blue

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1424310306' post='2695072'] Hearing The Four Tops [i]Reach Out (I'll Be There)[/i] in 1966. [/quote] Makes sense, kick arse song with a land Mark bass line. Blue

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1427216174' post='2727395'] It was a good night Andy. It's a decent place with a good atmosphere and they've got Debi helping to book bands and she has made an effort to only book suitable, pretty decent bands so far. It looks like it is going to be a good curcuit gig and should do well, especially as a couple of other venues have changed hands recently so who knows which way they are going to go! Let me know when you're playing there and I will try and get down if I'm not gigging. [/quote] Supporting other bands is always a win in my book. Wish there was more of it Pete. Blue

[quote name='ColinB' timestamp='1427217953' post='2727434'] Saturday at St. Bart's School in Newbury at their ball. We've been asked to provide 'old time' dance music, so at the last rehearsal our singer worked out the BPM of some of our 'old' songs, looked in her 'Ballroom Dancing For Beginners', and has some of our set-list labelled 'quickstep', 'foxtrot', 'two-step' etc so they can be introduced as such. We're playing for 2½ hours in total.... so it's going to be a long night. [/quote] Do some bar gigs on this side of the pond and that 2.5 hours will seem like a breeze. As you know, bar gigs in the USA are traditionally 4 hours with 2 10-15 minute breaks. Blue

[quote name='Adrenochrome' timestamp='1427228994' post='2727690'] I'm playing the Bridge Tavern on Saturday same as peteb's post. I'm depping for Delirium (who I retired from last year), I played there a few weeks ago depping for Breakout. It's a bit of a home gig for Delirium, usually busy with friends of friends and a few from other bands. [/quote] Very cool, I love it when folks from other bands show up and show support. Blue

[quote name='Bassmonkey' timestamp='1427228066' post='2727669'] Ah Blue. Forgot you were a Les Paul man. Got s few myself. The black and the Cherry burst like your gold top plus a cream LP and a 76 Triumph in white. I love em. I like the universal band concern around easy or hard loads. I hate stairs! Ha ha [/quote] Yeah, the Gold Top gets a lot of compliments. I have been gigging a lot with the Gold Top and my Gibson ES-335 lately. I'm surprised that many guys are not aware that Gibson makes a Gold Top bass. I would love to see that Cream LP. Blue

[quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1427227904' post='2727659'] Three gigs this coming weekend - Friday and Sunday are bar gigs with an acoustic bluegrass 4 piece (bass, vocals/guitar, lapsteel, banjo). Saturday is a larger concert in a local community hall - ticketed affair with an Irish folk rock 6pc band. Big stage and good fun! For both gigs I'll be using my Bravewood stack knob Jazz bass, Ashdown ABM 500w head (DI'd to PA) and BF Big Baby 2 cab for onstage monitoring. [/quote] Nice! Sounds like a fun weekend to me. Blue

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1426422837' post='2717847'] I agree, anyone can become amazing if the are prepared to work, work, work at it. On the other hand , some annoying people, like my girlfriends brother, are just born with the ability to be just good right away. He didn't pick up a guitar until he was 13. Within three years, he was a virtuoso, who could play any Rush song you could name flawlessly, since then, he has become the best guitarist I've ever met in real life. It's so bloody annoying! [/quote] Some people are born with the [i]"gift"[/i], these were usually the folks that "made it" and were light years ahead of everyone in terms of talent and ability even in high school. I gig every weekend and practice every night and I've been at this for 45 years. I'm still average, this stuff does not come naturally to me. I really have to work at it. Blue

I've been trying to bring back the term[i] " Groovy "[/i] and it ain't working at all. Blue

The Ric has always been in my top 5 as one of coolest looking basses on the market. I hope to own one someday. Blue

This weekend were at Mamie's , March 27th, 2015 Friday night from 9:30-1:30am; [i]Ask blues musicians, fans and experts around town and you'll quickly find that Mamie's, 3300 National Ave., is generally thought to be the sole remaining "authentic" blues bar in town. [/i] [i]Folks credit the Milwaukee Ale House, the Up and Under Pub, Painted Parrot or Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall with providing the occasional stage, but in the end Mamie's is the only stop completely dedicated to the blues. [/i] [i]"Mamie's is probably the last real blues bar in the city. Owner Deb is a true believer and all they play there is blues. If you don't play blues, you can't play there," says musician Reverend Raven, who fronts Reverend Raven and the Chain Smoking Altar Boys. [/i] [i]Mamie's is what you expect a blues club to be. Located on 33rd Street and National Avenue, the bar represents its South Side neighborhood with good deals, no frills and great music. The patrons are regulars and the bartenders know everyone by name. [/i] My View;[list] [*]Late night [*]Parking and load in can be tough [*]Small stage [*]Great Crowd, their into it and easy to engage [*]Cool bar staff [*]Owner is top notch, she knows the business [*]Owner always re-books us , 3 dates at a time [/list] I like this place. Blue

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1425974556' post='2712813'] The inability to escape drunken, middle aged twats, dad dancing their way through the set, pausing only to man handle unwilling women onto the dance floor. The last time some grubby little prick grabbed Mrs H by the wrist and tried forcing her to dance, he nearly got a bass in the back of the head. If that's who I'm playing for...I'd rather not play. [/quote] That is unfortunate, I gig in an established blues/ rock band every weekend in all sorts of clubs and bars with very diverse crowds. I have never seen or experience problems with drunks or men handle unwilling women onto the dance floor. I think this is an example of how bad experiences in bands can spoil it for some of us. It's why I always say , pick your bands carefully, know as much as you can about them;[list] [*]Personalities Responsibilities outside of the band [*]Their socio-economic background ( I have very little in common with the "well off" ) [*]Politics [*]Where they gig [*]How often they gig [*]Gear and stage presentation [*]Are they good people [/list] I think, and depending on where you live you can weed out bad bars and pubs. There are places that we won't play because we know they are trouble spots and would not serve any purpose to gig there. Check out my thread [i]" Where Are You Gigging This Weekend"[/i] Blue

I have not read every post. Unless a band has 2 full blown PAs, one used at rehearsals and one for live gigs, I don't understand how or why (considering weekend gigs) you would pack up and set up and administrate a full PA up multiple times a week? Blue The OPs question, we don't rehearse very often, when we do we have a rehearsal PA and small practice amps with no pedals.

I like the way BC is moderated. There are other sites, where if you disagree with a mod, they kick you off the site permanently. I do think the Ric thread should be shut down. Blue

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1427128874' post='2726145'] I particularly like the photos [/quote] Funny,remember a picture is worth a thousand words. Blue 😀

For many of you that have stopped gigging, life moves on and hopefully to a new exciting chapter. Playing in bands that are more pain than pleasure isn't worth it. I don't know how much of the drive is left in me. Started gigging at age 12. This past Saturday at 62 years of age I arrived home after a 4 hour bar gig to my empty condo at 2:30AM tired and with excruciating left hip pain. I'm just not sure how long I can go on with this exhaustion and hip pain. I love the members of my band and the music we play. Rock music and gigging is very powerful and hard to kick. I'll probably keep gigging until someone ( a higher power ) tells me it's time to stop. BTW, I have 9:30-1:30am this Friday and an 8:00-12:00 on Saturday. Peace Blue

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1427054071' post='2725206'] Quite agree there Skank, Blues posts are mostly thought inducing, rather than provoking, and get a wide range of responses. [/quote] Thank You Blue

[quote name='julietgreen' timestamp='1427056965' post='2725271'] Whenever I read threads like this, I'm always reminded of the drummer Mark Mondesir. I was at a workshop of his and he said he always got asked what he most liked to play - jazz or funk or rock or fusion etc and he always replied that he most liked to play drums. [/quote] +1 Blue

Last night, the Donges Bay Gig, weird, the band was not particularly [i]"on"[/i] however, the place was packed and people stayed, the LL was there and she sold a cubic Sh*t load of alcohol. So, as you know,it was a win. blue

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1426966642' post='2724259'] I'm too much of a miserable gig to play music I don't like anymore! The result being that I've given up on bands and gigging altogether. [/quote] How many positive band experiences have you had? Blue

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1426966485' post='2724255'] Unfortunately, I gave up playing before that band got to gigging stage.[/quote] How do you give up playing? Blue

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1426963837' post='2724186'] the thing is where i live its very limited as to what genres/bands are available, especially the music i like. i want to keep playing, and thats why i do it. [/quote] Unless you like bedroom playing, I'd stay with it until something that's a better match for you is available and realistic. And it will happen, maybe sooner than you think. blue

[quote name='kevvo66' timestamp='1426958972' post='2724092'] If it pays and think of the money ,just grin and bare it put your own twist on the bass lines that what I do and they don't notice [/quote] That's what I say, never give up a paying gig until you have something better nailed down. If money is of no consequence to you, then it might be time to move onto something you like and enjoy playing. Blue

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1426958138' post='2724068'] The thing is that you play more gigs than me and certainly make more money from gigging! We are getting paid reasonably well for the Scottish jaunt, but after the petrol and a hotel room I will make less than I did last night from playing a small pub gig! [/quote] Yeah, hotel money can knock the life out of our small profit margin. I have one gig ($1,500.00) this summer that involves travel,however it's close to our sound persons parents home and I think I can stay there. Blue

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1426956609' post='2724032'] A similar type band playing in town can be a big factor in determining what size crowd will turn up – something that more landlords / promoters need to be aware of! The gig I’ve got next weekend is somewhat different proposition to last night, a blues festival in Montrose (Scotland) involving a 300 mile drive then three shows in three different venues – all in the same day! The gig the following weekend is the rock band again, playing quite a big outdoor (marquee) biker event. Shows the different types of gigs you pick up on the semi-pro circuit…! [/quote] Nice Pete! I wish I was as busy as you. I just don't no where to start in terms of networking that would ad value and work to what I already have. Blue

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1426956409' post='2724028'] We're playing at a charity event at a local biker pub where we have previously played several paid gigs. I am a regular there so we were happy to be asked, and it's a cause we all have a personal interest in (Macmillan cancer support) and there are some benefits as there is a very good team on the PA and everything is being recorded and videoed with copies to be made available to us afterwards. Anyway, must get on as we are in in 2 1/2 hours and I am still sat here and not made my dinner yet! [/quote] Cool, sounds like good people and a good cause. Enjoy the evening and have some fun. Blue