Gigging soon!

[FlyStraight99]

Hi all,

 

I’ve been rehearsing with a drummer and guitarist to which it’s been forecasted that we will begin gigging in October. I’m absolutely buzzing for it.

 

I picked up the bass for the first time in April and joined a 4 piece but they did not do well (drummer’s gear kept packing in and the guitarist was not very good so some time was lost between rehearsals looking for another guitarist so eventually I backed out as I was looking to develop and not spend time waiting for them to sort their stuff out) and I’ve currently got a good grasp of about 15-16 songs. A fairly small amount but 45-50 minutes worth of a setlist which we plan to do for pubs!

 

Anyway, enough of me rambling. What is everyone’s advice when preparing for gigs? The drummer has a PA system and all the relevant equipment needed, but any tips and advice would be of much appreciation.

[Lozz196]

Before you leave home check all of your gear to make sure it works.

 

Pack all of your gear up so you know exactly where everything is - a bag with separate compartments is a good purchase for this.

 

However long the journey time is to the venue allow half again (it’s no problem being early and having a coffee whilst waiting for setup time).

 

Make sure that whoever does the set lists takes into account the person in the band with the worst eyesight - they need to be seen when in the floor in semi darkness.

 

And probably no need to mention this, be nice, to staff/sound-person/audience.

[Mickeyboro]

Have a checklist pinned to the door of your gear cupboard. Use it!

[Maude]

Allow plenty of time to set up so you can chill for a bit before you start, or help out a bandmate who's having issues. Nothing worse than rushing to set up and then having to launch straight into your set without being happy.

Nerves are good but don't let them get the better of you, it's supposed to be fun. If you find it particularly difficult then take on the role of a character, then it's your character up there doing it, not you. 

Play the rock star (to a degree), look confident, have a bit of swagger. Move more than you think you should, movement needs to be exaggerated to be noticed on stage, (a video of you will prove this). 

If you mess up, keep going. People really don't notice as long as things keep flowing. 

Try to relax and make a conscious effort to keep to rehearsed tempos. Once the adrenaline kicks in your 45-50 minutes of material will end up as 30-35 minutes. 

Keep any messing about between songs to a minimum. If the singer is good working a crowd then fair play but band members looking at each other, constantly asking "are you ready?" looks bad. Agree that you will launch into the next song unless someone says they have a problem. 

Above all, enjoy it. Energy flows both ways. If you (the band) look like you're having fun then so will the audience. If the audience look like they're having fun then that will feed your confidence and make you perform better. The energy continues its circular flow. 

 

[Franticsmurf]

All of the above, with the emphasis on having fun.

 

Keep everything simple. I've been gigging for 35+years and I still colour code jack/speakon sockets for all but the most basic of connections. Look and act professional from the moment you turn up to the moment you leave as this might end up being a repeat booking and/or there may be people present who are looking to book a band. Have spare leads/batteries/strings and any easily breakable things, some mains fuses and a basic toolkit. The checklist mentioned above is a good idea - at my gig last night the experienced guitarist forgot his strap - it happens! Collect video and photos to use in future publicity.

 

If you run short of songs, you can always claim that you've had a request to play one of your main set songs again although don't milk it too much and ideally arrange for a mate in the audience to call it out. We always aim to have more songs than necessary to fill the agreed set times. I've fallen foul of the 'adrenaline rush' mentioned by @Maude above and we ended up having to do three of our songs again. Not an ideal situation to be in.  

 

It's a performance and no one is looking for perfection. Mistakes happen - move on without making a big deal of them. Particularly don't point out bandmates mistakes. The time to sort problems out is the next practice session, not the gig. The audience will pick up on the onstage mood - if you're having fun they will enjoy the performance more. Make eye contact with them. If you can, have a dress rehearsal with non-musician mates and video it - you can check out your stage presence and get some feedback before you step on stage. 

 

Enjoy the experience and make sure you post your update on the 'How was your gig...' thread here. 😀

[gjones]

2 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

 

 

Make sure that whoever does the set lists takes into account the person in the band with the worst eyesight - they need to be seen when in the floor in semi darkness.

 

 

Setlist is always a very good idea. I tend to put the key next to the song title too.

[Al Nico]

Drink plenty of spirits, tune by ear, and be as loud as possible.

[Lozz196]

55 minutes ago, gjones said:

 

Setlist is always a very good idea. I tend to put the key next to the song title too.

I used to do similar in my last band - either D for a dead stop or R for a ringing out ending. When questioned about it by a punter I said it was the key to the songs, “Cor you lot are really professional” was the response. To 5 songs in D and 5 in R 😂

Edited 2 hours ago by Lozz196

[Burns-bass]

Remember every person in the venue wants you to do well…!

 

I don’t really get nerves anymore because over time you realise that confidence is a veneer. 

 

Enjoy every minute and play the best you can and you’ll be fine.

[woodyratm]

Yeah - to reiterate, have fun, don’t panic and if you flub a bit - don’t panic. It happens!