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Things that you've learned from gigging... that you feel should be passed on


EBS_freak

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18 hours ago, steantval said:

Make sure you are not the only one in the band who organises everything, chasing gigs, arranging rehearsals, contacting local press, emailing posters, emailing/texting other band members etc.

 

Its a lesson I still haven’t learnt.

I'd much rather it be that way. I think it's better to have a solid bandleader running the band than have everyone chipping in. That way venues and clients (and musicians) all have one solid point of contact. That's why the bandleader takes more money.

 

A couple of things that I'd say are....

 

Only have bottled water on stage. You don't want to risk any spillages on your gear, or cause a slip hazard.

 

Don't wear the same clothes on stage that you wear to set up and tear down.  Get changed before you play.

 

Taking a few teabags and making a sandwich for the journey can save you a good chunk of money and help keep you awake on the ride home.

 

Agree your fee and know how much money you are getting paid well before the gig.

 

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To avoid losing stuff or leaving it behind:

 

1. Develop a system where individual gear items and cases are always packed in the same way into the vehicle(s). This way you'll notice if something is missing, both on the way out and on the way back. Have one person responsible for placing the gear into the vehicle while the others (not including the singer, obviously) bring the stuff out of the venue.

 

2. When leaving the venue, always have a (sensible and sober)  band member walk slowly around the stage area checking to see if you've left anything behind (leads, monitors, drummers etc).

 

3. And the last check before you drive off - walk all the way around the packed vehicle, looking for anything left on the pavement, propped up against a wall or tree etc etc. Stuff is easy to miss in the rush to get away. At different times I've found one of our monitors and a guitar left outside.

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In my forty years of gigging experience I’ve learnt a few tried and tested rules…

  • the organisation and provision of angling is essential
  • cultivate an atmosphere of sociability and promote the principles of fair angling
  • join in with other angling bodies in furthering angling interests
  • adhere strictly to the statutory closed season on Club waters, the suppression of unsportsmanlike conduct and  illegal practices
  • The renting or purchase of water for the use of its members, and the management of these waters and their fish stocks is encouraged
  • appoint a Club bailiff to preserve Club and other waters fished by the members and to assist in the detection and prevention of river pollution and the preservation of wildlife
  • promote good conduct at competitions for the encouragement of the sport and the benefit of its members
  • promotion of, support for and opposition to legislation affecting anglers and angling and the use of its influence to improve existing laws
  • the promote the arts of angling by instruction, demonstration and good example
Edited by Frank Blank
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After the gig donate your sweaty clothes to a charity shop.  You can buy them back on Monday for 50p, all clean and crisply ironed.

 

If you have a band member called Steven you can ssve time by calling him Steve.

 

Take pork pies as a mid gig snack. The excess jelly can be used as a string lube.

 

Wear a miners helmet. No only will you be able to see if there should be a power cut, but it will protect your head from items thrown at the stage.

Edited by Bassfinger
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1 hour ago, Bassfinger said:

Do you have female band members?  If so then a dustpan and brush is handy for cleaning up after those inevitable car park dinks.

Is your stage name Bernard Manning? 

Edited by Boodang
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14 hours ago, jezzaboy said:

Always have a bit of Dairy Milk or similar in the car for the journey home, it`s a life saver if you can`t find a 24 hour Mickey Dee`s on the way home at 1.30 am.

 

But more importantly remember that in the early hours of the morning "fast food" is anything but. After numerous occasions where I've thought a burger is just what I need on my way back from a gig, but by the time I've waited 15+ minutes for it to be made, I'm really not feeling like it anymore and thinking that if we hadn't stopped we'd be 15+ minutes closer to home, bed and if I was still hungry something decent to eat.

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Bring love, patience, tolerance and understanding to every gig, rehearsal and band meeting.

How you get on with other people will always be more important and bring greater rewards than lessons, experience and gear ever can.

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Label all your stuff - I use a particular coloured tape. Really comes in handy with stuff loads of other people have like SM58s and Boss Tuners, and stops cables going walkies afterwards.

 

Carry spares of all sorts - you're a bass player and frequently the only responsible adult in the mix. I've had offers of all sorts of favours when another band broke a guitar string and I was the only one who could help.

 

It's been said before, but be nice to the sound engineer, no matter how bad they are. I still remember a band on the same bill as a friend's lot, who had the worst sound I've ever heard. 'What's with them?' I asked him. 'They called the sound guy a rank amateur at soundcheck', he replied.

 

1 pint before and no more. This works for me. I do it with three pints of weak shandy if there's lots of hanging around to do, so if anyone offers, I raise my 'beer' and say 'I'm OK'.

 

Engage with the audience. I know it's hard for some, but for me it's acting. You wouldn't walk into a room full of strangers and loudly say 'Evening! How are we all doing?' But on stage, if you're the singer, it's a necessity IMO.

 

Set lists in black block capitals. 1 per band member, all supplied by the same person

 

Be supportive to the other bands. If they turn out to be a bunch of idiots, so be it. But some are worth getting to know, and appreciate seeing you in the audience.

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6 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Bring love, patience, tolerance and understanding to every gig, rehearsal and band meeting.

How you get on with other people will always be more important and bring greater rewards than lessons, experience and gear ever can.

 

1 hour ago, Bassfinger said:

Do you have female band members?  If so then a dustpan and brush is handy for cleaning up after those inevitable car park dinks.

Totally agree with @stewblackon this one, which is why there's no place for @Bassfingerstyle 'banter'.

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Enjoy yourself. And if you're not enjoying yourself, make it look as if you are. Its a performance for Pete's sake.

Earlier bands I've been in have won BOTB competitions against technically superior bands because we looked like kids on blue smarties in a bool pall and they looked like they were at a funeral.

 

Unless you're in The Cure. Then the opposite is true :)

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7 minutes ago, TrypF said:

Label all your stuff - I use a particular coloured tape...

 

Consider using two different colours on each item; the chances of having someone else with the same choice of marking is much reduced. There are quite a few folks using red tape on their cables; far fewer using red and green (colours purely for example; other colour combinations are admissible :|...).

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26 minutes ago, sprocketflup said:

Enjoy yourself. And if you're not enjoying yourself, make it look as if you are. Its a performance for Pete's sake.

Earlier bands I've been in have won BOTB competitions against technically superior bands because we looked like kids on blue smarties in a bool pall and they looked like they were at a funeral.

 

Unless you're in The Cure. Then the opposite is true :)

 

Even The Cure look like they are having fun on stage these days.

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26 minutes ago, toneknob said:

Does Bassfinger have female bandmates? unlikely

 

 

Dunno, I've played in bands with females where the banter (including from them) was far worse than Bassfinger's rather lame attempt. Any girl who would get upset at that isn't going to last too long in a rock band! 

 

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15 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

Dunno, I've played in bands with females where the banter (including from them) was far worse than Bassfinger's rather lame attempt. Any girl who would get upset at that isn't going to last too long in a rock band! 

 

Even if it rock 'n roll, even if it's lame, it's still toxic masculinity. 

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2 minutes ago, Boodang said:

Even if it rock 'n roll, even if it's lame, it's still toxic masculinity. 

 

Toxic femininity as well sometimes. I've never known things to get so bad to be genuinely toxic (at least not with sexist banter) and girls who play in bands will generally learn to take care of themselves in that area and give as good as they get pretty quickly. 

 

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Get there early, get yourself setup (5 mins - we're bassists, right?) and then you'll have time to help carry drums, figure out PA, chat to bar staff and most importantly, you won't get stressed out while the guitarist is in your way while fiddling around with pedals etc.

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5 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

Sadly, I must correct you.

 

I most assuredly do have a female bandmate.

Do you bring a dustpan and brush along with you to gigs and present them to your female colleagues? Maybe you could gift wrap them.

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