How was your gig last night?

[barneyg42]

Superfly saves the day!
Friday night,Lion Brewery in Ash, regular gig for us which we thought would be a bit quiet as one if the main locals has her birthday party on the Saturday. How wrong could we be, she and partner turned up and loads of the regular crowd too. So we were looking forward to a good night. A few songs from the end of the first half the PA powered desk goes down. No power, zilch! Do all the checks, fuses etc but nothing. So its panic mode with no back up. Guitard has a spare small amp but we have no jack to mike leads only XLR. Luckily the landlord has a jack to mike for his bingo nights, but the guitard amp is all grunge and grind. Enter Superfly, only one channel is working but with the mike plugged into a reverb pedal and the speakers chained it made a reasonable job of it, cue hugging round the singer for multi harmony bits (ie The Chain) but she's a babe so no problem! The Superfly stays in a bag in my car at all times and now is designated back up bass and PA amp!
Was a cracking gig in the end, threw Halo by Texas in which we hadn't even rehearsed and it got them going well.

[lurksalot]

we did a fundraiser last night , and everyone was well up for a party , one of the PA cabs died at the sound check so a quick shuufle to use a moniter cab in its place and work around the stage sound , it was quite bizarre that the age of the dancers was a little maturer than normal , always a bit nervy when you are belting out 'sex on fire' and the grannies are singing and strutting back at you .

[rOB]

Played at Lock 42 in Leicester last night with my band Madam Fade. Didn't get a soundcheck (still not sure why) and consequently had bad stage sound but apparently it sounded good from out front.

Played ok, really getting into the frontman thing now. Enjoyed the other bands on the bill, nice guys too.

[Roland Rock]

It seemed to be organized. Nice place in central London, good communication stating exactly what they would be providing (full backline, pa, sound engineer etc) and instructions to get there 4.30pm sharp for soundcheck.

The venue was a long, galleried a hall which seats about 200

Arrive 4.30, place still locked. Gear turns up, and it's a small PA and a TE Commando 1x12 combo.
No sound guy shows up, so fair play to the guys who tried to set everything up, but suffice to say that first band soundchecked at 7pm!

There was no option to put the bass into the PA as it wouldn't take it. God knows what the bass sounded like out front (the chap who was on the mixer was to the side of the stage with hs head next to the bass amp). There's nothing I could have done about it anyway.

On the plus side, the sound was surprisingly good on stage, and the TE punched well above its weight. We played quite well and got a good reception.

We'll put that one down to experience!

Edited November 18, 2012 by Roland Rock

[Buzzy]

Hectic couple of days, flew from Heathrow at 9:40 p.m. on Thursday to Kuwait,for a double header, us [url="http://www.nottherollingstones.com"]http://www.nottherollingstones.com[/url] with a Beatles tribute (The Vox Beatles) in the grounds of the British Embassy . Over 1000 in the crowd,massive stage. Then back to UK and drive to Stroud to play the Subscription rooms.
Got home at 3:30 this morning.
Taking it easy today

[bassist_lewis]

Arrived at the venue well on-time (I'd been late the last couple of pub gigs so made a special effort) to find another band setting up. Spoke to our guitarist and singer and it turns out the pub had double booked and hadn't noticed for nearly two months! They gave us a bar tab which the guitarist, my girlfriend and I abused for a couple of drinks but I had my gear in the car so couldn't exactly make a night of it. Ended up watching trash TV online (a big thanks to Gok Wan and Paddy McGuinness) with the missus and drooling over 75 RI jazz basses , from which I'm now £70 further away thanks to last night!

Could have been worse...

[chaypup]

They had a contract with you and if they couldn't fulfill it it's their problem!

They should still pay you!

[BigRedX]

Another mixed one for me.

Dick Venom & The Terrortones at the Hairy Dog in Derby. Another great venue, nice PA, big stage and a back-stage dressing room. Made us feel like a "real" band - all we needed was some roadies to set up for us!

All that was missing was the audience. By the end of our set the numbers had swelled to a reasonable size, but support band Trioxin Cherry played to a mostly empty room. Those that were there, were massively enthusiastic which was gratifying. We'd swapped the set around and the new running order seemed to work, and the new transitions between songs went well. Last gig with our dep drummer, who was very good, but I'm looking forward to our next gig with our regular guy as there's been occasions when I've just felt that the drums and bass didn't lock together like they do with the "proper" line up.

Edit: And here's a photo...

[IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/579148_555963654419379_1451794218_n.jpg[/IMG]

Edited November 19, 2012 by BigRedX

[Jacqueslemac]

Played to almost completely empty house last night at one of the main music pubs in Norwich. Very helpful soundman (Clive) couldn't believe how quickly we sound checked and how little faffing there was.

Our new drummer popped his gigging cherry and performed very well considering some of the stuff we play (such as Foo Fighters).

Lovely to play on a proper stage with in-house lighting, monitors and a soundman who knows the equipment and the venue.

If we hadn't brought our friends along, though, we would have outnumbered the punters, but we got paid so it's not all bad. I even took advantage of my wireless kit to leave the stage and dance with my wife during the inevitable Sex on Fire (and got a big fat snog for my troubles!).

Edit: Here's a photo

Edited November 22, 2012 by Jacqueslemac

[BassYerbouti]

Played a set at The Alley Cat club in Denmark St last night. Hot and sweaty with a tiny stage. Audience were nicely warmed up by a free bar and we went down a storm even though we fluffed the start of White Wedding thanks to over-enthusastic drummer.

[brensabre79]

Had a horrid gig last night!
No soundcheck, no amp (I brought it but was told not to use it) - it was an 'acoustic' gig so I was just DI'd from my Ibanez Semi-acoustic. I asked at the beginning and between every song to have some bass in the monitors, only for the engineer to turn the guitars up! Could not hear a single note I was playing the whole gig so had to watch the frets and do it all from memory. In the last song I leaned over and noticed a 3" hole in the cone of the monitor driver! Nice.

next time, no matter what I'm told, I'm taking my amp and using it, end of!

Ok rant over, carry on

[flyfisher]

Hertford Corn Exchange last night, supporting Neville Staple (ex-Specials).

Have played there quite a few times and the sound has been very good, especially the foldback, but this time the sound check was rushed by the venue sound guy (not the one we usually have) and the on-stage sound was quite muddy and I struggled a bit at times and dropped a couple of clangers. Still, no one I spoke to afterwards mentioned it, so perhaps bass-player anonymity lives on!

It was very much a reggae/ska evening, so we must have been brave or foolish to go on after a full-on reggae band that had got everyone dancing. Our brand of originals was definitely a big contrast but we didn't clear the floor and our one reggae/ska-ish song had everyone up and dancing. We also threw in a token cover - Time Is Tight - and our trombonist seemed to go down OK.

We we were finished, the stage was cleared and Neville Staple's band set up their gear but didn't really soundcheck - just confirmed everything was working. They had their own sound guy and when they came on their sound was spot-on.

So, a very enjoyable evening and I think we were "OK" but there's no doubt that we were very much in the shadow of the two other far more accomplished bands. A great experience for us though.

[gary mac]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1353762862' post='1878218']
Hertford Corn Exchange last night, supporting Neville Staple (ex-Specials).

Have played there quite a few times and the sound has been very good, especially the foldback, but this time the sound check was rushed by the venue sound guy (not the one we usually have) and the on-stage sound was quite muddy and I struggled a bit at times and dropped a couple of clangers. Still, no one I spoke to afterwards mentioned it, so perhaps bass-player anonymity lives on!

It was very much a reggae/ska evening, so we must have been brave or foolish to go on after a full-on reggae band that had got everyone dancing. Our brand of originals was definitely a big contrast but we didn't clear the floor and our one reggae/ska-ish song had everyone up and dancing. We also threw in a token cover - Time Is Tight - and our trombonist seemed to go down OK.

We we were finished, the stage was cleared and Neville Staple's band set up their gear but didn't really soundcheck - just confirmed everything was working. They had their own sound guy and when they came on their sound was spot-on.

So, a very enjoyable evening and I think we were "OK" but there's no doubt that we were very much in the shadow of the two other far more accomplished bands. A great experience for us though.
[/quote]

Played there a couple of times myself and been in the audience a few times and each time the bass has sounded awful to me both on the stage and out front.
Surprisingly the only decent bass sound I've heard there was from my daughter, playing her budget model Ibanez.. P basses seem to all sound muffled and orrid.

[chaypup]

Great gig in Abercarn last night. When we take our own PA and set up ourselves we get a much better sound!
During the 1st song of the 2nd set the guitarists string broke so we went into 'emergency solos mode' while he sorted it, but after 3 or 4 minutes the drummer told me to stop playing.

So I did - whereupon the horn section break into this phenomenal New Orleans style improvised street funk - It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!!

God I love this band!

[essexbasscat]

Played the WIndermere pub last night in Wembley. Went well for a pub gig, apart from the usual drummer speeding up in the second half.

Best bit was seeing Andy (Netballman) from this forum and his wife Anne, who were kind enough to come and see the band. Bless 'em.
It really is nice to look out into the audience and see a fellow BC'er

[deanovw]

Well despite the rain and floods here in Cornwall last night we all managed to get to the Red Lion in Newquay last night. It was this bands first gig there so everyone was a little unsure of what to expect.
There was no need to worry. The local crowd were great and everyone seemed to be really into it. We had a great night. There were a few interesting characters too. Like the old guy who asked our guitarist to play an E chord while we were setting up. He dutifully strummed an open E and the guy smiled and said what a great chord, then shuffled back to the bar! lol

Amp/cab wise I used a scaled down setup. I have just sold my BF midget T, so used just my Ashdown LB550 and a BF compact. I really missed the midget in the first set but after a few eq tweaks and a little more master volume for the the second set the compact was awesome. Phew. (reason for selling the midget is I have just pulled the trigger on a super twelve, I wanted a one cab solution, this seems to be a perfect setup)

The journey home was interesting. After a few detours because of flooded roads I finally got home.

[rOB]

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1353487307' post='1875031']
wireless kit to leave the stage and dance with my wife during the inevitable Sex on Fire (and got a big fat snog [/quote]

fantastic! IMO, few things are better than your other half enjoying your performance.

[lurksalot]

[quote name='rOB' timestamp='1353877918' post='1879357']
fantastic! IMO, few things are better than your other half enjoying your performance.
[/quote]

Fnaar Fnaar

[rOB]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1353887810' post='1879505']
Fnaar Fnaar[/quote]
[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1353944408' post='1880030']
Ah! Thanks for explaining. Had overlooked it. [/quote]

I actually did mean musical performance and didn't even see the innuendo until lurksalot pointed it out. Its enough to make a fella blush.

[Joker2807]

Well I'm a club singer for a living and last night i was gigging at "The Highwood", Moortown in Leeds.. was a fantastic gig, they love their 50's rock n roll

[Roland Rock]

Really good gig tonight. The last time we played there (also a Thursday) it was really quiet, so I was expecting more of the same. The two other bands were the trip hoppy Emily Needs (downbeat atmospheric stuff) and The Lunadogs, who were quite excellent with their quirky rock. By the time we went on, there was a reasonable crowd, and dancing as soon as we started. The coolest part was being taken by surprise when the audience all sang along to our first chorus, especially as we didn't know half of them!
We were able to relax, enjoy and play a great gig.




Obviously an eyes-closed moment!

Edited November 30, 2012 by Roland Rock

[steve-bbb]

our gig went fine tonight

to be honest i was totally distracted (food again) we were playing in a gastro pub out in a kent village and the menu card was the first distraction but even whilst setting up i was completely and utterly distracted by the venison spitroast out in the front garden

guitarists can be useful it turns out - one of ours (we have two) had pigged out at macdees on the way and so he gave his own freebie ticket for the roast to me its only fair because we were playing in an area the size of a shoebox (drums kybds 2 guitars bass and vocalisit a space about 4m x 3m' !) i even allowed said guitairist to stack his deluxe line6 combo on top of the hallowed hydrive cab

all future pub gigs WILL be accompanied by a rider that a venison spitroast must be included in the evenings entertainments (wild boar hog roast will be an acceptable substitute)

anybody in west kent area - [url="http://www.theploughivyhatch.co.uk/"][b]THE PLOUGH in IVY HATCH[/b][/url] is thoroughly recommended

Edited November 30, 2012 by steve-bbb

[Roland Rock]

Talking of riders, we were provided with free bottles of Carlsberg as the only option. Which is a bit like being offered slightly stale tasting water. I bought my own bitter.

[KevB]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1354264369' post='1884151']
distracted by the venison spitroast out in the front garden
[/quote]

Christ that's [i]got[/i] to be illegal even in rural Kent

[BILL POSTERS]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1354268756' post='1884197']
Talking of riders, we were provided with free bottles of Carlsberg as the only option. Which is a bit like being offered slightly stale tasting water. I bought my own bitter.
[/quote]

Beats the two plates of chips between us, and the half a pint each that we got last saturday at a pub in Coventry though.doesnt it.

Edited November 30, 2012 by BILL POSTERS