Fuzzbass2000 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1330423801' post='1557052'] You don't need a wireless rig to reach the balcony - a good leap with a 20' lead is sufficient. BTW we're playing there again on March 9th for anyone who wants to catch some swinging from beams mayhem! [/quote] I can't jump that far.... end up having to use the stairs. Bonnie & Clydes on the 9th @ 12 Bar? See you then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I once did a jazz function with a trio on a boat in York. The low ceiling meant I had to play with my double bass scroll sticking out of an overhead porthole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetKing Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Played a battle of the bands once where we each had about 12" square to play in. I couldn't move a muscle for fear of whacking our lead guitarist with my headstock. In the end the judges criticised us for being too static on stage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='Fuzzbass2000' timestamp='1330425119' post='1557077'] I can't jump that far.... end up having to use the stairs. Bonnie & Clydes on the 9th @ 12 Bar? See you then! [/quote] See you there! I can't guarantee I'll be leaping to the balcony with my bass, but I'm sure that Mr Venom will be all over every inch of the structure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1330436996' post='1557421'] See you there! I can't guarantee I'll be leaping to the balcony with my bass, but I'm sure that Mr Venom will be all over every inch of the structure! [/quote] Vids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Not quite as wild as the photo I posted earlier in this thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtfJhav2vrI I can say that it won't be any less tame than that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Another vote for 12 Bar! All we could do was set the drums up on the stage and the rest of use were on the floor! Such a wick night, no photos from the show because the room was so packed everything just ended up as a blur. Went home at 3am with cracked ribs and concussion after getting jumped on by the singer. Amazingly, bass ended up untouched! The changing room's the alley innit? Got one of my tattoos in that there alley waiting around for Ted Maul to turn up a few years ago. Another amazing gig! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzbass2000 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Maybe we need a new thread.... "Post Your 12 Bar Pics"..... Barnet would love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1330279613' post='1555079'] Probably gone now but there was a pub in Worcester where the door to the passage into the ladies toilet was at the back of the stage area. Was a great way to break the ice . [/quote] Used to play a pub In Bradford where i'd have to move aside so women could get through to the ladies door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1330361908' post='1556239'] Fagin's in Taffs Well [/quote] Fagin's Chop House? Haven't been there for years - always used to go to the place that did the Mongolian food (The Anchor?) when I was on the piss in Taffs Well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Village pub nr Banbury paid us £200 to play there and the room was so small there was no room for punters so they all stood out in the rain with the windows open. Singer was taking drinks orders and passing cash one way and beer the other. Was a funny night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzbass2000 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Once played in gig in Brighton on a stage made from a couple or three pool tables covered and pushed together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The Old Malt Cross in Nottingham. The stage area these days isn't too bad, but back in the 80s when my synth band played there, we used to describe it as the "gig on top of a wardrobe". The stage was about 6' up between the ground floor and the balcony and the front was covered in wood panelling - hence our description. Space-wise there was just enough room for a small drum kit, a couple of combos and 3 musicians provided that they didn't move at all. The venue was run by a pair of completely miserable bastards who seemed to hate everything and everyone, and bands even more so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonCello Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1330465747' post='1558051'] Fagin's Chop House? Haven't been there for years - always used to go to the place that did the Mongolian food (The Anchor?) when I was on the piss in Taffs Well. [/quote] Yeah, I remember the Anchor, no more Mongolian food tho - Pizza now! Fagins now has bands on most nights and the ones I've seen there have been pretty good. The Cross Keys down the road in Nantgarw is being refurbed but thats a good music venue with a bit more space! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kraken Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Smallest Stage Thinking For Tuesday have played on has to be St James Wine Vaults in Bath, got 4 of us with my Ampeg, 2 2x12 guitar amps and the drumkit on the 'stage' (about 3" riser above the floor) and our singer was stood between the PA speakers trying to to get the mic to far forward. I think there are Pictures of the stage on their website. Incidentally it is a fantastic place to play, if any of you get the chance! Blademan, I'm sure i've seen you round Aylesbury, next time I'll Say 'hi!' (for reference me and my ampeg as avatar pic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 the worst ones, are where the punters have to walk through the 'stage area' to get to the toilets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 [quote name='LemonCello' timestamp='1330258916' post='1554669'] Went to a pub not far from me to see a band last night. Very good they were too. I went to check out the venue more than anything else as we'll be out gigging soon. Don't know whether this is typical but they were 'shoe horned' in one corner, must have been no bigger than 10' by 10'. The guitarist literally had to move to avoid crashing into peeps as they got up to dance. At one point I noticed the bass player 'twang' his nice Stingray against the wall which quite understandably made him wince! I'm thinking I'll leave the Vigier at home and take my Squier! Anyone else played on a postage stamp? LC [/quote] small stages... sorry, let me rephrase that, small "playing areas" are not uncommon in bar gigs. Strategic positioning of the mic stands and PA speakers help delimit this area and sometimes you can earn a foot here and there... but be careful what you put so close to the audience... I tend to leave my pedalboard back with my amp even if I have to turn around, in those cases. I've had a drunk woman "helping" me play bass in one occasion. I had the wireless that day so I managed to escape. In another place I had to constantly move to let women in and out of the toilet... It happens. Sometimes you really can't move. I still bring whatever is my favourite bass at the time. No point leaving it at home if it's the one I really want to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I used to love my headless basses on tight stages. My Kubickis were great too, small body and easily held and protected! I don't mind playing on a small stage though, it's better with electric drums though as you can keep the overall volume down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1330273434' post='1554976'] Why was the bass amp supposed to go stage right? Why are you shining stage lights out into the audience? [/quote] Those are the offending lights (on top of my rig). They weren't very powerful. They were mainly decorative, to help create a bit of a psychedelic feel. I have always set up on the same side of the stage, due to my hearing. Custom and practice and necessity. It was also where there was a space left for me, as the drummer had turned up days early and was already set up and mic'd up. The guitarist had sod all space too. The fact that all the soundman's gear left so little room for the band and that he bawled like a baby about me muttering that i wasn't going to get my gear onstage was the issue. There are four venues I will never go near again in my life and that one is the top of my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Found a photo that illustrates the problem with the soundman's gear and lights all over the stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 and one more that shows the lighting tree. It doesn't show how the legs came out of front of my cabs, threatening to trip me up every time I went near my amps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icarus_147 Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Wow. Some of these places look ridiculously small. Frighteningly so, considering the size of my Flying V. Not much compared to some of these, but I did recently play a gig where the drums were where the table used to be in a booth. The venue assumed everyone would be turning up with combos. Alas, we're rockstars, and turned up with two half stacks. And mine isn't one of these fancy-schmancy compact things either. Our lead guitarist does have a combo though, so that saved a little space, but... nothing noteworthy. I played the vast majority of that gig with my heel up against my cab and 20 foot of cable wrapped around my feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I quite like playing small stages sometimes, particularly the ones where the bass drum is tight up against the back of my legs - no problem following the drums in those situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 [quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1333025368' post='1596330'] I quite like playing small stages sometimes, particularly the ones where the bass drum is tight up against the back of my legs - no problem following the drums in those situations. [/quote] Is that DB bigger than a Flying V, do you think? Slightly more seriously, what about feedback when you're crammed together that closely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 [quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1332974223' post='1595848'] Found a photo that illustrates the problem with the soundman's gear and lights all over the stage. [/quote] Being Roger Waters, I'd have thought you'd have no issues with small stages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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