SXSW Pita

I've never played a gig where the loading/parking/unloading situation wasn't a PITA.

Who told you it was for "exposure"?
 
(I can see that new agent you mentioned sliding you performance coins in his pocket.)

Me, I'd pass that one up.  Luckily, I played back in the days where bands got paid to perform.
 
I tell people that I don't "play."  I perform.  And if I'm schlepping gear in and out of a building you better believe someone is going to pay or I'll sit at home and relax.

spindlebox
OK, Spacey, why else do it then, if not for exposure.

Money.
 
The only time I didn't make money is when we played fund raisers/benefits. In thirty years I
can count them on fingers.
And fortunately a bass player that I spent those years gigging with is still alive and well...and I'm certain
he'd tell you the same thing.
 
No. I wouldn't do it. I know for a fact that word of mouth is all a good band needs. YMMV.
Just because things worked the way they did for us is no assurance for you...but you asked.
 
 
 
 
 
The part, "bands like us don't get paid" just sunk in....what in the world does that mean? I've never heard
of something like that.

spacey

spindlebox
 
 
The part, "bands like us don't get paid" just sunk in....what in the world does that mean? I've never heard
of something like that.

What "bands like us" means, is the smaller bands playing at THIS particular festival.  We get paid for regular gigs, pretty well actually.  But the whole thing about SXSW is EXPOSURE EXPOSURE EXPOSURE.  That's the only reason bands do it.  That's why I'm considering cancelling this particular gig.  We'd be 1 out of 2100 bands and 1 of 14 in that particular venue.  What kind of exposure could we possibly get?

Actually, the guy said we'd have to find parking by getting there early, and then lug it 4-5 blocks.  He doesn't even know. The parking situation is public hourly lots.
 

Telling you man, this sounds like a clusterf$@* to me.  Maybe it's me?  Maybe I'm getting old?  It's not like I'm expecting a red carpet rolled out, but this just sounds a little ridiculous.  

You think anybody is going to know if we played there or not?

spacey
...finding a place to park and moving the equipment could wind up a great memory you never forget.....well maybe forget the "free" part :)

Well, at least you were getting paid for it.  I don't know.  Maybe it's my lack of imagination, but I just don't know how parking and lugging equipment 4-5 blocks could turn into any sort of memory other than - "let's NEVER do that again!!"

(As you can tell, I'm not very happy right now.)

spacey
Knowing when to fold 'em is a good thing.
 

Yes, I'm having ANOTHER "I'm disillusioned" sort of day.  It won't be the last, I'm sure.

I'm going to put it up to a band vote.  This has given me a migrane.

Supply and demand. It's a question of value.
 
They've got bands coming out of their ears. What's one more or less to them? You're getting this attitude because their supply pipeline is full. Will there be huge crowd? Sure! In all of that noise, will you really be given the opportunity to stand out? One of the problems with a large festival gig is that you're competing with a lot of other bands for the attention of an audience that didn't come to see you. In their minds, you may be part of the background noise of the festival.
 
If you get a gig playing in a small club, the supply is limited. Sure, the crowd is smaller, but you don't have to fight to get their attention. They want to hear a good band and see a great show. The demand for a good band is high.
 
It's one thing for the venue to offer you the use of their gear. It's another thing to require it. I understand the reasons, given the nature of the event, limited time slots, and size of the crowd, but it could be a very negative thing. If their drums sound like garbage, if their amps are trash, or if their FOH engineer is not Karyn, all of your hard work might be for nothing.
 
I don't know. I'm sure some other musicians play these gigs, have a great time, and walk out with a few thousand new best friends. In my opinion, this doesn't usually happen because you end up being just another band on a very crowded stage. Unless you stand out (and I mean stand out in a very big way), you're likely to be forgotten moments after that last chord fades away.
 
I've been to a number of festivals myself, and I can only tell you the names of a few bands that I saw. Each time, I remembered them only because I already knew of them and went specifically to see them. The others were just part of the atmosphere. Maybe that's just me, though. If you want to do it and the cost (in time and money) is worth it to you, then go for it. Play your heart out and have a great time. If you feel torn, perhaps you should listen to that part of you that is reluctant. Whatever you decide, I wish you and your band the best.

Bapu, you're right.  That's my "disillusioned" side talking out loud.

Bubba's post is really on the mark.  I'm torn.

The thing is, we have a keyboard setup too.  Not a cheap one.  I'm having nightmares of lugging it down the street, even though it's in a flight case.  Through crowds of drunken revelers.  

I mean, we're a good live band.  But depending on the equipment provided, are we even going to be at full strength?  1466 miles round trip.  14 miles per gallon gas.  $85/night hotel room.  2 nights house/dog sitter.

It's not that I haven't thought of this, but the naive part of me thought at least we'd be able to pull up out front, unload and then park.  We did that in Nashville, parked like 5 blocks away.  I'm thinking, lugging our nice equipment that far may not be the smartest idea in the world.

Does it sound like I'm trying to talk myself out of it?  God, I'm pitiful.

One question. What is it worth to be able to tell folks "we played at SXSW".

From everything I've heard from my younger associates who've actually played at SBSW that's the long and the short of it. Take it or leave it. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Either go play and HAVE FUN...or screw it.

I hope you don't have a B3 and Leslies to carry!  Is there any chance of the keyboard player using a lighter set-up.  That  choice may help your decision making.  

Songcraft, there is NO agent to impress, no contracts, no money involved for any payout for our trouble.
 
We are already utilizing a lighter setup for our keys, but an 88 keyboard is needed for our keyboardist to accomplish what she needs to.  It doesn't make any sense to go through all of this time, expense and hassle - to perform at less than full strength.  After all, if we're trying to market ourselves, why would we do so with anything less than 100%?
 
Someone else said "damned if you DO, damned if you DON'T".  Well, if we are going to be damned, it will be cheaper to be damned — if we DON'T.  Also less of a hassle.  

I believe we are going to pass.  We are beginning to make GOOD sums of money for other tour dates on other trips and perhaps that fact alone tells us that maybe we don't exactly need another "notch" in our belt to prove ourselves.