How do cruise ships, fiddle players, Joe Zawinul, percussive guitar, and taping lyrics to a kick drum all tie together? If you had asked Paul Kent and Dave Hamilton that question before they recorded this episode, they probably wouldn’t have had an answer. Now, though, not only do they have an answer, you do, too. Download or just press play Read more
Bars are intimidating things to some people. When was the last time you, as a musician, thought about that? It’s good to think about music from your audience’s perspective and consider the vibe that you’re creating for them… and that’s exactly what Paul Kent and Dave Hamilton talk about today. From attitude to song selection to choosing the actual room Read more
“Hey, would you like to do a project together?” It’s easy when your answer is “yes,” but what happens when it’s not? How do you deal with this now-difficult scenario? Paul and Dave talk through all of this for you today. We’re not sure they come up with the magic answer, but there might be a magic phrase or two Read more
How tough do the tough conversations get in your band? Today Paul and Dave talk through some of their experiences with that, especially as it relates to band members relative preparedness levels. Yeah, that’s a mouthful, and that’s not all there is in this episode. Your two favorite weekend warriors have been busy. Paul’s been digging into what it takes Read more
Today, Paul and Dave jump from subject to subject in a seemingly random fashion (hint: whatever they write next, it was random). But it’s never truly random, is it? Nope. This one is about ego. Seeing egos on stage, managing your own ego, when to have one, when to suppress it, and when to use strobe lights to manufacture it! (Ok, Read more
Today Paul and Dave get cerebral, which is fitting given where the conversation goes. Come sit at the Grown-Ups’ Table (just this once!) and enjoy a heady conversation about managing all day gigs, managing the song list, fostering FOMO and, of course, the “Sweet Home Alabama” vs. “Freewill” discussion. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Gig Gab 165 – Monday, May 14, 2018 00:01:24 Read more
Whether you’re a band or a solo artist, a musical performance is always a collaboration. There are sound engineers, bandmates, audience members, and venue staff that are all involved in making your performance a success. Today Paul and Dave talk through the realities of this, both objectively as outsiders and also what it’s like to deal with it all in Read more
Sometimes there are songs you play even though you don’t like them. Most of the time you play songs you like. If you’re lucky, though, every now and then you get to play a song you truly love. Yeah, yeah, we’re all pros and we always say, “my favorite song is the one I’m playing,” but that’s not necessarily true, Read more
We always say, “Always Be Performing”, but what does that mean to you? Are you actively performing? Are you thinking about what to do to perform? Or are you just letting it happen naturally? Is naturally good enough for you and your crowd? And are you the kind of musician for whom “good enough” would suffice in any other aspect Read more
Today your two favorite weekend warriors have a jam session of the spoken kind. Covering topics from early start times, ways to bring the same crowd back again and again, playing for opportunities instead of dollars, and proactively replacing gear, they cover a lot of ground. Paul and Dave also address the Facebook dilemma that’s been plaguing humans ever since Read more