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Cancellation dilemma


Nicko
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I was knocked off my motorbike last week. Fortunately it only resulted in a few cuts and bruises, but my left hand is pretty bad. We have a gig coming up on Sunday, and having tried to play the setlist last night I'm fairly sure I can get through it but i'll a.) be in pain and b.) be a long way from my best.

The band has been looking forward to the gig for months and the venue is a potential regular well paid gig.

We also have another gig the following week at a pub where I know the LL quite well and I'm confident that if we do that well then we'll get a few more bookings from them. The chances of my hand recovering for that gig would obviously be better if I don't play this week.

I could cancel, and hack off the band and the venue, or play and know that we won't be as good as we should and potentially end up making a mess of both gigs.

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Definitely get an X-Ray if you haven't already. Personally I'd load up on powerful painkillers and do both gigs, but I'm reckless. Not reckless enough to ride a motorbike however, I gave it up when my son was born... :biggrin:

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1503407528' post='3357957']
Definitely get an X-Ray if you haven't already. Personally I'd load up on powerful painkillers and do both gigs, but I'm reckless. Not reckless enough to ride a motorbike however, I gave it up when my son was born... :biggrin:
[/quote]

I played a couple of gigs after my bike accident loaded with painkillers, but that was 3 or 4 months after the accident. At two weeks after the accident, I had my right arm and left leg in plaster and was so full of morphine that I didn't know which country I was in.

I also did a couple of gigs a week or so after a prostatectomy two years ago, again sitting down and so loaded with painkillers and whisky that I didn't realise I was playing at all, just enjoying the music. I remember thinking to myself 'I wish I could play bass like that' and then looking down at my fingers without really understanding I was playing. Mind you, it wasn't the first time I've experienced that, but the other times haven't involved anything you can get on prescription!

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[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1503408580' post='3357977']
...it wasn't the first time I've experienced that, but the other times haven't involved anything you can get on prescription!
[/quote]

Oh yes, that Camomile tea can get pretty freaky. :mellow: :crazy:

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I have an aggressive form of arthritis and the pain in my hands can be pretty bad but the adrenaline of a gig means I never notice it at the time, can be crap after though. If it was me I would take painkillers (moderate amounts of alcohol also works well) and do it.

Edited by T-Bay
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[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1503409141' post='3357985']
I have an aggressive form of arthritis and the pain in my hands can be pretty bad but the adrenaline of a gif means I never notice it at the time, can be crap after though. If it was me I would take painkillers (moderate amounts of alcohol also works well) and do it.
[/quote]

Awaiting an amusing 'gif' from Dad......

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If you can make the pain bearable, do the gig.

If you need to change the lines, change them.

I did a gig after a skirting board incident with a sharp implement that meant that night I could only play root notes.

But I played them well, so everyone was happy.

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1503413970' post='3358033']
If you can make the pain bearable, do the gig.

If you need to change the lines, change them.

I did a gig after a skirting board incident with a sharp implement that meant that night I could only play root notes.

But I played them well, so everyone was happy.
[/quote]

I've done this after almost removing the tip of my middle finger.

I just simplified it all - nobody even commented.

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I did this a couple of times. The first time I fell off my bike and managed to get through with painkillers - fretting hand. The second time, all I did was lift a speaker off a stand - badly. I couldn't touch or move the thumb for 2 weeks - plucking hand. Had to cancel sax gigs, but managed to fumble through a bit of bass. Go for the gig as long as you can play a bit and no obviously fancy bass parts needed. Let us know how you get on.

I recommend aspirin!

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[quote name='fftc' timestamp='1503408253' post='3357968']
Have you spoken to your band about it yet?
[/quote]
[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1503413970' post='3358033']
If you can make the pain bearable, do the gig.

If you need to change the lines, change them.

I did a gig after a skirting board incident with a sharp implement that meant that night I could only play root notes.

But I played them well, so everyone was happy.
[/quote]

I haven't spoken to them as I did manage to do the practice last night with them. The pain was bearable when I was playing but it feels like its taken a backward step today.

I managed to play most of the bass lines using just 3 fingers. The pinky is not usable, and I have no extension between the fingers so I'm shifting position a lot. On most songs this is OK but not ideal, but theres a couple where people will really notice eg: the intro to Somebody Told Me, When I Come Around. We can possibly drop one of these though.

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