!Attention! I don’t know Mike, and I’ve only been watching his vids for about a month or so, but I do know TH-cam and this channel deserves 100k subscribers by now with the quality of content instead of the 10k it has currently. I’m shocked that with all the camera work, editing, pacing, quality audio/video etc, he doesn’t have more. TH-cam is basically the only thing I watch, and this channels content is already beyond TH-camr’s with silver and gold play button awards. Well done, and thanks for the inspiration Mike. Not only for my own content, but also as a gigging drummer too. If you’re ever down in north Texas, I’d love to see y’all play. Peace.
@@malonedrum I sure hope so. I’m a bigger guy too, 43, but I’m just getting into this after a hard Divorce during the pandemic. Live entertainment has always been my dream. I rarely see this kind of quality content in this niche’ of yours, from such a humble perspective that isn’t overwhelming but instead rather inspiring. Thanks for what you are doing. Sincerely appreciated. Oh and don’t hate me cuz im from north Texas. Been here my whole life for the most part, but I’ve learned dallas cowboys fans are far more entertaining to watch than the actual team haahahaha
Bruh......how do you do all this man? This is nothing short of amazing. 😮 I need your level of time management and will power. Frfr. From lessons, to gigs, to gigs, to even more gigs, to vloging, to being a husband, to being a dog dad, to TH-cam content making, to _drum_ making _and_ repairs, to friggin band management _and_ leading, to negotiations on behalf of aforementioned bands (as in plural), with lights and camera and sound systems to match.......... Dude, you're gonna get the attention of the secret societies that rule the world at this rate. They're gonna roll up to your door and go like, "Hello Mr. Malone. We work under the watchful eye that sees all. We've been watching you, and we could use someone with your particular set of skills in our organization. You'd be an invaluable asset to our goal of shaping world events." "Uhhhhh......is it possible for me to say no? The world domination thing isn't really my field of expertise." "Don't ask stupid questions. We rule most of the known world from the shadows, and we see everything. Of course you don't have a choice other than yes. And don't worry about the experience; just follow our instructions and keep doing your craft." "*Sigh.* Ok, fine. Just let me tell my wife. The last time a secret world controlling org tried to recruit me, she wasn't too fond of it. It cut into movie nights." "Oh, them? I understand. We're more of a part time society." "Heard. See you at the lodge tomorrow." "New member orientation starts at 10:30 sharp." But seriously tho, jokes aside, how the hell did you handle all this???????? If you can manage a country, just say that.
Re extra clothes for the gig: Playing lots of outdoor gigs in Texas, I always have a stack of t-shirts to change into for every gig; one to load in, one for each set, and one to drive home in (nothing like driving 1.5 hours home in a damp, sweaty t-shirt). ✌
Agreed, I need to include an extra shirt in my summer gigging essentials. I also pack a fan, tarp, sun block, but never smart enough to carry an extra shirt
In the 80s and 90s i played at 100s of weddings that were 6 hours long with a half hour break in the middle,many of the patrons that were a problem with booze,would become an issue having been drinking since 10 am.I used to play the kit the wrong way round i.e using my left foot on the bass drum,after a few hours ,to improve my chops😅
@@malonedrum Nowadays here in Scotland , the brides must read bridal magazines,and now gimmicks like,Fish n chip vans arriving at the break,sweet shops,chocolate fountains etc are normal, also the bridal party is at the ,castle, hotel, or resort for 3 days now, i think its to keep the spend onsite.
Just found your channel after a friend showed me a video of yours to show me whether drum brushes were (he is a drummer) , im not a drummer, but im a trombonist and a senior in high school and i love watching stuff about bands and people who aren’t playing the same parts or instrument I do. Great content You kill it on those drums man! Greetings from Sweden
Really appreciate these videos of behind the scenes as a working drummer. I used to think “I’d never want to play weddings” but it looks like 1. You guys do a really nice job and 2. You have fun.
I think it can get a bad rep by the “artistic” types because it’s really not feeding that motive at all, but I love playing weddings in the mix of things I get to do.
I agree, leaving your gear in your car certainly is somewhat dependant on where you live. I've lived in some places where I would never consider it. However, I've lived in other places where I'd leave all my stuff in the back of my SUV for days with no issues because I didn't want to lug it all in the house just to put it back in there the next day.
As a quick sanity check, I'll take a wild guess that people are looking to five-finger-discount your gear? Lol. Or is there more to it that I'm missing, like damage or wear on the gear itself? I ask because I'm in a fairly safe and uneventful area myself. And I _also_ get tired after work and driving around. Leave your stuff in the car overnight, and the next thing you know, you see it at the used music store with a price tag on it, an you gotta buy it again! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 (I jest)
Planning the gig,setting up your drums, setting up the sound, then breaking everything down after the gig That is a recipe for burnout if you’re doing that by yourself
It can get exhausting, especially when Im playing the night before, or in this case the morning before, but luckily I had the next day mostly off (other than a late night jazz jam) to regroup a bit.
@@malonedrum Yes Watching the amount of work you put in would make me exhausted! I play in a local club band and it’s all I can do to setup and breakdown my kit You should sleep well at night!!
Just moved to Chicago, never thought I would join a cover band, have mostly grown up playing jazz/original music. And I will say, I wish I would’ve joined one sooner! It’s been super fun. And you’re right, the built in crowd/pay is always nice.
I'm early in my professional drum/percussion career. I've been contracted for tons of stuff but something like this is foreign territory. This video is crazy helpful for me, because now I feel comfortable making wedding gigs happen. Your channel is a sleeper, very glad I found it.
Thank you Mike for the video. So much work involved especially considering that you are doing the sound, lights and the booking. Love how organized you are.
I really enjoyed your video and was very impressed by your professionalism! I myself played as a drummer and lead singer in a cover band in Germany in the seventies and many things brought back lovely memories for me. We played almost exclusively in clubs. There were no DJs back then and bands had a lot to do. I really enjoyed that time. I'm looking forward to your next video. Best regards from Hamburg in Germany - Manfred
I enjoy your videos, I am to a Gretsch guy , I usually play on the weekends and during the week I’m a drum teacher. I think I have seen every one of your videos, enjoying watching them.
Enjoyed the backstage coverge Mike. I too am a pickup and regular band musician and it is an extraordinary amount of work. At 66 years old, late nights and heavy equipment takes its toll on the body. Thanks for your filming your approach and tips. Rock on!
So fantastic. I love your vlogging style. You did a great job with the video and it was so cool to see the professional video in addition. I also REALLY enjoyed watching the upfront work, creating charts, set lists, emailing band. Truly inspiring and a great way to start my day. Also, excellent storytelling. I hope to have the chance to work with you in the future. Let me know if you ever need some bass!
Thank you Mike... very well done video. Nice to see you include all the facts and figures, plus all the nitty gritty of what it takes from beginning to end. Us drummers are always the first and last, even without sound and lights. But add that into the mix and it's quite the day. Curious about how your divide payment (and you're welcome to DM me). You are quite the professional and a great musician. Keep posting. And Rock n' Roller for the win!
There’s so much that comes into payment in a band this large, and I just try to be practical and give extra for players who have added roles, whether that means they are playing the ceremony, have further to travel/haul in for equipment, or if they have added responsibilities like acting as an agent, running sound, writing arrangements, etc.
Mike, this was such an insightful peak at the behind the scenes view that so many of us don’t ever get to see. The Pocket Kings are a very classy act and would be so much fun to be a part of as far as an audience goes.
Great video Mike! I know some people who manage wedding bands for a living who arent this thorough. A few things I might have included: - The logistics of whether you are playing for the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and reception, and if they are all on the same stage - The process of learning new music for a wedding gig, especially if it's NOT a band that plays together regularly otherwise like the PK - There isnt a better late night food spot in Green Bay or Oshkosh than KT?!
Since your in Wisconsin and I'm in Minnesota, hit me up for a sound-guy if you ever find yourself out this way! Love the content btw. Been making way through of your vids! Also a drummer, but mostly do sound now! I also am a Kwik Trip regular where i'm from. I live 30 mins from Minneapolis so when I get my to my town after a late show, I stop at the Kwik Trip haha.
Really enjoying the videos, I’m lucky I get to do this most weekends and travel all round Scotland playing Hotels, Castles etc. Was wondering what your set times are in the US. Here it’s usually 8pm till 12am with buffet/ toilet breaks. Regards. Ian
Great video, and appreciate your efforts on it. I was a working drummer years ago and loved the private gigs, too.Usually better conditions all-around and money.
Thanks man, I wouldn't chose to run sound while trying to play my instrument with all four limbs, but I've gotten to a place where I can get by with it.
This video clearly took a lot of time to put together and it shows. Interesting footage and great analysis of the topic you discussed. As a musician/sound engineer this was a cool perspective to look at as it is very similar to my own day-to-day. Keep making these videos Mike as they are very informative and it's great to look behind the curtain of these type of events. Earned a sub! Cheers!
Great video Mike! Loved that look behind the scenes, and especially highlighting the time and effort that goes into everything around the gig, not just turning up and performing. For some reason, it can still be difficult to explain to people exactly what they are paying for when hiring a band. On another note, I run a drumming newsletter and included your vid in my "top 5 content" for this week, hope that's all good. Subscribed, looking forward to more great content 👍
Nice! You guys sound great. I don’t play weddings, but I can definitely relate playing musicals where there is so much extra stuff you have to bring/extra time on the front and back end. Cool behind the scenes look!
It's amazing that these events are booked more than a year in advance. With that much lead time and the amount of work that goes into a wedding, do you require 50% payment or so up front?
The Packers sticker on the mixing board is on point. Do you have a link to those magnetic pin RGB lights. I could use that for my wedding photography. Love this video. The logistics of planning, setting up and playing a wedding gig is crazy.
Very informative. Given that you put in at least 30 hours in total, what would you estimate was your own hourly compensation? Was it $50/hour? That is my guess. For the other musicians who only put in say 10 hours, did they make a lesser hourly rate than yourself? BTW... the clip of the band... I'd say you are definitely in the pocket... just hope you are never out of pocket for a gig gone wrong!
It wasn't quite $50 an hour, but I'd say the it's safe to say the bad did way better than 33% of what I make. They probably get closer to 50% or more, pending the amount of work I have to do.
Hey Mike thanks a lot for the video! Could you share how do you guys split the money in the band? I guess you took bigger cut because of all of the booking, running lights and sound and so on. I'm also drummer in our wedding band trio and I'm doing most of the prep work for our band. It would be beneficial to know how to split money in the band in such a situation. No need for exact numbers, percentage will be enough. Thank you! 🙂
It's really not as simple as a percentage. Sometimes I'll use a percentage but often times I give myself a flat fee for things like PA/Lights or arranging/charts, sometimes if it makes more sense I'll do a percentage but it all depends on the budget for the event in total and making sure my cut doesn't detract from other people getting a fair cut for their work too. On lower paying gigs, I might even do my portion for free just so that we can do the gig and every can get a bottom dollar that's acceptable, and then on some huge weddings (like this one) I'm treated very well for my extra tasks.
@@malonedrum thanks a lot for the honesty. Since I live in different country the prices here are way different for the live music at weddings. Like you can get up to 1000$ for the whole band (3-4 piece band) for let's say four 45 mins sets but that's very rare. Usually it goes around 500-700$... That's why I was asking about the percentages. But thanks anyways, having flat fee on the higher paying gigs makes sense. Now I was doing basically everything for free because since we are trio and all of us also sing there's nobody who would deserve less in my opinion. But maybe communicating that I would like to get extra flat fee above what we charge usually for the higher paying gigs would be acceptable from the bands point of view.
Mike great videos as usual! Seems like you have a pretty basic / simplistic drum set up which i appreciate as a regular gigging drummer. Can you reply to this with the drum set gear/sizes/ and choice of hardware ? Lightweight hardware? Thanks man!
Dang, Mike! You were the prime mover on that gig. What percentage of the take do you receive for all the additional time you put in if you don't mind me asking?
I think I talked about it in the video, but it fluctuates based on my extra duties and then what I can budget to still pay everyone else fairly. Sometimes it’s really a lot extra, and in some cases, there’s none to spare.
Great video. My question is this: as the person who sets up the gig, brings all the necessary gear, and makes the arrangements for the other players among other things, what's your take of the fee compared to the other band members? Maybe that's a question you don't want to answer, which is understandable, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case you were willing to answer.
I do value the extra work I do, and my cohorts do as well. I do take an extra cut, but it varies depending on the amount of work and time that goes into it. Doesn’t really matter what I took extra on this gig, but just be transparent with your group about the work you’re doing and what cut you think you deserve.
I just don’t understand why you are doing so much yourself? We always work as a group and don’t saddle me with it by myself. If we’re all getting the same cut, we all share the work. We each do our own amp and instrument set up and place the mics on our amps. We all set up the PA and vocal mics and our bass player sets up the mixer for the sound. We also work together to set up lights and then we do the same in reverse. Are you getting a bigger share of the earnings?
I made more money playing weddings than I ever did playing bars with a rock band. Free food and booze and the people are classier and they're all there to dance and party. Not to mention the bridesmaids that always seem to hang out with the band. I hated the tuxedo though. But ya gotta do what you gotta do.
I run the entire band through the system, but really 90% of their sound would come through their amps. miking those or getting a line on those specific instruments is mostly for in ear mixes, recording shows, and adding a little filler to the room sound if needed. I like the 30Ms, but if I could do it again, I might go with the 50's just to have more headroom (which I haven't needed, but sometimes I feel like I'm getting close).
I`m also a drummer band leader of my Big Band, Jazz Trio, and Jazz Quartet. I enjoyed watching your video on what a drummer band leader has to do. You work hard Mike and put together a very good wedding band. Most of my booking is doing concerts with my jazz bands. I only did one wedding with my Big Band, only because the couple paid me so much, and they were huge fan of my music I played. I never play dance music, but they wanted me to play my book which is concert jazz music. The people loved it, so it worked out great for me. Here is a video of my Big Band th-cam.com/video/yqPwhBM9ErI/w-d-xo.html If people only knew the massive work of having a Big Band and doing concerts all the time. Great to see a professional drummer band leader doing the same work I have to do. But I love the music I play and get to do concerts all the time. Had to make a comment on your excellent video.
More planners should watch this!
I'll take all the viewers I can get!
!Attention! I don’t know Mike, and I’ve only been watching his vids for about a month or so, but I do know TH-cam and this channel deserves 100k subscribers by now with the quality of content instead of the 10k it has currently. I’m shocked that with all the camera work, editing, pacing, quality audio/video etc, he doesn’t have more. TH-cam is basically the only thing I watch, and this channels content is already beyond TH-camr’s with silver and gold play button awards.
Well done, and thanks for the inspiration Mike. Not only for my own content, but also as a gigging drummer too. If you’re ever down in north Texas, I’d love to see y’all play. Peace.
I’ll get there one day, slow and steady.
@@malonedrum I sure hope so. I’m a bigger guy too, 43, but I’m just getting into this after a hard Divorce during the pandemic. Live entertainment has always been my dream. I rarely see this kind of quality content in this niche’ of yours, from such a humble perspective that isn’t overwhelming but instead rather inspiring. Thanks for what you are doing. Sincerely appreciated.
Oh and don’t hate me cuz im from north Texas. Been here my whole life for the most part, but I’ve learned dallas cowboys fans are far more entertaining to watch than the actual team haahahaha
Your videos are making me want to get back in to gigging. You're showing us how to run a professional band the right way. Thanks!
Appreciate you saying that!
this guy's my new super hero.
Too kind.
I'm saying!!!!!!
Bruh......how do you do all this man? This is nothing short of amazing. 😮
I need your level of time management and will power. Frfr. From lessons, to gigs, to gigs, to even more gigs, to vloging, to being a husband, to being a dog dad, to TH-cam content making, to _drum_ making _and_ repairs, to friggin band management _and_ leading, to negotiations on behalf of aforementioned bands (as in plural), with lights and camera and sound systems to match..........
Dude, you're gonna get the attention of the secret societies that rule the world at this rate. They're gonna roll up to your door and go like, "Hello Mr. Malone. We work under the watchful eye that sees all. We've been watching you, and we could use someone with your particular set of skills in our organization. You'd be an invaluable asset to our goal of shaping world events."
"Uhhhhh......is it possible for me to say no? The world domination thing isn't really my field of expertise."
"Don't ask stupid questions. We rule most of the known world from the shadows, and we see everything. Of course you don't have a choice other than yes. And don't worry about the experience; just follow our instructions and keep doing your craft."
"*Sigh.* Ok, fine. Just let me tell my wife. The last time a secret world controlling org tried to recruit me, she wasn't too fond of it. It cut into movie nights."
"Oh, them? I understand. We're more of a part time society."
"Heard. See you at the lodge tomorrow."
"New member orientation starts at 10:30 sharp."
But seriously tho, jokes aside, how the hell did you handle all this???????? If you can manage a country, just say that.
This is some serious foreshadowing, thanks for watching!
@@malonedrum Thank you. The honor is mine.
Also, lol!!!!!!
Re extra clothes for the gig: Playing lots of outdoor gigs in Texas, I always have a stack of t-shirts to change into for every gig; one to load in, one for each set, and one to drive home in (nothing like driving 1.5 hours home in a damp, sweaty t-shirt). ✌
Agreed, I need to include an extra shirt in my summer gigging essentials. I also pack a fan, tarp, sun block, but never smart enough to carry an extra shirt
In the 80s and 90s i played at 100s of weddings that were 6 hours long with a half hour break in the middle,many of the patrons that were a problem with booze,would become an issue having been drinking since 10 am.I used to play the kit the wrong way round i.e using my left foot on the bass drum,after a few hours ,to improve my chops😅
I used to do that on an open mic gig I played to keep myself entertained and engaged on the drums.
@@malonedrum Nowadays here in Scotland , the brides must read bridal magazines,and now gimmicks like,Fish n chip vans arriving at the break,sweet shops,chocolate fountains etc are normal, also the bridal party is at the ,castle, hotel, or resort for 3 days now, i think its to keep the spend onsite.
Just found your channel after a friend showed me a video of yours to show me whether drum brushes were (he is a drummer) , im not a drummer, but im a trombonist and a senior in high school and i love watching stuff about bands and people who aren’t playing the same parts or instrument I do.
Great content
You kill it on those drums man!
Greetings from Sweden
Keep it up man, that's a great way to develop on any instrument, learning how your counterparts fit into the music.
I'm a guitarist in a wedding band in NJ as well as some cover bands etc, and yep...this is the life hahah, enjoyed the vid, stay safe out there!
Awesome! Thank you!
Amazing content as always, insightfull and usefull for all of us drummers. Greatings from spain, keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching.
Really appreciate these videos of behind the scenes as a working drummer. I used to think “I’d never want to play weddings” but it looks like 1. You guys do a really nice job and 2. You have fun.
I think it can get a bad rep by the “artistic” types because it’s really not feeding that motive at all, but I love playing weddings in the mix of things I get to do.
I agree, leaving your gear in your car certainly is somewhat dependant on where you live. I've lived in some places where I would never consider it. However, I've lived in other places where I'd leave all my stuff in the back of my SUV for days with no issues because I didn't want to lug it all in the house just to put it back in there the next day.
Pretty much how I feel, but I understand people from more urban areas seeing me do this and freaking out.
As a quick sanity check, I'll take a wild guess that people are looking to five-finger-discount your gear? Lol. Or is there more to it that I'm missing, like damage or wear on the gear itself?
I ask because I'm in a fairly safe and uneventful area myself. And I _also_ get tired after work and driving around.
Leave your stuff in the car overnight, and the next thing you know, you see it at the used music store with a price tag on it, an you gotta buy it again! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 (I jest)
Planning the gig,setting up your drums, setting up the sound, then breaking everything down after the gig That is a recipe for burnout if you’re doing that by yourself
It can get exhausting, especially when Im playing the night before, or in this case the morning before, but luckily I had the next day mostly off (other than a late night jazz jam) to regroup a bit.
@@malonedrum Yes Watching the amount of work you put in would make me exhausted! I play in a local club band and it’s all I can do to setup and breakdown my kit You should sleep well at night!!
Just moved to Chicago, never thought I would join a cover band, have mostly grown up playing jazz/original music.
And I will say, I wish I would’ve joined one sooner! It’s been super fun. And you’re right, the built in crowd/pay is always nice.
Yeah, it can be really fun in the mix of other things.
I absolutely love your content. I'm trying to seque into being a professional drummer after playing for 20 years. Your videos are very enlightening.
Good luck!
Thiller is such a hit you put it in the list twice in the same set! :P
Cool video, a lot of good information!
Lol, I'm glad you caught that. Occasionally, I do slip up and have a song twice, but we only played it once...
As someone who plays a lot of functions, this was amazing to watch!
Broken down into perfect segments! 🙌🏻
Thanks!
We’re like the same guy but I’m different cities 😂. I loved all of it. Drummers who do it all (because we love it) 😜.
💪💪
Bringing back The Hustle!! 👍🏻👍🏻 Great video, Mike! The band sounds fabulous.
Oh yeah, it's a crowd pleaser for sure.
I unload my car the next morning as well. I typically take my rare snare and cymbals in hat night though 😎🥁💪🏼🤘🏻
In winter, I wouldn't leave it, but in fine weather months it's usually safe.
I LIVE IN THE AUSTIN AREA NOW SO I'M USUALLY GOOD BUT I GET YA. @@malonedrum
I'm early in my professional drum/percussion career. I've been contracted for tons of stuff but something like this is foreign territory. This video is crazy helpful for me, because now I feel comfortable making wedding gigs happen. Your channel is a sleeper, very glad I found it.
Thanks for watching
Love this video more of Them 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I'm trying to document more of these moments to create some vlogs.
I’m always impressed with these long days. It’s a lot of work doing all that prep. Respect the schlep! 😂
Thanks!
That was a cool video, thanks for sharing Mike
Thanks for watching
You guys sounded really good at that wedding
Thanks
You're my hero man.
Too kind, thanks!
Super interesting to watch!
Thanks for making the time!
Thank you Mike for the video. So much work involved especially considering that you are doing the sound, lights and the booking. Love how organized you are.
Appreciate the positive words!
Very helpful video Mike! As a new wedding band drummer I learned a lot from this! Thank you 🙏🏼
Happy to hear it!
Oh, and props on the Vulf stickers haha.
#Vulfpack member over here
@@malonedrum Nate Smith/Joe Dart>the rest
Sharing!!...Awesome new vid, Thanks!
Thanks for watching !
Mad respect for my fellow drummers. First one there, and the last one to leave.
I usually can get out before a few people if I only have my drums, but sound and lights, I'm for sure last out.
Great video Mike!
Thank you Ernie!
Super video.Thanks for all the details. I like more.
Glad you enjoyed it
love these videos. thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Watch them all. I play in a part time band and you bring out all the real parts. Keep up the great work
Wow, thank you Mike! My favorite of all your videos! Never knew this much time went into all that you already do. Kudos, Yah!
Glad you like them!
Thanks for sharing this!
Of course!
Fantastic!
Thank you! Cheers!
I really enjoyed your video and was very impressed by your professionalism! I myself played as a drummer and lead singer in a cover band in Germany in the seventies and many things brought back lovely memories for me. We played almost exclusively in clubs. There were no DJs back then and bands had a lot to do. I really enjoyed that time. I'm looking forward to your next video. Best regards from Hamburg in Germany - Manfred
New videos every week! Thanks for watching.
Fantastic video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching
Really nice job 🥁😊👍
Thanks!
Lot of work! And you did iz well!
Thank you!
Love your videos. Thanks for this one.
Thank you!
Super informative! Took lots of ideas!! Thank you!
Appreciate it!
loves these videos!!!!!!
Thanks!
I enjoy your videos, I am to a Gretsch guy , I usually play on the weekends and during the week I’m a drum teacher. I think I have seen every one of your videos, enjoying watching them.
#TeamGretsch
New fav episode!
Hopefully only til the next one!
I love a 'day in the life of' video, but as a drummer with a PA and lights and some booking.... this checked all the boxes!@@malonedrum
Great insight. Thanks for posting this.
Every week!
These vlogs are great!
Thanks trying to do more of them
Amazing!
Thanks!
Great, great content. I feel related to your journey. Lots of cool tips and tricks.
Glad to hear it!
@@malonedrum greetings from México!
Enjoyed the backstage coverge Mike. I too am a pickup and regular band musician and it is an extraordinary amount of work. At 66 years old, late nights and heavy equipment takes its toll on the body. Thanks for your filming your approach and tips. Rock on!
Thanks for watching!
Excellent video Mike. I like to say I get paid to load in/out, I play for free.🥁
Ive said the same many times before!
So fantastic. I love your vlogging style. You did a great job with the video and it was so cool to see the professional video in addition. I also REALLY enjoyed watching the upfront work, creating charts, set lists, emailing band. Truly inspiring and a great way to start my day. Also, excellent storytelling. I hope to have the chance to work with you in the future. Let me know if you ever need some bass!
Appreciate you checking it out.
Great Video!
Thanks!
Excellent volg on what a gig entails or as my wife calls "You Having Fun!"
Ha, I love it!
Fantastic video. Cheers for this insight 😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome video mate !
Thank you!
Color me impressed by drums+sound+lighting!
Thanks
Thank you Mike... very well done video. Nice to see you include all the facts and figures, plus all the nitty gritty of what it takes from beginning to end. Us drummers are always the first and last, even without sound and lights. But add that into the mix and it's quite the day. Curious about how your divide payment (and you're welcome to DM me). You are quite the professional and a great musician. Keep posting. And Rock n' Roller for the win!
There’s so much that comes into payment in a band this large, and I just try to be practical and give extra for players who have added roles, whether that means they are playing the ceremony, have further to travel/haul in for equipment, or if they have added responsibilities like acting as an agent, running sound, writing arrangements, etc.
You’re a beast
Thank you!
Mike, this was such an insightful peak at the behind the scenes view that so many of us don’t ever get to see.
The Pocket Kings are a very classy act and would be so much fun to be a part of as far as an audience goes.
Thanks for checking it out.
@@malonedrum I always do, my friend.
Great video Mike! I know some people who manage wedding bands for a living who arent this thorough.
A few things I might have included:
- The logistics of whether you are playing for the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and reception, and if they are all on the same stage
- The process of learning new music for a wedding gig, especially if it's NOT a band that plays together regularly otherwise like the PK
- There isnt a better late night food spot in Green Bay or Oshkosh than KT?!
Yeah, those are all things I’ll deal with from time to time, but not on this one.
Don’t shame Kwik Trip, show some respect.
Great vid ❤❤❤
Thanks
Great video man!
Glad you liked it!
💪"hard working wedding drummer", great work!!
💪💪
Great video, I play wedding gigs in France and it's great to see that our approach is very similar to you guys in the U.S!
Cool to hear!
Since your in Wisconsin and I'm in Minnesota, hit me up for a sound-guy if you ever find yourself out this way! Love the content btw. Been making way through of your vids! Also a drummer, but mostly do sound now! I also am a Kwik Trip regular where i'm from. I live 30 mins from Minneapolis so when I get my to my town after a late show, I stop at the Kwik Trip haha.
Thanks for watching the channel, and go Kwik Trip!
Really enjoying the videos, I’m lucky I get to do this most weekends and travel all round Scotland playing Hotels, Castles etc. Was wondering what your set times are in the US. Here it’s usually 8pm till 12am with buffet/ toilet breaks. Regards. Ian
I’d say anywhere from 2-4 hours total, 3 being most common. 1,2 or 3 breaks depending on how long it is.
Interesting look into what's involved in planing a wedding gig. Most enjoyable and informative Mike!
Thanks for watching
This is very helpful and I thank you for that. Great explanatory for what it takes to organise and perform on a gig like that. Fantastic job!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, and appreciate your efforts on it. I was a working drummer years ago and loved the private gigs, too.Usually better conditions all-around and money.
Thanks for checking it out!
As a drummer looking to get way busier, this is an awesome video. Thanks!
Good luck to you
This is great, I know how this goes as I’ve been doing it for years, but not running sound there are some gems in here!
Thanks man, I wouldn't chose to run sound while trying to play my instrument with all four limbs, but I've gotten to a place where I can get by with it.
This video clearly took a lot of time to put together and it shows. Interesting footage and great analysis of the topic you discussed. As a musician/sound engineer this was a cool perspective to look at as it is very similar to my own day-to-day. Keep making these videos Mike as they are very informative and it's great to look behind the curtain of these type of events. Earned a sub! Cheers!
Thanks for checking it out and chiming in!
Mike super inspiring video - looks like a lot of work but so much fun
Exactly.
Great video Mike! Loved that look behind the scenes, and especially highlighting the time and effort that goes into everything around the gig, not just turning up and performing. For some reason, it can still be difficult to explain to people exactly what they are paying for when hiring a band.
On another note, I run a drumming newsletter and included your vid in my "top 5 content" for this week, hope that's all good.
Subscribed, looking forward to more great content 👍
Appreciate you watching, and promoting my channel. Send me a copy to check out. malonedrum@gmail.com
I really enjoyed this 👍, congratulations on having a successful band.
Thanks
Love your videos, do a lot of wedding gigs myselves. Inspiring to see your TH-cams!
Awesome! Thank you!
Nice! You guys sound great. I don’t play weddings, but I can definitely relate playing musicals where there is so much extra stuff you have to bring/extra time on the front and back end. Cool behind the scenes look!
It's a worthwhile challenge, but it is very taxing.
Another great video! These gig vlogs are some of my favorites.
More to come!
It's amazing that these events are booked more than a year in advance. With that much lead time and the amount of work that goes into a wedding, do you require 50% payment or so up front?
Yeah, 50% up front to secure the date is standard for almost any private event I'll do.
Excellent video, very helpful! Thanks for the insights!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Packers sticker on the mixing board is on point.
Do you have a link to those magnetic pin RGB lights. I could use that for my wedding photography.
Love this video. The logistics of planning, setting up and playing a wedding gig is crazy.
Highly recommend these: amzn.to/3YWM5ht
Another great video, Mike. It was really informative.
Thanks!
Very informative. Given that you put in at least 30 hours in total, what would you estimate was your own hourly compensation? Was it $50/hour? That is my guess. For the other musicians who only put in say 10 hours, did they make a lesser hourly rate than yourself? BTW... the clip of the band... I'd say you are definitely in the pocket... just hope you are never out of pocket for a gig gone wrong!
It wasn't quite $50 an hour, but I'd say the it's safe to say the bad did way better than 33% of what I make. They probably get closer to 50% or more, pending the amount of work I have to do.
Hey Mike thanks a lot for the video! Could you share how do you guys split the money in the band? I guess you took bigger cut because of all of the booking, running lights and sound and so on. I'm also drummer in our wedding band trio and I'm doing most of the prep work for our band. It would be beneficial to know how to split money in the band in such a situation. No need for exact numbers, percentage will be enough. Thank you! 🙂
It's really not as simple as a percentage. Sometimes I'll use a percentage but often times I give myself a flat fee for things like PA/Lights or arranging/charts, sometimes if it makes more sense I'll do a percentage but it all depends on the budget for the event in total and making sure my cut doesn't detract from other people getting a fair cut for their work too. On lower paying gigs, I might even do my portion for free just so that we can do the gig and every can get a bottom dollar that's acceptable, and then on some huge weddings (like this one) I'm treated very well for my extra tasks.
@@malonedrum thanks a lot for the honesty. Since I live in different country the prices here are way different for the live music at weddings. Like you can get up to 1000$ for the whole band (3-4 piece band) for let's say four 45 mins sets but that's very rare. Usually it goes around 500-700$... That's why I was asking about the percentages. But thanks anyways, having flat fee on the higher paying gigs makes sense. Now I was doing basically everything for free because since we are trio and all of us also sing there's nobody who would deserve less in my opinion. But maybe communicating that I would like to get extra flat fee above what we charge usually for the higher paying gigs would be acceptable from the bands point of view.
Mike great videos as usual! Seems like you have a pretty basic / simplistic drum set up which i appreciate as a regular gigging drummer. Can you reply to this with the drum set gear/sizes/ and choice of hardware ? Lightweight hardware? Thanks man!
Kits rotate but usually 20/12/14 for something like this, and always running with my DW ultralight stuff to keep hardware light.
Dang, Mike! You were the prime mover on that gig. What percentage of the take do you receive for all the additional time you put in if you don't mind me asking?
I think I talked about it in the video, but it fluctuates based on my extra duties and then what I can budget to still pay everyone else fairly. Sometimes it’s really a lot extra, and in some cases, there’s none to spare.
Sick solo tones from Chumlee. You forgot the time spent printing charts for the horns. 😂 nice work mike
Ha, well our horns are usually reading off iPads, so more typically time spent finding WiFi password at the gig so they can download them.
Great video. My question is this: as the person who sets up the gig, brings all the necessary gear, and makes the arrangements for the other players among other things, what's your take of the fee compared to the other band members? Maybe that's a question you don't want to answer, which is understandable, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case you were willing to answer.
I do value the extra work I do, and my cohorts do as well. I do take an extra cut, but it varies depending on the amount of work and time that goes into it. Doesn’t really matter what I took extra on this gig, but just be transparent with your group about the work you’re doing and what cut you think you deserve.
@@malonedrum That's really solid advice, thanks.
I didn't know that column pa systems work for bands
Sure they do! But not all of them would be a good choice for a band.
@@malonedrum any reccomendations?
@@delzmusique7934 I have the EV Evolve 30Ms and have worked well but if I could do it again I would have just bought the 50s
So how much did you get paid for the 25-30 hours of your time? Also, how much did you pay your bandmates?
Thanks man your content is amazing
If I felt like it was fair to share, I would have just said it in the video. Paid very well, not gonna go beyond that.
I just don’t understand why you are doing so much yourself? We always work as a group and don’t saddle me with it by myself. If we’re all getting the same cut, we all share the work. We each do our own amp and instrument set up and place the mics on our amps. We all set up the PA and vocal mics and our bass player sets up the mixer for the sound. We also work together to set up lights and then we do the same in reverse. Are you getting a bigger share of the earnings?
I really thought I covered all of this in the video. Explanation of why I handle these tasks, and how I compensate myself for my extra work.
@@malonedrummaybe I just missed it. Sorry to bother you.
Hi Mike, do you have a link to the lights you use? Many thanks
Highly recommend: amzn.to/45Q3PNu
I made more money playing weddings than I ever did playing bars with a rock band. Free food and booze and the people are classier and they're all there to dance and party. Not to mention the bridesmaids that always seem to hang out with the band. I hated the tuxedo though. But ya gotta do what you gotta do.
It’s worth the extra work.
id love to know the sight you use for booking these actually. I am always looking for worthwhile marketing and so much of it is scammy as all hell
If you google search private event booking, it'll show up pretty quickly
Whats your opinion on these EV 30m speakers? Do you put the entire band through them, or are bass/guitar on backline?
I run the entire band through the system, but really 90% of their sound would come through their amps. miking those or getting a line on those specific instruments is mostly for in ear mixes, recording shows, and adding a little filler to the room sound if needed.
I like the 30Ms, but if I could do it again, I might go with the 50's just to have more headroom (which I haven't needed, but sometimes I feel like I'm getting close).
Is it an even split of the pay for the whole group or do you get a bigger cut due to all the extra work? Just curious.
I do get an extra cut for my extra work, but that rate can varry gig to gig or situation to situation .
I`m also a drummer band leader of my Big Band, Jazz Trio, and Jazz Quartet. I enjoyed watching your video on what a drummer band leader has to do. You work hard Mike and put together a very good wedding band. Most of my booking is doing concerts with my jazz bands. I only did one wedding with my Big Band, only because the couple paid me so much, and they were huge fan of my music I played. I never play dance music, but they wanted me to play my book which is concert jazz music. The people loved it, so it worked out great for me. Here is a video of my Big Band th-cam.com/video/yqPwhBM9ErI/w-d-xo.html If people only knew the massive work of having a Big Band and doing concerts all the time. Great to see a professional drummer band leader doing the same work I have to do. But I love the music I play and get to do concerts all the time. Had to make a comment on your excellent video.
Thanks for watching.