redbandit599

Thanks, that's interesting about the different alarm types. We have used smoke before in a bigger venue and they switched from smoke to heat alarms for us. But, not likely down the Pie & Ferret!

Yep, always would. Just wondering if anyone has had issues with sparing use of a hazer triggering alarms, or not 🙂

Hi all Having set off more than a few smoke alarms in the distant past with my venerable smoke machine, I've not taken it out gigging for some time. Popped out to see a mates band who made good (sparing) use of a Hazer this weekend. They said they didn't experience issues. Not looking for anything more than just a little bit of atmosphere for the lights. Interested to know if anyone else uses one and any issues?

I saw the Kris Barras Band at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds last night. I don't know their stuff but what a great modern rock band - loads of energy and a very talented bunch. The bass player was all over the stage all night - no standing at the back looking moody 😄 Awesome venue too. Highly recommend, would see again!

We do 'Like I Roll' - would like to do a few more, but their tuning makes it tricky as swapping guitars is too much of a faff in a pub! We like playing it and it's a decent first set song, a bit of a country feel so it's different to the rest of the set.

Think it depends on the pub too - for instance we play one that has an older, more sitting and watching type rock crowd (a lot of them really know their stuff musically and always have a chat after the gig) so for them we do a mostly rocky set but still throw in newer stuff (they like a bit of Muse and recently loved a Ghost track we do, though had no idea what it was!) In the same town we also play a more 'town centre' type pub with a mixed age dancy/jump around crowd, there we stick more poppy stuff in. Newish material that goes well are our rocky versions of pop songs by The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay and a mash up of Cake by the Ocean (newish) and Teen Spirit (old). We often play some Biffy Clyro, Royal Blood and Blackstone Cherry too In both a good smattering of well known classics is needed and you do need a few cheesy trigger tracks. What surprises me is that my daughters (15 and 12) often know the older songs, almost like they absorb big well known tracks from the ether. I have always detested Sex On Fire but we had to learn it for a wedding gig as a special request - the rest of the guys suggested we play it at a gig which I reluctantly did. Fortunately the punters looked as bored by it as I am, so it's not been mentioned again! I'd say just pick really good songs that you can all play well and have fun with and try not to fall too deep into the "Same songs, different faces" bracket that one landlord once described some other cover bands to me as. Stick a few brave choices in too as they seem to be the ones that the regular gig goers will remember and ask you about.

Pretend Best Friend- Terrorvision

We had similar trouble to this in a previous band - our drummer wasn't obstructive and did try lots of different things, but he was big lad with long levers and could be thunderous at times. we used an SM58 for our (very good but non-powerful) female singer as that was about all we knew. It was really hard to get a non-feedback level. A different vocal mic is also a good shout.

I was going to suggest fully micing the kit if you don't already - I don't have your 'extra loud' drummer problem, but he's not a tickler either. We always fully mic even in small venues and find this easier to get a good balanced sound (always use PA with subs.) We aren't really loud, but definitely punchy. Might enable a compromise of a quieter kit if it is still sounding fat out front maybe? Our drummer uses one of these Yamaha drum modules with his acoustic kit - gets a great sound through the PA and IEMs and doesn't need all the usual multiple mics. https://www.yamahamusiclondon.com/EAD10-Electro-Acoustic-Drum-System/pidJEAD10UK?srsltid=AfmBOoqEQD8eMh-s98f8OovD0H13NV9WFUCw_SDRmMSzGmaONxz8eoxS

We're similar, we could gig a lot more as we do get quite a few offers. But for a while have been prioritising 'proper' music pubs that regularly have decent bands on, and have quietly slipped away from those that aren't so good. The money is nice, but mostly we're in it for fun.

I've just (probably) finished booking my band up for next year. We're a pub band with the occasional fair or small festival thrown in - our singer is also in a function/wedding band, so we avoid clashes as much as possible. Families mean we also avoid school and bank holidays too. So, we have 25 decent gigs booked for next year and that'll do nicely. Just wondering how many gigs you like to do? Are you gig beasts who need to be out every night, or is once a year on your birthday enough? ( Yes, I'm still talking about gigs...😘)

Myself and some friends once called in for a pint in a village pub near us. It was one of those that immediately sapped the energy from all who entered. Total silence, a few punters nursing their beer - none speaking to each other. We pooled some change and put Crazy, Crazy Nights by Kiss on the jukebox and left after the third repeat... it might still be going... Also used to like to put the last track on Nirvana's Nevermind album on when CD jukeboxes came out. The song finished then there's about 10 minutes of silence, suddenly interrupted by a particularly mad and loud song/blast (Endless/Nameless). We used to countdown and then watch the pub jump.

Can't comment on Barefaced but I have a 500watt, 4 0hm, 2x8 GR Bass cab (the wooden version not the carbon ones) and it's ace. Easily pokey enough for pub gigs with my 500w GK. Lots of bottom. I'm a bit sad that I only take out my pair of 1x12 Bergs for bigger stages now - but not that sad at the end of the night 🙂

There's Shed 7 - not sure if any of them were any good at felting though 🤔