4th show to 4,000 people in an electric audience that I still consider one of the best shows of my life. 2 days later we played in a different casino to less than 10 people. It was disappointing, but we still gave 100%. My drummer was the one that put it in perspective for me before the show. His view was that we were making the same money we made 2 nights ago, why should we give less than our best? So we did. We had a lot of fun. And the few people that were there ended up becoming long term friends of the band. They followed us to the next 5 shows we had, got drunk with us after the show, one even manned our merch table for us when our sound engineer's wife got sick. I love that you posted this man. Not every show is perfect, but if you want to do this for a living, you can't leave anything backstage. Good luck in your future endeavors.
Some of the best times I have ever had as a fan and a musician have been when it was a small amount of people with the band, both ways playing out and being a spectator.
Unfortunately...pay to play is not a road you want to go down and lots of musicians know what I mean. The best example I can give of such is when you are trying to break onto a circuit in new clubs and you have no big draw name...the club owner says he will let you play if you sell a block of tickets and may even set a minimum of what you must sell. And you aren't getting paid. It is an audition you paid to put on and you are often one of the opening bands. If you are any good at all you may be used during the week opening for lesser name bands.
@@RhettShull that club didn’t last very long. Crappy management and very lackluster bookings. Never saw more than 200 people there for any show. Hate you had to go through that, but life goes on. BTW, love your videos!
That shot from the car dashboard to the studio monitors was so freakin awesome. Rhett you really know how to make cool vlogs and you are really good in making videos and ofcourse playing guitar.
Just watched your fuzz episode....then watched you employ the fuzz octave awesomely during soundcheck. Love the channel. Yours is the first channel I watch with any regularity. Keep it up!
Back with my metal band, in France, 2009 or something, we play in a very shitty humid cave in Orleans, 10 people in front of us, can't touch microphones because of electricity shocks. In middle of the set I break a string (on a floyd rose guitar obviously), barely change the strings in panic with complete silence from the audience and keep hurting my right hand because some part of the string gets out of the bridge. NOT A GREAT GIG.
I live in the ATL area as well and one once my band drove to Clarksville Tenn to play a show with a bigger named band headlining, well the place held around 250 and it was packed! The headliner decided to play 2nd ( our slot on a 3 band bill) and have us play last. Well after they played everyone left, cause they came to see the headliner, and we played to literally 2 people!! Sucked but it made us stronger and I believe we still got our guarantee.
On the converse side, my band was booked to support a national band at our local club, and the crowd left after we played. We played our contracted 45 min set and packed up in 8 minutes to clear the deck, and they weren't ready to go on until an hour after we finished, farting around in the "green room". They even brought their own PA, but made us play through the house system....It was not fun for them, but that's what they get
You've got a great band! Everyone wants to play a sold out show, few get to play with their friends. I believe it's best to play for your own selves and for each other before anyone else. Being popular/successful (however you define those terms) is very important but so is having a great time on stage regardless of the circumstances.
I have experienced the same problems. I've played for crowds who don't like you at all. No matter how much you try to please them. I think that worse than an empty house sometimes. The only thing you can is persevere and move on. Take it as a learning lesson. My short time in a band. 7 years as a club/ garage band Peace.
Had you not said anything, we would not have known by the video. Thanks for being so transparent. This has happened to my bands so many times, and usually due to weather. I've played to packed and empty rooms, but I take a page from Gene Simmons' book (at least I remember this being attributed him or Paul Stanley), you play every show like it's the biggest you will ever have and you play your best so that even the person in the cheapest seat in the last row is equally important. Seems to win people over.
I love that comment from bottleneck1100. When I was 17 I remember seeing a band play in my local town. There were hardly any people in the pub - this was a new band just getting going. But I was right up close to the guitarist, and as I was trying to learn guitar I could really see what notes he was playing. At the end the vocalist gave me a photo of the band I was seriously happy. Only goes to show, even if you are just playing to a few people, if you are really feeling the music you never know who you may touch or whose spirits you still may lift. Great video by the way and thanks for sharing - I guess it's not always so easy for a band to open up about their lower points.
The artistic expressions is independent of external stimuli. The live sound is mesmerizing....I got my Sennheiser HD to listen to this beautiful air waves:)
Carolyn Wonderland and Guy Forsyth always team up for Christmas shows around texas. Sometimes very small turnout for those but still an amazing show and a small but appreciative crowd. They just have fun playing together no matter who is there. Stumbled on to one of those shows on the San Antonio river walk and it was great.
My band once played at a show where there were supposed to be over 400 people in attendance. Literally not one person came but the crew that usually travels with us. It's a good time to look at your reflection and ask why you play music. I spilled my heart out in that show. Not really sure where i wanted to go with this comment. If you give yourself to music and completely lose your ego, music will give back. It's literally a relationship between you and music. I always say I play to an audience of 1. Good video Rhett.
My favourite artist, James Freud, did a solo album in the late 80’s and did a tour in support of the album. I saw his gig at the Newcastle Workers Club. Only about 30 people showed up in a room that held about 1500. Still cannot believe to this day that the show went ahead. RIP James💕
Hey Rhett, we've all been there and all the greats have been there, too. :-) I love your singers voice and your band sound! Just keep playing and pushing forward. Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.
first of all love the wife's attitude your late you drove. as a love sound engineer i have mixed shows when there was no one there and some of them have been the best shows ever and the people that made it had a blast and will tell people about what they missed always looking forward. i like the transparency of your channel thanks for sharing.
Years ago I saw Lou Rawls do an afternoon show in the lounge at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu - there were maybe a dozen people in the audience, including a kid nursing his first legal drink (me). Rawls had a crackerjack band, and together they performed as if it were a sold-out show at the Hollywood bowl - he gave it all he had. Not only was I blown away, but I learned a handful of extremely valuable life lessons that day; about what it really means to be a pro, about always doing one's best, about never assuming that maybe the most important connection you'll ever make (a booking agent, a movie director or television producer, etc in this case) isn't sitting in the back of the room - and more. I became a Rawls fan for life that afternoon, thought about that show many times over the years, told the story often, and was sad to eventually hear of his passing. It would be a SO much better world if we all could do as I saw him do that day...
those empty gigs are fun gigs, intimate and gives rise to the "I play on stage for free but get paid for the travel," motto. The people that bought tickets, came out, those are true fans, true supporters, true music believers and you made their lives all the better that night imho
Building character is never enjoyable but it is always remembered. Good job my friend 👍 the show must go on and those 60 people deserved the great show you guys gave them😊
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When I was 17 (I'm 46 now) I saw Motorhead in the Sunderland Empire theatre. Motorhead's most recent album was ''Eat the rich''. Motorhead weren't very popular at the time, it was a world of Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake and Motley Crue. The Empire Theatre could seat a couple of thousand people I would say, but on that day Motorhead had less than 50 people in the audience. You could tell Lemmy wasn't happy, he said he'd sold out stadiums. Thing was though, for the small bunch of fans there on that day, it was an EPIC experience. I was 10 feet away from Lemmy. It was like having him play in your house. The moral of my story is simple, a bad day for the band can be an awesome day for the fans.
Love that story, thanks for sharing!
It's the Rock & Roll album (1987) ... Eat The Rich was one of the singles.
I saw Motorhead once, in 1995, in Milwaukee WI on a week night of a cold winter. It was the Overnight Sensation album/tour (a dark era in Motorhead's career). Same scenario, about 50 people in a room for 1,000. However they did not play very well, in fact the whole thing was a bit of a mess until they got to the classic tunes at the end of the set. I will forever regret not seeing them again in a better setting.
Definitely! And When you start there are more empty rooms than anything else...
Cheers!
I saw Krokus YEARS ago in an almost empty theater that could hold a few thousand. The singer said “our manager told us to cancel the show!! We said fuck that we’re playing!!!”
They walked down the aisles giving high fives to the few that showed. That I remember it so vividly shows small crowds can still equal a big show/experience.
I've been there too. I feel your pain. My band drove 3 hours to an out of town gig and got lost. This was before GPS and all those helpful tech resources that are now at our disposal. When we got there the place was packed, which offset our initial panic . We were both naive and elated. When we got to the venue there was absolutely no parking, which to us meant we wouldn't be playing to empty room. I mean who drives hours to a gig to play to an empty house? We felt like rock stars .When we went inside all the bands agreed to give us the headlining slot. Little did we realize what was to come. The local band before us had the place jam packed. We stuck around and caught all bands. No sooner had the band before us finish did all locals including all previous bands packed up and headed straight for the door. We learned the hard way that the locals only supported local bands. We set up and played to two people. One was the bartender who had no reason to be there, now that all the locals had left. She threw her apron down and made a beeline to the most convienent exit. Adding insult to injury the sound person, the second person followed the bartender's lead, leaving outside two songs in. We played our set and left feeling defeated. And to make matters worse the person who was supposed to put us up that night bailed on us. We tried to get a room at a motel or anywhere in town but everywhere was booked. With no options or even a Plan C. we parked on the beach and hung out til the sun rose. We talked all night and even laughed it off. I still remember that sunrise even after all these years...
Dude - That was a great story!
Dang it man...that’s the kind of stuff that builds character honestly
Great story
hey, if nothing else, its a free, full rehearsal that i assume you get paid for. better than a poke n the eye with a sharp stick! :)
Same exact thing happened to us, we were from Northern California, doing a Southern California mini tour(8-10 hr. Drive) One of the shows was in Orange County. Place was packed, we were listening just outside the door to the local band while tuning our guitars and setting up. The singer said”This is our last song” Audience says “Noooo” Singer says, “But there’s another band coming on after us” , someone in the audience says”F..k those guys!” Everyone else concurs😳We were thinking, oh no! When we went on stage we were playing for the staff and about maybe 4 others max, but they enjoyed it! And the staff apologized, and the few people there came up to us and said it was great...paying our dues 🙃
I consider empty shows to be free practice
xTwistedxRagex more like paying to practice.
Free practice with a good PA and a sound engineer so you can get a new perspective on your live sound that you won't get in your practice sessions
@@InfinityReptar always see good in bad
DrNickRiveria I was just pointing out that it wasn't free lol
Or you can patronize the bar a bit more. I've experienced both.
a friend said he saw Stevie Ray in a bar, 50 people, he played like an arena was filled.... aggressive, full stop, played to every audience member... and nailed it....
Awesome
for those that got to see him in such a small intimate setting before he died THAT must of been EPIC
Stevie Ray was playing at Fat Dawgs in Lubbock for about 15 people one time. His fingers were bleeding because of the way he played so he asked the owner to give him some super glue to stop the bleeding. The owner said he didn't have to continue. Stevie Ray said, "These people came to hear live music and I came to play."
Van Halen got signed playing to an empty club because they put in 100% for the few people there.
Had they put on a lackluster show we might have never heard of them.
Gene Simmons was there.
Fuck Gene Simmons in his rumpled ass
Awesome
Back in the day, we called it a live rehearsal. Just about every major stadium act today started off playing to 10 people. It's no big deal.
Yes but also add in soundcheck
That dude can sing !!! I once saw Big Daddy Weave play and I was 1 of 3 people in attendance.
Mark Wow that is sad. Only three people in the audience of one the biggest Christian bands out there.
@crazy turk turk Hey ,less than smart person, are you not paying attention? It happens in any genre.
@@gsav-o1539 great music, strange name. Goes for a lot of amazing groups that don't get much following, sadly.
Pink Floyd did it first. Played in an empty Pompeii amphitheater in the 70s
I keep hoping Eddie Van Halen will someday play “Eruption” at the Pompeii Amphitheater...
I thought it was empty on purpose, I have the DVD and it didn't occur to me😂
Save for the two kids that snuck in and got to watch the whole thing.
@@50Something yep, it was empty on purpose.
It was because of the volcano.
Drove 4.5 hrs to play for 5 people.
Was it worth it?
@@versnellingspookie haha
I've done that too. I feel your pain.
shiit men that sucks
I've heard a musician is a person who loads a thousand bucks of gear on a five hundred dollar car to drive two hours to a fifty dollar gig.
ZZ Top played a concert to 1 person once. The guy still shows up to their shows and asks "remember me" for which they always say, "Of Course we do, how could we forget"
Dude.....under a 100 persons is still pretty good sometime! Played for the barmaid and her boyfriend for about an hour once! I feel your pain.✌️
Right? when the band population is greater than the wait staff and audience combined, it really works against you. You either have to buck up and power through, or after 25 years I'm doing something else.
Been there before and it is not fun at all. In my case the lady behind the bar came to sing woth us as she was bored as well. Yet we soldier on cause it is what we love doing.
And her boyfriend, oof
Ed sheeran said that he once was playing a show in London. Nobody showed up, so he ended up playing for the soundman only.
@@Starcrunch72 it's pretty common for ska bands to have a bigger band than audiance
Whow that guy can sing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gary Moseley I came looking for a comment on the singer.
Indeed, The guitar player goes darn good too!! :D
agree 1000%
Dudes got a voice on him! I’m a drummer and an audio engineer. I’ve done house engineering jobs where a bunch of KILLER bands have torn the house down to basically me and the support acts and their girlfriends. It’s just one of those things. Doesn’t reflect the talent on stage and their worth as musicians etc. Love your videos, Rhett. 👌🏻
I'm sure some of them also secretly enjoy the intimate and personal setting after so many hectic nights in a row.
My first concert ever was an obscure Christian rock band called "Servant" that played in front of about 50 people in a room at a local college. That was 1980. I was 14. They totally rocked, and I loved it. My life was changed on that day, and I've been going to concerts and playing guitar and bass ever since. I reached out to one of the band members a few years ago via email to say thanks, and to let him know that even a small gig in an obscure place can have a profound impact on someone's life.
You never know who Is in the crowd. It always has to be your best show.
Great vocals, I mean great! That P-90 guitar sounds killah!
I play to my dog a lot.He seems to dig it.
I saw primus play on tour in at shank hall in Milwaukee with around 8 people. A couple months later they were huge. They were awesome and friendly to boot!
Lucky!
Primus sucks
Had one of those this weekend. Friday night, played to a jam packed bar, Saturday night, literally played to the bartenders. One of the risks of out of town shows, for sure.
Years ago I saw Lou Rawls do a matinee show at a lounge in Honolulu. Maybe a dozen people were in the audience. He and his full band gave it their all. After the show I expressed my appreciation (I've been a fan ever since). He said "You never know who's out there - could be a booking agent, could be someone casting for a movie. You owe it to your audience and yourself to be a pro." He was a pro's pro...
Finally one person who is honest about these topics.
"You're late. You drove." Love it.
Every person that loves your music is the icing on the cake. Even few people made time to see you. Don't take it personal, it's out of your hands. It can have a million reasons like poor promotion, wrong season, everybody thinking, "Well, if I don't come it won't matter, one person less...". And we live in times in which many people confirm an appointment/event but then don't commit to it.
It actually makes you grow and deal with your expectations.
This was really inspiring. Sadly, my band broke up today so kinda bummed but fr this video inspired me to keep pushing. Thank you
Ive been through that twice already. You'll get a better gig, trust me!
Had the same experience 2 months ago but it also costed me my friends that I have known for like 18 years or so. Kinda too depressed to start a new band again.
Did you find another band??
@@shagstars never give up because of the people you love. Fight for what matters to you!!
@@zeevshaff we Reunited again but in a punk band form. The previous project fell kinda dead when I left and when their second guitarist quit the band had no writer/studio engineer anymore. We are writing stuff now and the tension is gone at least.
I know there is quite a difference in energy level between a crowd of 50, and a crowd of 5000 or more. So, if that buzz is what gets you going, maybe you could develop the same or very similar buzz, by shifting your inner game to give you that, then it doesn't matter if you are playing to one person, or to the entire planet. :) Ya can't control what's outside, but you can control what's inside, and the buzz is inside. :)
In Singapore, getting 5 new people at a local gig to show up is a blessing!
The thing is, you may play that gig to less than 100 people, but you never know who is in that crowd of less than 100 people.
Better to have a small audience that cares than a big one that doesn't
Luke Rossi that depends... only 50 people might mean a loss of revenue
We played a show in a bar called the Ratt where we were playing for the bartender, 2 regulars that sat at the bar with their backs to us, and the other two bands. We had a blast! At least the 8 or 9 people watching us were digging it ... of course they were the other musicians who were in the exact same boat (a glorified dress rehearsal) but it was a lot of fun and camaraderie.
Seriously how can Noah sing with so much soul and his voice is clean and healthy every gig. He's amazing.
I’ve met one guy who saw Aerosmith at his school and there were just around 6 people because they were warming up the school dance. One year later he saw Kiss at a NY club where there was around 10 people. That’s how great bands begin, playing for themselves, then for their girlfriends and eventually you’ll have fans.
What a voice!!
quality over quantity! Some of my favourite shows have been to 20-30 people (mostly house concerts and small event spaces).
"All of the hours I spent on the road, outnumbered the people that came to the show. But it could be my last, so I'll play at full blast, then I'll pack up my gear and I'll go" - from my tune "I Can Sleep Anywhere"
I’ve played to just the bartender and the other bands on the bill before. It still turned out fun but it’s definitely a humbling experience for sure. Makes you grateful for any size audience.
In 1993, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, I walked by a small little Italian carryout joint called the Pasta Bucket and playing inside were 3 guys blasting punk rock. Nobody was paying attention really, but one song of theirs stuck with me. Realized a year later we were watching Green Day.
That pink guitar sounds fantastic!
Thats rock nroll for ya man, the hard times, the good times, and the worst of times, it makes you or vreaks you, and you guys are on your way!
i played in a casino regularly for years. it was a boat. we played in the restaurant. the first time i played there, it was a packed house. during the first set they announced boarding for the next gaming session. the entire room stood up and walked out in the middle of a song. humbling. very humbling
You guys are amazing man but your posture is killing us both
awesome solo there Rhett. Your singer has an amazing voice. Keep it up. even if there are only 5 people in the audience you made THEIR day and it means a difference for them. think of it as an expensive (time wise) sound/practice session :) keep it up
At least you had a vibe going on. Amazing band, amazing energy...
I’m glad you posted this...as you said, it happens to everybody now and again. You have to love what you do; your band, your music, (ideally both lol). Also, your tone is killing; esp that octave fuzz solo at sound check. 👍👍
I really enjoy your vids Rhett. Had the internet and your channel existed 45 years ago I would have had a totally different career as a drummer rather than an mech engineer. I for whatever reason didn’t have the fortitude to go after what I wanted. I was afraid of it. To get over an empty room. To put in perspective all the other downsides you talk about. I enjoy watching you grow as a player. I very much appreciate the professionalism you practice. Thanks for all the really good stuff.
My personal situation is very different. I'm disabled, I have epilepsy. I've had my drivers license taken away. Having to depend on mass transit to get around in New Jersey is a nightmare. I can't find anyone who can play the music I write so I'm stuck being a solo artist. When I do get out and perform I'm busking. And since I can't drive I either have to load my gear onto a bike trailer and ride my bike someplace and perform. Or I put my gear on a hand cart, walk through the field behind my apartment building to a highway A bus runs on. And I'm always doing this alone.
On the night you've made this video about, you drive to your gig in what looks like a very comfy car. You had a nice lady accompanying you. You played inside, (the only time I play under a roof there are trains going by me). You were able to set up your equipment and walk away from it. You could take a break between setting up your equipment and playing. You got to play with a cute little doggie during the break. And I'm willing to bet that you folks were paid, and that you were paid the amount that was agreed upon. You didn't have to deal with "Well You Didn't Bring In As Many People As I Thought You Would".
You described this as being a "Really Tough" gig. But it looks like a night of luxury to me.
I'm not judging I just wanted to speak my mind.
You all were KILLING! Great song, singing, playing, & tone. So good!!! Digging the channel. Thanks!
Thank you for this video. I honestly just stumbled on this randomly from my suggested videos. I have been through the same shows many times and it is tough, but you always keep your head up because every single soul that connects to your music is what really matters.
I was amazed when you pulled into The Firmament, my very first show was there. Greenville is my hometown and I have played there countless times, sometimes to hundreds and sometimes to much less. Being based in Greenville can be a challenge as I don’t see much support from this area at times and it can be very disheartening. To see you guys share a similar experience and come out positive is so uplifting to me, especially seeing it happen in my backyard.
This band sounds great!
Once dated a girl who wanted to go see a particular band one Friday night at a local hall. Literally other than the lead singers son showing up about halfway thru the show we were the only people. The band was decent, I felt terrible for them. Just one of those nights.
Really appreciate you Rhett, and benefit from your work greatly...!
We had a gig playing in ATL piedmont park. We were under the impression we are playing on the main stage in a 3000 people event but discovered once we got there that we are on a stage located at the worst area ever (reception). After we refused to play there we looked around for an alternative location that was practically on the kids playing area. We started playing after we only had 15 min to sound check (after setting up the stage ourselves). After the first song we were playing for 1000 people. Improvise and never loose hope 😀
Nice man!
Amazing story! What band do you play in dude?
ofir or Go Israel ! What’s your band?
Not even going to plug your band :(
The winter of 1989-90, I had recently got out of the Army and my brother's band had a gig at the Port Lyden Hotel in upstate NY. My brother asked me if I could pick up the sound man in Rome NY and drive him to the gig. The whole trip should have been an hour and a half in good weather. However, an ice storm decided to set the mood for the evening. Getting to Rome wasn't too bad but from Rome to Port Lyden was like driving on the mountains of Korea. Every ten minutes we pulled over to scrape ice off the windshield.
After a few hours we made it to the gig and we glad we left early. It was a Saturday night and because of the storm the bar was empty. Storm or no storm, the show must go on. It was a paying gig so for the next three hours the band rocked the house for three people. When the show was over and it was time to break down the equipment, we all chipped in and helped. Except, the guitar player. He was at the bar getting hammered.
It was a learning experience for the band and a memory that will stick. The guitar player on the other hand, he left the band to play back up for Joe Bonamasa and eventually was canned by Joe's dad for his drinking. Just like the show, life goes on.
The soundman, the headliner and the bartender always have nice things to say. lol
Playing to 3 old men and a dog?..... perfect dress rehearsal, enjoy your sound, enjoy the band sound and lock in!
Gotta be one of the best singers I've heard in a while. Wow. My soul has been touched
Yes, I'm glad you shared this episodes. Back in 1977, I was working selling T-shirts on the Fleetwood Mac Rumors tour. We had show in the Miami Ball park followed by a show in the Orlando Tangerine Bowl. This was the first time they had held a concert at the Tangerine Bowl which has a capacity of 60,000. The line up was Kenny Loggins, Bob Seager, Chick Corea and Fleetwood Mac as the headliner. They messed up the scheduling so everything was running late.. They brought on Fleetwood Mac as the 3rd act and they finished up at around 10 PM. They kept making announcements to stick around for Chick Corea, over the stadium's PA but most people left. I checked in my remaining product and went to sit down on a blanket on the stadium field with some people I had just met and watched the show. Probably half the people there were passed out from too much alcohol or whatever and there was nobody in the stands. Chick Corea and Return to Forever came out and played a nice little "Private concert for those that were left. My new friends told me that this was the act they came to see. Chick Corea told the audience that they appreciated us sticking around and they really liked playing for us. It was an even better show than they put on the day before in Miami.
Deadly vocals, awesome song, tight! Name of band please
6 years ago I played a July 4th show to 4,000 people in an electric audience that I still consider one of the best shows of my life. 2 days later we played in a different casino to less than 10 people. It was disappointing, but we still gave 100%. My drummer was the one that put it in perspective for me before the show. His view was that we were making the same money we made 2 nights ago, why should we give less than our best? So we did. We had a lot of fun. And the few people that were there ended up becoming long term friends of the band. They followed us to the next 5 shows we had, got drunk with us after the show, one even manned our merch table for us when our sound engineer's wife got sick. I love that you posted this man. Not every show is perfect, but if you want to do this for a living, you can't leave anything backstage. Good luck in your future endeavors.
rhett your videos are awesome, touching on the ups/downs and in da middles.... and give people a gander of reality thanks so much..
Some of the best times I have ever had as a fan and a musician have been when it was a small amount of people with the band, both ways playing out and being a spectator.
Dude , i would pay to play with such a band you have , really great you are, what's the point?Please, please , please , enjoy the gift you have
You're right Pablo! Its a privilege to play with those guys!
Unfortunately...pay to play is not a road you want to go down and lots of musicians know what I mean. The best example I can give of such is when you are trying to break onto a circuit in new clubs and you have no big draw name...the club owner says he will let you play if you sell a block of tickets and may even set a minimum of what you must sell. And you aren't getting paid. It is an audition you paid to put on and you are often one of the opening bands. If you are any good at all you may be used during the week opening for lesser name bands.
@@RhettShull that club didn’t last very long. Crappy management and very lackluster bookings. Never saw more than 200 people there for any show. Hate you had to go through that, but life goes on. BTW, love your videos!
We call these “Paid Practices”
You get paid?
Mother of God... What a voice! That guy is insane... Also credits to whole band, great, tasty guitars, nice groove. Definitely deserve full house!
That shot from the car dashboard to the studio monitors was so freakin awesome. Rhett you really know how to make cool vlogs and you are really good in making videos and ofcourse playing guitar.
The Pyro cover is what got me hooked on this video. Solid stuff man.
Just watched your fuzz episode....then watched you employ the fuzz octave awesomely during soundcheck.
Love the channel. Yours is the first channel I watch with any regularity. Keep it up!
I’ve had as little as 8 people showing up, and 6 staff. Got to meet the entire audience, which was kinda cool.
Beautiful solo, man. Those who were there got lucky!
It did sound great. What was the name of the Octave pedal you were using at around 6:00? It sounded great
Jordan Dangelo i was wondering the same
I would've gone just for that solo at the beginning! dang man, sounds incredible.
That guitar lick at 4:27 gave me the chills! Smoooth!
Back with my metal band, in France, 2009 or something, we play in a very shitty humid cave in Orleans, 10 people in front of us, can't touch microphones because of electricity shocks. In middle of the set I break a string (on a floyd rose guitar obviously), barely change the strings in panic with complete silence from the audience and keep hurting my right hand because some part of the string gets out of the bridge. NOT A GREAT GIG.
I read that with a french accent
I need to mention that you, guys, sound *really* good! Unfortunate things happen, just keep up the great work! :)
I live in the ATL area as well and one once my band drove to Clarksville Tenn to play a show with a bigger named band headlining, well the place held around 250 and it was packed! The headliner decided to play 2nd ( our slot on a 3 band bill) and have us play last. Well after they played everyone left, cause they came to see the headliner, and we played to literally 2 people!! Sucked but it made us stronger and I believe we still got our guarantee.
On the converse side, my band was booked to support a national band at our local club, and the crowd left after we played. We played our contracted 45 min set and packed up in 8 minutes to clear the deck, and they weren't ready to go on until an hour after we finished, farting around in the "green room". They even brought their own PA, but made us play through the house system....It was not fun for them, but that's what they get
@@Starcrunch72 hahaha i'd love to see that. Which band was that btw?
You've got a great band! Everyone wants to play a sold out show, few get to play with their friends. I believe it's best to play for your own selves and for each other before anyone else. Being popular/successful (however you define those terms) is very important but so is having a great time on stage regardless of the circumstances.
Fantastic playing. Love that PRS :)
I have experienced the same problems.
I've played for crowds who don't like you at all. No matter how much you try to please them.
I think that worse than an empty house sometimes.
The only thing you can is persevere and move on.
Take it as a learning lesson.
My short time in a band.
7 years as a club/ garage band
Peace.
Holy crap. What a sound that was being missed out on. You guys still rocked that shit.
Had you not said anything, we would not have known by the video. Thanks for being so transparent. This has happened to my bands so many times, and usually due to weather. I've played to packed and empty rooms, but I take a page from Gene Simmons' book (at least I remember this being attributed him or Paul Stanley), you play every show like it's the biggest you will ever have and you play your best so that even the person in the cheapest seat in the last row is equally important. Seems to win people over.
The solo at 6:20. Just wow.
Your tone is amazing! Thanks for the great content as always!
You guys still give it 100%!! Love it!!
I love that comment from bottleneck1100. When I was 17 I remember seeing a band play in my local town. There were hardly any people in the pub - this was a new band just getting going. But I was right up close to the guitarist, and as I was trying to learn guitar I could really see what notes he was playing. At the end the vocalist gave me a photo of the band I was seriously happy. Only goes to show, even if you are just playing to a few people, if you are really feeling the music you never know who you may touch or whose spirits you still may lift. Great video by the way and thanks for sharing - I guess it's not always so easy for a band to open up about their lower points.
My first gig was at the "school for the deaf" in my hometown. No shit. It takes character and balls to share this man. Good on you all.
The artistic expressions is independent of external stimuli. The live sound is mesmerizing....I got my Sennheiser HD to listen to this beautiful air waves:)
Great video. It's nice to see the real side of a working professional musician esp. the non perfect aspects.
Carolyn Wonderland and Guy Forsyth always team up for Christmas shows around texas. Sometimes very small turnout for those but still an amazing show and a small but appreciative crowd. They just have fun playing together no matter who is there. Stumbled on to one of those shows on the San Antonio river walk and it was great.
My band once played at a show where there were supposed to be over 400 people in attendance. Literally not one person came but the crew that usually travels with us. It's a good time to look at your reflection and ask why you play music. I spilled my heart out in that show. Not really sure where i wanted to go with this comment. If you give yourself to music and completely lose your ego, music will give back. It's literally a relationship between you and music. I always say I play to an audience of 1. Good video Rhett.
My favourite artist, James Freud, did a
solo album in the late 80’s and did a tour in support of the album. I saw his gig at the Newcastle Workers Club. Only about 30 people showed up in a room that held about 1500. Still cannot believe to this day that the show went ahead. RIP James💕
Hey Rhett, we've all been there and all the greats have been there, too. :-)
I love your singers voice and your band sound!
Just keep playing and pushing forward. Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Flew from Puerto Rico to New York to play a show for around 10 people once... It was a fun trip anyways! (horrible backline tho!)
Bro this was honestly some good music. Keep it up.
Holy cow that dude has an incredible voice.
first of all love the wife's attitude your late you drove. as a love sound engineer i have mixed shows when there was no one there and some of them have been the best shows ever and the people that made it had a blast and will tell people about what they missed always looking forward. i like the transparency of your channel thanks for sharing.
Nice playing Rhett! You have a fan in me.
love the journal vids man. keep at it.
Love your band!!!!
Great guitar chops.... tone to die for..... thank you for sharing.....
Damn! What a set of pipes! Great job, boys.
Years ago I saw Lou Rawls do an afternoon show in the lounge at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu - there were maybe a dozen people in the audience, including a kid nursing his first legal drink (me). Rawls had a crackerjack band, and together they performed as if it were a sold-out show at the Hollywood bowl - he gave it all he had. Not only was I blown away, but I learned a handful of extremely valuable life lessons that day; about what it really means to be a pro, about always doing one's best, about never assuming that maybe the most important connection you'll ever make (a booking agent, a movie director or television producer, etc in this case) isn't sitting in the back of the room - and more. I became a Rawls fan for life that afternoon, thought about that show many times over the years, told the story often, and was sad to eventually hear of his passing. It would be a SO much better world if we all could do as I saw him do that day...
those empty gigs are fun gigs, intimate and gives rise to the "I play on stage for free but get paid for the travel," motto. The people that bought tickets, came out, those are true fans, true supporters, true music believers and you made their lives all the better that night imho
Building character is never enjoyable but it is always remembered. Good job my friend 👍 the show must go on and those 60 people deserved the great show you guys gave them😊