Playing Sober

[dc2009]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1249247' date='May 29 2011, 02:57 PM']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...[/quote]

+1
IMO it depends what the band's purpose is and what you want out of the gig/what you want your fan base to think of you.

As for any reference to drinking amounts, it is completely relative to the individual, their mass, their tolerance to alcohol, the amount they've eaten, and the time span over which they have consumed said beverages.

Personally I like to arrive plenty early for any gig (a few hours, just to be able to chill and get mentally ready), I also like to go and have a good sized meal somewhere local after soundcheck, this might not be more than a maccy d's but at least there's some carbs in there.

After this I see nothing wrong with two pints or so. Last gig I played I had a coupla mojitos, then a bottle of beer on stage with me, which was a nice one to wet my whistle between backing vocals. I, like someone said above, know I hit my pool prime at 2 pints. I'm the slightest bit tipsy by this amount, though usually unaffected, but I find it gives me the confidence to rock out and focus on what I'm doing, whilst ignoring everyone else. I also personally feel like a mug dancing in a club when sober (typically because I hate the music), 2 pints in gives you a little relaxing mindset, and I think eases you into the right zone.

[skankdelvar]

I always used to have a few before gigging. Listening to a raw 'gig tape' I wondered "Who's that tw@t, screaming and cursing in the background?".

Reader, it was me. So I stopped.

Edited May 29, 2011 by skankdelvar

[stingrayPete1977]

Not many comments from any Irish folk band/drinking songs bass players yet?

[FayeAutumn]

I don't drink at all, but my guitarist loves her drink, but she never has more than one before a show and waits until after a show to get her drinking head on.

[Telebass]

Absolute max 2 pints of the weakest lager on offer, thereafter lime/sodas. Alternatively, just the lime and soda. For 6 months of the last year, while existing on morphine-grade painkillers, alcohol was not even remotely an option. The first pint after that time was purest nectar! So much so, that although I could still justify a goodly proportion of said painkillers, I prefer the option of an occasional pint. This means a weekend's gigging is followed by three days of creaking agony, but hey...
Buttressed by the 50/50 hope that someone's going to fix my back in the near future...

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='gareth' post='1249249' date='May 29 2011, 03:01 PM']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[/quote]

My rig is an OTB into a Barefaced cab, either a Big One or a Midget. I allow at least five minutes to set up. I play a Status Graphite Streamline on stage so it doesn't need tuning.

On t'other hand, I also help with the load-in for the drum kit, I personally bring in the band's PA and half the lighting rig, I do more than half of the PA & lighting set-up with the slide guitarist while the drummer sets up his kit, then I take the empty boxes & bags out to the car.

Then the lead guitarist arrives and plonks his Marshall 212 right where my mic-stand is, kicking off the usual 5-minute argument followed by a 20-minute sulk on his part.

I find an hour is about right ...

[amnesia]

Most times I am driving so I only have water or pop anyway. If I get permission from the wife beforehand - and the vibe is right - then I'll have a couple. I will never play drunk. As part of a band I owe to them and myself to be at my best.

I once played a gig and the singer was so pissed he passed out. Thankfully the place was empty so it wasn't the end of the world.

Got a gig tonight at a cool venue - the last time I was there I was getting Jager delivered to the stage - but in a 30 minute set with one song running into the next getting drunk just isn't possible for me!

[gareth]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1249380' date='May 29 2011, 04:41 PM']My rig is an OTB into a Barefaced cab, either a Big One or a Midget. I allow at least five minutes to set up. I play a Status Graphite Streamline on stage so it doesn't need tuning.

On t'other hand, I also help with the load-in for the drum kit, I personally bring in the band's PA and half the lighting rig, I do more than half of the PA & lighting set-up with the slide guitarist while the drummer sets up his kit, then I take the empty boxes & bags out to the car.

Then the lead guitarist arrives and plonks his Marshall 212 right where my mic-stand is, kicking off the usual 5-minute argument followed by a 20-minute sulk on his part.

I find an hour is about right ...[/quote]

Yes I thought it might be something like that - well done for helping the other guys

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='gareth' post='1249389' date='May 29 2011, 04:50 PM']Yes I thought it might be something like that - well done for helping the other guys[/quote]

Just a normal night's work for a bass player.

I still can't help laughing at the fact that, as a bass player, I have automatically become the band's PA expert and set-up king. It all seems to come with the territory, despite the fact that I played my first EVER gig exactly three whole years ago ...

[gareth]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1249395' date='May 29 2011, 04:57 PM']Just a normal night's work for a bass player.

I still can't help laughing at the fact that, as a bass player, I have automatically become the band's PA expert and set-up king. It all seems to come with the territory, despite the fact that I played my first EVER gig exactly three whole years ago ...[/quote]

Fortunately I have lack of ability regarding a band's PA expert and set-up, so i do not get asked to help

[Noisyjon]

I've tried both sober & drunk playing and will go for sober every time. Mostly for points mentioned in this thread already.

[BigRedX]

I'll have one maybe two beers before playing depending on the time, but the moment I hit the stage the adrenalin takes over and the alcohol becomes irrelevant.

Food on the other hand can be a problem. Eating too soon before playing can make me feel bloated and sluggish.

[Lozz196]

As a now non-drinker, I obviously don`t drink at gigs. For the 10 years or so prior to that, I`d go on stage with my 2nd pint. Prior to that, I would try to fit as much alcohol into my body as I could before going on stage (and during, and also after). Nothing to do with nerves, I just liked drinking, and didn`t have the self-discipline to not drink, if in a venue that sold alcohol (and lets face it, most do).

Nowadays though, the only downside I find to not drinking when gigging is that if one of your bandmates has had one over their own limit, it is so easy to spot. Now as an ex-drinker, I don`t like coming over all "you`ve been drinking too much/holier than thou" and blaming people for having a beer, but usually, the mistakes are entirely down to that one factor - they`ve had too much.

[4000]

[quote name='skej21' post='1249169' date='May 29 2011, 01:58 PM']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.[/quote]

Ever suffered from stage fright? I have & do, even after 30 years (in fact as I get older it gets worse).

[BigRedX]

[quote name='4000' post='1249499' date='May 29 2011, 06:42 PM']Ever suffered from stage fright? I have & do, even after 30 years (in fact as I get older it gets worse).[/quote]
I live to play on stage. My drinking is done to avoid "off-stage" fright so I can loosen up and talk to people who aren't in the band.

[4000]

Strangely, getting on stage has always terrified me. It's the writing and the playing of instruments I love. Don't get me wrong, a great gig is one of the best things in the world, but getting up there in the first place? Horrible.

[Grassie]

Not in a band at the moment, but the last band I was in I wouldn't drink because I used to drive myself to gigs. Oh, and the fact that our singer would drink (amongst other stimulants), and proceed to make a complete t*** of himself while singing and throwing shapes like he was playing Wembley Stadium. We were a rock covers band playings pubs. On the Isle of Wight. No need for both of us to look like c***s...

[deaver]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1249395' date='May 29 2011, 04:57 PM']I still can't help laughing at the fact that, as a bass player, I have automatically become the band's PA expert and set-up king.[/quote]

Weirdly, that's just happened to me

[spike]

One pint per set is all I need

[spike]

[quote name='deaver' post='1249554' date='May 29 2011, 07:40 PM']Weirdly, that's just happened to me[/quote]

and me

[TimR]

[quote name='spike' post='1249587' date='May 29 2011, 08:12 PM']and me[/quote]

I'm convinced that the bass player listens harder to the rest of the band.

[Telebass]

As a qualified electronics tech, I get a lot of tech queries. Quite natural, you might say. But telecoms and radar are not [i]quite[/i] the same as audio and PA...

Edited May 29, 2011 by Telebass

[lettsguitars]

drink, stage/drink, drink, drunk. job done.

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='deaver' post='1249554' date='May 29 2011, 07:40 PM']Weirdly, that's just happened to me[/quote]


Same here.Although I am also a Sound Engineer.

[Spike Vincent]

I have always played sober,and frankly,I think anyone who is not at their best as a result of intoxication is doing their audience - and themselves - a disservice.I have played the odd gig speeding my t*ts off,but that's a whole different topic.