FinnDave

We've payed the Brasenose a few times, enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience, but it's a small pub and the load in is rather tricky.

Our two gigs went well, though I was a bit out of it on tonight's due to the painkillers I'm on. Enjoyed listening to the band without being fully aware that I was part of it!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1428243335' post='2739496'] At a time when there was a lot of well cheesy pop in the charts it was a sign of independent intellectualism, good musical taste and ultimate progressive cool to be seen with a copy of that album under your arm. [/quote] There speaks a man of my generation

Sweet silence...unless I am giving Jenny a lift back, then she usually insists on putting the car radio on, usually radio 1. She was shocked to discover I didn't know how to use the radio in my own car!

One yesterday and one tomorrow.

[quote name='davehux' timestamp='1428077676' post='2737890'] Want an Ampeg SVT CL for Ashdown money? http://www.thomann.de/gb/bugera_bvv3000_infinium.htm I've so nearly pulled the trigger on one of these over the past couple of weeks [/quote] Are they so cheap because of the unfortunate name?

From what I can remember of last night's gig, the best received song award would have to be shared between the ones everyone knows (Mustang Sally and White Rabbit) and a couple that few in the audience are likely to know, the old blues standard 'Help Me' and our heavily reworked version of Elvin Bishop's 'My Dog'. Even the one original we played last night had a good number up and dancing.

More likely I'm shouting at Jen 'stick to the frickin set list!'

Well, one down, one to go...little sore, tired..but it was a really good gig.

And apparently I do things like this quite often (didn't know until I saw the pics/videos that proved it!) [attachment=188302:1-10492317_468127139997621_515003428416621827_n.jpg] (no idea why the pic appears twice, the link is only there once in the post)

I find it very difficult to stay still on stage, have belted our Jenny on the head with my bass (inadvertently, honest) quite a few times. It will be interesting to see how I get on tonight as I am semi-incapacitated but still giggling. Hopefully it will mean Jen's head will be safe!

My ABM 500 sounds much better through my current cab (Barefaced Super Twin) than it ever did through the Ashdown 410 I used to use. I would also suggest experimenting with string gauges, some of my basses sound more balanced strung 105-45, others 105-50.

Well, the rehearsal went well, felt more comfortable standing that sitting most of the time. Looking forward to the gigs more now.

The docs want us to take the painkillers, though, as we are more relaxed if not in pain and heal more quickly. I'm bumbling along fine on Ibuprofen & Paracetemol now, got off the codeine and tramadol asap as it was screwing my head up too much.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1427879228' post='2735266'] Anyway, I genuinely wish you all the best and hope you have an enjoyable gig. [/quote] Thank you

I'm increasingly sure I'll be just fine. Rehearsal tomorrow eve, gigs friday and sunday, each gig is only 2x45 min sets. I will appropriate a bar stool and no one will notice the difference. In case people missed it, the reference to doubling the painkillers was a joke, I am steadily reducing my dosage and want to be aware of difficulties at the gigs rather than being insensitive to them. Anyway, I am used to pain, I ride a Harley! Probably used to humiliation as well as I play Fender basses and use Ashdown amps!

I'm thinking bar stool rather than low seat so I am more or less at the same height as usual. In fact I often play like that at rehearsals, so I know it should be OK. I don't think the band would appreciate the drama of seeing me carted off in an ambulance half way through the first gig!

Thanks for the advice, I did ask the surgeon about this before the op and he thought it would be OK from his point of view so long as I didn't carry anything heavy. I am more interested in the opinions of other bass players who have more idea of what is involved than my surgeon would, who has not played any gigs as far as I know

I forgot to mention that I recovered consciousness to find that my right hand index finger was completely numb from the last joint upwards. The numbness is slowly fading, but not evenly, one bit at a time. I tried playing and it didn't seem to make much difference, which surprised me.

Double the painkillers and a large scotch or two would make it interesting...unless we want to be rebooked sometime!

I could probably perch on a bar stool without feeling too restricted, though I do tend to move around quite a bit when I play usually.

Just wondering whether anyone has any experience of gigging soon after a surgical operation. I underwent a 5 hour abdominal op last Thursday, came home Saturday evening and have gigs booked Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I am currently rather vagued out on painkillers but do not want to let my band, bookers, and audience down. I'll be doing 2x45 mins sets on each day and the rest of the band understand my situation and will not expect me to carry or set up any gear. Planning on DI-ing my Jazz bass into the PA via Sansamp, so no amp or cab to get in or out of the car, etc. My wife will drive me there and back (both gigs are local, one about a mile and half away, the other about 200 yards from home) as I am not allowed to drive for at least 3 weeks post surgery. Anyone got any relevant (or irrelevant, I'm bored sitting here!) experiences to share?

[quote name='JoeEvans' timestamp='1427308903' post='2728733'] I heard it said that if you mop a little bit of surgical spirit on your fingertips regularly it toughens them up. No idea if this is true, though. [/quote] This is true, I used it last summer after a gig on a very hot night had made my fingers soft because of the heat & humidity. We had a gig the following night and my fretting fingers were very sensitive, I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish the second set. Surgical spirit repaired the damage before the next gig a week later.