How was your gig last night?

[EskimoBassist]

[quote name='OldGit' post='559003' date='Aug 3 2009, 09:54 AM']Ha ha
He looks as relaxed as a rabbit in headlights
[/quote]

HAHAHA yeah I know that's a classic photo! He was scared to say the least. We had a week to teach him the set, and prior to that he hadn't play on an actual drum kit for nearly two years. Somehow, he pulled it off.

[WHUFC BASS]

Played in Sweden at an outdoor festival to around 1000 people. Great atmosphere, great sound, good weather, free beer, food and accomodation. Life don't get better than that !

[ahpook]

not last night, but i played at the celtic blue rock festival near carmarthen on friday night.

totally amazing crowd despite perishing '60mph mist' rain, got loads of people bopping and made it to the end of the set without anyone getting elctrocuted or slipping over on the puddles that slowly grew during our set. i've never worn so many clothes on stage before (see my new avatar)

the band after us played and then they shut the stage cos it was too dangerous...my pedalboard's still drying out at home !!!

[niceguyhomer]

An open air gig on the seafront at Cleveleys yesterday - a charity gig for the local hospice. I was conned in to it by other member of the band who said I'd be up in front of 300 birds - should've known they meant seagulls

Gig was ok, went down well but it was spoilt by my getting sunburnt (it was dull when I left home) and seeing a little boy get run over while we were playing - thankfully he was ok but it still sent shivers down my spine.

[leschirons]

Saturday's gig went well but had a slight problem over money. Last time we played there, they did no advertising whatsoever and ended up with 40 people. They paid, but were down about it. This time, we advertised the gig and got 200 punters in and they still asked if we could do it cheaper. I had to sort it out. We got our money.

[beerdragon]

A gig at a local Hotel. it got off to a bad start when we were asked to keep it down because a woman across the river had been complaining about the noise. first set we started pretty quiet and the jobsworth behind the bar still said it was still too loud. he was an arse!. we took no notice of him, any quieter and we might as well gone home, anyway, second set the place was packed and it got a bit louder with no complaints from the punters. and at the end of the night we had loads of compliments. when someone come up to you and says they really enjoyed the band it makes your night and look forward to the next one. only complaint i have is i have realised why i got rid of my first Jazz. with my style of playing i knock the neck volume button down with my fingers because i play with a pick. i will have to sort that out .

[MacDaddy]

the last gig was about 4 bands for a Bedford Metal do at Esquires. Booze and pizza were supplied by the promoter, good stage, good sound. Used my Hamer Blitz - awesome

One of the younger bands bassist asked me for some advice afterwards, so I gave him the benefit of my experience, but then told him that as I was nearly 20 years older than he was and we were still playing on the same bill to feel free to ignore it all

[ianwild16]

Played to a pub containing 3 people...and one of them was unconscious! some piss pot out for the count on the pool table!
Its a very long way to the top if you wanna rock'n'roll!

[bassbloke]

Played the unsigned stage at Bloodstock Open Air. Around 8-10,000 people, with a good few hundred watching us. I couldn't drive up with the band on Friday because of work, so I tried to get to sleep as early as possible on Friday and left 5:30am to drive up to Derbyshire from North Surrey.

Things started off really well - loaded in, tuned up and handed gear over to the stage crew to set it up but then disaster struck during the line check. The bass tech forgot to plug in my head and vanished and I commited the grave error of using my own initiative and pinching the IEC from the house head to quickly power up. The soundman complained that the DI signal from my head was too hot and insisted on using house head and which point the lack of IEC was noticed. Powered on the head caused such a current draw that the stage power went down - backline and monitors, which also took out all of the midi gear. Luckily, we were only 10 mins late starting, but it would mean shorter set. The nerves and tensions got to us and we seriously fluffed the start to our first song, but managed to limp along until the second verse, by which time we pulled it together and carried on and definitely ended the set on a high note.

Shame I couldn't use my head because my bass sounded fantastic for the brief few seconds it was going through the PA.

In the end we went down well and sold some T-shirts and handed out well over a hundred sampler CDs.

To top it all off, I found out after the set that my mum had to go to hospital, so I quickly packed up and drove straight back home after an interview. Luckily it was nothing serious. 300 miles in one day. Pretty tough.

Some interesting lessons learned
The sound crew is there for a reason. Let them to do their jobs.
Go with the flow. If using the house rig seems easier and it seems like decent kit, go with the flow

oh and I really want an Ampeg 8x10.

Roll on the next gig on the 20th September.

[Clarky]

Played the punkfest in Gosport last night. Felt a bit flat afterwards as (a) we were on early (7.45-8.15) so the crowd was far from full by the time we were on and (b ) the rig/sound set-up was pretty poor.

I played through a supplied Behringer bass rig which was hard to get a good tone out of, especially when you only have 5-10 minutes for a line check (no sound-checks for anyone), plus I could barely hear the guitar combo (which was set on '10'). Even worse, I noticed from the bands after us that the sound out front was really distorted with the bass booming on the wooden stage every time the E string was hit. Mrs Clarky in the audience said that the vocals from our band were extremely loud and the lyrics were inaudible which explains why there was little audience response when our singer does his usual crowd participation bit in one of our songs. At least we gave a pretty good account of ourselves and had won the audience over by the end of our set.

I suppose its punk but I would much rather the sound system had been good enough for the audience to have appreciated us more, especially as its a long drive to/from Gosport from London. I used my Shuker JJB, its debut gig, and I may as well have bought my 'beater' bass If we get invited back next year, we will bring our own amps/cabs.

Edited August 16, 2009 by Clarky

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='559019' date='Aug 3 2009, 10:18 AM']Yes. I do want to add though that before this happened he seemed ok. He was quite helpful when we got there so not a complete dork as far as landlords go, but we wont work there again.

I forgot to post about our Friday gig.
Played a wedding at a golf club in south London. The groom had been a bit of a nightmare leading up to the event. Had certain demands written in to the contract, like telling us what to ware but also specifying that they had no responsibility to honour our demands like a changing room, food and drink.
We also spent a lot of time learning some new songs that he "requested". We got to play them but didnt get a thank you from either the bride or groom, in fact they just walked off at the end of the night without saying good bye, thanks or even paying us
We had to chase them down to get a [b]cheque[/b] of them.
The gig was good though. crowd up dancing the whole night and lots of nice compliments from them (other than from the bride and groom).
So a long weekend, lots of hanging around as both weddings ran very late but its Monday, im now at work and can expect a nice restful, stress free week.[/quote]

I always remind our Wedding clients that they pay us cash, and before we start our set: no-one has complained at our terms!

[teej]

Street Performance with Red Jackson, Guildford, last Saturday (15th Aug).

Arrived bright and early and bagged our favourite pitch (towards the bottom of the hill) before there's any sign of anyone else in town. After the other guys arrive I notice another act halfway up the hill. Eventually we realise this is the ultra-loud tasteless Polish violinist we've heard so much about: backing tracks and a seemingly endless Beatles medley.

It doesn't make any difference to us, to be honest, except that we have to play a bit louder than usual: he's set up facing down the hill playing directly at us, even though, or maybe because, he's seen us there. We play across the street. It starts a little slowly, the town isn't very busy yet, but after a while we've got a good healthy crowd.

Then a dumpy little Special Constable turns up and wants to make trouble for us. Our front man, seeing him, continues chugging along on a one-chord boogie and announces over the mic that we couldn't possibly sell any CDs today, because that's not allowed, and we're all law-abiding musicians, so the only way we'll get paid is from tips; he reinforces this several times and the crowd gets bigger and bigger, throwing us tips and waiting to see what's going to happen next. We wind the song up and Mr Plod attempts to read us the riot act about all the things we're doing that we're not allowed to do (in fact we've been busking in Guildford for 15 years without a problem, and have been on excellent terms with the Town Centre Manager who gets calls from people wanting to book us).

He gets roundly jeered by the crowd who are watching us, and tackled by an annoyed well-spoken gent who points out to him that he's a 'Community Support' officer and the community is enjoying our show.

It turns out that he wants us to move because we've been here for more than 2 hours (in fact we've only been playing for about an hour), and he says we've got to move up the hill. Frankly we don't want to do that, so as he leaves we move down about 30 yards and sell a stack of CDs to people who've followed us. Then as we're setting up, so the violinist arrives with all his gear on a trolley, clearly he's been sent to this pitch by the copper, but we've beaten him to it. He now has no pitch and hangs around for a while watching us before heading off.

The copper hovers halfway up the hill watching us plying our trade and building a new crowd all over again, but clearly he's had enough and doesn't bother us again. Several real police officers walk past without a second look (we never seem to have a problem with real police, only the community ones).

Well, we're on fire after all this and deliver a couple of blistering sets, our 2 new numbers: 'Iko Iko' and 'Choo Choo Ch'Boogie' are going down really well and look destined for inclusion on the next album. By the end of the day we've made a very good, well-above-average wedge, and shifted lots of cards.

I think young Mr Plod did us a big favour: he got us a lot of attention, a big sympathy vote AND ran our main competition out of town! Thanks geezer

[waynepunkdude]

Awful played without our normal guitarist, forgot songs, went out of time and had an awful tone. never mind.

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='teej' post='572367' date='Aug 17 2009, 11:21 PM']Street Performance with Red Jackson, Guildford, last Saturday (15th Aug).

Arrived bright and early and bagged our favourite pitch (towards the bottom of the hill) before there's any sign of anyone else in town. After the other guys arrive I notice another act halfway up the hill. Eventually we realise this is the ultra-loud tasteless Polish violinist we've heard so much about: backing tracks and a seemingly endless Beatles medley.

It doesn't make any difference to us, to be honest, except that we have to play a bit louder than usual: he's set up facing down the hill playing directly at us, even though, or maybe because, he's seen us there. We play across the street. It starts a little slowly, the town isn't very busy yet, but after a while we've got a good healthy crowd.

Then a dumpy little Special Constable turns up and wants to make trouble for us. Our front man, seeing him, continues chugging along on a one-chord boogie and announces over the mic that we couldn't possibly sell any CDs today, because that's not allowed, and we're all law-abiding musicians, so the only way we'll get paid is from tips; he reinforces this several times and the crowd gets bigger and bigger, throwing us tips and waiting to see what's going to happen next. We wind the song up and Mr Plod attempts to read us the riot act about all the things we're doing that we're not allowed to do (in fact we've been busking in Guildford for 15 years without a problem, and have been on excellent terms with the Town Centre Manager who gets calls from people wanting to book us).

He gets roundly jeered by the crowd who are watching us, and tackled by an annoyed well-spoken gent who points out to him that he's a 'Community Support' officer and the community is enjoying our show.

It turns out that he wants us to move because we've been here for more than 2 hours (in fact we've only been playing for about an hour), and he says we've got to move up the hill. Frankly we don't want to do that, so as he leaves we move down about 30 yards and sell a stack of CDs to people who've followed us. Then as we're setting up, so the violinist arrives with all his gear on a trolley, clearly he's been sent to this pitch by the copper, but we've beaten him to it. He now has no pitch and hangs around for a while watching us before heading off.

The copper hovers halfway up the hill watching us plying our trade and building a new crowd all over again, but clearly he's had enough and doesn't bother us again. Several real police officers walk past without a second look (we never seem to have a problem with real police, only the community ones).

Well, we're on fire after all this and deliver a couple of blistering sets, our 2 new numbers: 'Iko Iko' and 'Choo Choo Ch'Boogie' are going down really well and look destined for inclusion on the next album. By the end of the day we've made a very good, well-above-average wedge, and shifted lots of cards.

I think young Mr Plod did us a big favour: he got us a lot of attention, a big sympathy vote AND ran our main competition out of town! Thanks geezer [/quote]

I didn't think that Community Support plods had any official authority? I know you are under no legal obligation do anything they say.

[leschirons]

Last night's gig was guitar and vocal duo in a small(ish) restaurant. We did well and will be asked back. Not a bass gig, but enjoyable all the same.

[teej]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='577864' date='Aug 22 2009, 09:19 PM']I didn't think that Community Support plods had any official authority? I know you are under no legal obligation do anything they say.[/quote]
Well, that's my thinking too, that's why we didn't do what he wanted but what worked best for us . I guess if you really get up their noses they'll call big brother or something tho'...?

Saturday 22nd Aug: Street Performance, [s]Salisbury[/s] Winchester
It's been one of those days today. One of those rare days that test your moral fibre to breaking point and yet you come out smiling and triumphant. I love my job!

Headed off bright and early (up at 6am) to get the pitch in Salisbury, not one of our A List towns, but we've got a wedding tonight in Andover (and you REALLY don't want to busk Andover). Arrive at the pitch and my great friends and main professional rivals, The Huckleberries, have beaten me to it. It's time for a brief exchange of pleasanteries and I turn tail for home (Winchester). My fellow band members are coming up from Brighton and will get there before me now - but it's touch and go whether or not they'll get there before the Peruvians or any number of other chancers. Lo - they make it! And we're on for a day's work.

First hurdle in Winch is a bunch of excitable twenty-something longhairs who have clearly been out all night and are threatening to head off and get their djembes and jam along with us! But, frankly, there's not much danger of them doing anything that organised, and we get about our business unmolested. It's a busy day with lots of tourists about (not always a good thing, but these are a generous bunch). We play a fairly lazy (relaxed, laid back) set and sell loads of CDs, albeit subtly (we've heard of a new WPC in town who's cracking down on outfits like ours). So far so good. We do another set, with no sign of said WPC and decide to do another with the CD display out. No problem. We leave it out during our break and that's when she strikes! Of course

Well, it's all about what you can get away with, not what's allowed, so we do one last short set without the display, but still manage to shift a decent number before heading off to the wedding.

Saturday 22nd Aug: Wedding, Andover

Not much to say really... We've had some great weddings this year: this wasn't one of them. Nice people. Crap venue. Decent money. Broke a string. Slapped one on in the dark afterwards ready for tomorrow (a Christening!); but I'm pretty sure that it's a fat A, not an E. Tomorrow will tell...

[Bassmonster]

ROCKERS GLASGOW 23/08

Everything was going fine, their was even a witherspoons next door to chiil out before the gig, everything was going to well, once in the venue we were told if no one comes to see you, you don't get to play, by this i mean they ask everyone on the door who they've turned up to see, hence to say we didn't bring anyone, at no point was any of this mentioned to us when they booked us for the gig, the lack of communication between the promotor and us was terrible on speaking to the other bands it was much the same, the other 5 bands had between them brought in the sum total of 9 punters, 3 of the bands including us hadn't brought anyone, but we were told to f**K off basically, at least we got to soundcheck which went down well so thats someting.

i did feel sorry for the headling act (downfall) who had travelled all they way up from sommerset, a great introduction to glasgow for them. hence to say we didn't stick around so i don't know how it all panned out in the end. but i do advise staying clear of rockers, so to recap the gig was utter s***e

[Ou7shined]

Sorry to hear that. We headlined in Rockers a few times now and love the place (apart from the dressing room/broom closet ). It has always been packed out each time we played and the sound guy really knows his stuff too. The massive projector screen that slowly rises like a curtain as you start your set is a nice touch. What I like most about it is the punters as they're most appreciative and have specifically come along to hear some ba's oot rawk.

[teej]

[quote name='teej' post='577959' date='Aug 23 2009, 12:28 AM']Broke a string. Slapped one on in the dark afterwards ready for tomorrow (a Christening!); but I'm pretty sure that it's a fat A, not an E. Tomorrow will tell... [/quote]
It was an E! Not sure what sort of string it is but quite like it (a flattish disc end and blue wrapping, anyone?).

Christening gig was ideal for a Sunday afternoon after working all day Saturday: in a lovely leafy garden outside a charming cottage to about 15 chilled out people. Nice food and cold drinks. Tried out a couple of new grooves and rehearsed some material for the new album. A little jiving at the end from the proud couple and their parents brought it to a very satisfactory conclusion.

[Low End Bee]

Played the Half Moon on Saturday to a smallish turnout who made up for it by clearly enjoying themselves and us. X Factor , BBQ's, holidays (and Brentford away to Southampton) all made this a hard one to get our normal (100+) crowd.
We didn't have time to dwell on a bit of band tension we've got going with a member whose last gig it probably was as the PA was dead until 10 minutes before the support were on.
The sound out front was OK apparently although it sounded like ear soup through the monitors. Still it's a great place to play and they've even got new non sticky carpet in. Put on a show and enjoyed which is the main thing.

We got the usual drunken bird calling out for covers.

"Do the Rolling Stones. Do Handbags & Gladrags"

[john_the_bass]

Played a wedding on Saturday night a - turned up and found we had a stage, a sort of dressing room and space to hang our clothes up and put our gear down, an LED lit backdrop, plenty of places to get power from and more importantly, they all got up and danced from the word go.
A really good night.

[Bassmonster]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='578713' date='Aug 24 2009, 12:49 AM']Sorry to hear that. We headlined in Rockers a few times now and love the place (apart from the dressing room/broom closet ). It has always been packed out each time we played and the sound guy really knows his stuff too. The massive projector screen that slowly rises like a curtain as you start your set is a nice touch. What I like most about it is the punters as they're most appreciative and have specifically come along to hear some ba's oot rawk.[/quote]


yeah the sound guy knows his stuff, he was a bit of a tosser to start with though, but i think he was genuinely looking foward to hearing us after we soundchecked, oh well, ivory blacks next saturday hopefully things are better there

[Veils]

Played at Moho Live last night with Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music. I've been lucky enough to play with a few big names now (mainly metal) but none have even come close to being as nice a guy as Chuck.

As soon as we got to the venue, he was helping us in with our gear, he showed a genuine interest in what we were doing and was the first to come and congratulate us on our performance afterwards and offer words of encouragement. It was such a refreshing change to the (usually) more established names we have played with in the past who even when they have turned up to gigs where more people have been there to see my band, have been pig ignorant and completely ignored any attempts to be sociable!

I will definitely come to watch Chuck again if he comes back to Manchester. I'd recommend anyone who might be interested does the same.

To borrow a famous TV quote......what a guy!

[acidbass]

Gigging tonight with an amp I got a lend of this week - an Ashdown MAG 4x10 combo. Sounded great at rehearsal, now for the true test!

Supporting Status Quo tomorrow night too so hopefully should have a few updates on this thread over the weekend

[dave_bass5]

We just had a report back from a groom we did a gig for end of July. I posted a bit about it.
Basically we had to learn some songs for him, we played two first dances (one for him, one for his parents who had just renwed thier vowls), he told us what to wear and wiped his hand of providing a changing room, food etc even though it wa on the contract.
We had a good report back from the father in law and everyone (other than the couple) said how much they enjoyed the evening.
The meal and speaches over ran by almost two hours which meant we were hanging around for about 3 hours.

Well anyway, he is now complaining like mad about us to the agent. He is blaming us for causeing the delay by taking so long to set up, says he asked us to turndown three times (never happend and the venue were fine with our volume) and a few other things that he basicaly making up for some reason.
when we explaind via the agent that it wasnt us that caused the delay he's hit the roof. Calling us blatent liars and saying will are saying all this crap to get out of honouring the contract. In fact he goes on to spew out so many lies that even the agent is fed up with him. They are on our side but none of us can beleive whats going on. He even said we should have spoke up about the dealy at the time.
This is a guy who forgot to mention his mum and dad in his speech, walked off without paying us and was acting like a prat from the moment he tried to book us. He broke every condition on the contract but was very specific with his demands.

I cant explain how angry we all are over this.

Edited August 28, 2009 by dave_bass5