stingrayPete1977

I know a lot of people don't agree but our first paying gig of the year pays for our public liability insurance and I carry out PAT testing on all our kit, at least we look responsible in the event of an incident.

I've sort of accidentally ended up with a Double bass in antique finish, an electric upright in 'violinburst', a classic Ray5 in Tobacco burst along with a Fender Jazz V in 3tsb. It's not my favourite finish but it looks right on some things, coffee table or Antigua are the only bass finishes I wouldn't even take in a trade.

I'm going to be controversial and suggest a magnetic pickup. I love mine.

This sounds bonkers yet brilliant in a way! One of our regular haunts was run by a mental racist UKIP councillor, the gigs were actually ok though, he eventually retired and we thought it could be great, nope the new lot are even worse!

Yeah jam nights are the exception, but the audience is mostly made up of the players that will be out gigging on friday/saturday night! Lol

Where I live anything other than a Friday or Saturday night is pointless, 10 people would be impressive!

They were a budget range complimented by the Uber range either side of the regular Genz-Benz cabs, Fender bought them out and closed them down! That's probably one of many reasons why they are millions of dollars in debt.

I gave up on that one in the end, lol.

No nor me, I'd be really happy if the venue was thriving and he was turning up in a Bentley.

We'll have to ask him to send us a link to this site!

There isn't really a great music venue is there? The George has a nice space but it's out the back, that place on the corner that was Lloyds no1 was going to have bands but we never followed it up fully.

I totally understand why you'd do it for a good cause or a venue you know will be a great night out, I can even understand you doing it for a crap venue that a mate is running but to drive to an unknown venue with no facilities for live music for free is a step too far for me, if I was that way inclined I'd want payment of some kind and pass it directly to charity, the landlord's pocket is not a registered charity

The army took it over about 18 months ago, it's been going downhill slowly ever since.

They were an 'interesting crowd' but they enjoyed a night out and like you we're not Chic but we do alright and we always went down well. Shame.

No he's used brass screws!

Can't see it lasting much longer, might have to pop in and see what the free bands are like!

I'm not sure if I can divulge, but yes it's the Kings Head!

He's gone, you wouldn't have thought it could be run more poorly would you?!

Take into account this venue has no stage or PA system and it really isn't suited to originals imo, paid or unpaid.

Glass ceiling, cobbled floor.

Personally I've never been in an originals band that could do the two to the hours of original only material to take the gig on anyway.

For all my jibes I totally get why you'd do your bit for the local village or town but would you drive fifty miles round trip and set up the pa and lights then play for up to three hours for free in a venue you've never been to because a landlord asked you to?

The sad thing with this venue is that there wasn't a decline, it was almost always a busy night where people went knowing there was a band on, it wasn't trying to attract the originals scene rather just a fun night out.

I presume you've worked out which venue this is?