bassbloke Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 (edited) Just got back from a dissapointing gig. 4 bands on a bank holiday bill, so very tight stage times. The first and second band turned up late for rehearsal, brougt their own backline and caused the evening to start late. If that wasn't enough, both proceeded to over run meaning that us, the main support, played a whopping 4 songs and the headliners got 25 minutes. How would/do you deal with tardy bands? Edited March 25, 2008 by bassbloke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umph Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 when that happens we normally just cut there sets short, tell them if they're going to overrun you won't book them, play with them again etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 It doesn't matter what time they start. As soon as the next band's slot is supposed to start, pull the plug and send the next band onto the stage. If that means they get to play for 5 minutes, then let them play 5 minutes. When I first played The Water Rats, the headline band were chucked out of the venue as we were about to start our set (had to stretch it out to fill their allotted time too). We were on stage and the entire audience was watching. They had to crawl onstage, grab their amps and exit the venue. That's the way a polite headline act was treated by a relatively well known venue - so I don't think tw@ts in support bands who ruin the schedule should be treated any better than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I think if you're part of an all day gig or Bank holiday bash then bands need to realise there's generally no time to fanny around, there are others to consider, everybody has to do their bit in order for the whole gig to run as smoothly as possible, it's so annoying when some bands turn up late because they "need" to have their own backline, or a drummer kicks up a fuss because he doesn't want to use the kit provided, they're a complete pain in the butt. It's swings and roundabouts, sometimes it's good backline with a great kit other times it's rough as hell but who cares? punters are there for a good time and don't need to watch a few idiots milling around and wasting time....turn up on time, play the time you've been given and if they don't cut them short and forget about them for the next Bank Holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 [quote name='bassbloke' post='162929' date='Mar 25 2008, 12:16 AM']How would/do you deal with tardy bands?[/quote] Tell bands well in advance of the gig if they run over the PA goes down, have a traffic light system & carry out the warning. It's fairly bad manners to everyone else if, having been told your slot you (i) cannot get there on time, and (ii) do not have the professionalism (regardless of the size of the event) to plan & rehearse a set that fills your allotted time Done a few, some good, some bad. Best running ones tend to have a fairly set backline, worst ones time wise invariably run over because everyone [i][b][u]HAS[/u][/b][/i] to use all their own gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 [quote name='Jase' post='162945' date='Mar 25 2008, 01:19 AM']...everybody has to do their bit in order for the whole gig to run as smoothly as possible, it's so annoying when some bands turn up late because they "need" to have their own backline[/quote] And Mummy is late home with the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Preparation is the key here. If bands are given precise instructions regading time etc and things like backline are discussed well beforehand then there should be no excuses apart from unforeseen circumstances spoiling the arrangements. Sloppy and lazy promoters produce badly run and frustrating gigs. So, bands and promoters both need to get their acts in order for the thing to work right. If the gig has been well organised beforehand then I would have no problem with telling a lazy band to sling their hook. If this was done more often then perhaps the offenders may get their act in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayfan Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 (edited) As long as every band knows their call and stage times and have all been warned not to overrun, then cut the PA and pull the plug. It's a good lesson. Edited March 25, 2008 by stingrayfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 For me the biggest delay when multiple bands are playing... Guitarists sitting there before the first song (on stage of course) and tuning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 We always find out exactly how long we're allowed on stage, and then practice our set so that it's comfortably within that time scale every time we play it. This doesn't stop people cutting us short though. I wish more gig-organisers would be strict about this so that the bands who are actually wasting the time get cut short, rather than the bands who are actually punctual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 [quote name='cheddatom' post='163116' date='Mar 25 2008, 01:16 PM']I wish more gig-organisers would be strict about this so that the bands who are actually wasting the time get cut short, rather than the bands who are actually punctual.[/quote] True, it's not fair, but there's not much you as a band can do about it once an event has overrun. Still, it'd be nice to know your new set length before you're onstage and not to have the plug pulled in a mid-set lull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 We had this when we headlined an outdoor gig in Gloucester a couple of years ago. Everything was running late and the curfew was getting closer and closer, so in a gallant effort to allow us something approaching a decent set, the main support (a fairly well-known US blues chap) was kind enough to... overrun by 10 minutes. Why the organisers didn't pull his plug, I do not know. Anyway, he left us a truly wonderful 35 minutes... needless to say I would not now piss on this bloke if he was on fire, never mind play on the same bill as him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 We always delegate someone as Stage Manager if the venue does not have one.... usually one of our regular supporters.... that way all it's not seen as the main act pushing bands around and usually most bands adhere to being given stage direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 [quote name='johnnylager' post='162954' date='Mar 25 2008, 07:25 AM']And Mummy is late home with the car [/quote] ....Aye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breakfast Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 It's a vicious circle though. Bands are late so venues tell them to get there ridiculously early and then if you do arrive when you are told to you are about 2 hours before anyone unlocks the venue or the sound engineer arrives. Being first to soundcheck is a nightmare as well because there are always line problems and then you look like a bunch of stroppy prima-donnas when actually the problem is that the venue cabling doesn't work or the engineer has left his coffee on the "mute" button for the left channel or something. Once you're playing there is no excuse for messing up the times though. The promoter should be providing an on-stage and off-stage time for each band and making bloody sure they stick to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 (edited) I deal with beginner gig organisers a lot so when I can I point out that "Band A 8.30 - 9.15. Band B 9.15- 9.45" ain't gonna work .... Then I make sure we are on on time and off on time. Also if you get on 10 mins late, cut ten mins out of the middle rather than cut your fab ending set... If we are booking the other bands we make absolutely sure they know when they have to get off stage then put a poster up in the dressing room and backstage area with timings. Mostly we have to deal with the other timing problem when the support act - the wedding, wedding breakfast and speeches - overrun so we can't get in and set up on time. So we have a hand out we send to all people booking us for weddings suggesting that a laid back wedding day with loads of spare time built in will be nicer for all than a tightly time-controlled wedding day that goes awry all over the place with resultant worry for all (and long wait in the car park for us) Edited March 25, 2008 by OldGit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cantdosleepy Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='163389' date='Mar 25 2008, 09:41 PM']I deal with beginner gig organisers a lot so when I can I point out that "Band A 8.30 - 9.15. Band B 9.15- 9.45" ain't gonna work .... Then I make sure we are on on time and off on time. Also if you get on 10 mins late, cut ten mins out of the middle rather than cut your fab ending set... If we are booking the other bands we make absolutely sure they know when they have to get off stage then put a poster up in the dressing room and backstage area with timings. Mostly we have to deal with the other timing problem when the support act - the wedding, wedding breakfast and speeches - overrun so we can't get in and set up on time. So we have a hand out we send to all people booking us for weddings suggesting that a laid back wedding day with loads of spare time built in will be nicer for all than a tightly time-controlled wedding day that goes awry all over the place with resultant worry for all (and long wait in the car park for us)[/quote] Good post OldGit. It's worth making the point that there is a world of difference between a pub gig at which you are headlining (and therefore last on the bill) and a wedding (and therefore playing at the end). You might be playing the same time slot at both of them, but with one an overrun is a result of massive unprofessionalism on behalf of the support act, and on the other an overrun is just a reality of the people involved having only ever planned one wedding before. If you get pissed off and Prima-Donna-ish on a regular night, people might say 'Fair enough - they're the headliners and the support took up half their time'. If you get Prima-donna-ish at a wedding and everyone involved will think 'What a bunch of c***s'. But yeah - pub nights, punctuality is key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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