# Are you also playing in a band?



## dohm (May 12, 2021)

Curious to know if any composers on the forum are also playing in, or leading, a band? I have a 4-piece instrumental soul/funk/jam band. I find it is a good social outlet.


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## Polkasound (May 12, 2021)

Yep, that's how I normally make a living. Before COVID, I was playing approximately 150 gigs a year.


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## StillLife (May 12, 2021)

Yes! 4 man (drums, bass, guitar and me on the keys+vocals) playing pop rock. Band is called Prester John; only original songs, no covers.


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## EgM (May 12, 2021)

Used to from 2000-2013, couldn't stand playing the same crap over and over so I decided to quit


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## NekujaK (May 12, 2021)

20 years ago... had my own indie band. Now I just sit in front of a computer, and I'm okay with that


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## jvsax (May 12, 2021)

Yes, leader/sideman/pit player.


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## CoffeeLover (May 12, 2021)

yeah its my main income before covid.
band is called Sólstafir. the band's name is taken from a weather term when you see rays of the sun breaking through the cracks in the clouds.
were all from iceland and music is sung 80% in icelandic
we play wide range of music within hard rock and metal
i cant really describe it it aint the normal rock or metal.we focus alot on melodies and atmosphere.
here is a slow tempo song that i find extreemly fun playing due to the massive eventide blackhole on the bass when it gets heavy,usually we are more upbeat and driven
we sometimes tour with a string quartet that makes it all more magical.
hope you enjoy


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## LauraC (May 12, 2021)

My solo act was/is my main income and I do have gigs with a duo/trio depending on the venue. I'm starting to get work again, and just hope the pace keeps up after the summer.


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## Locks (May 12, 2021)

CoffeeLover said:


> yeah its my main income before covid.
> band is called Sólstafir.


Awesome vibe!


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## Double Helix (May 12, 2021)

I am fortunate to play in two cool bands (1) four piece, doing exclusively mid-sixties -- Beach Boys, Byrds, DC5, Yardbirds, Itchycoo Park, &c, lots of vocals. We have been together for going on twelve years and usually play a couple of times a month
(2) Dance/club-oriented, five piece, including a female vocalist.
Between the two, I think I'll play eleven gigs this month.


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## Rodney Money (May 12, 2021)

I have a brass quintet called “Money Brass” where we’ve added pipe organ. When we add my friend who plays timpani we sound like a freakin full orchestra.


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## Polkasound (May 12, 2021)

LauraC said:


> I'm starting to get work again, and just hope the pace keeps up after the summer.


That's great news. Some venues and events in Wisconsin are starting to book, and polka dances are generating some wonderfully large crowds. Compared to a normal year, my summer is looking kinda sketchy yet, but the Oktoberfest season is looking promising.


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## LauraC (May 12, 2021)

CoffeeLover said:


> yeah its my main income before covid.
> band is called Sólstafir. the band's name is taken from a weather term when you see rays of the sun breaking through the cracks in the clouds.
> were all from iceland and music is sung 80% in icelandic
> we play wide range of music within hard rock and metal
> ...



That was great! I was playing it in my studio and my husband popped out of his office to come listen! Loved that quartet! Great tune!


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## Henu (May 13, 2021)

CoffeeLover said:


> band is called Sólstafir


Dear gods how the world is small. Greeting from Helsinki, bring some brennivin. :D And yes, I have a couple of bands too.


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## cornelisjordaan (May 13, 2021)

Indeed! I coached and played in a community string ensemble/orchestra for many years - the repertoire was everything from renaissance to videogame arrangements. Before the dawn of the Corona-era I also played baroque violin professionally in an ancient music consort.


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## BGvanRens (May 13, 2021)

I play keyboards for Hydranight (symphonic metal) currently, though we have yet to release some music. It's being worked on though (procrastinating as we speak  ).


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## CoffeeLover (May 13, 2021)

LauraC said:


> That was great! I was playing it in my studio and my husband popped out of his office to come listen! Loved that quartet! Great tune!


Thanks so much LauraC. 🙂
wish i could always tour with the quartet.


Henu said:


> Dear gods how the world is small. Greeting from Helsinki, bring some brennivin. :D And yes, I have a couple of bands too.


Hell yeah! Suomi Finland Perkele!
bring me Brennivín or bring me death!! 🤘😎
What bands do you have Henu? 🙂


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## Henu (May 13, 2021)

Moonsorrow for example, hence the pun on brennivin.


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## Loïc D (May 13, 2021)

Yes... until Covid striked.
Mostly cover bands of the 60’s/70’s rock & blues hits.


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## Paul Grymaud (May 13, 2021)

Yeah ! The band is called "The Old Skeletons"
At our last concert (during COVID)


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## gtrwll (May 13, 2021)

I did play in a prog metal band from 2006 to 2014, but kinda had enough and wanted to focus on composing. Haven’t looked back since, while doing gigs was nice, the lifestyle was not for me.


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## pmountford (May 13, 2021)

Fordante - which is my Arts Council England supported classical quintet where I am fortunate to perform some of my own compositions.
Forever Elton - where I get to perform as Elton John with my 6 piece band. Now that's fun...
ACE are also currently supporting a new project that I plan to tour with too.
For anyone yet to form a band, I can't stress how much fun and how rewarding performing music can be.


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## LudovicVDP (May 13, 2021)

I pretended to be a keyboard player for a rock cover band a few years ago. Played 4 years with the band. 
I really miss that sometimes...


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## SchnookyPants (May 13, 2021)

Not in the last 45 years...


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## MarcusD (May 13, 2021)

Used to, but got tired of egos and drama (originals) or playing the same soul destroying people pleasing music (covers).

With the latter, lots of travelling involved, with very little sleep. Eventually got bored of it and bored of the usual morons you’d end up dealing with in that line of work.

Good memories though! Do enjoy playing and miss live gigs. Gotta be with the right people though.


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## CoffeeLover (May 13, 2021)

Henu said:


> Moonsorrow for example, hence the pun on brennivin.


WOW small world indeed! :D

say hi to Ville and Marko for me,
and ill bring you Brennivín next time but dont share it,
just drink it in front of them 
haven't seen these guys in ages.


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## Henu (May 14, 2021)

Haha, will do! :D


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## Inventio (May 14, 2021)

Interesting thread. It's cool to see what others play. 

I play in a couple of jazz, funk, soul projects, as besides classical training I grew up playing Hammond organ and loving all sort of electro-mechanical keyboards and synths, too.
Here I am in a soul festival in Italy with a Swiss band called Re:Funk and Pee Wee Ellis (when the cameraman realizes that's the organ playing and where...)



Hope you enjoy.


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## TomislavEP (May 14, 2021)

From the beginning of 2012. I play the keyboards in Passage Band, a well-known cover band here in Croatia that has a more than thirty years tradition. This was my primary source of income since. Unfortunately, due to COVID and personal reasons related to a few long-term band members, things are not functioning well for some time now. I've tried to find an alternate team to work with a few times, but nothing yet proved as elegant and well-organized. I pray that things will get together again as this gig provided me with the essential freedom to develop myself as a composer and a producer at the same time. I hope that I would be able to rely mainly on my skills in these fields in order to make ends meet in the future. I've also collaborated with several artists from the region as a studio and live musician and did some teaching (I'm a multi-instrumentalist - primarily a pianist).


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## ed buller (May 14, 2021)

Pub band with my mates, FLOOD, Mel Wesson and Dave Bessell

best

e


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## dohm (May 14, 2021)

Wow! So interesting to hear about all the band experiences here. More than I expected.


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## dohm (May 14, 2021)

ed buller said:


> Pub band with my mates, FLOOD, Mel Wesson and Dave Bessell
> 
> best
> 
> e



That is much cooler that the pub bands in my area. Thanks!


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## dohm (May 14, 2021)

Inventio said:


> Interesting thread. It's cool to see what others play.
> 
> I play in a couple of jazz, funk, soul projects, as besides classical training I grew up playing Hammond organ and loving all sort of electro-mechanical keyboards and synths, too.
> Here I am in a soul festival in Italy with a Swiss band called Re:Funk and Pee Wee Ellis (when the cameraman realizes that's the organ playing and where...)
> ...



Playing the Chicken. Nice! You make that hammond really sing! Thanks so much for sharing that.


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