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LOUNGE => Music, Musicians & Musicianship => Topic started by: iluvatars_dog on May 05, 2002, 06:28 PM

Title: PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: iluvatars_dog on May 05, 2002, 06:28 PM
hey they my band has a show case gig come up in front of top A&R guy well I think they ment to be top guys .
Any way apart from how good the song are we be basic playing our EPand we set on that. What else are they looking for in your Performance. I know you colud say if you don,t have it there nothing you can do. But they some seriously expedience musicians. Around here and any helpfully advice. wolud be most wecome
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: felix on May 07, 2002, 05:47 AM
Play like they aren't A&R guys... give them the attitude like you have all kinds of deals in the wings and don't get too high or stupid drunk before your gig (some musicians I have known crack under pressure)  Then after the show you are going to have to kiss butt and give them the "soft sell"...try to be nice and tell them how many cd's you have been selling.  That is what they really want to know.  Try to act like you know the market you are shooting for and you think it will be a good bet for them to make money.  Better yet, have some hookers and a wild after hours party ready for them.  Then get it in your mind that you probably won't get a deal, but that it is cool they are coming to check you out and you might gain a friend in the music biz.  It is all about relationships.
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: BAnimalG on May 07, 2002, 06:42 AM
I don't think it could have been stated any finer than Mr. Felix put it!!
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: Bart Elliott on May 07, 2002, 08:04 AM
You need to play like you always do! Put on a show, be entertaining ... and make good music. They are there to check you out to see what you do ... in front of a regular audience ... not like it's some special private concert.

If you go trying to change what you do or who you are ... just for the A&R people ... they'll see right through it. You never want to start making last minute changes like that. Stick to what works for you as a band. If you plan to make changes, you need to allow time to rehearse these changes. Remember ... they are coming to hear you because they've already good things about what you are doing NOW. They don't expect you to roll out the red carpet or be anything that you're not.
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: Misenko on May 07, 2002, 12:45 PM
Exactly! Just play the best, most entertaining, most passionate performance you have ever done! Be "you" and that will be what they want. An A&R guy was in the music project while we were playing and he was saying he liked what he heard, and we weren't even playing anything special...actually we were playing the same riff over and over and over letting the singer get the hang of singing that bit!  :D Anyway, thats beside the point! for the A&R people, son't crack under pressure cause I know plenty of people (myself included) that would get VERY nervous playing in front of those people and its not good to start getting nervous about playing "perfect" cause you start making mistakes. Same thing happened to my dad in his football (soccer) days. A talent scout came to check him out and he knew about this and he was so nervouse he played crap! so whatever you do, keep your cool! Just my thoughts on it.

Misenko.
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: Daddy0 on May 07, 2002, 09:56 PM
Hey I_Dog -- when does this A&R gig come to pass? We'll be pulling for you on that day.

Drop a Stick!  (Gosh! I hope that's equivalent to "break a leg")
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: Misenko on May 08, 2002, 11:30 AM
I think it would probably be "break a stick" for its equivalent...drop a stick would be equivelent to...drop a leg? hmmm...well, anyway! I agree, when you have that gig we will all be routing for you! ;)

Misenko.
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: iluvatars_dog on May 08, 2002, 04:00 PM
Thanks for the advice and encouragement. It is not up till July 18 but heck it will come upon us before we know it. Its takeing place at the glasgow cat house . A place a lot  of rock and metal band include on their tours. perhaps others in the UK have heard of the place. Any way  got a few gig comeing up even take a few crappy ones, increase  the number of gigs before that. And lot of rehearsals.
    But I really please to even be playing. I was suffering from really bad depression about a year back . And in fact got throwing out the a band becuse of the  fact that my drumming was suffering because of it. But I not begrudge them as they had no real alternative at the time.
    But thankfull I have started to win the  battle against it. rediscovering a  love for drumming . And put in a lot more  practices  time in .  I  relly far from beening any good yet but my play is get better all the time.
  And have found my self in a much better band now , I not  wanting, a pat on the back or any thing. Just want to say to other stick at it. It may pay off and if it does not at lest you had fun trying  ;D
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: Misenko on May 14, 2002, 04:04 PM
Your from Glasgow? Your not so far from me! I live in Edinburgh! Fancy that... ;)

Misenko.
Title: Re:PLAYING IN FRONT OF A&R FOLK
Post by: iluvatars_dog on May 14, 2002, 07:11 PM
hi Misenko i really from Ardrossan along the cost,but spend alot of time in glasgow. And that were the rest of the band come from. It cool to know that there some one esle kind of local here too. ;D