WalMan

Good night in Bognor despite the town being in virtual lockdown due to trouble there during the afternoon and early evening. Thankfully whatever it was seemed to be over by the time we got to load in but the atmosphere was a little tense and started and ended with the main door locked and entry only through the fire exit that could be monitored. Thankfully despite all that we had a good night with lots of dancing and the most singing along in ages. We were on a strict 11 curfew with punters warned that the bar would be shutting bang on 11 and that they would need to drink up and be gone quick sharp. Finished the second set and did “I love rock and roll” for the first time as a quick encore. Finished at 10:59 😁 Lots of compliments at the end of the night which is always nice 😊 IEM’s worked well tonight with one glitch when one of the guitars suddenly drowned out everything and my iPad had gone to sleep so I couldn’t do anything about it. Turned out to be something to do with the XLR from his Kemper and thankfully not repeated.

One of my less frequent bands is a prog cover band nowadays doing mainly Floyd, Yes & Genesis. In the past we also did Porcupine Tree, UK & Spock’s Beard, which confused many 🤣 Fun gig to do, though the Floyd covers are a bit of a nothing for bass (IMO). It is a very few and far between gig - two + years between last March and the previous gig. The last gig was self promoted and had just under 100 paying customers through the door. Went pretty well as well. Photos of the set up for that including McMillen 12Step bass pedals through a soft synth on my iPad and acoustic on a playing stand. Probably the most demanding from that set was Firth of Fifth, Roundabout or Spirit of Radio and a lot of the ‘standard’ prog covers feel like it’s just pedalling a single note whilst stuff shifts around on keys and guitar. Volunteer Club in my sig is a proggy project with one of the guitarists in my main band. I was lucky and got the S2 during lockdown and just before Rob announced his retirement. The S2 was a constant at South East Bass Bashes for years and I eventually bought it from Barney when I was in need of a 5 string quickly to use whilst I had an insurance repair carried out on my old L2500. It looks a mess and was cheap, but plays well and sounds great so is always in

It’s a Status S2. Generally my go to nowadays, that or a beaten up FPPR S1 for even tighter venues where cats cannot be swung and I’m likely to be knocking into things all night. Both really solid in tone, light and playable. The Wal doesn’t often come out to play at gigs anymore & just used for recording.

Landed back from hols at sparrow’s fart. Bit of a nap then lock and load. A couple of ‘how does this go again’ moments to start but woke up and cleared ‘flight throat’ for backing vox and overall a great fun night as ever at a small but appreciative pub 🤘😁 I still need to get things sorted with the IEM feed as something doesn’t seem quite right. I should be getting pre-fade, but I’m not convinced that I am. I set my mix, and then it changes leading me to suspect I’m getting post. i also need to get a damn sight fitter and shed a few stone!!!! New bike due I a week or so so I must get on it regularly!

Two nights depping done and great fun as ever. Phone call/ message 9 am Friday morning. 11 hours later load in for gig one. Got through relatively unscathed for a slightly later start and finish at a pub I’ve not played at for years. Last time I depped with them was January and it’s a mix of a set with only a few cross overs to my normal set (though different keys to those I usually play those few in) but good players and an easy bunch to work with and off. Second gig closer to home and a bit earlier to finish which is just as well as I’m in Mrs Walman’s bad books for taking two gigs just before we head off on holiday. Reasonable crowds both nights and running full IEM’s which worked well. A bit more holiday spending cash, which is nice. And so to bed and head to the airport tomorrow afternoon ready for Monday morning 😁

Hobby for me as well, but I am known as a musical whooer by my mates for taking on all offers to play pretty much whatever because I enjoy playing and can afford to (within reason) as wifey is accommodating to my regular disappearance to gigs and rehearsals and the day job keeps me solvent. I probably did around half of @Clarky's journey Saturday in the opposite direction (from the coast inland to Horsham). After costs we had £10 each Saturday night, and the final tot up for 92 punters through the door, after room & PA means I have another £10 to come apparently. 🕺EV & a bit of sun in the morning means I probably broke even on mileage for the gig & three rehearsals - though not once the extra bits to make running the bass pedals easier and other odds & sods are factored in

The band is Epsilon. Sadly doesn’t get to gig often as getting everyone together is akin to herding cats. I also have The Volunteer Club as a recording project with one of the guitarists from The Alibi as a progish non gigging project.

Cheers Jeff good to catch up again after the SEBB. Funnily enough I was last out on the load out (though I did get caught chatting to friends rather than packing up 🤦‍♂️) Just seen a phone clip of Court of the Crimson King from the back of the room last night. The BF/TH was running a Moog Model D soft synth on my iPad with the 12Step and sounded thunderous 🤩

Prog gig tonight and took a large proportion of my gear - Big Baby 2 with the Darkglass, small pedalboard and BassRevolt for the bass - 2 x One10’s with Aguilar TH350 for the bass pedals - was lending the other BB2 to the keys but couldn’t get the mixer and power amp that had worked fine Thursday night wouldn’t at the gig🤬 Generally went well and the crowd were really appreciative which was nice.

🫢oh dear I've never taken that as a backhanded 'compliment' the many times I've had that. 🤣

@AndyTravis pretty sure it was one of these https://www.k-m.de/en/products/stands-and-accessories-for-instruments/fretted-instruments/14761-guitar-performer-stand-black?c=156

I can’t quite remember now, had it a while but I’ll try and find the details. It’s a solid stand and a better solution than the one I used before that fixed to the top of a mic stand and just strapped to guitar to it. Cost about £150 IIRC

Proggy rehearsal tonight. Better than a couple of weeks back when I was too tired and had been working all the hours so also under rehearsed 🙁 Spent some time last night brushing up on parts and tonight it was sounding good where I was stood rehearsing for the first gig in a long while (getting everyone together is like herding cats) Keyboard players gear is unfortunately very old so the hope for a slick set and quick changes is out of the window as certain changes require much stabbing at buttons and scrolling of menus to setup patches. No laptop and preprogrammed setlist and scenes for us unfortunately. Took everything tonight, bass, bass pedals and acoustic on a stand. I rather think for the gig I shall forego the bass pedals as one thing too many to worry about. Shame but I can get by without. Tonight’s studio madness, left to right as you look at it: - iPad running Moog Mariana bass soft synth driven by McMillen 12Step pedals - volume pedal for the acoustic on a stand - Status S2 into Boss CE20, SkarBassOne, MicroThumpinator, TwoNotes Bass Revolt and into the FX return on the studio’s Laney - Faith acoustic on stand I like the 12Step but my big feet and the wrong shoes didn’t help hitting the right notes 🤦‍♂️

Ours pointed out that very thing last night (that it's normally him being whacked in the back of the head. Also had from the same audience member mid song: 1) a mime that looked like 'can my chum play your bass?' Eeeer No, even though I know him and he depped for me a few years back tis neither the time nor place; and 2) can I sing in your mic? Again no, and definitely not without me killing it in my IEM's 🤣 To be fair he was looking v apologetic and running a blocking play for me at the time 🙂 We have a slot at a largish local festival later in the year. Not quite sure what we'll do with all the space!!?

I suppose I got goosed a couple of times and at least one was a young lady(?) ... well they're all young to me nowadays 🤣

All you lucky people doing gigs with acres of space and without the route to the bogs through the middle of the band! The green eyed monster is here 🤣

Another fun night, though very tight on space so I used the my old beaten up FPPR Status as we had people wandering through us to the loos all night Good crowd singing along all night and a happy landlord, but unbelievably as the last time we played there, he leaves next week 🤦‍♂️ Had a guy come up to us afterwards and say “I came in and saw you setting up and thought oh **** this’ll be cr@p, but then you started and it was awesome 🤩 “ … which was nice 😁

+1 When I was looking for a case for my Roland PK5 bass pedals they made a custom bag for me that came out really well

Have a look in the Events section for examples of what Bass Bashes are about. Had another good one for last year’s SEBB 😁

Apparently our drummer was talking to workmates about being in a a band and they were taking the mick saying “I bet you’re the old man in the band”. His answer “I’m actually 20 years younger than the next oldest” 🤣 I regularly see videos on social media and hear of people with degenerative issues (Alzheimer’s and the like) that show the sufferer coming out of their shell with music. For me as an acknowledged music whooer I just love learning and playing different stuff for gigs and deps.

Not a hope 🤣 my year was blown on 25/1 with more incoming 🤦‍♂️