Len_derby

This afternoon the covers band, Night Shift played at the Cromford Meadows Classic Car & Bike Show, Derbyshire.

We were slightly nervous about playing outside with no cover given the forecast of thunderstorms. But, we managed to get our three half-hour sets done and packed away before the rain started. The sound on-stage was a bit odd because of the glass panels at the edge of the terrace bouncing back sound. However, we got good feedback from the audience, so all was good.

Congratulations. Careful with the beer. It would be sad to spill it on your new cabinet! 🍻🍺

Yesterday, my covers band, Night Shift, hosted a charity event at a local pub. We called it The Party In The (Car) Park. We raised over £2k for Prostate Cancer UK. This is a cause very close to our hearts, as Terry, seen next to me, is at stage 4 of the disease. 
It was a beltin’ day and everyone was following the advice to stay hydrated 😉.

I absolutely agree with the importance of networking, plus the ability to be a ‘nice guy’, whether it feels natural or not. 
This is why most good opportunities rarely make it to the advert stage.

You don’t say where you’re based, which will make a difference to opportunities.

But, my advice is to go out and network in the physical world. Go to gigs, jam nights, local festivals etc. Talk to people, make yourself known. Work your ‘black book’ of contacts if you have one. My experience is that good slots with bands that are already gigging and/or recording rarely make it to adverts. Places are filled on word-of-mouth or personally known players.

There’s some good advice already here, @FinnDave.

I was in a similar position a couple of years ago and after consulting @Paul S, I bought a Harley Benton short scale P bass, which was £79 plus postage at the time. It was excellent, straight out of the box, for the price. It confirmed that short scale was the way to go for me and I subsequently bought a Mustang. I’ve kept the HB as back-up and sometimes gig it as my main squeeze. I think if you did the same you’d either be able to move it on easily or keep it like I did.

Another thing to consider is that a shorter scale bass can make travelling on the bus, train or in a small car less of a pain. 

Good luck with the journey!

Almost always. Well, isn’t it about the most fun you can have with your clothes still on?

A lot of my gigs are accessible by bus and it’s a way of travelling I’d 

like to use more. Consequently, I’m looking for something more study than its Roqsolid cover to take my one 10 in. Cajon bags look a good option, but there’s lots of choices.

Anyone got any personal recommendations?

4 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

In a taxi right now after playing four forty five minute sets in Amsterdam city centre. Absolutely crazy, great crowd. Did this gig last year and was worried there wouldn't be the excitement, but the excitement was just different. Knowing the venue, the route etc. And being a tighter band a year on... Absolutely brilliant. Now to sleep....

Excellent. I spent a lot of time working for BASF in Arnhem, NL. There was a great appetite for live music and bands were appreciated and looked-after well.

Bought a Barefaced one 10 off Simon. Excellent, smooth transaction. Well-packed and delivered on schedule by DPD. Another great Basschatter.

Friday night at The Old Star, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, with Night Shift the covers band. The pub has a nicely set-up stage with plenty of power sockets and lights in-situ. The disadvantage is that it’s in an outside courtyard area which means it can get chilly plus there’s a 10.30 noise curfew to keep the neighbours sweet.

We went down well, with plenty of good feedback even though the hard-drinking audience were slow to get going. On the photo you can’t see the left-side guitarist’s instrument. He has a lovely Vigier that he’s totally obsessed with keeping in mint condition. The only time it comes out if its hard case is when he’s going to play. Between sets - back in the case. I dread to think what he’s going to be like when it gets the, inevitable, first ding. 

34 minutes ago, msb said:

Look at the where the bridge is placed. Many shortscales have the bridge set in about 1/3 of the way into the body , and many of those feel more like a longer bass. Those with trapeze bridges might require a longer string despite being a 30 in scale. 
The short scales with the bridge set by the body are the real short shortscales.

This is a very good observation. The new Squier Rascal being a case in point.

3 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said:

Both. I'm not fussy and enjoy live music of all types; rock, jazz, folk, originals, covers, old gits bands, beginners etc, etc. As for playing I enjoy open jams and would also be hoping to play covers in bars/pubs. I just want to keep playing, nothing too intense or serious.

Keep us posted if and when you move. There’s a few BCers active in the area. Most of my musical activities are in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire border areas, lots of small towns and villages mostly ex-mining and heavy industrial communities. Also plenty of pubs and decent opportunities for gigs, albeit tending to be for covers bands. Not places for the faint-hearted, though. Particularly on Friday and Saturday nights!

Just now, snorkie635 said:

Did you see a stranger? 😆

Yes - but sadly, it was not across a crowded room 🤣.

I was 15, in 1973. Playing a borrowed German Hofner violin bass. As I remember it, our first song was a thrashed-up version of ‘Some Enchanted Evening’. 

20 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

 

 

In rural areas, I guess nothing replaces dropping in for a pint and a chat. 

 

 

This is very much my experience in the small town and village area of the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire borders where my covers band work. It means someone (although we try to do it in pairs to share the load) has to put the time in to do it and have the required ‘people skills’ to be effective. I’ve found that sending out promotional material cold, no matter how good it is, rarely gets any results.

There are also a couple of local pubs who use their open mic nights as a way to check out who they might offer a weekend paid gig to.

26 minutes ago, Smanth said:

Weight! With a bad back I'm aiming for the lightest rig I can get!  The Dual Cube LX Bass is 4.4kg, the Roland is 6.4kg.

S'manth x

Thanks. That’s an important enough reason.

Also, you’ve saved me from wanting to upgrade my Roland to something ‘better’. Phew, cheers pal 😅

Looking neat there S’manth.

I’m interested to know why you chose the Boss Cube over the Roland Micro Cube that you have for sale. 
I don’t use any pedals or outboard effects so my equivalent rig is bass, cable and Roland Micro Cube. 

I’ve just received a Trace Elliot Elf from Roger. Excellent transaction all-round. Good communications, very good packaging. Another top Bass Chatter!

A rare outing for The Daz Kelly Band, playing for a birthday party at the King William pub, Milford Derbyshire. Daz on Guild resonator, me on Harley Benton shorty P and Craig on the boxes. There’s a nice photograph on the wall behind us. The landlord had a ride in the two-seater Spitfire as a special birthday present.

The current bass player player in the band is a member of this forum. Dave Sturt. He lives near me and I’ve seen him around for years. I don’t think he’s been on here for ages, and I can’t remember his user-name. He is quite busy though, he’s the bass player in the current line-up of Gong too.

Just now, Paul S said:

 

Kelly Band?

Known as ‘rubber’ to his friends 😎

Originals band is Diamond Bridges. Formed the year that the two of us who started it up turned 60. Hence diamond in the name.

Covers band is Night Shift. I can’t remember who came up with that but I think it suits the covers pub band we are.

Blues trio, The Daz Kelly Band. Guess what the singer/guitarist’s name is.

10 hours ago, pbasspecial said:

Thanks for all your advice, both serious and funny ones. 

Just to be super clear. We are not a band as it’s a jam night band but the singer and guitarist are actually in one together, which I have depped  for occasionally. The drummer and I play in a few different projects and are probably the best bassist and drummer in our area. 
 

Glad I feel vindicated by you guys. Thanks!

Hope it all turns out well for you and that you and the drummer move on to better things.

I think the general consensus here as been; most people can accept some inequality of reward if there’s a reason for it, but secretive and underhand differentials (especially in an ongoing arrangement) are a no-no.

If the two rob-dogs see the light and offer to spilt the money fairly from now on, don’t forget to ask for back-pay 😀

Appalling behaviour. I’d be out of that jam night straight away and persuade the drummer to come too. It’s even shares for the bands I’m in.