ballstomonty Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Sorry if this topic has been brought up before couldn't find it. I always used to avoid eating a big meal before I play as I hated feeling full when playing. If I did eat I'd have something low carb like piece of salmon with salad. I always have had plenty of energy to play the gig. After the gig I'd be ravenous for something starchy and have late night snack of whatever junk food I fancied.This used to work well. However as I'm getting into my forties my system is just not forgiving when I change my routine in this way. I find I get terrible indigestion eating late and have needed a sugar fix halfway through gigs (bananas work well for this) We have a big set up for my floyd band (usually takes from 1pm-5.30pm to load and set up all the gear and sound check) and if there are any problems (lighting or sound) set up can drag on so it's not always possible to ensure we get a nice stint of time to eat well before the gig starts especially as at some theatres they want us to go on at 7.30pm. The rest of the band usually just have chips/burgers etc but that really doesn't work for me as I just feel like Humpty Dumpty if I eat that stuff before I get on stage Anybody got any tips for easily digestible carry foods that could prevent feeling all bloated when playing but stop me pigging out on junk later on? Cheers in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) Protein kills hunger pangs and does not bloat - so maybe something like cold chicken breast? Edited March 17, 2017 by markstuk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Pre pub type gigs ( starting about 9pm) when ever possible I try and eat a fairly decent meal at about 4-5 pm. Long before any nerves or pre gig jitters set in. Chicken with pasta or rice dish. Slow burning carbs. Nothing doughy. If its a wedding gig and we are being fed there is usually more of a calm and so then i will go with the flow but even then I dont go " free food!! " and stuff as much in as possible unlike some of my band mates I usually eat a bagel/sandwich/something healthy I/my fiance prepared earlier and a have "a",as in one, beer or two( at the most) when I get back in (midnight- 1 am). I avoid all fast food/takeaways and don't drink alcohol on a gig. ( that one time was embarrassing enough). On any gig day I try to have a good big healthy breakfast. So that's NOT a fry up!!! I'm 49 but am told by most I look mid to late 30s. (sorry but I also go to the gym most days) If its a late night and especially if there is a gig the next day, I dont want to be hungover or be out of sync. Its hard enough just having the regular sleep pattern knocked at this age so personally I keep it healthy. Having a good few beers/wine ect on a non gig day or the very occasional post gig party is ok though. In my earlier days doing this any thing went and I could bounce back but these days I'm there more for the music than the party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) Gig days I always have a large dinner, then a small tea. This works well for me, and if you need something after, then theres no harm done, it's not like having 3 big meals. Edited March 17, 2017 by la bam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I eat about 5pm and never feel too full by the time the gig starts. I guess your schedule might not allow for that - protein bars could help I reckon (they do decent ones quite cheap at my local Aldi). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Guinness always works for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I eat something fairly light about an hour before leaving for a gig, often an omelet and rice, or similar. I'm off the booze at the moment anyway, but rarely drink at gigs, as I have to drive there and back, and play well rather than thinking I'm playing well, and for me, those things don't really mix with alcohol. I used to have a couple of whiskies when I got home, but not at the moment. Can't remember ever wanting food when I get home from a gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PawelG Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 To me breakfast was always the most important meal of the day. You sound like you know your body quite well. Have you ever tried some carb-salads? Or whatever you want to call it. I personally, do not eat meat or fish, so have no experience with adding those into those salads. But basically, you get some quinoa/rice/groats, whatever healthy carbohydrate source you choose and you throw in the veggies into it. You can put some almonds or other nuts in it to make it more filling. Obviously, bit of something moist like sauce or just a splash of oil to digest all the vitamins nicely. There are endless variations of this kind of salads online and they are easy to make and eat on the go. They work really well as they can be eaten cold. Also, you can try making some kind of healthy flapjack (coconut oil instead of butter) for snacking if you feel hungry. Throw in some dates, pumpkin seeds and stuff like that in there and it will be loaded with energy and you don't have to eat a whole lot - good to keep you going for long time (I use it for cycling - I do add butter and sugar to those though haha) I am not a nutritionist but that works for me. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Guinne.... [quote name='Number6' timestamp='1489756462' post='3259519'] Guinness always works for me [/quote] ah... beaten to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) I've never really given this too much thought before. Perhaps because I've sometimes played gigs and small festivals in the daytime too... As the OP says, I wouldn't want to play when feeling really full - but I wouldn't want to play when feeling really hungry either. I have been known to have a couple of packets of crisps before going on stage.... and we're back to junk food again. I suppose in general, gigging is not good for your health? EDIT: Re the Guinness comment - I don't like to play after too many beers either! I'm usually driving, so can't drink much anyway. Usually, I'll have maybe just a pint or half before playing. I once had 3 pints (as someone else was driving that eve) - and I really noticed how it affected my playing! Edited March 17, 2017 by Marc S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PawelG Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 [quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1489759554' post='3259568'] I suppose in general, gigging is not good for your health? [/quote] The world we live in is not good for your health. But if you put some effort into it - few steps further from the crisps there are bananas and other goodies :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballstomonty Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 Thanks for the advice people. Like I suspected I think I need to plan ahead more than I'm doing now. Salads with a low gi carb source and some protein do work well. Even wetherspoons do a superfood salad and a quinoa salad which are fine. If the venue is near one of these I usually do ok as say what you like about the spoons they get food out nice and quick. It's when we run out of time or play more out of the way places is when it goes tits up and I end up with a big kebab at 1am. Protein bars some bananas and a flapjack or two as a back up all sound good. As much as I love a few bags of crisps after a gig it just messes up my sleep and with two kids under three I need my energy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PawelG Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 You can always use that but plug yourself into smoothies. That works before/during and after the gig :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I generally have burger and chips before a pub gig at the venue, if they offer such a thing. Would that be Brit Floyd, by any chance? Difficult to tell from your avatar pic but you resemble their bass player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I suffer from the same problem as the OP. Sound check over by 5 ish, then a bit of a mad dash to source/eat food before a 7.30 start. Our default setting is Wetherspoons, as pointed out by someone above. Their menu has a reasonable choice of small meals including salads etc, and bigger stuff / meal deals for the crew! The hardest bit for me is not getting a nice pint of their 'Devil's Backbone' with it though..... Some of our guys bring pasta / rice based dishes from home and use the theatre's microwave, I just like to get out for a while and have a look round wherever we're gigging and leaving it more to chance. Always end up having something, even if it's just a sarnie from Sainsbury's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyquipment Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Depends. Sweet or savoury ? A packet of meat 🍖 like seasoned chicken or something ? If sweet then maybe some biscuits ? Flapjack? Something Dense so it packs the needed hunger staver. I'd like to think of a gig is a bit like a workout. Gotta be focused yet expel some energy. So you wouldn't smash out a large pizza or supersize kebab before a gig. Although for some that is the case ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Sandwich before, curry after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeponehandloose Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 whatever happend to sex and drugs and rock and roll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) At 64 I have to be careful, anything can screw my stomach up. I will have a small meal early in the day if I have a gig that night. I won't eat again until noon the day after. Remember my gigs are 4 hours with two 10 minute breaks. Blue Edited March 17, 2017 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 [quote name='keeponehandloose' timestamp='1489789368' post='3259981'] whatever happend to sex and drugs and rock and roll [/quote] If you find it, great. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Let's face it, we're all just marking time as we wait for Les to chime in with some expert advice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 As we gig far and wide, and most of the time don`t know what is available locally, whatever we can find is what we eat. Preferably just after sound check, give the grub time to go down. For myself, having a stomach ulcer means I have to eat little and often, so I bring some choccie bars & biscuits with me to the gig as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 (edited) - Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I agree with Jus Lukin. A small meal and not too close to the time you have to perform is best. Remember those wildlife documentaries about lions in the Serengeti? They kill something, tear it to bits and devour it, then go to sleep under a tree for 3 days. You don't want to do that if you have to be alert and play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 It's really hard, trying to eat healthily when gigging. Long gone are the days of my youth when I could drink and eat whatever I wanted and not worry about it... Working a full time job as I do, I might get home at 5.30pm on a gigging night and then the van will arrive to pick me up at 6. It's so easy to say sod it and grab a Ginsters pasty and a Mars bar at the service station. I try to make provision for this by having a light meal prepared, usually chicken or fish with rice. Something light that I can eat in the available time. I try to make this a rule despite the time constraints. Eating a large meal before a gig does not work for me. I also observe a no alcohol rule before we play. I'll have a couple after we've finished if I'm not driving but nothing before, even a pint seems to dull my senses when playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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