I agree with your brother on that. Regardless of where you are or how many people you play for, it's still a gig. I'd actually wish my church offered that kind of opportunity. You should consider yourself lucky :)

I'm not quite sure I have more people listening to my playing than most people here, though. I typically have 5 people to play for. Sometimes a bit more, but that's only on special occasions. I'm also pretty sure that there are lots of people here who are better at playing guitar than me, so there might be a connection... Then again, I think everyone started out with small crowds to play for, before working their way up to sold-out arenas.

I think that one of the main reasons I'm not out there playing gigs at venues yet, is that I can't find a band that needs a Rhythm Guitarist. My goal is to become a great Lead Guitarist, but I'm willing to settle for Rhythm Guitar just to see if playing for others is really something I could see myself doing a lot of. And I am a bit better at playing Rhythm Guitar than Lead Guitar right now, if I have to admit it (and there are a few good Rhythm Guitarists as well. Izzy Stradlin and Keith Richards are tied for best in my opinion), so I would probably be best suited for Rhythm Guitar unless I can find other lower intermediate players to play with...

I just did a thorough rehearsal of my set-list, and it clocks in at little over an hour, though I might move Sweet Child down to the Encores, before Smoke, and then just play the parts I know in my sleep and try to seamlessly proceed into Smoke on the Water, and then let a jam or solo take over Sweet Child's spot... It might create a better flow in the whole gig, or it might not. Only one way to find out.