When you get compliments on your playing

[gary mac]

[quote name='Raymondo' timestamp='1429543268' post='2752445']
I think I might have posted this before but KevB's post reminded me of this .....

I was playing my usual Saturday night gig at Route 66 in Puerto de Santiago Tenerife a few years back ...we played with our backs to the ,open,sliding doors.I noticed a little girl....no more than 5 or6 yrs old watching us along, with her toddler brother, from the street behind me.Their parents weren't far behind them so I took no more notice.

When we finished our song she came up to me and said "excuse me" (in perfect English,they were a Scandinavian family) and gave me 10 cents from her purse !

The place was packed and as one all went "AAHH" it was so cute. they went on their way and we carried on playing .....I still have the 10 cents coin.
[/quote]
Was in there just a few weeks back Ray.

Think they have recently had complaints about volume, Black Hole are now doing acoustic sets on a Friday night.

[Lord Sausage]

[quote name='bigjohn' timestamp='1429471253' post='2751718']
"Hope you enjoyed your RENT, Lord Sausage xx"
[/quote]
?

[Raymondo]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1429545089' post='2752458']
Was in there just a few weeks back Ray.

Think they have recently had complaints about volume, Black Hole are now doing acoustic sets on a Friday night.
[/quote]

Yes I heard about their noise problems,Steve,the singer in the old band went over last month and heard all about it.

It's a bit of a cheek really when you hear the noise that the Arena Hotel makes most nights!

[ead]

I generally look around and assume they are talking to somebody else.

[Dr.Dave]

I tell them the truth - which is that I'm not gifted , I worked hard and have been doing it a long time. I go on to tell them about my office bound work pals who can knock out an email in ten seconds with all 8 fingers whereas I use 2 and take ages. Same thing. Practise and a long time doing it. Each another audience outside the gilded cage. A bigger gripe for me is that often the folk who say such things wouldn't know a decent bass line from a hole in the ground - so I never pay compliments , or criticism for that matter , much mind. BTW - one or two of you have PM'd me asking about my whereabouts of late. My lovely wife hasn't been very well and is still recovering in hospital so I haven't had the head space to think about playing much.

[BILL POSTERS]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1429619519' post='2753254']
I tell them the truth - which is that I'm not gifted , I worked hard and have been doing it a long time. I go on to tell them about my office bound work pals who can knock out an email in ten seconds with all 8 fingers whereas I use 2 and take ages. Same thing. Practise and a long time doing it. Each another audience outside the gilded cage. A bigger gripe for me is that often [b]the folk who say such things wouldn't know a decent bass line from a hole in the ground - so I never pay compliments , or criticism for that matter , much mind[/b]. BTW - one or two of you have PM'd me asking about my whereabouts of late. My lovely wife hasn't been very well and is still recovering in hospital so I haven't had the head space to think about playing much.
[/quote]

This is 100% on the nail.

Hope the missus gets better soon.

[Raymondo]

Sorry to hear that your Wife has been ill,I hope she gets well soon.
We do not know each other but you have brought much mirth and merriment to me over the few years that I have been a member here for which I thank you !

[KevB]

Another best wishes to Mrs Dave here. I visit family in W Yorkshire from time to time, one of these days a visit will coincide with Dr Dave's band playing somewhere near enough for me to drop in and say hi.

[seashell]

Nice to see you again, Doc. I do hope your wife gets better soon.

[discreet]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1429619519' post='2753254']
...often the folk who say such things wouldn't know a decent bass line from a hole in the ground...
[/quote]

How true. Good to see you Dave, hope your missus is on the mend.

[ColinB]

Indeed - best wishes to you and Mrs Dave.

[Dr.Dave]

How very kind of you all to send your good wishes for Hazel. Hopefully a combination of medications and some minor lifestyle changes will help stop her ticker behaving like a £5.99 Argos watch with a pound shop battery. Were she here - and hopefully she will be later today - she'd selflessly say that if you stop smoking , or encourage someone else to , that would put a massive smile on her face. Mind you , were you to take her bottle of sav, blanc out of the fridge and bin it you better be Usain Bolt or you might end up in the same ward !

[interpol52]

I have never been too good with compliments, I generally just smile and say thank you and hope that it doesn't sound smarmy!

[blue]

I have made several comments regarding compliments.

Played a typical 8-12 bar gig last Saturday night and executed some of my best stuff. Not one punter spoke to me.

I guess it depends on a lot of things, venue,genre and age. I say age because after a certain age people are not comfortable talking to you or even making eye contact with you.Unless your famous.

My feelings this week, nobody wants to talk with or compliment a 62 year old playing bass guitar in a bar band.

Yes, there are probably a few exceptions.

Blue

Edited April 23, 2015 by blue

[discreet]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1429824853' post='2755426']
I guess it depends on a lot of things, venue, genre and age. I say age because after a certain age people are not comfortable talking to you or even making eye contact with you.Unless your famous. My feelings this week, nobody wants to talk with or compliment a 62 year old playing bass guitar in a bar band.
[/quote]

I think you may be making too much of the age thing. I say this because (unless you're heavily into PhotoShop) you don't look anywhere near 62. This is not a compliment by the way, it is merely a fact. There are one or two others on this forum who refer to their advanced years in every post and frankly it's getting old (ho, ho. ho). Our drummer is the same, to the extent of making comments about how old he is between numbers, which is ridiculous and makes me want to punch him. He is always moaning that his hair has gone grey and mine hasn't even though we're the same age. Bwa-ha-ha!!

It's like certain old biddies, who apropos of nothing will draw themselves up to their full height and say, 'I'm ninety-three, you know!!'

[spinynorman]

I'm 62 and, whether I look it or not, I've never been made to feel my age was a factor in whether people spoke to me at gigs or not. I haven't gigged for a few months now, but when I did, I did't particularly expect anyone to speak to me, unless it's someone I know. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't and sometimes I know I gave off an aura of "I'm tired, fed up and just want to pack up and go home", so it's hardly surprising that they didn't.

[BILL POSTERS]

I'm 62 as well. Looks like its the optimum age on here.

For various reasons, I aint gigged since November, but got a few booked for the summer, so back on track I hope. I still get the odd compliment from people of all ages, but I try not to get into long conversations. Mainly because I'm a miserable git.

[blue]

I get it. I admit I think to much about my age. However,it is barrior to some opportunities.

Blue

[discreet]

Maybe I'm just in denial about my age, but I think any perceived barrier to opportunity is in one's mind, obviously. Imagining age stops you from doing anything makes you feel old and is a negative feedback loop. IMHO of course.

[Machines]

I played a dep gig for an indie/rock band a few years ago (all pretty easy stuff) I got a few compliments at the end from some p*ssed up punters. It was nice to hear, but i'd have preferred compliments on something I actually had to put effort in to.

Last year, my band played Sir Duke at a gig, me and the keys player totally nailed the horn breaks, any compliments ?!?! NOTHING !!

I am not at all bitter.

[seashell]

Very good point, discreet (not aimed at Blue in particular, just in general). I admit I am guilty of this myself. I was 20 years older than everyone in my last band. It was never an issue for them, but I probably went on about it too much ('I'm too old to learn this, it's all right for you youngsters etc).
And when chatting with people at gigs always felt I'd have to make some sort of self deprecating joke about my age. Just in case people thought I hadn't noticed I was in my 50's and shouldn't be up there with youngsters of 35!

So thanks for the lightbulb moment, discreet. I'm going to try not to mention it again.

[Hobbayne]

Careful now! That young girl who doesnt like old people will be along soon!!

[BILL POSTERS]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1429839397' post='2755505']
I get it. I admit I think to much about my age. However,it is barrior to some opportunities.

Blue
[/quote]

Yes, thats true. I wouldnt play in a band with much younger people in it, and I'll probably pack it in completely, when my current band splits. But they keep coming back for 're union tours'

[Iain]

Had some good compliments last night from some guys I know from another band - they've not seem me play in my main band. I think they were surprised by the tightness and energy.

One thing I've realised lately - I'm not fussed about people singling my out as good or not but a compliment on the show the band puts on is where it's at.

[BILL POSTERS]

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1429870021' post='2755725']


One thing I've realised lately - I'm not fussed about people singling my out as good or not but a compliment on the show the band puts on is where it's at.
[/quote]

Yeah, I feel the same. Its nice when someone you rate as good yourself takes the trouble to compliment you, and then strike up a proper conversation though isnt it ?

Its punters that start conversations with "I'm a Bass player myself" and then start rambling on about gear and suchlike that I struggle to be any more than polite. I know they are being nice, and I know that for some reason they get nervous and it sometimes takes a bit of courage to approach even a member of an unknown pub band. But I just dont feel the enthusiasm they seem to anymore, and I'd hate to come across as thinking I.m to good to speak to them.