Len_derby

Yesterday at the Wirksworth Arts Festival in Derbyshire. The Desperate Cowboys did a 45 minute set as part of an all-day multi-act show. It’s a small town with grim parking at the best of times, so park-and-ride systems were set up from the nearby quarry sites. Consequently, it was my Taylor Mini Bass straight into the supplied PA. The Taylor has enough character and quality to sound good enough though that setup, so no complaints. Initially, we were disappointed to only get a midday slot. However, given the way the weather went, we were quite happy. I even had to swallow my prejudices and play in a hat! I think I’m done now for outdoor gigs in Derbyshire until next spring.

As @HeadlessBassist alludes to above, it depends on your own attitude to risk. I have bought basses unseen, but only from this forum and from people who have good feedback. In your position I think I’d put a Wanted add on Basschat and stipulate that you need to be able to collect/take delivery or meet-up. Good luck.

You’re being very generous, Tim. The only places I would now be considered middle-aged are a care home and an Anglican Church congregation. 😂

Grumpy middle-aged men winging about their First World problems on the General Discussion page of a Bass/music forum? 😂

Thanks for this thread. It’s prompted me to take out my custom build by our own @Andyjr1515. Boutique? Maybe, but if so it’s the only boutique thing I have in my universe. Suit courtesy of Oxfam.

Mexican P-J , my go-to gigging bass. Love it.

I’ve just measured the Bex. 55mm at the 12th, 63mm at the heel.

Wow, he’s certainly reduced his options for a night out in our part of the world!

This is a really interesting topic. Personally, at the level of a ‘weekend warrior’, I don’t expect or need to be ‘mates’ with the people I play with. If someone is espousing extreme or illegal nonsense, then that’s beyond the pale. But, if what they believe doesn’t affect the working of the band and it doesn’t affect the relationship with audiences and venues, does it matter? It’ll be very sad if people with different views can’t find common ground to work together.

All the blues festivals I’ve been to seem to have a fairly broad definition of what constitutes ‘blues’. As a case in point, I regularly went to the Newark Blues Festival before it moved from the castle. Headline acts over the years that I can remember were; Aynsley Lister, The Nimmo Brothers, Ian Siegal and Chantel McGregor. Non of which are strictly blues in the traditional sense. Interestingly, with respect to @pete.young‘s post above, they were all mostly playing their own material.

Good luck with this Mick. The only bit of advice/experience I can give is related to travel. I spent a few years in a band playing original songs in a folk style with an interesting selection of instruments; accordion, mandolin etc. Although we got a decent amount of gigs at pubs, clubs and festivals there was a lot of travel involved. Playing a particular genre, there seemed to be maybe only one venue in a town or smaller city that was worth playing in. Suitable festivals might be a couple of hours drive away too. I don’t know if that’s the case for the blues, though. Plus, it will depend on how often you want to play live. Hope you find a way!

I think we’ve got the same mates. 😂 Jokes aside, I’ve done long stints in originals bands and I understand the importance of recording material, so I’ve committed to it and done my best. Although, I often think of something one of our fellows @FinnDave said. A recording studio is often somewhere music goes to die.

Recording. I don’t like the process or the environment. To me, modern digital recording smacks too much of pi$$ing around on computers. I’d rather busk outdoors on a rainy Wednesday than spend time in someone’s home ‘studio’ (spare bedroom).

A Thursday night gig for The Desperate Cowboys at The Golden Eagle in Derby. There’s not much space for bands to play in, but as a three-piece it was bearable. A good crowd for a weekday night, car parking right outside and a ten minute drive from home. Taylor mini-bass through a TE Elf and Barefaced One-10.

Air-bass, 1958. Mustang bass, 2025.

The second gig of the weekend yesterday for Top Deck. At the Great Northern pub, Langley Mill in Derbyshire. A nice old pub overlooking what was an important meeting place of three canals back in the day. The so-called Great Northern Basin. We played outside on a raised wooden stage area. Thankfully with some shade. A jolly Bank Holiday crowd, that included several children. So, we avoided using some of our jokes.

The first one of a two gig weekend today at the Eclipse pub in Loscoe, Derbyshire. We were part of The Losca Festival, a one day event to raise money for local charities. Live music from midday until late in three pubs all within about a hundred metres of each other. We did a forty-five minute set of covers starting at 4.45. Very hot and sweaty, but we went down a storm. I think the audience had imbibed just the right amount of alcohol. Unlimited free food and drinks for performers and we’ve got some paid bookings out of it.

I sold a Gramma pad to Shep. An amazingly smooth and easy transaction as we only live about two miles apart.

Around five years ago we had a guitarist who was a habitual drink-driver. His average intake on gig nights was four pints of beer, after which he’d drive home. Looking back, we cut him too much slack. He was younger than the rest of us and we tried advice and persuasion on him, to no avail. Eventually we sacked him, but in his eyes we were the bad guys.

A mighty talent. Actually born in West Bromwich and didn’t move to Ireland until he was eight.

The covers band, Top Deck, played The General Havelock pub in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. A good gig; ‘ilson’ people can be a bit wary of outsiders, but if they take to you they love you. We never had to buy our own drinks all night. We played in an outdoor, roofed, area. Showtime was 7.30 until 9.30 as it’s in a residential area. The pub seems to be managing its relationship with the locals well. Home by 10.30 to some cans in the fridge.

Anyone else tempted to buy something because they read about it on this thread? 😂

Not really a prejudice, but I’ve never understood why anyone would wear a hat when someone else has taken the trouble to provide a perfectly good, weatherproof roof over their heads. Ungrateful, I call it 😂

Ouch, that’s a really dumb thing to do. I think I’d severe connections with people who pulled that stunt. Pub landlords talk to each other. A bad reputation is hard to shake off.