How Adult Professionals Can Start a Weekend Band

There is nothing more fun than getting up on stage in a popular local club and making music for and with your friends! Lots of professional adults from all walks of life would LOVE to hit the stage and perform every Friday and Saturday night, but simply do not know where to begin. Starting a band of Weekend Warriors is easy and lots of fun!

First step- Assemble your band.

You will need to decide what type of band you wish to put together based on the genre of music you wish to perform. That said, however, be advised that it will rarely sound "just like the record," and frankly, most clubs expect to hire a live band with a live band sound! Typically, a singer, a guitarist, a bassist and a drummer will do. Also, it never hurts to ask perspective members about their background vocal abilities. If everyone can sing a little bit, getting through the night vocally is a lot easier on the singer. In terms of where to find you band mates, a good starting place to look is among your friends and the people you already know. Local music stores often have help wanted/work wanted boards that are also good resources, and you can always ask whatever working musicians you know for referrals.

Second step- Prepare your act.

Before you do anything else, write out a song list! Bear in mind that most clubs like three, hour-long sets of music with half-hour breaks in between. In order to have adequate material, you need to have around 45 songs. This is critical to your success in clubs- While you may do this for fun, clubs are in business to make money, and they expect you to be prepared to work. On the upside, you will never have to repeat songs and will be invited back to most clubs if you are professional about your hobby. As soon as you get your band mates assembled, be sure everyone has a copy of the song list and access to recordings of the songs. Begin rehearsing each set together, and set a goal for a date to have mastered all of the songs. Above all else, start booking gigs WHILE IN REHEARSAL. Clubs generally book two months to one year in advance, with three to six months being the average. With a goal in sight, everyone will be compelled to work harder and learn the songs faster. That first gig will be that much sweeter if it is the culmination of effort and anticipation!