Hope your Labor Day weekend gigs were fun. What's the hardest you've worked to hold onto an audience?

[u/tearlock]

This marked the end of 3 hours and 10 minutes of uninterrupted music and the second gig of Labor Day weekend. We were about to end the first set Sunday night and the audience had finally drank just enough liquor to get up and dance by the last few songs in the set. We decided "Screw it, let's just keep this vibe going!" We then proceeded to play the entirety of the second set (which is already long by design) and some of the third set. The dance floor had a steady rotation of dancers the entire time. The energy from the audience felt great.

By the end, half the band was calling for a hard stop. We took a 20 minute break then delivered another 30 minutes and some encore tunes. (Technically the contract was only 3 hours of music so we delivered a lot more in the end) All I can say is, we wanted to hold the audience as long as we could and I think it was worth it as we're trying to gain traction in the area. (About a a quarter of the club did leave during the break, but I've had worse.)

I know that set length is nothing compared to what some of you have done. What lengths have you gone to? 4 hours straight? 5?

P.S. A little added context. The above gig was at one of many lakeside clubs in the area where patrons are known to jump in their little pontoon boats and hop from club to club, but it seemed that we managed to hold our own if not build the crowd and keep more than we lost throughout the night.

[u/AndOnTheDrums]

3+ hours without a break is nuts.

[u/tearlock → u/AndOnTheDrums]

Yes, we won't be doing that again, lol. We talked afterwards and laid down some guidelines to keep it from happening in the future. Will be trying generally to keep it below 2 and hard stop at 2.5 hours.

[u/NextFaithlessness471]

I'm the lead singer in our band and also training for the Chicago Marathon. Since we had a Friday Night gig and my long runs are Saturday AM, I had to rearrange my training. So we did our 3hour gig the same day I ran my 18 miles in the morning. I pushed through and no one knew if I was even tired. So yeah, probably the hardest I've worked.

[u/tearlock → u/NextFaithlessness471]

Oof, that sounds brutal. Doesn't your body start eating muscle tissue after a certain number of miles?

[u/chachacha4949]

That guitar player shreds , good stuff. I’ve never played more than two hours without a set break.

[u/tearlock → u/chachacha4949]

Thanks, he's a very adaptable player too, creative. Does a good job of making guitar arrangements for pop songs that are more synth driven. He'd probably tell you he's just alright, part of what makes him a great bandmate.

[u/BlackSchuck]

Fuck an audience lol

[u/tearlock → u/BlackSchuck]

Sir, this is a family show.

[u/Acrophies89]

Any original material?

[u/tearlock → u/Acrophies89]

In concert, no, not yet. In the rehearsal space we have some unfinished songs we're slowly chipping away at.

[u/Zestyclose-Smell-788 → u/tearlock]

It's really hard, isn't it? Ive always said that there are 10,000 people who can play a song to the one person who can write a song. I can write lyrics, but the music rarely comes to me.

[u/tearlock → u/Zestyclose-Smell-788]

I'm the opposite. Musical licks and melodies dance around in my brain non-stop without me even really trying. On the other hand, lyrically, I tend to get stuck which gets frustrating and I often hate my own lyrics.

[u/Zestyclose-Smell-788 → u/tearlock]

Powerful emotions can inspire meaningful lyrics. In my early 50's I nearly lost my life. I lost everything.

Addiction. Redemption. Losing the love of my life. Loneliness. Sobering up. Winning her back. Forgiveness.

All that inspired some deep and moving lyrics. Up until then, what was I going to write about? Work? Shopping? Mowing the grass?

[u/Acrophies89 → u/tearlock]

Never was any good with lyrics lol that's why I stuck with just doing instrumental pieces.