First festival gig this week

[toneknob]

I'm playing my first festival gig this week, at Secret Garden Party. Equally exciting and nerve-wracking stuff. Festival vets - Any tips?

Plug: the band is The Penny Black Remedy, check out spotify and general googling for material. Their previous bassist left April/May time and they asked me to step in to help cover upcoming commitments. One is SGP, the other is Bestival. Hurray/yikes!

Thanks!

[Silvia Bluejay]

Wow, sounds awesome. All the best! You'll be fine - what matters at such big events is the overall vibe and the connection the bands establish with the crowd. Nobody will notice any mistakes caused by first-time nerves

Post pics and vids if/when you have them!

[paul torch]

My rule of thumb is. Work first, festival after.

[fumps]

Awww i so want to go to the Secret garden party.....maybe going next year .

hope you have a hoot mate

[toneknob]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1342442618' post='1734937']
Post pics and vids if/when you have them!
[/quote]

We did a warm-up at the 12 Bar a couple of weeks ago. The photos show that my current choice of gig shirt is a big wardrobe fail, severe strap-tug over the left shoulder makes it looks rubbish. Need to update the gig threads.

[mixingwithtom]

Be prepared for the mud - wellies!!!

[Fuzzbass2000]

Yup... watch out for mud. 4-6 inches deep at Guilfest this weekend.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Fuzzbass2000

[lojo]

[quote name='paul torch' timestamp='1342442672' post='1734939']
My rule of thumb is. Work first, festival after.
[/quote]

This is true, don't hit the beer tent to many bands before your on

[toneknob]

Mud, beer, beer, mud. Got it. Thanks!

[nabba]

have fun and keep an eye on your gear at all times... leads and little things like that always seem to go missing at festivals for some reason.

[Dom in Dorset]

At the festival gigs I've done there's been plenty of carrying gear about ( if you're low down on the pecking order - no vehicle pass) so keep your equipment to a minimum. I noticed that our guitarist put his case into a bin bag at the last mudbath we attended, consequently he didn't spend the next week cleaning mud of his gear!
On most small festival stages you get a very short set up/ sound check + it's not uncommon to be able to hear what's going on on other stages during your set. Expect the worst , anything else is a bonus..
You can end up playing to huge crowds or nobody, it's the luck of the draw, don't be disappointed if everyone is over at the enormo stage watching my band, or outside enjoying a rare glimpse of sunshine.
As others have said have fun but remember that you have a job to do.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Dom in Somerset

[Lozz196]

As Dom says, chances are you`ll be setting up whilst another band is playing. I found that, as I was playing through a provided amp, rather than go for "my sound" I just set everything flat, as the soundman would do everything through the PA. It sounded fairly ropey on stage, but having heard other bands using the amp, I knew the soundman was good, so trusted a good sound would happen.

Also, as others have said, you may have to walk a fair way with gear, so if it can be whittled down to one trip only, all the better.

And take sun-cream with you. Better to take it, and not need it, than the other way round. I got burnt something rotten at the one I did - and it was cloudy/rainy for a lot of the day. The sun can still burn you, through clouds - especially with vampiric skin like mine.

[Dom in Dorset]

Note the basic mistakes, too much gear, too heavy, inadequate mud protection.

[paul_5]

tip for festival playing? tune up before you hit the stage, trust the sound engineer(s) to get it right, don't play when you're not supposed to - time is generally of the essence during change over between bands, so do it as quickly as you can.

Be nice (sound man has probably got a much more difficult job than you) and polite, and have fun.

[Dom in Dorset]

It can be worthwhile investing in a tour buss:

[toneknob]

Thanks for the tips! Keep them coming.

It's tomorrow!

[paul torch]

plenty of wet wipes

[ZMech]

Awesome, I'm stewarding at SGP so heading off this afternoon. Will try and check you guys out if it doesn't clash with a shift. If you see a short jewish student with a black backpack dancing like a nutter, it's probably me.

Tip: If you have them, a decent pair of walking boots are much more comfortable than wellies to spend a weekend in.

Edited July 18, 2012 by ZMech

[paul torch]

[quote name='ZMech' timestamp='1342606295' post='1737628']
student with a black backpack dancing like a nutter, it's probably me.
[/quote]

that'll narrow it down.

[toneknob]

[quote name='ZMech' timestamp='1342606295' post='1737628']
Awesome, I'm stewarding at SGP so heading off this afternoon. Will try and check you guys out if it doesn't clash with a shift. If you see a short jewish student with a black backpack dancing like a nutter, it's probably me.

Tip: If you have them, a decent pair of walking boots are much more comfortable than wellies to spend a weekend in.
[/quote]

Come and say hi if you're around.

Footwear - thanks for the tips all, but I don't have any wellies (and it's too late to get any) so it's road-worn DMs for me. They've seen action at Glastonbury 1998 (a simple google image search of "glastonbury 1998" will show that this summer is a heatwave in comparison) and various outdoors gigs/fests since.

[toneknob]

[quote name='paul torch' timestamp='1342603833' post='1737560']
plenty of wet wipes
[/quote]

Yeah. I've already packed the anti-bac as well.

[paul torch]

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1342607691' post='1737677']
Come and say hi if you're around.

Footwear - thanks for the tips all, but I don't have any wellies (and it's too late to get any) so it's road-worn DMs for me. They've seen action at Glastonbury 1998 (a simple google image search of "glastonbury 1998" will show that this summer is a heatwave in comparison) and various outdoors gigs/fests since.
[/quote]

a couple of carrier bags for your feet if it all gets too much.