How was your gig last night?

[karlfer]

New place for us last night, most of the punters out in the beer garden, can't blame them.
First use of my Auralex Gramma Pad, and it certainly made a big difference
Karl.

Edited October 2, 2011 by karlfer

[Marvin]

If there is too much profanity in the following I apologise now, however, my levels of frustration have gone off the scale.

A last minute booking, we got the call Tuesday. It was a small venue, which I thought would be ideal to test us without all the'gadgets' the band has been hiding behind.

We arranged a support duo, as the pub wanted 3 hours of music. These 2 guys were very good. Original songs, acoustic guitar and electric bass. The bass lines were very tasteful and I really enjoyed watching Neil (the bassist) play.

9.45pm we 'go on'. What a f***ing shambles. We must have the most useless, ball achingly sh*t drummer nature gave drum sticks to. The guy is to f***ing crap! I could go on for the rest of the day ranting about him. After the 4th song my confidence went completely, all down to not knowing when the drummer was going to screw up, and my nerves kicked in hence I started making horrid mistakes. It was without doubt one of the worst 2hours of my life. I seriously considered refusing to perform the second set. I can't believe the unprofessional attitude either. Fine, were a pub covers band that do this as a hobby, BUT you have to have some degree of professional so you don't look a complete cock, surely?

I am very seriously considering quitting. Singer has already said that if I quit she's going as well. Two reasons to stay, time invested and I'd feel rather bad given the amount of money the guitarist has put in - PA and other stuff.

Only upside was I was very happy with my tone. The Ibanez sr/ Fender Rumble 350 combination worked really well. My bass really cut through, no boom and very clear.

[Monckyman]

Marv, you have my sympathy,brain the size of a planet and you get lumped with Zaphod on drums. downeer dude.
My gig...
I got there early, on my own as I wanted no distractions re: the mrs etc.
I took my HLF. I knew it was too big. But I think I took it because it sounds excellent and partly because the drummer told me it was too big. See?
Set up was relatively good because I`d loomed up my leads and power and it all worked well straight off.
So, I had about 20" between the keyboard player and the drummers rh crash cymbal,the singer was an inch from my pedalboard and my arse was resting on the HLF, which had the drummers monitor on it.
I was ok so long as I remembered not to bang my right elbow on the keyboard stand (unpopular with user) or smack my headstock into the drummers face (more unpopular and he`s bigger than me).
Regarding the audience, it went marvellously well. I didn`t realise how popular Adele actually was until most of the bar started singing along to one of her songs louder than our p.a
That was ok but I think our novice singer was a little startled and discombobulated by them singing out of time/key etc..
We were a little short on the last set and so ended up extending a couple of tunes by jamming on the root chord progressions, seemed to go down well and sounded more rehearsed than it was,again our singer looked a little left out as we furiously made it up on the spot. Note to self. Bring tambourine for singer.
That said, she sang fantastically, and I`m sure it was exactly the confidence boost she needed to move on to performing rather than simply singing.
We also had a very up for it bloke who`d obviously had some fantastic drugs and danced like nobody was watching through a couple of songs.
Technically...
Hmm where to start. Marv, if your drummer played keyboards he`d be in my band. Lack of knowledge of songs, loss of memory regarding chord, key and start/ stops all became evident as the sets progressed.
Although there were a couple of real wincers, the rhythm was tight and fluid and we just didn`t acknowledge any of his howlers and so hopefully the punters didn`t catch most of them.
Finally, my sound was appalling. Not bad for app £1000...
My fault, it was the wrong rig in the wrong place and I should have known.
I simply couldn`t hear any top end at all. Great for those dubby/soul tones but no definition or clarity.
I`m putting this down to filtering the cabinet through my arse cheeks then the singers midriff before bouncing it off the opposite wall and thus to my ears.
I had a d.i feed to the (small) p.a and I could hear my fx and top end better through that so I know it was ok for the house. Just not me.
Apparently the bar next door thought my bottom end was fantastic.
Overall, it was a great night, bit of extra cash for keeping the punters happy and a learning experience.
I`m now working on the small but powerful monitor rig theorem that I can place at ear level for next week.
The Hampeg Likkle Fatty will have to remain in the rehearsal rooms till our stage sizes improve.
One last thing. I took a couple of wrist sweatbands along but didn`t like the feel or look of them on, so used them as a mini hand towel for drying the sweaty hands off. Worked well.
Sorry for the saga.
MM

[Oopsdabassist]

Fri Night..another gig in Chesham..other end this time. Landlord was over the moon to get a rock band in as he is a fan of the genre, set up.... soundcheck....quiet as eff at far end of room (me on wireless wandering about) quiet until about 2 foot in front of PA then BAM, we had to play the whole evening with enough vol in our ears to make yer deaf in 1 go ( I had earplugs) Landlord kept telling us to turn up, he was luvvin it . It was damn sweaty too!
Played our last song, maybe an extra song? 45 mins later we have played most of 1st set again, a couple of back up numbers..... and jammed our way through Zep's Rock And Roll and Highway to Hell. A stonkin good night and he wants us back in Nov. result!

Sat I was too tired to breathe

[Low End Bee]

We had great support from Nine Miles South who are blackmn90 (Ollie's) band. Very impressed with these lads.
Good crowd who were up for it. A couple of random young dancing ladys at the front which is always nice.
It was hot. Not just hot but Swedish sauna HOT. We were dripping buckets. Very sweaty old school gig.

We played one of our best I think. Lots of energy and the new songs went down really well. We had great feedback afterwards.
I took my new TC Classsic instead of the Orange and the DI was miles better. It sounded great. Very happy with it. Not the huge lumps of volume that the Terror has but it was so much easier to adjust the EQ for the room so that it cut through really well. Got a few 'the bass sounded good' comments so I'm a happy bunny.

Roll on the Half Moon on 14th October.

PS

I decided to live on the edge. Just took the Precision and no spare. Got tired of lugging an extra bass that I've never used. Felt like a Maverick. With my sack trolley and the new TC set up I took all my gear to and from the car to the venue in one trip.

Edited October 3, 2011 by Low End Bee

[thunderbird13]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1317545768' post='1391599']
. We must have the most useless, ball achingly sh*t drummer nature gave drum sticks to. The guy is to f***ing crap! ...

I am very seriously considering quitting. Singer has already said that if I quit she's going as well. Two reasons to stay, time invested and I'd feel rather bad given the amount of money the guitarist has put in - PA and other stuff.

[/quote]

TBH if the drummer is as bad as you say then it looks like a non starter - you should prob start a seperate thread about this though

[thunderbird13]

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1317633550' post='1392415']

We played one of our best I think. Lots of energy and the new songs went down really well. We had great feedback afterwards.
I took my new TC Classsic instead of the Orange and the DI was miles better. It sounded great. Very happy with it. Not the huge lumps of volume that the Terror has but it was so much easier to adjust the EQ for the room so that it cut through really well. Got a few 'the bass sounded good' comments so I'm a happy bunny.
[/quote]

Yes thats all well and good but how about the cake - you promised there would be cake

[Low End Bee]

Oh yeah. There was cake too. Went down very well. No food fights thankfully.

[chaypup]

Played as part of the Oxjam Cardiff event last night, ace gig! really good crowd and some good jamming before and after with live MC's and a breakdance crew.
Used another bassplayers Markbass head - I'm getting one, it sounded amazing!

[KevB]

First gig with new band last Sat night. Smallish playing area that was wide enough but too shallow so to allow enough 'dance area' we ended up with monitors too close to PA and had to use very low monitors vols to avoid feedback. It sounded fine at FOH but onstage made it tricky. Also after I'd set up my gear the band leader then set up a few additional floor spotlights and when we started playing and I got halfway through the first song and needed to use my midi pedals I looked down and was completely blinded by the floor spots from other side of stage, had to give up on them for a couple of songs until I could get the spots moved a bit. We also had 2 sets of 6 lights behind us as well as the small floor spots and none of them are LED's - we were sweating buckets after the first song (no air con in pub). However we got through it, people danced and at the end of the night the landlady was enthusiastic, her words were we 'took the roof off the place', want us back again in early December for a second show.

[KevB]

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1317635679' post='1392449']
Oh yeah. There was cake too. Went down very well. No food fights thankfully.
[/quote]
Hope it made up for Brentford's result earlier in the day

[Jacqueslemac]

Half way through the second set I got cramp in the index finger of my left (fretting) hand. No pain, but the finger completely folded up! I had to quickly work out how to use the middle finger and move my hand more instead!

In between the next couple of songs I massaged the finger (!) and flexed it a lot until it started working again.

Most odd.

[clarkpegasus4001]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1317640226' post='1392515']
First gig with new band last Sat night. Smallish playing area that was wide enough but too shallow so to allow enough 'dance area' we ended up with monitors too close to PA and had to use very low monitors vols to avoid feedback. It sounded fine at FOH but onstage made it tricky. Also after I'd set up my gear the band leader then set up a few additional floor spotlights and when we started playing and I got halfway through the first song and needed to use my midi pedals I looked down and was completely blinded by the floor spots from other side of stage, had to give up on them for a couple of songs until I could get the spots moved a bit. We also had 2 sets of 6 lights behind us as well as the small floor spots and none of them are LED's - we were sweating buckets after the first song (no air con in pub). However we got through it, people danced and at the end of the night the landlady was enthusiastic, her words were we 'took the roof off the place', want us back again in early December for a second show.
[/quote]

Where was this Kev in Nottingham? What is your band called?
Our last gig was at a pub on Saturday at Castle Donington. All I can say was, it was dire! the worst we have done easily! I won't even bother to elaborate, just trying to forget it!

[BigRedX]

Completely fantastic! Once again at the 12 Bar in London. Friendly people who love what we do. Within minutes of turning up heard someone at the bar telling his mate that he had to sticj around to see us play. Exactly the kind of thing you want to hear. Not quite as chaotic as out first gig here, and just a bit better for it. Still Mr Venom managed to trash another mic stand, our drummer caused the legs on the floor tom to collapse and I managed to pull my bass pod off the top of the amp and silence myself during the solo on our penultimate number. Did a quick recovery and straight into the last song.

Loads of encouraging comments afterwards, sold CDs, filled a couple of contact sheets with new email address, and look like we have some more potential gigs as a result.

Didn't even feel too tired when we got back to Nottingham just before 3.00 in the morning!

[WalMan]

Not too bad considering.

Two new songs in the set that went well, but a shame the camera memory filled up so only got one song and not the ones I was after. That and the recorder only apparently got the first set.

Seems we need two sets of Mony Mony and Gimme All Your Lovin' as it was those towards the end that eventually got them off their @rses

[media]http://youtu.be/6_eg5CpJ4gY[/media] - How does embedding work now!?

Edited October 15, 2011 by WalMan

[rOB]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1318677782' post='1405057']
Completely fantastic!
[/quote]
Glad to hear it! Its really nice to hear about how well you guys are doing. Give us a shout if you play in Leicester any time and I'll try to come down.

Played as part of the house band at a newish jam night on Thursday. Wasn't too bad as some great players turning up but I wish I had ignored the promoter when he said I wouldn't need an amp and that we'd put the bass through the PA. Unfortunately the monitoring wasn't nearly enough to be heard over the guitars and drums so plenty of mistakes from me. Oh well :-(

Playing with my originals band tonight, hopefully a better experience!

[Oopsdabassist]

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1318364264' post='1401269']
Half way through the second set I got cramp in the index finger of my left (fretting) hand. No pain, but the finger completely folded up! I had to quickly work out how to use the middle finger and move my hand more instead!

In between the next couple of songs I massaged the finger (!) and flexed it a lot until it started working again.

Most odd.
[/quote]


I've had that too..weirdest feeling when your fingers won't do what you ask!

[WalMan]

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1318696595' post='1405376']I've had that too..weirdest feeling when your fingers won't do what you ask!
[/quote]
I have put that down to dehydration in the past. There are a couple of notoriously long, hot & sweaty gigs we do where I know I need a proper warm up and 2-3 litres of water on hand throughout the night. forget either (and particularly the latter) and I can reckon on a cramped solid fretting hand about an hour into the second set

[dave_bass5]

Just played the first set of my first gig in 5 weeks. Double birthday party, 18 and 21st for two sisters at a cricket club in Hampton Court. So far everyone has stayed outside so we played an enjoyable first set to no one.
Hopefully it will get cold really quickly and we will get our audience.

Edited October 17, 2011 by dave_bass5

[WalMan]

Back from tonights stand in gig.

Played OK - though some fairly awful bits by me IMO - still crowd enjoyed it, so that's the main thing. Silly really mostly songs I have played no problem in the past but for some reason tonight things just completely escaped me and is seemed to take forever for me to find my place again.

A couple of them I ascribe to being songs I have muscle memory for with my main band where tonights band play in a different key - DOH!

[BottomE]

2 great gigs this weekend from a couple of perspectives. First, a bass player i admire a lot saw us on friday night and (i think he is a really genuine guy) complemented my tone and feel. It meant a lot and we talked for ages. Tonights gig we played a tune which we thought could of gone either way and it went down a storm. Happy days.

[barneyg42]

Absolutely horrendous gig at Ye Old Crown, Edenbridge. Please avoid like the plague! I've been off work ill all week so wasn't really looking forward to this anyway.
You play down a couple of steps in another seating area with just about enough room, not a problem. When we got there some sort of all day 50th party was going on so everyone was trolleyed already. This didn't bode well. First couple of sets our singer (pretty girly) attracted the attention of a couple of tossers and she told them in no uncertain terms to **** off! Third set and as we kick into Brown Sugar which the guitard sings two of these cavemen see this as an oppotunity to invade the space left by the singer, jump down the steps into our playing area and start staggering around the gear, keys player jumps out and bundles them away, one of them takes exception to this and starts rounding on him. His mates drag him away. Carry on playing and few seconds later he's back chucking a pint over the keys top keyboard and the front of my bass and shirt! He retreats quickly, we switch off and give up. Seconds later he's back, trying to apologise, when I point out the value of what he's chucked beer on and we're not interested in his apologies and tell him tell **** off he then threatens to "see me outside" Nice piece of work. It just seems to be kicking off in different parts of the pub so we run the gear out in tandem watching each others backs, the asshole seems to be in another carpark nearby as we can still hear him kicking off, at someone else thankfully! We're all packed up saying our goodbyes when suddenly a lad who has been stood near us gets bundled over and gets a bad kick to the head! He's out cold with claret everywhere, whoever did has done a runner and it's an ambulance job! Never have I been so pleased to be away from a gig in my life.
So why do we bother? Thousands of pounds worth of keyboard that could be buggered, the most expensive bass I've ever bought with beer chucked all over it! Our pay............60 quid a head!
Weekend warriors they call us, well you need to be bloody Mad Max to survive out there sometimes!
Edited October 16, 2011 by barneyg42

[stingrayPete1977]

Had a great one at the Robin 2 in Bilston ,as many of you will know it Im sure, for those that dont its a great venue with a great sound too. Excellent stage area and general setup, We appeared to go down really well so I hope to be playing that one again asap

Sorry to hear about yours barney

[BigRedX]

[quote name='rOB' timestamp='1318696303' post='1405371']
Glad to hear it! Its really nice to hear about how well you guys are doing. Give us a shout if you play in Leicester any time and I'll try to come down.
[/quote]
Thanks!

We really ought to be playing more in Leicester but don't really know the scene. Which venues should we be approaching and do you know of any musically suitable local bands (Psychobilly/Garage Punk) to share the bill with?

[BottomE]

[quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1318756839' post='1405745']

Absolutely horrendous gig at Ye Old Crown, Edenbridge. Please avoid like the plague! I've been off work ill all week so wasn't really looking forward to this anyway.
You play down a couple of steps in another seating area with just about enough room, not a problem. When we got there some sort of all day 50th party was going on so everyone was trolleyed already. This didn't bode well. First couple of sets our singer (pretty girly) attracted the attention of a couple of tossers and she told them in no uncertain terms to **** off! Third set and as we kick into Brown Sugar which the guitard sings two of these cavemen see this as an oppotunity to invade the space left by the singer, jump down the steps into our playing area and start staggering around the gear, keys player jumps out and bundles them away, one of them takes exception to this and starts rounding on him. His mates drag him away. Carry on playing and few seconds later he's back chucking a pint over the keys top keyboard and the front of my bass and shirt! He retreats quickly, we switch off and give up. Seconds later he's back, trying to apologise, when I point out the value of what he's chucked beer on and we're not interested in his apologies and tell him tell **** off he then threatens to "see me outside" Nice piece of work. It just seems to be kicking off in different parts of the pub so we run the gear out in tandem watching each others backs, the asshole seems to be in another carpark nearby as we can still hear him kicking off, at someone else thankfully! We're all packed up saying our goodbyes when suddenly a lad who has been stood near us gets bundled over and gets a bad kick to the head! He's out cold with claret everywhere, whoever did has done a runner and it's an ambulance job! Never have I been so pleased to be away from a gig in my life.
So why do we bother? Thousands of pounds worth of keyboard that could be buggered, the most expensive bass I've ever bought with beer chucked all over it! Our pay............60 quid a head!
Weekend warriors they call us, well you need to be bloody Mad Max to survive out there sometimes!

[/quote]

You poor sod. Well done for getting out alive! What a nightmare gig. I hate playing in little town locals where there seems to be an undercurrent of trouble. Still, its character building they say