KevB

'You do know this is a tribute to Blue's band and we've got another 2 and a half hours left to play?'

I think he was just extrapolating given that they had taken 9 months to get about 8 songs under their belt, so a full set would be another 12-18 months. They didn't sound like kids either. I expect they all had families that didn't allow them to do much other than get to a rehearsal room on occasional Sunday afternoons. I was sent a 30 song set list from a band just before Easter and I reckon I've got a reasonable grasp of all but 5 or 6 of them by now. Meeting them tomorrow night for a jam. Here's hoping...

Chunky neck? No , I'm just big boned. Or it's a thyroid problem.

You forgot Spartacus the half a bee.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459768475' post='3019309'] I assume you didn't join that band, then..? [/quote] Amazingly, no I didn't . The clincher was when he said they weren't bothered about getting paid either. So I'd be learning songs for up to 18 months for the possibility of a gig for no money. He was practically talking me out of getting involved as we chatted.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459724150' post='3019057'] That is true of course, and I don't think it's unreasonable at all - I'm just surprised to find out after all this time that it goes on so extensively. It's perfectly fine, whatever floats one's boat. But I have in the past joined a band fully under the impression that they wanted to do gigs and they did not - in fact, they lied to me about their intentions and wasted my time, just to get a bass player - and THAT is [i]definitely [/i]unreasonable, to say the least. [/quote] Yep it's those sorts that wind you up. If its clear it will only be studio projects that's OK but being misled isn't acceptable. When I've been looking for another band recently it took a few texts and phone conversations with one possible lead to find out that after 9 months they had got as far as doing 2 open mics and learned 6-8 songs (but were also writing their own). They didn't feel they would be 'gig ready' for at least another 12-18 months!

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1459765008' post='3019253'] That's in my back yard, I've heard tell but never been there, it's not the finest neighbourhood [/quote] Venue itself is OK and I've parked there without incident a few times but I know what you mean, not been for a year or two. Played there once years ago, gave us the graveyard shift on a Sunday. So few people in that the management were happy for us to finish the second set early so we could all go home.

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1459671396' post='3018439'] There's a venue in my home town that puts on tribute bands very regularly. A lot of them pack out the place and I think it allows them to take the financial hit on originals acts that don't sell so well. One thing I have noticed is that it's a noticeably different crowd who go to the tributes. I have non-musician friends who go out to see tribute acts but have no interest in seeing originals or even normal covers bands. [/quote] I'm guessing that's the Flowerpot? There's also the Diamond in Sutton in Ashfield that seemed to establish itself on the tribute tricket. Agree about the crowds, it's def more of a 'couples night out' vibe at some of those gigs unless it's a really heavy act.

Was in one of these 2 bands back (actually the band after that was a bit similar but not so britpoppy) with the Oasis/Stereophonics/Arctic Monkeys/Fratellis type thing going on, though we did a few 60's as well. Wasn't short of work while I was in it but I understand the 2 main cash cow venues have now gone off the rosta and the bandleader isn't getting quite so much work. They've asked me to dep for them at end of this month so I'll get a better picture then.

Aye, I'm afraid I could see what was likely to unfold. Been to enough of these things to see it coming and make a hasty retreat. Past my bedtime anyway, it's alright for you with your rock n roll lifestyle

Went to a jam session last night and there were THREE saxophonists there queuing up to play all over someone else's solo or step in at a particularly inappropriate moment. They didn't disappoint

Don't think Steve Walsh has been mentioned. At his peak he certainly had a set of pipes on him. Can't pick him as my all time fave though, there are too many I like a lot.

Available on mp3va.com for the princely sum of 38p. You'd have to download it somewhere else and then transfer it to your practice space on an mp3 player of course: [url="http://www.mp3va.com/ornette-coleman-soapsuds-soapsuds-charlie-haden-vinyl-r524012"]http://www.mp3va.com...n-vinyl-r524012[/url] Hell for 38p Bilbo I can just buy it myself and pop it on my online dropbox for you to access if you PM me an email address to send the dropbox invite to.

Don't use two that often never mind three. If one was enough for Jamerson...

Next for me is Jeff Lynne a week today, then possibly a fleetwood mac tribute on apr 9th and Hawkwind on 19th. In May I'll be seeing Magenta, Magnum and Pendragon and probably fit in a Kate Bush tribute as well.

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1459166820' post='3014000'] played a gig on Saturday, sound check fine, when we started I could hardly hear myself, which should be ridiculous as I have a stack behind me, so I turned up a notch (trace elliot ) came off at half time and was told I was too loud, well you know what? I thought stuff that if I can't here myself what's the point? didn't seem to matter was a good gig [/quote] I get that with my Trace combo sometimes, usually when I've ended up practically stood on top of it due to limited band space. It just seems to go through you and you don't really hear how loud it properly is unless you go off with a long lead or wireless down to where the crowd will be. I always briefly check my level roughly in the middle of where I'm expecting punters to be stood come showtime.

Depends which Badass you got hold of. The original ones had 'blank' saddles that you filed accordingly with needle files. The later version had pre cut saddles with the option of using about 3 different positions. From my experience the string tends to naturally 'want' to go into one of the 3 positions and there isn't much point trying to force it into an unnatural alignment.

Put a badass III on my thru-strung jazz as I happened to find one quite cheap on eBay at the time. However judging the tonal 'before and after' had little difference so I didn't bother changing the BBOT on the thru-strung precision I got a couple of years back. This is the jazz : [URL=http://s30.photobucket.com/user/KevB64/media/US%20jazz/BAIII.jpg.html][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/KevB64/US%20jazz/BAIII.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Yeah you're right Ray, it had a certain 'reputation' even in my 80's student days. I don't go quite as far back as the 70's there though I can't recall the last time I actually went in.

That was a fairly standard night at Yates's in the 90's, believe me.

Went to see a band on Sat in a pub showing the game. Screens at one end of the pub, performing area at the other. Band started about 10 min before end of game at a sensible volume and then turned up a bit after end of match, everyone seemed happy.

Clicked on the set list, I'd go and see that. Really.

Well respected session guitarist before he became a star in his own right and went on to have a glorious career. It's a terrible shame when a disease like this just takes away the person the family has grown up loving. I was reading about his current state in the paper yesterday, he can't really recognise what a guitar is for anymore let alone play it. Very sad indeed.

I've probably said it before but Tull's 'bursting out' live album is worth having for the song introductions as much as the actual musical performance.

Before we get too down on ourselves though we should bear in my there are plenty of pro's who've been around for a while who don't work a crowd that well either. I was amazed at the utter lack of crowd interaction that Ali Campbell had with the audience at a UB40 gig and Pink Floyd's 'remoteness' at some times in their history is quite legendary.