musicbassman Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 3 hours ago, chris_b said: Many years ago I did a great gig on a boat in the Thames. Easy parking, easy load in. Load out was an issue, though. The tide had gone out and I had to carry a 90lb cab up the gang plank at an angle that was close to being a ladder. I hurt for days after that. Was that The Silver Barracuda from Wapping Pier, by any chance ? Used to do that one quite regularly with a trio back in the '80's - and yes, the gang plank was absolutely lethal if the tide was out, especially when it had been raining. And the keyboards player had a C3 Hammond and a Leslie, to add to the fun. Absolutely crazy. Health and Safety ? - I don't think so. But a different world back then. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edenburgh Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 1 hour ago, neepheid said: Did you not get to use the car park at Drummonds? Admittedly it's not ideal because it's several floors below the bar itself, but at least it's nearby. Nope. Every time I tried to get close to Drummonds I hit a pedestrian only zone or a no right hand turn. Ended up parked in Bon Accord. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edenburgh Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 5 hours ago, woodyratm said: Yeahhh Aberdeens a nightmare. Everytime I go out I find a different road closed. “Thankfully” we only seem to gig Krakatoa (aka the moorings) so I just park in the NCP 2 mins away. 15 quid for an average gig is a bit of a stinger like. How was the gig? Gig was good, not a huge crowd but they were up for it. Sound engineer was good - efficient sound check and great on stage sound. Backline was fried (an ancient Ashdown Mag and Trace cab that was once a combo and had electrical tape securing the amp/cab connection). Hence me trundling my own gear in 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 13 minutes ago, Edenburgh said: Nope. Every time I tried to get close to Drummonds I hit a pedestrian only zone or a no right hand turn. Ended up parked in Bon Accord. Next time you're up, noise me up and I'll see if I can plot a path for you through all the restrictions. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 5 hours ago, woodyratm said: Yeahhh Aberdeens a nightmare. Everytime I go out I find a different road closed. “Thankfully” we only seem to gig Krakatoa (aka the moorings) so I just park in the NCP 2 mins away. 15 quid for an average gig is a bit of a stinger like. How was the gig? We were supposed to have a gig at the Krakatoa, but it fell through. Hopefully, we'll be getting a gig there sometime soon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 (edited) That post repeated on me. Edited March 3 by Skybone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 3 hours ago, Edenburgh said: Hence me trundling my own gear in Why such a big cab for monitor? You could get a BF Super Compact and backpack it in with a pedal board, a bass in each hand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Bad Places.... Generally EVERYWHERE in central York ALWAYS has at least 3 flights of narrow stairs, and punters going up/down with no idea that "Excuse me, I need to get in that room,," is a polite way to say "MOVE..NOW!!! THIS CAB IS FU&K1NG HEAVY!!" There was a venue in Southampton that was on multi levels to just get to the stage, I think it was called the Crow or something, upstairs, Across, Down stairs, through a room, Up more stairs, hard turn through narrow doorway...stage in corner. Bradford town center can be a pig, and Chichester one way was annoying. I thank the sky for Google maps, as Manchester and Liverpool centers can be a nightmare. I drive a classic so ULEZ is not a problem, but for others it is a rip off expense. I still feel its rather strange that some club venues put the performance room on the floor above, and moan like Hell that they can hear "...Vibrations" downstairs. I still feel a bigger curse are BAD soundpersons, but that's for another thread. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 16 hours ago, chris_b said: Many years ago I did a great gig on a boat in the Thames. Easy parking, easy load in. Load out was an issue, though. The tide had gone out and I had to carry a 90lb cab up the gang plank at an angle that was close to being a ladder. I hurt for days after that. Roger Cotton, late keyboard player for Peter Green Splinter Group told me a similar story of getting a Hammond B3 on and off the Renfrew Ferry, Glasgow. Load in - tide in so a steep climb. Load out several hours later... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 For me, load in issues can make or break a gig, the whole band take it really seriously when taking prospective gigs on. If it's going to be an issue, we turn down the booking. The worst offenders I've experienced are without doubt Bristol (the absolute s******) and Oxford. You can't get a car anywhere near where you need to be. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 22 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said: Ah the joys of gigging. I went to the bar last night. Had a couple of beers. Got home. Watched a bit of telly. Only thing I had to carry was my wallet. You've got to absolutely love the gigging thing to put up with it. I never did. Would rather be gigging than sitting on my arse. Music is meant to be played live and not confined to the bedroom. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 13 minutes ago, Supernaut said: Would rather be gigging than sitting on my arse. Music is meant to be played live and not confined to the bedroom. Horses for courses mate. You do you. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 32 minutes ago, Supernaut said: Would rather be gigging than sitting on my arse. Music is meant to be played live and not confined to the bedroom. Well, maybe one day you'll be in charge, you never know 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyratm Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 16 hours ago, Edenburgh said: Gig was good, not a huge crowd but they were up for it. Sound engineer was good - efficient sound check and great on stage sound. Backline was fried (an ancient Ashdown Mag and Trace cab that was once a combo and had electrical tape securing the amp/cab connection). Hence me trundling my own gear in They still have that cab?! I played my first ever gig when I was 16 in Drummonds and used that! I’m 35 now 😂 like neepheid said, give us a holla and we’ll try and talk you through! 16 hours ago, Skybone said: We were supposed to have a gig at the Krakatoa, but it fell through. Hopefully, we'll be getting a gig there sometime soon. What style are you? Happy to give the promoters details if you’d like (and don’t already have!) 😊 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 This is why I'm enjoying playing in an originals band that has no backline. PA and lights plus someone to operate then is supplied by the venue. We get the whole band, our gear plus our roadie/merch seller in the synth player's estate car, and the 8 pieces of gear we have (two of which are stands) are easily carried by the four of us between the car and the venue. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Axe and zoom b1 four into the PA if that was me. Punters wouldn’t know the difference 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 7 hours ago, Supernaut said: ...Music is meant to be played live and not confined to the bedroom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoham Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 On 03/03/2024 at 11:43, jezzaboy said: Glasgow is the same and now the council in their wisdom have decided to extend the parking meters form 6 pm till 10 pm and it costs a bloomin fortune to park on the street. The now closed Hard Rock cafe on Buchanan st was the same. no access to the front after 10 am and you couldn`t get access to the front until after 7 pm. Still that`s no longer a problem as the feckers let the staff know on Tuesday that the venue wouldn`t be opening and if punters wanted to try their overprice fair there was one in Edinburgh! I genuinely think this could kill off my city centre gigs. We’re hobbyists and don’t make much, playing pubs for little more than beer money. I think it will cost £12 to park for 2 hours now. And the 2 hours maximum isn’t long enough. I priced the multi-story near McSorleys (a regular spot do us) - about £27 to park for an hour either side of the gig. It’s almost as if the council are trying to kill off what’s left of night time industry. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 13 hours ago, Dad3353 said: Interpretation of yourself? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 I had a Police tribute gig in Chatham, Kent. To load in you either used to bus lane and get fined, or as the precinct was dug up and you couldnt access it, a long walk with the gear. We spoke to the promoter for about an hour, then called it and went home. I'm at the point in my life where I dont need the hassle, I've been gigging the local Kent scene since 1987 and now I do i for fun 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 In the days when I was using a full backline, for local gigs it was cheaper and convenient to get a taxi. Taxi drivers have no qualms about "parking" in the middle of the road directly outside the venue for me to load in and out. The fare both ways was only slightly more than the cost of parking and definitely less if load out was after midnight, and the overall convenience of not having to carry the gear great distances or messing about looking for free or cheap parking outweighed any additional cost. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 7 hours ago, Supernaut said: Interpretation of yourself? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 (edited) Either end of the scale on both counts...a good while ago when the band had to have a 6-wheel transit to carry it all, we played an RAF Regiment Do at Leeming...this being the Regiment and not the flyboys, it was in one of the hangars, rather than one of the rather plusher messes...we pull up to the hangar doors, the stage is the other end of the hangar, bloody miles away. As we're standing around, shoulders slumped and bracing ourselves for the Unending Hoicking, the Staff who'd booked us came over... 'You boys want a hand?' Oh, yes please, we do want a hand... He turned round to a group of squaddies chatting outside 'You! You! You three!' He points at the van. 'That lot! In there! Double!' about 90 seconds later the whole lot was on the stage...they were running with the PA cabs... Loadout was even easier; once they'd all gone, we drove the van up to the stage... Posh Gig at the Radission/Malmaison/one of those in Leeds for Xmas just gone; I'm driving over, smug in the knowledge I have my bass case and a rucksack, and that's it. Absolutely no onstreet parking, the only option is a multistorey 200 yards from the venue. That'll do. Twenty six bloody quid... Edited March 5 by Muzz 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Edge Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 The landlord of a local pub in a residents parking area near me gives out temporary residents visitor parking tickets to musicians. Of course we still have to find a space but it’s usually very close by. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Oh, I forgot about that lovely development: played a couple of gigs recently at pubs that have the ANPR 'Fill in your reg number and park for free or get a £60 fine' thing going on...the really, really annoying thing is neither place was in a town centre, or particularly busy parking-wise; it's clearly just a scam (I spoke to both landlords, and they said it's nothing to do with them, they don't get the money, the brewery has just sold the rights on) to trawl £60 off people who forget to register... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.