Always a crap first set at gigs??

[Jamesemt]

We play three sets at most gigs and the first set is never that tight with quite a few mistakes made by everyone.

We seem to progressively get better as the night goes on. Does anyone else have this problem? What's the solution? Just practice?

We can't really do extended soundchecks either...

[leonshelley01]

Proper warm-ups help, but if there is no backstage area, like in a pub, can be difficult.

[the_skezz]

I think a fair few bands have trouble starting up in an evening, and tend to get better as time goes on (unfortunatelt, most of the gigs I seem to do are fifteen minute slots, and so there's never much time to warm up and let people see me/the rest of the band at their best ) As leonshelley01 said, it helps to have proper warm-ups, other than that it's hard to think of anything to really help you get through this, other than practising.

[Musicman69]

Yep, just practise. Pay particular attention to the first few songs in the set at rehearsals, get em really tight.
As the nite goes on the punters wont notice a few mistakes later in the set due to their consumption of our good friend Alcohol!

Edited April 19, 2010 by Musicman69

[geoffbyrne]

Drink earlier!!!!

G.

[molan]

Our 'trick' is to make sure our first three songs are the tightest & best rehearsed in the set. They are not neccesarily our strongest songs but they get off to a good start and we've rehearsed them to death so we just breeze through them (usually!).

We actually rehearse them as 'trio' of songs with no break for random audience chat as well.

Works really well for us

[Sean]

[quote name='molan' post='810197' date='Apr 18 2010, 11:52 AM']Our 'trick' is to make sure our first three songs are the tightest & best rehearsed in the set. They are not necessarily our strongest songs but they get off to a good start and we've rehearsed them to death so we just breeze through them (usually!).

We actually rehearse them as 'trio' of songs with no break for random audience chat as well.

Works really well for us [/quote]

I've been doing this with every band I've been in for twenty years and it is the tried and tested sure-fire way forward to get the gig rolling smoothly. The songs are always the same three in the same order and they segue into one another - not a la medley but just nicely flowed. We do change them every six months or so just for some variety and so that by the time we have repeat gigs we're different.

Regular structured rehearsals help - make sure that they are rehearsals (not song learning practise sessions) and that you rehearse what you are going to do on stage. We set up in the same layout as we would on stage and run through sets to "practise" the flow and feel and to understand what everyone does between songs. Drummers fiddle with hardware and their stool, guitarists change instruments and pedal settings, keyboard players search interminably for patches and bassists adjust their hats to a more jaunty angle - all this has to be understood and worked into the set. Making sure that you have the right songs with minimum changes for the first three helps too. We rehearse "talking to the audience between songs", the only things that change are the venue name and a few other standard odds and sods from a menu of "stage banter".

At the beginning of each rehearsal we do a "what didn't go so well, what went well at the last gig" session so that we initially highlight what needs work and ironing out and then at the end of the discussion we highlight what went well and whether there was anything that happened that was good that we could do again. We find these sessions hugely productive - remember though to start with the things that went sh*t and then finish with the positives so that you pick up your instruments with the good stuff fresh in your mind.

These positives might be as simple as - "we packed up quickly" or "Mike coiled cables properly for the first time" - always get at least one positive. It's important that everyone in the band takes ownership of improvement and without these "reflection" sessions we wouldn't improve at anywhere near the rate we do. One major part of all this is open and honest communication and this could involve a lot of conversations using "we" and not "you". Experience is one thing but if your experiences are not examined and learned from, those experiences are just tourism. I know people who have played thousands of gigs over thirty years or more and they are still failing in the same places as they have always been and they'll never be in anything more than a mediocre band because of it. Don't wait for time served to make you better - look at what you're doing in detail and make it work for yourselves now.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Sean

[chris_b]

We had a support band of "youngsters" last night and most of their set was "look at us" not "let's sound good"!

As everyone will tell you, practise and focus.

You have to hit the ground running, you're first number has to grab your audience, but be critical and tell people if you hear things that need to improve.
You'll get better with more mileage.

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='Sean' post='810208' date='Apr 18 2010, 12:11 PM']Don't wait for time served to make you better - look at what you're doing in detail and make it work for yourselves now.[/quote]
This post should be merged into the 'Good Rehearsal Guide ' Wiki.

Nice one, Sir.

Edited April 18, 2010 by skankdelvar

[Musky]

[quote name='Musicman69' post='810150' date='Apr 18 2010, 11:00 AM']Yep, just practise. Pay particular attention to the first few songs in the set at rehearsals, get em really tight.
As the nite goes on the punters wont notice a few mistakes later in the set due to consumption of our good friend Alcohol![/quote]

Alcohol - the musicians friend.

You could always try playing the first set last. Problem solved.

[Jamesemt]

Thanks for all the advice - to be fair we do discuss each gig in detail afterwards. Think the idea to work on the first three is a good one - even though they have been picked as being tight.

[molan]

[quote name='Jamesemt' post='810275' date='Apr 18 2010, 01:33 PM']Thanks for all the advice - to be fair we do discuss each gig in detail afterwards. Think the idea to work on the first three is a good one - even though they have been picked as being tight.[/quote]

The tip about rehearsing them as if you're at a gig is a really good one to remember. Set up at rehearsal as close as possible to gig positions (which usually means you'll be positioned on top of the dummer, lol) and even practice any sort of in between patter.

Feels a bit 'silly' at first but this is really 'proper' rehearsing for live performance rather than just practicing songs you already know

[oldmanrock]

I think nerves play a big part. But as someone said - amateurs rehearse till they get it right. Pros rehearse till they don't get it wrong!

[OldGit]

[quote name='Sean' post='810208' date='Apr 18 2010, 12:11 PM']I've been doing this with every band I've been in for twenty years and it is the tried and tested sure-fire way forward to get the gig rolling smoothly. The songs are always the same three in the same order and they segue into one another - not a la medley but just nicely flowed. We do change them every six months or so just for some variety and so that by the time we have repeat gigs we're different.

Regular structured rehearsals help - make sure that they are rehearsals (not song learning practise sessions) and that you rehearse what you are going to do on stage. We set up in the same layout as we would on stage and run through sets to "practise" the flow and feel and to understand what everyone does between songs. Drummers fiddle with hardware and their stool, guitarists change instruments and pedal settings, keyboard players search interminably for patches and bassists adjust their hats to a more jaunty angle - all this has to be understood and worked into the set. Making sure that you have the right songs with minimum changes for the first three helps too. We rehearse "talking to the audience between songs", the only things that change are the venue name and a few other standard odds and sods from a menu of "stage banter".

At the beginning of each rehearsal we do a "what didn't go so well, what went well at the last gig" session so that we initially highlight what needs work and ironing out and then at the end of the discussion we highlight what went well and whether there was anything that happened that was good that we could do again. We find these sessions hugely productive - remember though to start with the things that went sh*t and then finish with the positives so that you pick up your instruments with the good stuff fresh in your mind.

These positives might be as simple as - "we packed up quickly" or "Mike coiled cables properly for the first time" - always get at least one positive. It's important that everyone in the band takes ownership of improvement and without these "reflection" sessions we wouldn't improve at anywhere near the rate we do. One major part of all this is open and honest communication and this could involve a lot of conversations using "we" and not "you". Experience is one thing but if your experiences are not examined and learned from, those experiences are just tourism. I know people who have played thousands of gigs over thirty years or more and they are still failing in the same places as they have always been and they'll never be in anything more than a mediocre band because of it. Don't wait for time served to make you better - look at what you're doing in detail and make it work for yourselves now.[/quote]


Perfect answer.
Glad I'm not the only one preaching this approach now

[noelk27]

[quote name='the_skezz' post='810136' date='Apr 18 2010, 09:48 AM'][U]nfortunatelt, most of the gigs I seem to do are fifteen minute slots, and so there's never much time to warm up and let people see me/the rest of the band at their best ...[/quote]

15 minutes - that's all Queen had at Live Aid.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='810194' date='Apr 18 2010, 11:46 AM']Drink earlier!!!! [/quote]

That's what I was thinking.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='chris_b' post='810215' date='Apr 18 2010, 12:20 PM']We had a support band of "youngsters" last night and most of their set was "look at us" not "let's sound good"![/quote]

I'm sure most of us would agree there's nothing wrong with a bit of the former as long as it's not coupled with the latter as it is here.

[Gust0o]

Drink earlier, or drink more?

[P-T-P]

+1 to everyone who suggested picking some wll rehearsed songs to open up with and sticking with them. Though if your singer is chopsy enough and you're playing to a pub/club type audience, doesn't hurt for him to say a few words after the first number to give everyone a chance to quckly check tuning/twidldle volume etc.

I'd also add that, if you're getting better as the night goes on, possibly part of the problem is attitude. You have to get yourselves to the point where you go on stage ready to impress, not needing to feel your way into things. Hit the ground running in both cohesion as a band in your playing, but also in the way you perform the songs - smile, eye contact with audience, movement, communicate with each other with daft grins, farts, - make sure that you all look like you mean business and are there to give the audience a good time. Look like you're enjoying it and the audience will enjoy it more and sooner. With that , everything else will flow for you.

We also make a point, generally speaking, of laughing out loud at each other's little cock-ups. It's all to easy to start glowering at each other and from there the tension creeps in.

[D-L-B]

[quote name='P-T-P' post='811569' date='Apr 19 2010, 05:20 PM']smile, eye contact with audience, movement, communicate with each other with daft grins, farts, - make sure that you all look like you mean business and are there to give the audience a good time. Look like you're enjoying it and the audience will enjoy it more and sooner. With that , everything else will flow for you.

We also make a point, generally speaking, of laughing out loud at each other's little cock-ups. It's all to easy to start glowering at each other and from there the tension creeps in.[/quote]
Spot on, this is exactly how we're planning to approach it (first gig with current band next week). Almost like a rehearsal but with guests and less pauses. We're not really sure how we'll be received though since we're currently an instrumental outfit. I'm planning on dishing out Wagon Wheels to get the audience involved though.