How was your gig last night?

[ezbass]

6 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

small stage, increasingly frustrated by the use of music stands.

On a small a small stage they’re a no no and for just 9 songs, that’s ridiculous.

 

7 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

guitarists amp blew up…properly dead in soundcheck…

The ‘joy’ of all tube amps, temperamental at the most inconvenient of times.

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, ezbass said:

On a small a small stage they’re a no no and for just 9 songs, that’s ridiculous.

I don’t get it, personally…

 

I’m not going to have a row with them about it…but it is mildly irksome.

[peteb]

43 minutes ago, ezbass said:

The ‘joy’ of all tube amps, temperamental at the most inconvenient of times.

 

Seeing as I've just done a gig where the guitar player's Helix went down three times, I'm not sure that it's only tube amps that are temperamental. 

 

Edited yesterday at 10:29 by peteb

[Merton]

55 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

It was ok.

Played to sold out 150 capacity room.

 

Local indie stalwarts ’The Notion’ retirement gig.

 

9 songs, then when we’d finished - got told to play on, did a bass/piano/vocal version.

 

small stage, increasingly frustrated by the use of music stands.

 

guitarists amp blew up…properly dead in soundcheck…

 

fun.

Music stands and blowing amps - bleurgh!

 

Is that Gullivers?

[ezbass]

19 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

Seeing as I've just done a gig where the guitar player's Helix went down three times, I'm not sure that it's only tube amps that are temperamental. 

 

Yikes! 

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, peteb said:

 

Seeing as I've just done a gig where the guitar player's Helix went down three times, I'm not sure that it's only tube amps that are temperamental. 

 

Wow, I did hundreds of gigs with a hxfx and never had an issue. Mind you, never had an issue with my CTM100 either!

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, Merton said:

Music stands and blowing amps - bleurgh!

 

Is that Gullivers?

Yeah. Think that’s the fist time I’ve played there, used to be in a band with the owners - they have the castle too.

[Merton]

50 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Yeah. Think that’s the fist time I’ve played there, used to be in a band with the owners - they have the castle too.

Nice. Played both over the last couple of years with Katy Hurt. Next time I’ll drag you along 😀

[mcnach]

On 31/08/2025 at 19:42, dmccombe7 said:

Any chance you could give us some more detail of what you're doing with your IEM. ? Maybe what you use and how its all connected. I'm quite interested in going IEM for next year when we hopefully use a PA hire every gig.

I might even go ampless on stage perhaps use my Mesa TT800 as a pre-amp.

Dave

 

 

Sorry, I just saw this.

I'm far from being an expert in these matters, so take my comments with that in mind.

 

Whenever my bandmates and I brought up the subject of IEMS there was usually some confusion between two different aspects: 1) how to get a personal monitor mix, and 2) how to send that to our ears (often the assumption is this is done wirelessly, but it doesn't have to be).

 

I've tried a few different things in order to get some kind of monitor mix. The best is, of course, when you can get a dedicated mix from the desk, but this is only guaranteed if you're having your own band mixer. We've had a Behringer XR18 and lately an X32 as a 'band mixer'. When we're doing our own sound, that's the core of it. As a 6-piece band, the XR18 is enough as it can provide 6 individual mixes (more if you use the Ultranet system). When we have a house engineer, we use a couple of 8-channel splitters (Behringer MS8000) and that way one half goes to our mixer (controlling just the monitor mixes) and another half to the main desk for teh sound engineer to do their thing.

 

However, that requires the most £££ investment and also has to be a bit of a band effort, in order to get everything into the monitors, so I've tried other ways that are not as 'nice' but can still work pretty well, in fact I'd say they all work better than having wedge monitors and a loud stage.

Basically I use a small mixer (Behringer Xenyx 302/502) to blend two signals: my bass, and "whatever I can get". With earphones with a good seal you get a good amount of isolation, as if you were using earplugs (comparable or better than my ACS 17db) so you still get a LOT of sound from the stage, just attenuated. All I do is add a bit more 'me'. The 'whatever I can get' signal varies a lot...

I've used a microphone stage (Zoom H2), placed strategically so that I can capture guitars/vocals strongly, as drums I can hear enough anyway, and vocals and guitar is the only thing I really need to hear clearly, as we go 'off-script' a lot). That works, but it's better when I can get a feed from one of the wedge monitors. Most places have active monitors these days, with a 'thru' XLR connection. Take an XLR from a monitor, into the mixer, done. Many PA systems have the same on the main speakers, so you can often get a feed from there too. Yes, I'm not getting a dedicated mix there, but it can still be very useful, and it'll still sound way better than a loud stage does.

I'd recommend ensuring you can EQ the 'whatever I can get' channel, as I find it's often better to turn down the low end in there, makes the mix clearer with my bass. 

This is not going to give you a "CD listening experience", but that's not what I am going for either, I want something that allows me to monitor what's going on, which it does.

 

When we use the XR18/X32, you can use a PM-16 connected via Ultranet, which does not use the standard monitor channels, so you get better easier control, but also free a monitor channel for others, which can be useful. The PM-16 is basically a little 16-channel mixer connected to the main XR18/X32 via a single network cable using Ultranet. The output from that can feed your earphones.

 

If you use a small mixer for my ghetto approach described above, its output can then feed your earphones.

 

You can use a Behringer P1/P2 too. These are basic 2-channel mixers designed to be worn on your person. I have used a P1 to blend my bass with the "whatever I can get" signal, but I like the minimixer more, as it gives me more controls, EQ, etc. Again, the output from that goes into your earphones. 

 

Now we have a mix. We can use a wired method to send the signal to our ears, in which case we're done. For a drummer or keyboard player, wired is probably the simplest and easiest, and you don't need to worry about anything else, interference, dropouts etc. For others... it will depend. I have used a combined cable that carries both my bass and earphone signal (Ernie Ball,£45 or so) which sounded like a great idea, but the cable is thick and heavy and a bit of a faff. Ok in a small stage where you can't move much, but not comfy if you're moving around. I'd use separate cables.

If you don't want cables... then there's wireless, which is a different subject.

 

For wireless, live I've only used the MiPro58 system, which was around £400 (stereo, very low latency, 5.8GHz). At home I've tried the ultracheap Lekato WS-1 (£40, also stereo, but higher latency and operating on the 2.4GHz band that is more prone to interference), which didn't sound as good as the MiPro, but in all honesty, for a band mix it would do the job. My only concern is the higher likelyhood of dropouts and the high latency. The latency on its own is unlikely to be noticed, but the problem is we're using a lot of digital devices and they all add some latency... so it adds up: it can work very well for some people, but if you have a lot of additional digital processing it can get tricky... but you need to try and see. 

 

Wireless is nice, but I'd still prefer a wired IEM over no IEMs, in general. On a big stage, wedges can be great. With a considerate band who understands noise, wedges can be great in a smaller stage too, but my personal experience is that I encounter stages that are too loud too often, and IEMs just give me a combination of a quieter & clearer sound for the bits I need in order to play well.

 

I hope that makes sense!

 

I'm not claiming any of this is THE WAY, but it seems to work. Other methods may exist

 

 

 

 

 

[wateroftyne]

An Eagles tribute show in Richmond, North Yorkshire last night. A fun gig as always, but notable for being in one of the oldest theatres (c.1788) in the UK.

[Piers_Williamson]

24 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

An Eagles tribute show in Richmond, North Yorkshire last night. A fun gig as always, but notable for being in one of the oldest theatres (c.1788) in the UK.

 

 

Looks like Statler and Waldorf were in attendance

 

 

[Stub Mandrel]

3 hours ago, peteb said:

 

Seeing as I've just done a gig where the guitar player's Helix went down three times, I'm not sure that it's only tube amps that are temperamental. 

 

 

I've seen a Helix require a few resets over a rehearsal more than once. Not at a gig so far.

 

 

[dmccombe7]

5 week gap for us at moment. Singer is off on hols for 3 weeks renewing his vows. We gig the day after he returns so that'll be a fun night.

Still it lets me enjoy all your gig reports at an nice easy pace. 😂

Dave

[Leonard Smalls]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

a Helix require a few resets

Mine never has, in the 5 years I've had it! It's failed to boot up twice, and both times off/on started it up nicely.

Is the software up to date? Are patches too resource hungry, or from a dodgy source?

[Stub Mandrel]

51 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

Mine never has, in the 5 years I've had it! It's failed to boot up twice, and both times off/on started it up nicely.

Is the software up to date? Are patches too resource hungry, or from a dodgy source?

 

I have no idea - I left the band. But why should it need a patch to work properly? 

[WalMan]

6 hours ago, peteb said:

 

Seeing as I've just done a gig where the guitar player's Helix went down three times, I'm not sure that it's only tube amps that are temperamental. 

 

Don't say that!! I'm just about to try to sell mine with flight case as it sits on the floor in the study/studio and I have other options to use for recording (also I quite fancy, and selling might go a way towards funding, a Darkglass Anagram)

[Merton]

Just got in after an excellent, but LOUD, gig with Katy Hurt at the Hogs Back Brewery Hop Harvest festival. Weather was changeable and literally 15 minutes before we were due on the heavens opened, but thankfully the rain stopped and the sun shone for our entire hour set. The lineup was eclectic but cool, naturally there was great beer, the crowd was superb, and the sound (onstage at least) was great, (except for the loud bit 😆).

 

We played well on the whole, my ACG/Elf/Two10 rig was sounding mint, Gab played a blinder and Katy was in fine voice. Really enjoyed it, just wish I’d put my earplugs in…

 

Edited 15 hours ago by Merton

[Bluewine]

19 hours ago, Cat Burrito said:

We opened the Swindon Shuffle’s Friday Night at The Castle in Old Town last night. Arriving in good time to see the headliner’s soundcheck, I was immediately taken by the bassists sound. Very dubby. He had his back to me and when he turned around, he was playing with a pick, right up by the bridge! It was a Genz Benz amp and every time I hear one of those, they sound fantastic. 
 

We were the first of five bands and I think were given this slot as we’re just a duo. I would be too polite to argue but a few people suggested we should have been higher up the bill. In many respects though, it was one of the better slots. I had my 2008 USA Fender Jazz that was going through my board. Doing as the soundman wanted, he had me go through the Genz Benz amp and it sounded great. 
 

 

We did an all original set with the keys / drums on the iPad. Some soundmen struggle, with this set up but the guy last night clearly knew his way around the desk and the sound both on and off stage was glorious. 
 

We let the music do the talking but still had a bit of banter with the audience. We held the audience throughout our 30 minute set, something some of the other acts didn’t manage. Introducing two new songs and a few favourites, the time flew. At the end, I thanked everyone, only for the track to loop and start up again. I quickly stopped it and said “So sorry, you didn’t ask for an encore!” which I think endeared us further. 
 

 

I thought we played well. My lead vocals (I am not the main singer) are definitely gaining confidence and I am falling in love with my Jazz bass all over. A great night. 

Cool pics and love that pick.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

On 09/09/2025 at 19:21, Bluewine said:

We're back at The Bend Theatre this Saturday night, opening for Reverend Raven. Catered dressing room and we play a 45 minute set. My type of gig.

 

Maple Road

By presenting an eclectic blend of blues, rock, and folk jams, Maple Road is a band that does not fall short of keeping an audience entertained and intrigued.  While honoring musical heroes and legends, the group also strives to craft original and memorable tunes that allow each band member and the audience to interpret the music.

Reverend Raven + Maple Road Blues Band - The Bend Theater | West Bend, WI https://share.google/vkEznZyOQe7dRBx7y

 

Daryl

 

We had a great night with a great crowd at The Bend Theatre opening for Reverend Raven. We sold 230 tickets $18.00-$20.00.

The place only holds 300. We played from 7:30- 8:30.

 

I could tell from the sound check that were clicking on all 6 cylinders. 

 

I got mobbed in the lobby as I was leaving.lol

 

Daryl

Edited 5 hours ago by Bluewine

[Leonard Smalls]

13 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

a patch

Patches are the programmed FX chains... There's thousands of slots available for new ones, you can either put them together yourself or download from various places.

[kiat]

Last night in a Boston pub, 1st dep for Kloane, an 80s+ covers band. Was apprehensive to be honest because, though I had depped twice recently with most of the guys for their soul big band, these songs were mostly brand new to me: I'd never attempted these basslines before, even at jam nights or learning at home. Out of 30 on the setlist, 9 days to learn 25 of them. I had a feeling they wouldn't mind if I used a tablet as an aide and it turned out to be the case - it was a bloody useful crutch. I don't know how I'd have fared without it, but on some songs I'd have been not got the starts right and missed some of the many breaks, interludes and specific endings. Most of the recorded tracks are fade out, but I had their backing tracks the vocalist uses on his solo gigs and I trusted the band would follow the structures, which they mostly did. Had a few unannounced key changes which totally threw me for more than a few bars as I was trying to desperately transpose in my head whilst keeping the groove going 😱😎. Pay wasn't the best, but we all get the same and this is the first that's not been cash 

 

No rehearsals, just straight in. It's nice they trusted me for that. I'm not even a semi-pro, so this has been a challenging but huge learning experience - and on the night a lot of fun once we got going. Hopefully I'll get called in again. In the meantime I plan on learning these songs properly!

[Franticsmurf]

I played a gig as a dep bassist in my mate's band last yesterday. I had 2 weeks to learn 32 songs most of which I hadn't played in any form before and a third of which I'd never heard before. It was at a rugby club where a local derby match was being played so the prospect of post game rowdiness was high. And it was in a smallish marquee on a day when winds and thundery showers were forecast. We set up in the morning, pre- game, during several heavy downpours and the water was running into the marquee under the sides and across the band area. There was only staging enough for the drums so when I got there everything else had been placed on beer crates, duck boards and in the case of the keyboard player, an old door. I was stood on the upstream side of the band area and only had a couple of old rubber car mats for my pedalboard. Fortunately the stage had enough room for the Trace Elliot cabs, which were only for monitoring anyway as I was going through the main PA. In the gap between set up and gig I was able to go home and make a mini riser for the pedal board and a folding duckboard for me which I deployed when I got back for the soundcheck. 

 

The anticipated rowdiness wasn't there and we kicked off at about 5.40pm, playing all the way through to 7.30pm when the crowd started making their way home after an all day session. I managed to get through all the songs with few 'creative lapses' - the drummer reminded me when to come in on one song and there were a few fumbles on transitions between choruses and middle 8s. We had a full tent of dancers for pretty much the whole gig and best of all, no river flowing across the band area. 

 

Kit was my Hohner Jack into  a Sine HPF, MS60b (for noise gate and tuner only), NUX Sculpture compressor, EHX Bass Clone, NUX Voodoo Vibe and into the desk via my Ampeg SCRDI, with a signal to my Peavey Minimax 600 nto apair of TE 1X10 cabs, one angled for the drummer the other angled across to me. The original plan was to take a split from the SCRDI into my Behringer P1 monitor and via radio to IEM. But one of the cables in that chain was playing up and all I got was crackles and blips so I gave up on IEM, retaining the earphones as ear protection. As it happens, the monitors were good and I could hear myself nicely. 

 

After rejecting the idea of wearing wellington boots as being a little out of character with the rest of the band, footwear for the evening were a pair of black shoes, brand unknown.   

 

Morning set up. My pace is stage left.

 

Duckboards

 

[bassbiscuits]

Depping gig inside a church for a wedding near Hinckley. I was worried about the acoustics of playing in a place with high ceilings etc but no problem at all. The audience were really up for it with lots of dancing, plus one guy who came up and sang a couple of songs with us (I think he knew the singer 🤷🏼‍♂️). 
 

Good catering too courtesy of a pizza oven thing out the back. Winner. 

Took a small rig of just one Markbass 2x10 cab, a LM2 head and a Yamaha BB604 bass. Pared down the effects board to just a tuner and a compressor gaffer taped to the top of my amp head. 

Edited 2 hours ago by bassbiscuits

[asingardenof]

Back at The Plumbers Arms in Huddersfield last night. We usually end up really cramped there because there's football on and they don't move the tables for us, but this year we made a point of asking for the space so we had maybe another square half-metre to play with. Hey, every little helps! 

 

We were due to go on at 9, but while we were setting up we were asked if we wouldn't mind going on at 9.30. We grumbled a bit but there wasn't a lot to be done at that point so we said yes.

 

We wondered why since the place was quite empty, until our singist did some sleuthing. It turned out that we weren't going to be the only band on last night. We were told that another band had come up from Wales to watch rugby, and were going to perform for free around our sets in exchange for a free room for the night. All very enterprising but not promising for getting us out of there at a reasonable hour.

 

The band in question were a vox & guitar/sax duo from Anglesey doing covers to a backing track, and while I appreciated their technical competence it wasn't really my cup of tea, though I watched a few of their songs to show support and was pretty much the only person who applauded any of them. To be fair they watched the whole of our second set and their singist/guitarist said some extremely complimentary things about us afterwards, including that we should be doing a lot more gigs and he'd set us up with some on Anglesey if we ever fancied it!

 

We didn't have our usual crowd there as they were all either busy or ill, and so the place seemed really quiet, and actually emptied a fair bit before we started which had us fearing we were in paid rehearsal territory, but people came and went throughout and there was always a good dozen or so in the immediate vicinity of us to keep us a bit interested, although applause during our first set was very hard to come by even though everyone seemed to be enjoying us. 

 

Out second set is livelier then the first so there were a few more people getting involved, helped by the arrival of part of a wedding party, including the father of the bride who wore a very natty red suit and a porkpie hat and who, along with one of his mates, created probably our first and only ever mosh pit (albeit quite a tame one) during Teenage Kicks. 

 

I didn't think we'd get any calls for an encore but we did, and so we didn't end up finishing until nearly midnight. A swift pack up and load out later I was home by 12.45, where at the request of my 8yo I slept in the living room on a pair of stacked foam mattresses that was Not Comfortable while he slept on the sofa, so I got hardly any sleep and am a fair bit broken this morning. 

 

Didn't get any photos because I forgot, but I used the Sire V7 - Elf - Two10S combo again that sounded ace. Shoes were black Converse Chuck Taylor Hitops.

[dmccombe7]

6 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

We had a great night with a great crowd at The Bend Theatre opening for Reverend Raven. We sold 230 tickets $18.00-$20.00.

The place only holds 300. We played from 7:30- 8:30.

 

I could tell from the sound check that were clicking on all 6 cylinders. 

 

I got mobbed in the lobby as I was leaving.lol

 

Daryl

Superb Daryl. Love those kind of venues and a decent crowd too. 

And using a proper bass rig this time too.

Happy days sir.

Dave

Edited 1 hour ago by dmccombe7