What do you do when a band member lets you down at short notice?

Roland · June 2022

Asking for a friend

merlin · June 2022

Depends entirely on how they let you down and whether it's habitual, a one-off, and/or letting the entire band down.
Can we get more information?

TTony · June 2022

Getting your hair done is important, and they should respect your priorities.

A one-off for a genuine reason - shit happens. If it's a recurring situation, you have a vacancy.

TheMadMick · June 2022

Personally, I panic.

BillDL · June 2022

Rush out to the nearest Oxfam shop and buy a set of ornamental Andean panpipes or an ocarina and get somebody's child or grandchild to step in. Inform the audience that you are doing a one-off new age "world peace and save the planet" gig, but that it will be the usual set the following week.

EricTheWeary · June 2022

Lots of it depends.

Never had anyone do that to me just being an arse. I have done that to someone else being something of an arse and it's a regret. Although that kind of thing never did Clapton's career any harm.

But in the short term is the gig still playable without that person/with a dep? If need be call the venue to explain and meanwhile try to find another band to cover the slot.

Stratavarious · June 2022

Question lacks any context..

Was it unavoidable .. work or family issues.? A pattern of unreliability?

Analyse it first.. then the implications can be understood and the right actions taken. A first knee jerk response might be wrong or over emotional and cause more issues.

Planning for ‘shit happens’ means deps, other bands/people you can call to cover or a contract / agreement with notes and language on cancellation and band insurance.

Roland · June 2022

Stratavarious said:

Analyse it first.. then the implications can be understood and the right actions taken. A first knee jerk response might be wrong or over emotional and cause more issues.

Our singer has bailed out of this weekend’s gig in favour of doing karaoke. I started the thread while I decided what to do about it, both immediately and in the longer term. I’ve now decided.

I’m interested in how other people deal with band members they can’t rely on.

merlin · June 2022

Roland said:

Stratavarious said:

Analyse it first.. then the implications can be understood and the right actions taken. A first knee jerk response might be wrong or over emotional and cause more issues.

Our singer has bailed out of this weekend’s gig in favour of doing karaoke. I started the thread while I decided what to do about it, both immediately and in the longer term. I’ve now decided.

I’m interested in how other people deal with band members they can’t rely on.

Sounds to me like you need a new singer.

RickLucas · June 2022

Don't attempt any free-form jazz exploration in front of a festival crowd.

TTony · June 2022

RickLucas said:

Don't attempt any free-form jazz exploration in front of a festival crowd.

Please *do*, but make sure you video the reaction and post it here

Snags · June 2022

Roland said:

Stratavarious said:

Analyse it first.. then the implications can be understood and the right actions taken. A first knee jerk response might be wrong or over emotional and cause more issues.

Our singer has bailed out of this weekend’s gig in favour of doing karaoke. I started the thread while I decided what to do about it, both immediately and in the longer term. I’ve now decided.

I’m interested in how other people deal with band members they can’t rely on.

Kill her.

Assuming the cops don't get you before the gig, the first thing would be the conversation where one discusses the concept of commitments - as in, you as a band made one to do a gig, for which presumably you get paid and there is publicity, so it's tough shit if something more interesting has come up, and she should do the gig, even if she wants to jack after that.

If she simply won't do it, draft in a replacement for that show (I think it's all covers? so that should be a bit easier to find than originals) and if you can't find a replacement, try to find a substitute band and let the venue know.

I'd then start looking for a new singer, either way.

stickyfiddle · June 2022

My last band had a pretty good system to cover others if someone was sick. 4 piece with drums, bass and 2 guitars. Bassist always frontman but the other guitarist would usually sing about 1/3 of the set and i’m a decent harmonist/BVs guy and competent on bass. And because all of us were sining on and off through any given set we all knew at least 70% of the lyrics.

So if any of the “front 3” were out we could cover each other with at least a slightly simplified set, and if the drummer was out we’d play with an acoustic, electric and bass setup.

Never had to but it would’ve worked well.

If someone becomes properly flaky though it’s time for a replacement.

Stratavarious · June 2022

Roland said:

Stratavarious said:

Analyse it first.. then the implications can be understood and the right actions taken. A first knee jerk response might be wrong or over emotional and cause more issues.

Our singer has bailed out of this weekend’s gig in favour of doing karaoke. I started the thread while I decided what to do about it, both immediately and in the longer term. I’ve now decided.

I’m interested in how other people deal with band members they can’t rely on.

Send them the thanks for so far message and get on with new singer auditions. Keep it businesslike. I assume them bailing lost the gig for the band. That is just pure lack of commitment/respect. Not professional enough.

Once our gigs are locked in, no one takes other work. If there is a legitimate problem (e.g injured) we either adapt lineup or reschedule with venue and suggest / help find alternate band. Super busy players will / should offer deps. if they get major music work on.

CaseOfAce · June 2022

Blowing off a gig cos a better offer came along to perform elsewhere?
Err... NEXT....
they're gone.
Please don't let the door hit you on the a*rse on the way out...

Cirrus · June 2022

Snags said:

Kill her.

Steady on, this is a public forum.

Snags · June 2022

Cirrus said:

Snags said:

Kill her.

Steady on, this is a public forum.

Sorry. Only just started your course, and haven't got to Lesson 3: Appropriate Times And Places.

Open_G · June 2022

I hate to say it, but I have been guilty of this...

Totally forgetting a rehearsal and missing the texts/calls as I was mowing the lawn at the time.

On another occasion I had a crisis of confidence/mental health low and pulled out of a band that I'd joined with the full intent of being a solid member. They held off booking gigs while I took 6 weeks to get the repertoire to standard and I bailed... Not proud of it but

Cols · June 2022

Roland said:

Stratavarious said:

Analyse it first.. then the implications can be understood and the right actions taken. A first knee jerk response might be wrong or over emotional and cause more issues.

Our singer has bailed out of this weekend’s gig in favour of doing karaoke. I started the thread while I decided what to do about it, both immediately and in the longer term. I’ve now decided.

I’m interested in how other people deal with band members they can’t rely on.

That's bad. I mean, it would be one thing if it was a family emergency, called into work or some other unforeseen issue... but karaoke? Effectively the rest of the band apparently now ranks lower than a karaoke machine in the singer's list of priorities.

The impact is: all of the prep time for the gig is wasted, yourself and the rest of the band have had to block out their weekend for no result, and worst of all the relationship with the venue is damaged. Unreliable bands don't tend to get repeat bookings.

Where it goes from there would depend on the band dynamic. If it's a band of equals, the singer's arse wouldn't touch the floor of the way out.

On the other hand, if the singer is the key draw and the reason most of the audience turns up then it's more awkward. Ozzy's post-Sabbath band mates didn't ditch him when he slept through gigs, went to the wrong hotel and suchlike because the audience was only there to see Ozzy.

So if you're happy being the singer's backing track, take it on the chin and move on. Myself, I'd either be looking for another singer or another band.

sw67 · June 2022

We had a drummer let us down - wanted to play a festival at 2 days notice rather than the local pub that gave us our start + 5 gigs per year. Managed to get a stand in and he has been our drummer for 5 years. For sickness we cancel and its not a problem.

ICBM · June 2022

If your singer prefers doing karaoke to playing with a real band, then they’ve made their choice and you need a new singer. I can’t think of any extenuating circumstances really, at least that wouldn’t have been known about long enough ago to not take the gig in the first place.

shufflebeat · June 2022

Traditional wisdom suggests there is only one irreplaceable member of the band - the van. Everyone else should be backed up by at least one band member or guest and, for repeat offences, invited to leave by mutual consent whether they like it or not.

I find people who let people down often want to leave anyway, just can't face the conversation. Otherwise it could be a confidence thing.

26.2 · June 2022

Depends why - if it’s because they don’t fancy it or have a better offer then they’re immediately free to pursue ‘other opportunities’

. If you let them get away with it once it’ll happen again.

midiman1962 · June 2022

Late to this but one solution I’ve used in the past is to make sure that any gig can be cancelled no problem but the person wanting to cancel has to ring the venue/agent whatever and sort it out ….worked for certain members of bands I’ve been in , in the past .

Snags · July 2022

How did this play out in the end, @Roland ?

Roland · July 2022

It turns out that it wasn’t a wilful decision. We’ve been using a shared Google calendar for gigs, rehearsals, and availability. Google stopped synchronising properly on her ‘phone. Some dates were missing, some duplicated. She knew we had a gig, but placed more reliance on her ‘phone than on her memory when offered something else. We’re switching to iCalendar to see whether that is more reliable. We’re in the middle of replacing our drummer so I’m pleased that we don’t have to change the singer as well.

We had to cancel the gig, which was annoying and embarrassing. As things turned out the gig wouldn’t have happened anyway. It was an outside venue, and it rained too hard that day. To top things off I spent the day in A&E.

maw4neu · July 2022

ICBM said:

If your singer prefers doing karaoke to playing with a real band, then they’ve made their choice and you need a new singer.

100% agreed . . . !

Musicwolf · July 2022

Roland said:

It turns out that it wasn’t a wilful decision. We’ve been using a shared Google calendar for gigs, rehearsals, and availability. Google stopped synchronising properly on her ‘phone. Some dates were missing, some duplicated. She knew we had a gig, but placed more reliance on her ‘phone than on her memory when offered something else. We’re switching to iCalendar to see whether that is more reliable. We’re in the middle of replacing our drummer so I’m pleased that we don’t have to change the singer as well.

We had to cancel the gig, which was annoying and embarrassing. As things turned out the gig wouldn’t have happened anyway. It was an outside venue, and it rained too hard that day. To top things off I spent the day in A&E.

We use an app called BandMule. Works on IOS and Android, I also have it on my Windows PC.

Hattigol · July 2022

What do you do when a band member lets you down at short notice?

Get a different drummer.

Snags · July 2022

One bit of good news amidst a world of grief, it would seem! Glad the singer is just daft, sorry to hear about A&E.

John_P · July 2022

Musicwolf said:

Roland said:

It turns out that it wasn’t a wilful decision. We’ve been using a shared Google calendar for gigs, rehearsals, and availability. Google stopped synchronising properly on her ‘phone. Some dates were missing, some duplicated. She knew we had a gig, but placed more reliance on her ‘phone than on her memory when offered something else. We’re switching to iCalendar to see whether that is more reliable. We’re in the middle of replacing our drummer so I’m pleased that we don’t have to change the singer as well.

We had to cancel the gig, which was annoying and embarrassing. As things turned out the gig wouldn’t have happened anyway. It was an outside venue, and it rained too hard that day. To top things off I spent the day in A&E.

We use an app called BandMule. Works on IOS and Android, I also have it on my Windows PC.

Hi, I was looking at other options to google calendar - are you using the free version of band mule or do you need to subscribe for the calendar?

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What do you do when a band member lets you down at short notice?

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What do you do when a band member lets you down at short notice?