Pete Academy Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 So we're due on at The Platform in Morecambe at 8pm and have to be soundchecked by 7pm. The drummer has to travel from Birmingham and is stuck on the M6, due to an accident. The traffic isn't moving at all, so we're not sure if he'll make the gig. We ring the other drummer, who is already on a gig. To cut a long story short, and after many phonecalls, fellow Basschatter Phil Wood, who was coming to the gig, found a great local drummer who provided a kit and played an impromptu opening 20-minute set of blues/rock covers with the band. Our drummer eventually turned up around 8.45, and we played the Steely Dan set as normal, albeit with a couple of songs having to be dropped. The night was eventually a success (I hope!). However, here's the dilemma: if this happened to your band, would you try to get a last minute dep, who wouldn't have time to go through any songs, or would you cancel the gig? People had paid over ten quid for a ticket, so do you risk it? However good the stand-in musician is, he or she wouldn't really know the beginnings, endings, stops, starts, etc. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 [quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1316957569' post='1384764'] So we're due on at The Platform in Morecambe at 8pm and have to be soundchecked by 7pm. The drummer has to travel from Birmingham and is stuck on the M6, due to an accident. The traffic isn't moving at all, so we're not sure if he'll make the gig. We ring the other drummer, who is already on a gig. To cut a long story short, and after many phonecalls, fellow Basschatter Phil Wood, who was coming to the gig, found a great local drummer who provided a kit and played an impromptu opening 20-minute set of blues/rock covers with the band. Our drummer eventually turned up around 8.45, and we played the Steely Dan set as normal, albeit with a couple of songs having to be dropped. The night was eventually a success (I hope!). However, here's the dilemma: if this happened to your band, would you try to get a last minute dep, who wouldn't have time to go through any songs, or would you cancel the gig? People had paid over ten quid for a ticket, so do you risk it? However good the stand-in musician is, he or she wouldn't really know the beginnings, endings, stops, starts, etc. Any thoughts? [/quote] Been in this situation and we went for the dep option. It made it a very hard gig for me as I was providing all stop and start information but the drummer was good, he kept it simple yet solid and it was all covers. Some he knew, some he didn't. I would never cancel a gig unless we were all 100% positive it was going to be a total disaster. Sounds like you got to provide the audience with what they'd paid for anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Kinda depends on the ability and experience of the musician you're trying to slot in. Over the years we've met and worked with some guys who can just jump straight in and some who need a few rehearsals before they're up to speed with what's going on - all great musicians but some just have a knack of immediately immersing themselves into the set without the join marks showing. Strangely, my band were all 'pre-approved deps' for another band in the area. That worked well for a year or so until one night when the 'band' was made up from 4 deps out of the 5 'real' members and the quality of the performance was significantly better than the 'real' band. It seemed daft not to work together on a permanant basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 (edited) If you know that the dep is good then I'd keep it going. A good dep and indeed a good musician will keep their ears open and maintain eye contact at crucial parts of songs for an indication of what's happening In previous cases where we've had a dep drummer at short notice that might not know certain parts of the song, I would modify what i was playing so that the song still sounded right whereas if I hadn't then it would've sounded completely wrong Edited September 26, 2011 by Delberthot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protium Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 The show must go on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Personally, I would say cancellation is the last resort. I was in a very similar situation last December. We were support band at what was our biggest gig of the year, a Christmas special. This was in the Peak District, and our drummer was stuck in slow traffic because of snow. Luckily the drummer from the headliner act sat in for us. My reasons for not cancelling if at all possible would be - my character (I hate quitting), it sets a precedent for when things next get tough, people have (hopefully!) turned out to see you they want and deserve a show and in my experience from last year are also understanding if you come clean about it. Obviously it can be a bit rough with a last-minute stand-in, but as it's been said before, if you don't make a pantomime out if it audiences generally don't spot mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 There are deps and deps and this is why you really always want to know what you are in for. Recommendations are all very well, but unless you know the person who recommends them, playing-wise, that can be fraught and hit and miss..which you really don't want to do if it is your gig...you really don't want that on a gig you are depping into either so we generally use people who are in that 'swim' of things. In your case, you weren't in much of a position and had the choice to go blind.... or delay the start for however long... and I'd probably have done the same unless you had a deffo ETA of your guy. Tricky one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burno70 Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Continue only if was a 'well known covers' band. Originals band - unlikely, unless its really straight forward material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I have to find a dep for this sat, and I know the player well and he will do fine, but some sets are ok to dep and some aren't. Pete's gig is not deppable, IMO... unless you have a great pad put together. This is something I have been meaning to do but it is not ready yet so I sent a live CD out to the dep and got the response...'blimey, I'll have a listen and do my best... ' and he isn't used to playing anything this side of the 80's.... opppss..!!! Now, playwise, he is great, but this is just going to be a real roasting for him..!!! and we aren't paying him much more than he would get for a pick-up band date..!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 For a covers band provided that the dep knew most of the songs I can't see it being too much of a problem. For any of the originals bands I've been in, it would be pretty much out of the question, unless the dep was also a fan of the band and knew the songs reasonably well. Most of the music that I write tends to be orchestrated so that the individual parts only sound completely right with all the other instruments, plus a dep is unlikely to have the right look or on-stage performance with has been an essential part of any originals band I've been in, and therefore would be compromising the show of the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 We have deps for all of us that are rehearsed up & ready to go should the worst happen. We pay them more but as has been said, the show must go on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkpegasus4001 Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I would rather use a dep if at all possible. You got lucky there Pete! At one gig we played at, the drummer did not turn up at all and we could not get in touch, so we just did it as a duo. Not great but cancellation is the last resort. The venue were happy, the customers were happy and were grateful that we had the balls to continue without him, we got payed so we were happy. Jobs a good un'....We played there again just last night as it happens, this time with a new drummer......who turned up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I think in threads like this it would be useful for people posting about personal experiences to say whether the band(s) involved were playing covers or originals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I think if I had a band like yours Pete,I'd have to have a full pad so that if there was a problem like that it could be depped pretty easily.Otherwise you need a pool of players who would ideally know the set,just in case-especially as you are not playing 'standards' in a pub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted September 25, 2011 Author Share Posted September 25, 2011 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1316964276' post='1384902'] I think in threads like this it would be useful for people posting about personal experiences to say whether the band(s) involved were playing covers or originals. [/quote] I quite agree. I think a covers band in a pub or at a function, where everyone wasn't really scrutinising the set, would get away with a last-minute dep. An original band would be in trouble. There are some sets where the musician needs big balls to step in at the eleventh hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted September 25, 2011 Author Share Posted September 25, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1316964480' post='1384907'] I think if I had a band like yours Pete,I'd have to have a full pad so that if there was a problem like that it could be depped pretty easily.Otherwise you need a pool of players who would ideally know the set,just in case-especially as you are not playing 'standards' in a pub. [/quote] Good idea. The brass parts are scored, so we have quite a few deps to call on. Everything else isn't. I'll mention this, as I know Bryan has the set scored for drums. Edited September 25, 2011 by Pete Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philwood Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 By the way everyone Pete and the band were tremendous last night would recommend anyone go and watch them if they have chance. Petes a great guy with an awesome bass too!! Really enjoyed it mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted September 25, 2011 Author Share Posted September 25, 2011 [quote name='philwood' timestamp='1316967923' post='1384964'] By the way everyone Pete and the band were tremendous last night would recommend anyone go and watch them if they have chance. Petes a great guy with an awesome bass too!! Really enjoyed it mate [/quote] Thanks mate. A pleasure to meet you and your good lady. And a million thanks for helping with the drummer situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 IME if the drummer is a quality musician and not just there to make noise then I just have to make sure we are grooving together making eye contact, and most importantly making sure they are getting a good gfeed from the bass and vocals. Happened to us once. We got the singers brother to do the set. He is now our permo drummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonCello Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Just to say Pete that I'm looking forward to seeing you guys in the Globe in November! LC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Had a similar (not quite as scarily close to the gig) situation the last time I did the ska covers thing - due to a variety of illness and other misfortune the singer/keyboard/trombone met the drummer for the first time in the afternoon on the day of the gig. Whizzed through a few songs, got a beer then went for it. Drummer was still listening to the songs on his ipod before we went up. Gig went great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 There are some gigs that are more than just the bass and drums making the groove. If the drums are out, then the bass might have to move, and so will everything on top of that which is why you can't throw these things togther. If the drums miss it..and that is not so much the guy not playing well...he just didn't play the exact nuance required and it doesn't work..at best, and it is a right mess at worse. This is why SD themselves rotated the sessions...and you wouldn't say that they did this because some guy couldn't play... they just did it to make the track work. So, not a case of someone thinking they can play a groove and a few licks..at all, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Speaking as a punter, one of the best local gigs I've seen was a 3 piece covers band where the drummer and bass player were both deps! They had both played with the singer/guitarist at some point in the past but never with each other (if you see what I mean). They really gelled on the night, and the audience really enjoyed it. They let the audience into the secret and made fun of it - not in an unprofessional way though. They were top class musicians. They did the longest version of 'Whole Lotta Love' I have ever heard, as none of them could seem to find a way to the ending, but they made that into a joke and took the audience along with them. Still remember that as being great fun to watch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
originalfunkbrother Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Wasnt there a story similar to this involving a young Marcus Miller getting stuck in the subway on his way to one of his first gigs? Fortunately, Anthony Jackson happened to be in the audience that night and he stepped in to dep for MM. He was given the sheets and grooved away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 If my drummer didn't show for a gig, i wouldn't be there either, so i doubt my band could find a dep bassist and drummer in time. Also, we're pretty young, so would likely struggle to find anyone to i sit in anyway. Our gigs are mostly pubs, and with all our mates, who don't mind us starting a little late anyway, so its not too bad. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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