BrunoBass

Yep I think it's going to be a lot of fun, some great responses here - thank you all. As I said, we are pub and bar gig veterans but our audiences tend to be 30s and upwards and fairly well behaved. Jagerbomb fuelled 19 year olds will be uncharted territory!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1463562251' post='3052263'] Can be great fun and really boosts the atmos. Take an expendable bass. You get a great feedback loop going too. It does help if you have a good frontman who can demolish any drunken heckling as soon as it starts, though... 'Dad, I told you not to bother me at work'... 'Jeremy, it's over - can't you understand that?'... 'Where's your girlfriend? Outside grazing, I presume?'... 'Ah, I remember my first beer'... And so on. [/quote] Ha those are brilliant!

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1463571535' post='3052407'] I'd be more concerned with the 'tiny sweatbox' and 'minute playing area' bit of the description. There is a point where a lack of delineation of where band area stops and crowd area starts can become a PITA. [/quote] Yes, that's precisely what concerns/excites me.

Yes, good call regarding the gear. Definitely one to bring out the Squier instead of the Stingray...

Morning all, perhaps you wouldn't mind sharing your experiences of playing in rowdy venues? We've been booked to play in a bar a friend of mine recently opened. A couple of us went down to to recce it out on Saturday night and what we found was a tiny sweatbox, totally rammed, with a minute playing area on eye level with the crowd who were young and rowdy (in a non-threatening, happy way) and very much up for it. Usually we play pubs (often on eye level to the crowd) but it's usually an older, more sedate crowd. To tell you the truth, I can't wait. It reminded me of the punk gigs I attended in my youth, eyeball to eyeball with the crowd, full on adrenalin. Fingers crossed this gig won't be violent or edgy like the old days, but I'm expecting a bit of a rollercoaster of a show. I think it'll be amazing, despite the slight feeling of trepidation. Bring it on!

This might have already come up but I'd suggest Dance Yourself Dizzy by Liquid Gold. I grew up in Brackley and it was very cool at the time (1980, I was 11) that a band from our little town was on Radio 1 and TOTP. They had a couple of other minor hits but this was the big one.

[quote name='sticker' timestamp='1459142530' post='3013763'] Back of my Hand - The Jags - a cracking song that I always enjoyed playing with my band . [/quote] I'd forgotten all about that! Cracking power-pop, You Tube here I come...

I suppose buying something 'new' that isn't in pristine condition eliminates the worry about sustaining that first scratch or ding. Once it's had a knock or two it's easier to be less precious about it.

[quote name='Joebethell' timestamp='1463215756' post='3049542'] Mani is on form and his playing with the roses and primal scream has always had a certain something and he is at his best locked in with Reni! [/quote] Agree - Mani and Reni are a formidable rhythm section. https://youtu.be/hqjp-UJ68TU

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1463212219' post='3049507'] Difficult to do a comeback, I don't know why bands bother [/quote] ££££££££££££ On the one hand you can't blame them, but it's disappointing that they always said they'd never do it, and that bands reforming for money was vulgar. Although I can understand how having a fat cheque waved under your nose might modify your opinion.

I think it's terrible personally, bordering on self parody. I would consider myself a fan - their debut album is a favourite of mine, and Mani has always been an influence on my bass playing. This song unfortunately is poor I think, with the most inane lyrics I've heard in a long time. I can't even say I'm disappointed, my expectations were low anyway. Oh well...

A rare school night gig for us last night, at the Punch Bowl in Warwick. Our first time there, well paid plus free drinks all night (work today though so I couldn't take full advantage of that...) 2 x 1 hour sets, friendly locals, all good.

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1463068018' post='3048299'] I've seen loads of new basses with scratches, dings, bumps on. Not a weird question to ask. How can it be 'mint' or 'like new' if everyone coming into the shop has been playing it for 6 months maybe more? [/quote] Agreed. Some of the 'new' stuff in PMT Birmingham is either covered in a years worth of dust or looks like it's been gigged heavily.

I'm looking for an electro acoustic at the moment and the Custom Line range has caught my eye. Does anyone have any experience of these? They look a bit too good to be true. I'd always rather try before I buy but I'm guessing that's not possible if they're only available from Thomann?

Found this on You Tube - a whole series of weekly videos of a Precision bass build from scratch by a Swedish lad called Tom Chiiron. I did wonder if anyone else had already posted this but searching the forum didn't throw anything up. Anyway, Week One is here, subsequent weeks are visible from the link. Impressive stuff. https://youtu.be/L7BVGpJVlZw

I've really enjoyed following the progress of this build. It looks amazing and I'm sure it sounds and plays amazing too. Thanks for sharing!

I've really enjoyed following the progress of this build. It looks amazing and I'm sure it sounds and plays amazing too. Thanks for sharing!

Chelsea Dagger. Never fails to get the floor filled, girls bouncing, guys with their pints held aloft. Ironically it's the least representative of what we play, and is a bit of a hangover from before I joined the band and they had a more indie direction. But when it gets the reaction it gets its difficult to let it go.

[quote name='bluesparky' timestamp='1462831011' post='3046167'] I also had a VERY long to-and-fro battle with someone in crew catering at a gig once, about pun-based food shops and kebab houses we'd encountered. I won with Jason's Doner Van and Kebabestan (it's in Vienna). It turns out it was James Dean Bradfield [/quote] I've met JDB (I recognised him as well) and he is indeed a top bloke. Bone crushing handshake too...

We played the Wine Vaults in Banbury on Friday night, my favourite pub in town. Been trying to get on there for ages so it was really good to finally play. We played outside in the beer garden where there is a stage set up. I had been worried about the sound, using our pub rig outside, but my concerns were unfounded - the sound was excellent and the volume more than sufficient. As the afternoon temperature had been 23 degrees there were plenty of post work drinkers there who stuck around, and the later Friday nighters meant we had a great crowd. One of the best gigs that we've done. Next stop is the Punch Bowl in Warwick on Thursday, which will be the first time we've played there.

A few years ago I was working in Solihull. As my wife's birthday was approaching I decided to wander into town at lunchtime to look for a present for her. I went into a boutique and was mooching around looking at stuff she might like when a middle aged but very charismatic couple came in. They spent a short time looking around before they went to the till to buy some items. I was in the queue behind them, they paid and left, and it was my turn to pay. 'Pretty cool to see him in here!' beamed the woman behind the counter. I hadn't recognised Mr and Mrs Ronnie Wood. More recently (a couple of years ago maybe), I had a lunch meeting with a client at the Zetter Townhouse hotel in Clerkenwell, London. While we were sitting there a gentleman came in and went up to reception. He certainly looked every inch the rock star, and every head turned and neck craned as he walked through the room. As I was sitting close by I could hear him ask, very politely, if his band mates had checked in yet, that he had got a later flight (he was American) and was meeting them there. I tried my best to hear what his name was but I didn't catch it, I didn't recognise him either. Who was it? I have no idea!

When I auditioned for my current band they gave me three songs to learn (nothing too taxing). I had a look on their Facebook page where they listed their whole set, so I learnt a few of them too, maybe 12 or 15 in total. I got the gig so I must have done something right. Our first gig was just a month later and I had to learn a 32 song set... I managed it (just), but I did have to simplify some of the basslines to get by. I still shudder at the thought of it!

I just came across this thread having searched for advice on playing outdoors. We've got a few small outdoor events coming up this summer which will have proper sound and PA, so no problem there but this coming weekend we've got a night time beer garden gig which we're all really looking forward to. The weather forecast is decent so it should be a pleasant night but we'll basically be running our indoor pub size set in an outdoor situation. I'll be using my TC Electronic BG250/15 which in a bar or pub has more than sufficient power but from reading earlier posts it looks like I'll have to eq accordingly to compensate, so thanks for the good advice everyone. I'm worried that I might have to push the amp to it's limit and compromise on tone.

South Eastern by Jason Isbell. Quality songwriter.

90% of my bands set I play with my fingers but on the songs that require it, I use a pick. Depends on the song and the sound I want to achieve or replicate.