Playing Sober

[awdl22125]

Ok, so I’m quite new to Bass (about eighteen months now) and have been part of a gigging band for about twelve months. I must admit that for the first half dozen gigs I could not get on stage without a fair few drinks inside me, mainly not due to the Bass parts but the vocals I add to a couple of songs. Recently however due to circumstances (gigs being a bit farther afield requiring me to drive) I have played the last two gigs completely sober, and I must say what a revelation, I can hear the mix better, my timing is spot on and I have been able to perform the vocals with much more power and clarity. On the whole I would like to recommend playing sober as a much more pleasurable experience.

[geoffbyrne]

I don't drink till after a gig - main reason is I'm 65 & would have to go & pee in the middle of the set if I did!!!!

Actually, alcohol does *not* make you sound better in anyone's ears except your own.

G.

[hubrad]

An added benefit of being sober is that you can appreciate the adrenalin (THE wonder drug IMHO ) far better.

[Soliloquy]

I wouldn't dream of playing after or while drinking. I don't drink though, so I guess it's a silly statement.

I have played with people though who did drink a lot while playing, mainly drummers .

[gareth]

Definately an advantage to be sober when gigging.

I just drink tap water on gigs.

Good job too - in the winter before last when I was gigging twice weekly, round christmas/new year, I kid you not, I was stopped and breathalized 3 times!!!!!

Must be some kind of a record.

On the second occassion, trying to be green, I offerred the cops the plastic bit they give you after you have been breathalized, hoping they could re-use it and avoid using a new one - they were not amused.

On the third occassion, I tried to sell them some of my band's cds - they were not amused.

[TimR]

[quote name='awdl22125' post='1249109' date='May 29 2011, 01:10 PM']...
I can hear the mix better,
...[/quote]

One of the first senses to be dulled by alcohol is your hearing.

A band I used to play in: Whenever the drummer and vocalist used to get a lift to the gigs they would complain that they couldn't hear properly. They couldn't understand why some gigs we had (according to them) a really good mix and at others it was terrible. The soundcheck would be great then they would go to the bar until we were due to play. The rest of the band (5 out of a band of 7) never had a problem with the on-stage mix.

[Ross]

I can play sober, I don't get stage fright really because I know logically when I get up there I'll be fine.
However I prefer being drunk under any circumstance.

[the_skezz]

I've played one sober gig with my current band, and that was pretty rubbish, couldn't get the adrenaline going (plus my hands tends to tense up between five and ten minutes of playing without a few drinks to loosen me up). Every time I've tried to go sober since then to see any difference, my mates keep buying me drinks ¬¬

[essexbasscat]

Tap water only for every gig but one for the last 15 years.

Had one half pint on only one occasion, which just made the whole night's work harder. Convinced me that the original decision was correct and never looked back.

[skej21]

I don't understand people who drink at gigs.

If you don't get enough of a buzz just from being on stage or choose to ruin that by messing up your senses, you're clearly not enjoying the experience of playing enough IMO.

[Cat Burrito]

It doesn't bother me either way personally, just now your limits. There are few things worse than being onstage with a band member who is much drunker than you. Especially when it's the drummer

[Evil Undead]

I always have one drink before the first set, and one in the break. Just calms my nerves a little.

Doesn't make me even slightly drunk or tipsy though, I probably wouldn't do it otherwise

[TimR]

If I'm in the mood for drinking I'll have a max of one pint before the first set and another before the second set. Depends on the gig and level of concentration needed.

[Happy Jack]

Interesting stuff.

It takes us (mainly me and the drummer) about an hour to set up before a standard pub gig. While we're doing that, we'll each have a pint, preferably London Pride.

After that, it's strictly soda & lime (which I recommend highly, by the way, much nicer and more refreshing than tap water) until we finish playing.

Then another pint of Pride as we calm down, de-rig, and load up the van.

By the time we (I) drive away, I'll have had two pints spread over about five hours and I'd expect to survive a police check.

A single pint of Pride between 7:30 and 8:30, when the gig kicks off at 9:00, feels about right to me as a "loosener".

To give some context, I'm purely a social drinker. I'll happily have a pint or two with mates when I'm out. If I'm at home or on my own, I'm more likely to have a cup of tea.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='1249170' date='May 29 2011, 01:59 PM']It doesn't bother me either way personally, just now your limits. There are few things worse than being onstage with a band member who is much drunker than you. Especially when it's the drummer[/quote]

+1

No, in fact, make that +100

[Doddy]

On a rare occasion I may have one pint all night-and then only if its bought for me.Usually it's water at gigs.I rarely drink
anyway and have never felt the need to have a drink when I'm at work.

[TimR]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1249192' date='May 29 2011, 02:15 PM']...
never felt the need to have a drink when I'm at work.[/quote]

That's the distinction. If you're sitting in a pit night after night reading dots, the last thing you need is a drink. If you're bashing out some three chord wonders on a Saturday night pub gig then it would be rude not to.

Edited May 29, 2011 by TimR

[risingson]

I used to drink at gigs until I realised that your concentration levels drop and you don't play well at all under the influence. I have played sober for a long time now and only ever drink water on stage to keep hydrated, occasionally a red bull if I'm lagging.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1249192' date='May 29 2011, 02:15 PM']... when I'm at work.[/quote]

And there's one of the most significant lines of demarcation - you're a pro and I'm an amateur (or semi-pro if I'm feeling pretentious, cos I do get paid something for some gigs!).

To me, gigging in a London pub with a bunch of friends is a social event for which I may also receive £50. I imagine that your gigs are a very different kettle of fish.

My work involves (amongst other things) presenting complex numbers to the rest of my Management Board and making occasional speeches to the entire Membership. Would I have a pint of Pride before doing that ... you're 'avin' a giraffe, in't ya?

[Doddy]

[quote name='TimR' post='1249202' date='May 29 2011, 02:19 PM']That's the distinction. If your sitting in a pit night after night reading dots, the last thing you need is a drink. If you're bashing out some three chord wonders on a Saturday night pub gig then it would be rude not to.[/quote]
Makes no difference to me. I'm not sitting in a pit reading charts every night and I still don't bother. It doesn't
matter if I'm playing in a theatre or a pub,I still very rarely have a drink when I'm gigging.

[JTUK]

I'll have a pint which will last me through the gig and then might have another afterwards but I am not that fussed about it.

I've played enough dates with people being w***ered and could dine out on a few stories but I'd warn anyone on the gig if their antics start costing us money that that would be it for that guy from my POV.

A regular gig had a 'character' on drums and I would be ashamed to collect the money afterwards..which luckily was not my deal, so that needed to be fixed.

I can't see what people think they get out of it.... that is not to say I have never done it..but then I grew out of it.

[LawrenceH]

I'll often have a shandy as a 'loosener' but avoid anything more until the end. Biologically, the first drink (temporarily) actually acts as a gentle stimulant which is ok but after a while the depressant effects irrevocably take over. I hate playing with crap drunken bandmates and I'd hate being that crap drunken bandmate.

That first shandy often helps though! Lime sodas all the way after that, nicest non-alcoholic drink in the pub and about the cheapest that isn't water.

[ZMech]

I do know that my pool skills peak at the second pint. dunno about bass though.

[ThomBassmonkey]

I'm in two bands, in JWP there's a 2 pint limit before playing. In LJBS if I can see the guitarist to ask what chord the next song starts on, I'm not drunk enough.

There's a different level of professionalism between the two bands...

[gareth]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1249177' date='May 29 2011, 02:04 PM']Interesting stuff.

It takes us (mainly me and the drummer) about an hour to set up before a standard pub gig. While we're doing that, we'll each have a pint, preferably London Pride.[/quote]

Blimey

What are you setting up?

I used to be the last one to arrive - about 30 minutes before we started playing - which was plenty enough time to set up my TE 4x10, 1x15 and V6 rig and tune 2 basses