WalMan

Two nights depping done and great fun as ever. Phone call/ message 9 am Friday morning. 11 hours later load in for gig one. Got through relatively unscathed for a slightly later start and finish at a pub I’ve not played at for years. Last time I depped with them was January and it’s a mix of a set with only a few cross overs to my normal set (though different keys to those I usually play those few in) but good players and an easy bunch to work with and off. Second gig closer to home and a bit earlier to finish which is just as well as I’m in Mrs Walman’s bad books for taking two gigs just before we head off on holiday. Reasonable crowds both nights and running full IEM’s which worked well. A bit more holiday spending cash, which is nice. And so to bed and head to the airport tomorrow afternoon ready for Monday morning 😁

Hobby for me as well, but I am known as a musical whooer by my mates for taking on all offers to play pretty much whatever because I enjoy playing and can afford to (within reason) as wifey is accommodating to my regular disappearance to gigs and rehearsals and the day job keeps me solvent. I probably did around half of @Clarky's journey Saturday in the opposite direction (from the coast inland to Horsham). After costs we had £10 each Saturday night, and the final tot up for 92 punters through the door, after room & PA means I have another £10 to come apparently. 🕺EV & a bit of sun in the morning means I probably broke even on mileage for the gig & three rehearsals - though not once the extra bits to make running the bass pedals easier and other odds & sods are factored in

The band is Epsilon. Sadly doesn’t get to gig often as getting everyone together is akin to herding cats. I also have The Volunteer Club as a recording project with one of the guitarists from The Alibi as a progish non gigging project.

Cheers Jeff good to catch up again after the SEBB. Funnily enough I was last out on the load out (though I did get caught chatting to friends rather than packing up 🤦‍♂️) Just seen a phone clip of Court of the Crimson King from the back of the room last night. The BF/TH was running a Moog Model D soft synth on my iPad with the 12Step and sounded thunderous 🤩

Prog gig tonight and took a large proportion of my gear - Big Baby 2 with the Darkglass, small pedalboard and BassRevolt for the bass - 2 x One10’s with Aguilar TH350 for the bass pedals - was lending the other BB2 to the keys but couldn’t get the mixer and power amp that had worked fine Thursday night wouldn’t at the gig🤬 Generally went well and the crowd were really appreciative which was nice.

🫢oh dear I've never taken that as a backhanded 'compliment' the many times I've had that. 🤣

@AndyTravis pretty sure it was one of these https://www.k-m.de/en/products/stands-and-accessories-for-instruments/fretted-instruments/14761-guitar-performer-stand-black?c=156

I can’t quite remember now, had it a while but I’ll try and find the details. It’s a solid stand and a better solution than the one I used before that fixed to the top of a mic stand and just strapped to guitar to it. Cost about £150 IIRC

Proggy rehearsal tonight. Better than a couple of weeks back when I was too tired and had been working all the hours so also under rehearsed 🙁 Spent some time last night brushing up on parts and tonight it was sounding good where I was stood rehearsing for the first gig in a long while (getting everyone together is like herding cats) Keyboard players gear is unfortunately very old so the hope for a slick set and quick changes is out of the window as certain changes require much stabbing at buttons and scrolling of menus to setup patches. No laptop and preprogrammed setlist and scenes for us unfortunately. Took everything tonight, bass, bass pedals and acoustic on a stand. I rather think for the gig I shall forego the bass pedals as one thing too many to worry about. Shame but I can get by without. Tonight’s studio madness, left to right as you look at it: - iPad running Moog Mariana bass soft synth driven by McMillen 12Step pedals - volume pedal for the acoustic on a stand - Status S2 into Boss CE20, SkarBassOne, MicroThumpinator, TwoNotes Bass Revolt and into the FX return on the studio’s Laney - Faith acoustic on stand I like the 12Step but my big feet and the wrong shoes didn’t help hitting the right notes 🤦‍♂️

Ours pointed out that very thing last night (that it's normally him being whacked in the back of the head. Also had from the same audience member mid song: 1) a mime that looked like 'can my chum play your bass?' Eeeer No, even though I know him and he depped for me a few years back tis neither the time nor place; and 2) can I sing in your mic? Again no, and definitely not without me killing it in my IEM's 🤣 To be fair he was looking v apologetic and running a blocking play for me at the time 🙂 We have a slot at a largish local festival later in the year. Not quite sure what we'll do with all the space!!?