Gig Gab - The Working Musicians' Podcast

Another crazy week for your two favorite working musicians means another episode chock full of stories and lessons learned. Dave just finished one theater show and loaded his drums in for another. The show he just finished had him and the rest of the “pit” band prominently on stage, so […] The post Beware The Hassle Factor – GigGab 85 appeared first on Gig Gab.

It’s one thing to put on a great show, it’s quite another to convince people to attend and put their butts in the seats or their feet on the dance floor! Today Paul and Dave talk through a few ways to market Paul’s upcoming gig on Saturday. This is a real world […] The post How to Market Your Gigs – GigGab 84 appeared first on Gig Gab.

What happens when you expect a dance crowd and get one that wants to listen intently? Every gig is different, and many times you don’t get to control the vibe of the room you walk into. The only thing you can do is control what you deliver from the stage, and […] The post Managing the Vibe at Gigs, Parties and Weddings appeared first on Gig Gab.

Autumn is almost here for those of us in the Northern hemisphere, and the gigs change right along with the New England leaves. Even though Paul’s not in New England (or, well, not usually), he’s experiencing the end-of-summer effect with his west coast gigs, too. Listen to what your two […] The post Falling into the Autumn Music Scene – GigGab 82 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Despite the shorter-than-usual gap between episodes, both Paul and Dave found themselves in intimidating scenarios they had to deal with in the moment. Caring about what you do and how you do it is an important trait of being a musician, and sometimes that means external factors drive you to […] The post The Benefits of Intimidation – GigGab 81 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Both musicians and bandleaders alike have to make split-second decisions and then live with them long-term, and today’s show is all about being a little more thoughtful about the things that both come out of and go into our mouths. Paul and Dave share some recent lessons along these lines to prove […] The post Watch What Goes Into and Out of Your Mouth – GigGab 80 appeared first on Gig Gab.

It finally happened: Dave and Paul played the gigs together that they’ve been discussing for the past few episodes. As always there are lessons that were learned, stories to tell, and sometimes both are about the same thing! Listen as these two weekend warriors share their shared weekend with all […] The post Your Two Weekend Warriors Share a Weekend – GigGab 79 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Paul and Dave are in the final stages of their shared gig prep, but take a detour today to talk about all the other projects they each have going on and the value of embracing intensity. Then it’s time to look to the pros and learn some lessons about requests and […] The post Embracing Intensity and Lessons from the Pros – GigGab 78 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Dave’s coming out to sub for The Houserockers in a couple of weeks, so it’s time for him and Paul to chat through some of the details required to ensure a good gig. Equipment, dress code, charts and confidence are the topics discussed today, and it’s a good one! On […] The post Confident vs. Overconfident Subbing – GigGab 77 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Paul curses Dave by revisiting the subject of People Behaving Badly™, this time with the twist of discussing folks who feel the need to join your band (or any band!) on stage without invitation. Before getting into that, though, your two favorite weekend warriors discuss the joys of playing outdoor summer […] The post Outdoor Summer Gigs, Musical Inspirations & Uninvited Stage Visitors – GigGab 76 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Today, Paul and Dave address the question a new bandleader asks about getting things started. As you might expect, your two favorite Weekend Warriors have a differing set of opinions on this, and that makes for a good podcast! First, though, it’s about how much energy it takes to play a […] The post The Energy Required To Be Intimate – GigGab 75 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Paul and Dave come together today to ponder the subject of responsibility, and that leads to discussing which instrument bears the most responsibility for keeping the train on the tracks. A thoughtful, spirited discussion ensues, and your two favorite Weekend Warriors find they’re on common ground. Drummers, you might not be […] The post Whose Mistakes Most Often Turn Into Trainwrecks? – GigGab 74 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Dave’s back from a tour of Abbey Road Studios and Paul’s in the final stages of pulling together his latest All-Star Band project, which means your two Weekend Warriors have a lot to talk about. Listen to hear all about all of this… and more! The post Abbey Road and All-Star Bands – GigGab 73 appeared first on Gig Gab.

As it often happens, today’s show starts and stems from the gigs your two favorite weekend warriors have played … and seen! Paul and Dave talk about some of the recent lessons they’ve learned performing and watching, and it all seems to center around finding your way out of your […] The post It Pays to Leave Your Comfort Zone – GigGab 72 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Robert Berry‘s musical career has followed his passion, and that’s led to him playing and collaborating with some of the best musicians on the planet. A true journeyman, he’s got some fantastic stories to tell, and that’s what we all love here on GigGab. Listen to the interview to hear […] The post Robert Berry Talks Carl Palmer, Steve Howe, Keith Emerson … and Cheerleader Camp! – GigGab 71 appeared first on Gig Gab.

You filled up the mailbag, Paul and Dave dig in and answer your questions. Listen today to hear your two favorite weekend warriors answer your questions about money, in-ears, hanging banners, backing tracks and much, much more! The post Band Banners, Backing Tracks and In-Ears, all from the Mailbag! – GigGab 70 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Today Paul and Dave answer listener Patrick, who asks, “is it too late to make a living playing music?” As Weekend Warriors, this is an interesting concept to consider, and likely one that everyone has thought of at least once. Listen to what Paul and Dave have to say… then […] The post Considering Making a Living From Music – GigGab 69 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Jan Hammer joins Paul and Dave today to share his own stories from throughout his life and career. From his start in Prague, the stories flow, including tales about Jan’s experiences with Jeff Beck, Keith Emerson, Jaco Pastorius, Neal Schon, Mahavishnu Orchestra and even Jimi Hendrix. There’s so much packed […] The post Jan Hammer Talks Mahavishnu, Emerson, Hendrix, Jaco … and Getting the JuJu Happening! – GigGab 68 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Gigging musicians always have stories, some of them fantastic, some tales of woe. Today your two favorite Weekend Warriors dive into the pool and pull out a few of their favorites. Listen as Paul and Dave celebrate and commiserate together, then share your stories with them, too! The post People Behaving Badly – Stories From the Stage Vol. 1 – GigGab 67 appeared first on Gig Gab.

It’s time for the therapy couch today, but don’t worry, it ends with dance songs, we promise! First, Paul and Dave answer some of your questions. What does it mean to be a generous musician? How much gigging is too much gigging (or is there such a concept)? These are […] The post Dance Songs and Heart Breaks – GigGab 66 appeared first on Gig Gab.