seashell

Well I think I redeemed myself after my disasterous gig of last week. Back at the same venue, but with a different band this time. We did a whole (short) set of Everly Brothers covers this time. Great fun to play, but not too technically tricky. All went very well, I really enjoyed myself and I think the punters did too. I had a couple of friends in the audience which was nice, including the estimable BC'er Kev B! So it was all jolly good fun :-)

So happy for you that you have discovered this gem, SpondonBassed! Such a terrific album. I always wished it could have been a double album.. I think some of the lovely tracks seem to end too soon 😍

Well, I usually come on here and boast if I have had a particularly good gig. So I suppose it's only fair that I should own up to a real stinker! Doing a set of country/rock covers and a couple of originals. First song went well , but then it all started to collapse from there. Singer/LG missed out the second bridge in the second song...the rest of us managed to go with him but it was a bit unsettling. It was my first time doing BVs with this band - I sounded very nervous and warbly. Horrible really. Then in the next song Singer/LG seemed to hit one of those awful mental blocks. Just dried up and stopped half way through. He definitely knows this song, we've been rehearsing it for ages. We started again and he dried up at the same point! We decided to move on to the next one, but by now were all a bit shaken and there were bum notes and hesitations all over the place, including from me! We staggered through to the end and slunk off somewhat embarassed. What made it worse was there were two other bands on who were really good!! Luckily this was in a nice quiet pub with a regular crowd who were very polite about it all. No abuse or rotten vegetables were thrown. I'm playing the same place again next week, but with a different band (and not doing BVs this time!!). So I may have the chance to redeem myself! 😥

Oooh, I think it would be a toss up between two Stones songs 'Torn and Frayed' or 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking'. Neither of them suitable for an audience who just want to hear 'Brown Sugar', but I always loved playing them with one of my old bands.

This is an interesting thread for me, because I've got 3 dep gigs coming up in August with a Rolling Stones covers band. I did one for them last year which I din't think had gone that well - I made a few howlers. But it can't have been that bad because they've asked me again. Of course, the set list is just Stones classics which should make it easier. But you never know if they're going to do it exactly as per the recording, even if the key is the same. Longer/shorter introductions, longer (never shorter!) guitar solos, extra sax solos, choruses repeated - all are to be expected. I don't think I'm even going to get a rehearsal with them (I didn't last year). Because they are well-known songs I think they believe I should be able to just slot in. I went to see one of their gigs recently - my plan was to sit there and make copious notes about what they were doing, or perhaps record some of it on my phone. It turned into a really fun event, which was great except that I had a few vinos and became incapable of writing anything sensible and forgot how to use my phone! Hahaha. I'm aiming to go to a couple more of their gigs between now and August though, so won't make the same mistake again. :-)

I like to think I could pass for an ageing rock star. Until I smile - then I look like Julie Andrews.

More often than not, yes!

All of the above plus... people who have to go outside for a fag break every 5 bloody minutes during a rehearsal.

I find it difficult to come down after a gig, however small (and most of mine are very small!). So yes, sleeping is usually difficult. I used to get this when I did a lot of amateur theatre - but that would be for a week at a time 2-3 times a year. So I would try to take the week off work and then sleep in late. Now with the music, it's just like a series of little 'highs'. And sometimes I can't concentrate too well the next day, as I keep thinking back to it. Anyway, I have found the solution - I'm retiring from work at the end of June! Hurrah!

Another vote for the Stones here! A lot of people think they are quite simple, but as you say it's the groove that is tricky. I'm currently brushing up on Not Fade Away for an upcoming dep gig. Practicing to the recording, and keep finding myself out of sync with it. And then worrying that if I do get it exactly as per the recording, the band will be grooving it differently. I doubt I'll get a rehearsal with them. Ah, the joys and challenges of depping!

Haha Or.. 'Mom, why did Daddy marry you?' 'Because I'm a bass player darling'

Two little gigs this weekend, Sat and Sun night. Snow and ice on the roads. I was surprised they weren't cancelled and even more surprised that both of them were really well attended. Nothing stops Brummie music lovers from getting out it seems :-) Saturday gig - a little spot at a Country and Americana evening. This is with my number 2 band, who are a lovely bunch of chaps but anashamed hobbyists. Banjo player who is usually very reliable had been celebrating Paddy's Day all afternoon and was feeling quite mellow, shall we say. He was playing all the same songs as the rest of us, but not quite at the same time. Nevertheless it all seemed to go down quite well. A friend of mine in the audience said to me afterwards 'Well done for keeping that all together Shell. I don't know how you knew where they were going to go next, you must be telepathic!' I took that as a compliment, as he is an excellent musician himself. Sunday gig with my number 1 band. A much more professional outfit who do mainly 50's and 60's covers. The challenge this time was to rise to the top of my game, as they are all really good musicians. We do some quite fast and furious songs like 'The Letter', 'Claudette' and 'Rip it Up'. My fingers are a blur, haha! Then I can relax on the trippier bass lines like 'Days' and 'Itchy Coo Park'. Had a load of fun and it went really well. The thing with both these bands is that they were originally acoustic trios who asked me to just guest on a couple of numbers that would benefit from a bit of bass. Before long I was a permanent member of both bands and playing the full set. The moral of this story being, keep your eye out for any opportunity, you never know how these things will develop

I think he just meant it’s the king of the beasts. If a guitar is an antelope, the bass is the lion and nothing preys on it. You had to be there really.

Ida Neilson? At LBHS last year?

Another amazing show. So many amazing and inspirational people to meet in such a short time. Highlight for me, once again, has to be Jah Wobble. I think I am slightly in love with this man. Actually got to meet him this time and got a signed DVD. A scholar and a poet. 'The bass has no natural predators in the world of musical instruments'. Love it! I shall quote that often! :-)

Thanks Mick. I'll miss you! If I get there that is! :-)

That's the reason right there. I too have a crap voice which tends to crack up and pack in for no apparent reason! I agree things do go in fads. When I went to dancing classes as a kid, we were not allowed to drink anything during lessons - even in rest breaks - because it was thought that drinking cold water when your body was hot would give you stomach cramps (or some such reason - I can't really remember). Now of course teachers stress the importance of hydration during strenuous exercise!

I'm here, I'm here. What have I missed? I haven't read all the thread but you're welcome to PM me, redpaintings.

I've never smoked and I wouldn't encourage anyone else to. But I have to say, the old cigarette in the headstock thing used to look soooo cool. Personally, I would not drink on stage (unless water if I was singing), and couldn't even imagine the thought of eating on stage! I like to perform on an empty stomach. I like that lean and hungry feeling .. helps me get in the zone!

I've been thinking the same thing. I'm coming with a friend - travelling down Friday and making a weekend of it. The plan was I would drive from Brum to Leicester where she lives. Then leave my car there and she will drive down to London (I don't do driving in London!). But if it snows on Friday I really don't want to drive to Leicester, as I'm quite a cautious driver. So I might get the train down and meet her there. But then what if the trains stop running? And I really need to make the decision on Thursday otherwise I won't be able to buy an advance ticket. I wish I could stop fretting about it!

OMG 'The Letter'. I know that smoking fingertip feeling!

I refuse to play anything unless they provide me with a music stand.

Oh brill, many thanks for that King Prawn. I’ll sign up for one of those. I can’t sight read, but I can slowly pick it out so this will be ace. I love sheet music. 😎

It’s the speed of those major scales though! My fingers just won’t do it. I’ve only ever tried it for fun though. In the unlikely event that any band I was in out it in their set list I suppose I would persevere a bit more!

One little shortcut I do, is play the same thing on each verse and chorus. Maybe the original version varies it on each verse, but if I’m pushed for time I’ll just learn the first verse and play it like that all the way through! It’s difficult when things are too fast though, as you say. Don’t think I’ll ever be able to play The Immigrant song, for example.