KevB

There's one run on Nottingham Road at the Queens Hotel on Sunday afternoons but it's very rough and ready and they spent minimum on backline. In its day the best one was Sun afternoons at the Greyhound but that's folded. For a short drive away toward Stapleford there is one on Thurs nights at The Magpie.

The title of the thread made me smile as one of the last open mic/jam nights I attended I was playing with a drummer who was in Edwin Starr's backing band. I think on the whole these type of events are useful as a mid point between bedroom learning and full on gigging and can be good networking opportunities. I joined 2 of my previous bands as a result of jam sessions. I've also been in a house band for one of these so have seen it from that side of the fence too. I'm not sure how many real gigs they take from bands any more, the places I've done them in just couldn't afford to put bands on every night so if the jam/open mic night wasn't running there wouldnt be anything else on (and a very quiet night a the venue, which is part of the reason they exist).

Just tried that time keeping thing and scored around 870 with both right and left hand. Felt more natural with my right though (which is my plucking hand the way I play).

For all round combo of ability and tone I liked the Israeli lad in the rude T shirt but even that wasn't music I'd listen to a lot, though I like a bit of Metheney now and again.which is what it most reminded me of.

Mainly BV's, though I have sung occasional lead in one function band (joint vox with female LV) and sometimes have to do LV's at open mics but not that great tbh. My range has never been that great and as I've grown older it's naturally narrowed further. As others have said it's about picking a song you've a half decent chance at and if possible simplifying bass parts to suit. Few will notice a few missing bass notes but everyone will spot a duff vocal.

I enjoyed your gig at the Flowerpot in Derby earlier this year. I was going to hang around and say hello after the show but you didn't look very happy with the onstage sound (in truth the lead guitar was a bit piercing for a while) so I thought it best leave you alone. Good gig though.

I think this is the breakdown of who owns what of the PA in my latest project: I bought the power amp and the singer owns the desk, think the speakers belong to the guitarist. Drummer may own a bass bin, not sure (haven't really needed it yet). As the other 3 have been in a band together before I rather expect that if any of them leave it'll probably all fold anyway so it's a moot point really. If I left they might carry on without me but would just need to replace the power amp or get a new bassist who already has one. They did offer me money for a 'share' of the power amp once but I think I'll hang onto it, could double as a backup bass amp in future.

Been to the arena in Nottm a few times. It's similar to Sheffield in that it is primarily an ice hockey stadium that gets turned into a concert venue but maybe smaller than Sheffield. I'd recommend avoiding the first half dozen rows or so, with the flying PA often well forward you're virtually under it for first few rows and the sound is poor, better sound from further back. They can roll the stage further forward and curtain off more of the rear if ticket sales are poor. Worst case I've seen there is Alanis Morrisette on last tour, about 2/3 of it was curtained off (it was a part standing gig though).

She's trying to hint that you don't do enough of the ironing mate...

Not played anything from band's set since last gig on Aug 7th,they've just pulled a rehearsal out for tonight with no warning and I fully expect to be really dodgy on a lot of the set though I think we are going to work on some new stuff in which case we'll all be a bit flakey anyway.

Here's a funny thing. A club wanted us to play a gig for them on Sep12th and we agreed to do it. Last week they got back to the band member who organised it and asked if we'd change to 11th instead. Although we can all do it none of us are that happy about doing a Friday rather than a Sat when you have a day job to slog at all week. Band member has now texted me to tell me there has been some sort of revolt at the club and some members are threatening not to renew their subscriptions for next year and boycott the club unless we play on the original date as they too seem to prefer seeing us on a Sat night as well. It's quite touching really, especially as the only time we've been there was to set up our own gear one afternoon for a rehearsal and check it all worked properly before we started booking gigs.

^ This, except mine's a 25w Marshall.

Tell them you're taking an extra cut of all fees for the gear transportation you do.

I finally offloaded mine a few months back, didn't get anywhere near £200 for it but it wasn't getting used so it had to go.

Occasionally raised eyebrows at cricket as I batted righty but bowled leftie.

The one area where playing this way probably doesn't do you any favours is slap, need more dexterity in the 'wrong' hand than you actually have at your disposal. As it happens I've never been that bothered about playing that style or playing the music that employs it so much but if I was a big funk fan I might have ended up very frustrated. I'm not quite normal in any case as despite being conventionally left handed for one handed things (raquets always held leftie) I'm completely right footed at football, can barely control a ball with my left. I play the PK5 pedals almost exclusively with right foot.

Hammond players with Leslie cabinets looked like Quasimodo after a few gigs unless they had a roadie...

IIRC Tony has posted very occasionally on this forum, but not for quite a while.

I'm still really happy to have my more dexterous (left) hand doing all the fiddly fretting stuff playing right handed but then I do most two-handed things right handed so I'm probably not as single-hand dominant as some.

Don't forget the original Colosseum either... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tINlBYm5wjs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tINlBYm5wjs[/url]

OK any excuse to pull this one out again then, for bassy goodness skip to around 2:30 onward. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4OgR_zMsSs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4OgR_zMsSs[/url]

I'm amazed at the state of some of the secondhand gear I've looked at it the past. I'm not particularly overboard on cleaning but, as another poster has said, a reasonable going over during restringing (where you can get a the fretboard, bridge etc much easier) keeps them looking clean and tidy most of the time.

Some great bass work from Tony Reeves on that first Greenslade album.

Sorry Jack, meant with the band. Unless they had a brass section in the early days?

Macca started out on rhythm gtr too. Didn't seem to do him too much harm.