What essentials do you take to a gig? Kettle lead?

[stefBclef]

Hello

I am talking about when playing a gig that has a backline and PA and all and all you need to do is play bass (no BVs).

So far, in my gig bag has been:

Bass
Tuner
Cable
Spare cable
Spare strings
Spare battery for bass
Spare battery for Tuner

Last night, we played a gig at a decent music pub that puts on live music 6 or so nights a week and during soundcheck we realised that they were short one kettle lead. They couldnt come up with a spare, I couldnt believe it. Anyway, in the end one of my band had to drive home to get one.

Now I have always thought that if a venue provides the gear, they should also provide the lead to power said gear. However I guess this is not always the case.

So I am now thinking about carrying a spare kettle lead with me, but dont want to carry one around for the next X years if this is never going to happen again.

So, has this happened to you? Am I missing some other essentials from my gig bag list? Pray tell! (P.s. I have messy hair anyway so I dont need to carry a mirror and comb)

Stef

[deepbass5]

[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]I take a spare everything, because i'm anal like that, but I was a boy scout and my paranoia has paid off on many occasions, I even take spare things others may need and they often have. If I'm involved the show will always go on. A good habit, but may be need a shrink. [/font][/color][/size]

Edited May 25, 2012 by deepbass5

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1337955359' post='1668018']
[size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]I take a spare everything, because i'm anal like that, but I was a boy scout and my paranoia has paid off on many occasions, I even take spare things others may need and they often have. If I'm involved the show will always go on. A good habit, but may be need a shrink. [/font][/color][/size]
[/quote]
Same here, except I was never in the scouts.

[mrdirtyrob]

I've started taking a kettle lead, speaker cable and a ton of spare leads. I used to be far more of the opinion that it's not my problem if the venue or another band member hasn't got everything they should, but it just saves a lot of hassle if you can quickly produce the right lead or whatever and get on with it. Of course the problem now is that the guitarist has started assuming I'll have all the leads he should have brought himself...

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='mrdirtyrob' timestamp='1337956667' post='1668045']
I've started taking a kettle lead, speaker cable and a ton of spare leads. I used to be far more of the opinion that it's not my problem if the venue or another band member hasn't got everything they should, but it just saves a lot of hassle if you can quickly produce the right lead or whatever and get on with it. Of course the problem now is that the guitarist has started assuming I'll have all the leads he should have brought himself...
[/quote]
At that point I start pretending I haven't got a spare and say 'I thought you would have learned from last time'.

[mrdirtyrob]

On the plus side, I've found it's a great way to make friends with other bands if you're able to lend a vital bit of kit in an emergency.

[Dave Vader]

I have a big bag of leads and stuff in the boot of the car.
If i am not driving to the gig however, there is most of the useful stuff in my gigbag with the bass.

[MrTaff]

If I'm not bringing my amp, I don't bring much, when I've brought loads of stuff it just ends up getting borrowed and never returned.

2 basses
4 30' cables (peadalbaord to amp & spares or if the wireless fails)
pedalboard

I've never bothered bringing strings, I don't break strings & if I did I'd just swap basses, wouldn't have time to change them anyway.

[flyfisher]

I always take a box of spares, tools and widgets to gigs but its a slippery slope as others can stop thinking for themselves and become entirely reliant on you to fix any and every little problem. It's taking the pi$$ when a guitarist asks me why I don't have spare strings he could 'borrow'.

[Mog]

I bring a spare strings and a pair of fresh socks. Thats it. You provide the entertainment, not clean up others ineptitude.

[chrismuzz]

If there is an amp provided I will still bring the following:

Bass(es)
Pedalboard (with wireless, tuner, and two DIs on it!)
All the jack leads I need + one spare
Speakon lead
My own head (becaus it's so small it fits in my bag anyway)
Kettle lead
Screwdriver
Wire cutters
Allen keys
Fast fret
Duct tape!!!

This pretty much covers me for any eventuality (plus I just prefer the sound of my own head!) I've not had to fall back on any of my safeguard mechanisms but it's nice to know I have them

Funnily enough despite all the things I DO take, I've never taken a spare set of strings! That's gonna bite me in the arse some day..

Edited May 25, 2012 by chrismuzz

[Nibody]

Have a couple of small Multi-tools, one made for guitar, another a "Greber" (I Think).. the plyers on the Greber have sorted many "Drummer do lugs up too tight" moments..

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Mog' timestamp='1337969073' post='1668252']
I bring a spare strings and a pair of fresh socks. Thats it. You provide the entertainment, not clean up others ineptitude.
[/quote]

However the punters don't care that it wasn't your personal ineptitude that prevented the gig from going ahead. They just see your band not playing.

[JTUK]

I'll have everything I need to take the bass apart, inc a whole raft of allen keys and a very comprehensive tool kit.
About the only thing I don't normally take is a soldering set.

Spare strings in good nick, batteries, cables, plug boards, are basics.

[mep]

I have a spare kettle lead in my bag amongst many other items. We also have a big bag of various leads for the PA etc., although if we go to a venue where there is a PA provided at least this bag won't go and we would have to do with what's in our gig bags or spare house stuff.

[Chrismanbass]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1337969799' post='1668264']

Funnily enough despite all the things I DO take, I've never taken a spare set of strings! That's gonna bite me in the arse some day..
[/quote]

I didn't carry a spare set of strings with me however i have had to do half a rehersal without an E string before its a challenge but not impossible just means you have to think a bit more so now i have a spare set

[EssentialTension]

Two of every lead, batteries, fuses, strings, picks (which I very rarely use).

[paul_5]

Basses, pedalboard and leads. I always have a spare jack lead and I've found that a 4way mains extension can be worth its weight in gold too. I've probably got some spare strings in one of my cases, but to be honest, it's far quicker to just change basses.

[skidder652003]

As I provide the PA, theres basically 2 boxes of everything, leads, kettle leads, batteries,mics, strings, tools everything including the kitchen sink and a soldering iron! We've turned up at pubs that are pretty hopeless when it comes to getting their sh*t togeather so come prepared for pretty much all eventualities. Like someone else said, the punters don't care who in the band hasn't brought something, they just come to listen to the band!

[rOB]

[quote name='mrdirtyrob' timestamp='1337957077' post='1668058']
On the plus side, I've found it's a great way to make friends with other bands if you're able to lend a vital bit of kit in an emergency.
[/quote]
+1. I once realised another band's bass was cutting out and was at the side of the stage with a replacement for him to borrow by the end of the song. Never had a bunch of people so grateful.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1337972172' post='1668310']
However the punters don't care that it wasn't your personal ineptitude that prevented the gig from going ahead. They just see your band not playing.
[/quote]
Well said.

If backline was being provided, I probably wouldn't take a power lead but I'd always take a DI box just in case something goes wrong.

2 basses, instrument cables (inc 2 spares), xlr cable, microphone, tuner, batteries, strings (worn in already and cut to length), plectrums, multi tool, 4 way power extension, instrument stand, ear plugs, DI box

Gaffer/duct tape. The world would fall apart without it.

[essexbasscat]

Spare leads and a DI box, plus other bits n' bobs as mentioned above. Always carry painkillers as well (loud guitars !)

[Truckstop]

I dont really have a planned set of spares so to speak, I just have a bag of stuff that I've accumulated over the years. Some spare leads of various lengths and jacks; a spare 5-way extension; small first aid kit (ever burnt yourself on a light or soldering iron on a dark stage? Savlon and plasters are amazing!); couple of multi-tools and some allen keys etc.

But if my bass breaks, i have a spare and if my amp breaks I have my BDI21. If my effects stop working, it doesnt matter because they're in the effects loop and if one of my cabs dies, then I rig them in parallel to stop that being an issue. You shouldnt really have to repair stuff on stage or in the intermissions.

Truckstop

[Monckyman]

I take twice as much as I think I need.And i think I need a lot.
My band members complain about all the cables etc I make us carry, so much so that I`m now following the D Vader plan and have thinned out the main cables case into a spares bag that just lives in the van.
None of those cables are for kettles though.

I also have a small tool bag which lives under the mixing desk in a rack drawer, and came in damn handy when the drummer snapped a pedal spring a couple of weeks back.
Of course, he had NO tools at all. A spare spring yes(wow) but couldn`t change it without my tools.
This is with a full PA but when I just played bass I still took two of everything except amp and cab and took a BDDI in case the amp went down.

[stefBclef]

This thread has made me reliase that maybe I should have a spare bass. I only have 1 bass, so I only take my one bass and sometimes we are the only band playing. I guess that is pretty risky right?

Do any of you just take the one bass?

[MoJoKe]

[quote name='stefBclef' timestamp='1338156007' post='1670278']
Do any of you just take the one bass?
[/quote]

Nope, never! [b]Always [/b]take two.

I always carry at least one spare guitar lead, one spare kettle lead, fuses, and if backline is provided I'll want to know in advance what that is, and I'll still put my MarkBass combo in the car. If I'm off to do a gig I don't want to be the one to let anyone down. Remember the seven P's...