Stub Mandrel

Try and put some gig money away so you can save and invest in a class D amp and a neo cab when you need to. They take so much stress out of gigging.

Several venues around here slashing their band budgets, so dropping live bands or cutting the number of gigs - I think it's probably all the same chain. Irony is my club has ten bands on this month (and it would have been 11, but the one ticketed performance had to cancel). They had a jazz quintet doing a matinee (2:30pm) and the room was packed (about 50 people). Followed by the Sunday open mic in the lounge (not included in the gig count) which started slow but ended up doing OK. Sadly, after 10 years the Monday night OM has ground to a close, looks like it will become a once a month jam on Friday aimed at bands.

Ah yes, Willy's compact wah wah pedal... Took me around 40 years from discovering them to seeing them, and lo and behold when we were watching the support we found ourselves sitting next to Mr O. They cheerfully chatted to us in the interval (Willy comprehensively fleeced us for t-shirts and albums).

If I'm not gigging I typically go to see one or two local bands at the weekend. Last night was worthy of mention. Somehow the chap at the club who has taken over bookings from my SO booked an originals band, guitar, sax, bass and a small drumkit. I wasn't expecting a lot, just something mellow. Well the Albino Frogs were brilliant. A strong dose of Steely Dan, strong danceable tunes, excellent musicianship. Bass player had a nice Stingray direct into a well-adjusted Markbass head and BF super twin. He was glued to the drummer and played great jazz-funk lines with plenty of space and groove. But guitar/singern sax and drummer were all excellent too. Despite the main competitor venue having a very good rock & roll band on, it was a busy night, and I think virtually everyone stayed the night. The band really appreciated the reception they got, and it demonstrated how people can be open to music the haven't heard before.

Is there a crèche for drummers? 😁

I was just about to say that!

I've found over the years that a bginner often makes some rapid progress, but then overestimates their capabilities. As a beginner botanist I found many 'rarities', n electronics I found 'new, simpler ways' to do things, and so on. I learnt that the better you get and the more you know, the more you realise your shortcomings and the challenges you face. I tried playing some basslines I thought I knew that were featured in a tutorial... and discovered how badly I was playing most of them. I have briefly attempted double bass a few times; I've come to accept that I would have to learn completely new left and right hand techniques. My preference for one finger per fret and right hand muting technique (using my fingertips) are just utterly wrong. I'm impressed by the progress the OP has made, but I have no illusions of the challenges of playing what is an utterly different instrument.

It's often possible just to let the audience sing it!

Mostly local bands, but in january the guitarist from our blues band is supporting Cardinal Black with his other band (The Rogues) in Cardiff. Just booked tickets for Hawkwind in Birmingham in April.

James is bringing Norman to Barry in November, only ten minutes walk away for me, too.

Eh? I thought this was a forum for chatting about bass matters. If we all agreed it would be a pretty boring place... Sorry... I didn't realise that some comments may have got a bit personal.

THree songs to learn... sit down by James is the most complicated(!) plus Ring of Fire and a Dua Lipa song.

Changing the topic a bit, we've been booked to do the sort of gig @Bluewine seems to thrive on. It's a 'christmas' event for the local supporters club for Liverpool FC at Cardiff Tramshed. There are 5,000 members but the venue is 1,000 capacity. Looks like we'll only have to do an hour, but it's an amazing venue (I've seen bands like Phil Campbell and Black Star Riders there) and we get house PA and lights with pros on both, so really excited!

Ouch. My Epson head dries out a bit if unused for several months, but clears with a few cleaning routines that use tiny amounts of ink. It's only four-colour printer but the quality is excellent, I have several A4 'photos' framed up, landscapes and astrophotographs. Generally they are better than ones I have had done professionally as I have adjusted the print profiles.

Got me looking at all my stuff. Cabs: PJB - Neutrik GRBASS - Neutrik Fun Generation (Thomann) - no nameme Peavey - no name Amps Orange - no-name with metal channel. Behringer - Chen Shung (or something like it) 4-pole (PA amp, for bi-amping) I've been using mostly Stagg cables and one Pronomic, with no issues whatsoever for about four years.

The Epson EcoTank printers are like that from the beginning, so no stupid nag screens or chipped cartridges.

They are ace, I've had one for ten years and only filled the tanks twice. Also a HP laserjet that is decades old and uses a refill every two years...

I like a set list, but I don't mind if we alter it to suit the audience.

The club I'm involved with insists on a break as it precipitates a rush to the bar, but it is a venue with the bar in a separate room to the music (although people can go in and out during performances).

My double knobage: Flea Jazz: Hohner Jack Custom V: Sire P10: Do I win? 😁

Adapt one of these?

I regularly drive past a scrap steel smelting plant, the rail yard adjacent usually has three or four different 08s in an array of different contractor colour schemes.

He didn't appear to have fluidity issues sat down with Beato. Bear in mind that he performs that stuff live too.