Done a fair bit of depping.
I think it’s a healthy thing for me. It always makes me reflect on what I am doing…and why. Cues, learnt behaviour, assumed signals; it all gets chucked back at you.
Most recent was 6 piece function band a a military black tie dinner. 4 deps, 2 had never played with any of the other musicians. It was a little bit squeaky bottom, but you realise pretty soon that there is a pot of material that 95% of musos have somewhere in their head…