TimR

Yeah. "They were really good when they played last time. Let's go again."

Unfortunately, it's not how, or what you play, it's entirely down to how you make people feel. As a musician it sucks, as an entertainer, it's what makes a good band. 

16 minutes ago, Greg Edwards69 said:

I think sometimes, it's just the time of the month and year. This Saturday just gone at a regular venue was rather quiet compared to usual. We put it down as the last weekend before payday, compounded by it being the first month after the summer holidays.

Yes. We play 2 or 3 venues that have sporadic audiences. 

I don't think you can ever work out exactly why.

Unfortunately our drummer is a bit headstrong and if we play a new venue and it has a poor attendance his mind is made up and "We're not going back there!". Unless it's a gig he organised, in which case we should give it another go...

To a point where we were continually asked to turn down at a gig last year, for some reason the bass was hitting some natural frequencies and all the glasses were rattling. He's not going back there either - even though we played there before with no problems, and the place is under new management. I'm beginning to think he doesn't want to gig unless it's to his freinds. Which is why I left the last band.

10 hours ago, Uncle Rodney said:

The easy one is just to stay away, keep out of it.

I don't think that's easy, but probably wise.

Did people leave because it was poor, or because it was too loud, or because they didn't like the music?

We are getting the hang of the football crowd leaving as soon as the drummer starts winding his kit up. Now that the football is on at 5:30pm there are still a lot of fans hanging around the pub when we arrive. Then the music people arrive later on, a few of the football crowd hang around to hear 2 or 3 songs then quite often just disappear. 

People will put up with some truly awful musicianship if they recognise the songs. 

If the punters are pinned against the back wall, its too loud, if people are sitting at tables right in front of the band, it's not dancy enough and possibly not loud enough. We clear a dance area as well as clear the 'stage' area. 

I have an Android phone. The Do Not Disturb feature is very powerful with very in depth features. I don't know how the Apple version works but it's worth exploring. 

I went away for a week and checked messages and emails every evening for preview of message and subject line of email. No messages or emails were opened. No facebook, TikTok, BassChat...

The stress completely evaporated. And to be honest I learned that all messages and emails can wait until you reply, you don't have to reply when other people expect you to reply (immediately). 

Regards your singer. If it was that important that he tell you immediately, he would have made the time already. He hasn't, so my gut feeling is he's prepping you for something he thinks someone else will tell you, and he wants to get his side across first.

Honestly? It's not your job to manage other people in your life and get involved in their problems unless they specifically come to you, or you think they are in real danger. That way leads to madness. 

I have little time for people who surround themselves with drama where they are the lead actor.

Pubs? Check for a freezer or a light dimmer switch. 

I will make comments to the singer to feed her lines and we can have mini conversations, where only her side is audible. If my side consists of more than one or two words, she'll repeat for the benefit of the audience if it's worth doing. 

The drummer doesn't like being joked about. Takes it very seriously and has been known to get very arsey about it.

The guitarist is pretty oblivious to what's going on outside of the area between his amp and pedal board. 

If a crowd of the singers friends are in, then the banter goes downhill very quickly and the rest of the audience is left out - I should maybe say something to her. Maybe. 

6 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

In so many ways this is an exact reflection of some of the graphic design jobs I have worked on. Even when the client thinks they want something new and different a lot of the time they finally decide that what they really wanted was what they already had. I once worked on what was supposed to be a major packaging redesign of a range of crisps for a well-know manufacturer of said products. For several months various options did the rounds, but what finally went into production was so similar to their previous bags that unless you placed the old and new ones side-by-side most people wouldn't have even noticed they had changed. Some of my colleague were despairing about the situation and ranting at every opportunity. I just smiled, did what I was asked knowing that every revision back to something that looked more like the original design was a couple more hours pay for me.

My guess, without knowing full details is that is exactly what you get when designing by committee. You say 'did the rounds', I'm assuming more than one person was involved in the decision making. I've been in similar situations, the people who don't want to change dig their heels in and what results is a massive compromise.

This is why I would always advocate playing in a band with a leader with vision, that you trust and who calls the shots. They may ask opinions and may/may not take them into consideration but final call rests with them.

Depping being the ultimate in that respect, turn up and have fun playing some great refreshing material. Tunes that you've not been endlessly rehearsing for that single gig at the Dog and Duck (Where the Duck didn't even bother turning up). 

1 hour ago, pete.young said:

 

You could try running  the search in google with site:www.basschat.co.uk/<the for sale area you want to search>  and -sold

Thanks. I did try that but it didn't produce the desired results. 

1 hour ago, Jack said:

If you only have one or two basses then crack on, but if you have a collection and you bring the Musicman Bongo to an indie rock gig then more fool you. And I should know, because I did and I felt silly doing it. 

I have a Jackson Charvel complete with pointy headstock that I played in a function band for years, until I decided it didn't really look right.

I ended up buying a Mahogany Ibanez. 

I then played the Ibanez in a thrash metal band for a few gigs, completely oblivious that maybe the Charvel would have looked a lot better. 

There is no official character named "Growler" in the Thomas the Tank Engine series; however, the term "Growler" is sometimes used by fans to describe the sounds a diesel engine makes or in unofficial fan creations, such as the "Growler the Goods Diesel" fan character found on platforms like DeviantArt.  

google AI. 🤣

2 minutes ago, kiat said:

Perfect summation 😉 Are you a mind reader?  🤣

Been there... Many times. 🤣

Drummer: We are sounding pretty tight even with this dep guy.

Guitarist: Listen to my playing, I'm on fire! ...as usual.

Singer: Something is off somewhere, just can't quite hit the notes.

Punters: This band sounds great.

Bass player: Must keep smiling, Must keep smiling. 

🤣

People who can't spell whinge. 

2 hours ago, Len_derby said:

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

Grumpy middle-aged men whinging about grumpy middle-aged men whinging on the General Discussion page of a Bass/music forum? 😂

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

π, although I'm comfortable with the square root of 2. π is just such an awkward number.

Anything divided by 7...

1 hour ago, Si600 said:

 

 

Don't care.  It's irrational, remember?   I still hate regardless of what the dictionary says 😘

I don't think it's right. You can use 'it looks a bit thirsty' for a lot of things, including wood. But I don't think I'd say it needs a drink. 

1 hour ago, bass_dinger said:

People who buy a house, then put an extension up, or convert the loft, within six months of moving in.   

 

If they did it within a month, then it was clearly part of the plan when they purchased the place. 

 

If they did it within six years, then the family grew, and needs more space after they purchased the place. 

 

But six months just feels wrong. 

Planning permission takes ages to get passed. 

Wasps in jam jars.

More specificly wasps in marmalade jars. 

And wasps in lager.

Actually...

...just wasps. 

Crazy Little Thibg - check with the drummer for the triplets run down. Not all drummers can drum

Sweet Child could be interesting. 

Other than that, it looks fun. 

@Belka You know that the vast majority of music was recorded by session musicians who listened to a tune once, did one take, and went home? 

Good luck today. Have a good one. 

I did a gig in about 2000/2002 where I'd been recommended to cover. Couldn't get hold of the band leader, texted, phoned and left messages.

He eventually called me the day before the gig. Said - it's all standards, dress smart/casual, venue is...

I turned up, he said Stick to the roots, nothing flash, watch the rhythm guitarist for the changes.

I spent the next 3 hours playing songs I'd never heard before, trying to work out what the rhythm guitarist was playing - not helped by the fact he was facing away from me further not helped by not having had any sleep for months due to having a new born with colic. 🤣

But yes, at least getting a set list the morning of the gig gives you a chance to at least listen to the songs, but that's not always an advantage based on the "But we do our own version" prolification of bands around. 

2 hours ago, tegs07 said:

Oi Grandad you may be 87, an ex steelworker who saw action during the Suez Crisis but frankly your views on gender identity and pronouns are unacceptable?

He would have been 30 when private acts of homosexuality were decriminalised.

I can understand why people over 60 have such entrenched views. 

Note: The actual law wasn't repealed until 2013! Up until then you could still be imprisoned for life for certain practices. 

It's going to be another 50 years before people will accept Gender and Sex are different and that both are not Binary. Science is slowly discovering how it all fits together, but while the politicians are in charge, it's going to be popular opinion and 'feelings' that determine the outcome of any debates, not the science and logic. The likes of Piers Morgan and LBC aren't going the help as they make a living by causing division.

4 minutes ago, Oopsdabassist said:

Ooooh tell me how!! Face ache is driving me to despair nowadays.  If it wasn't for family in Oz I would dump it completely!

https://blog.ultimateoutsider.com/2024/05/solution-how-to-make-facebook-only-show.html?m=1

2 hours ago, SimonK said:

 

The thing that ruined facebook for me was when they switched to more "intelligent" algorithms rather than just putting in sequence whatever your friends happened to be posting. Straight away this destroyed what originally made facebook a good idea, which for me was getting in touch with people I hadn't seen or heard from for ages. Now it's just bland rubbish (albeit quite bass focussed for me). Sadly most people I found interesting to be in touch with left facebook many years ago.

You can switch your feed to Friends. 

It still has adverts, but not all the other nonsense.