I played professionally for 30 years.In the beginning the most heartbreaking obstacle is keeping a band together musicians are idealists and get their feelings hurt easy. Most want their own set list but they want to gig really bad. However after several months in the garage or likewise out performing the love of their own unique taste takes over. You won't hear it often instead you'll hear. My wife changed shifts and we don't have a babysitter. Or my shift changed etc and on and on. Occasionally you'll here the truth "this material ain't my style I just can't do it sorry." Lol. Decide your goals and your material. Do your homework on perspective musicians.ask them multiple times can you do and love this jaundra. If you get a yes that's just half. You have to do a few songs for them. But to be successful you have to be willing to do the music that drives the crowd crazy not material that you want.the only exception is if you write and perform original material. The trick if doing covers is the songs that drives the band and the crowd. This takes time and it's complicated by pooling talent from musicians who just want to compile the songs you all collectively know and go collect the gig check. For many it's a needed income and their only motivation. They'll always hop to the first band that's working the most and to be successful and keep a group together you have to learn to recognize them. Sometimes you'll even need to use them temporarily to work for you when someone quits without notice. It will happen. It's easy to get so quagmired in keeping everyone happy that you lose your love for the thing and can't express yourself musically . Your the leader you took the initiative. You will find the blend between your ideas dreams and what sells itself on stage. If you find a group who you carefully caringly manage and that will trust you, your on your way. The payoff is the large crowd hands in the air screaming so loud you can't hear yourself think lol. Don't ever sacrifice that feeling for family and friends screaming for somthing mediocre cause they always will. High energy always. It's like taking off on vacation in a car you're neighbor had to jumpstart for you. Your gonna get stranded so get your battery now lol. Your goal is to impress that seasoned musician who walks in to your gig. You'll notice him as soon as he walks in. You want that guy to say those cats are badass!!!! You can name any town and their will be many many many good musicians in it. My home town there's a couple thousand but in every jaundra only a half a dozen bands getting all the good gigs. Put a bad band out gigin and you won't get a second chance for years. A bad band young and good looking now a days can get a lot of attention but it won't last and fellow musicians won't forgive you and work with you for a long time. The skills honed til it's tight has to be there. Good luck you can be years ahead if you micro manage the band the venues and the whole process without anyone knowing you are. Form friendships with the venues and bars. Sincere ones and keep in touch regularly even if your not back there til next month sit down with and learn their dos and donts. Often the manager and the owner are very different. That has to be managed carefully . Think about and perfect all of this and more while you spend the next few years in the garage getting the sound right. When you get close begin working on the performance too. It won't magically appear first time out and you don't want your first impression to be "great band but they all just stand there. Good luck I'm excited for you . I got too old for getting home at daybreak or I'd still b out there. Still have my axe when I need it for some therapy..