acceptable temperature for outside gigs

[bassjim]

So I'm a big girls blouse when it comes to playing outside. Here in England its still cold as far as I'm concerned and an outside gig at this time of year fills me with dread.
Whats the lowest temperature you are happy to play outside?
For me anything below 20 degrees= artic conditions where my hands are too cold to play well.
Beer festival in a pub garden under a tent with the cold wind blowing at you for example. Even in the height of summer here , come the evening when the sun has gone down it starts to get a bit chilly and I don't look forward to it at all.
Yes I know, man up , but ....would you avoid or even cancel a gig in these "freezing" conditions?

[bartelby]

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1494088333' post='3293183']
but ....would you avoid or even cancel a gig in these "freezing" conditions?
[/quote]

to put it simply. Nope.

[Graham]

Fingerless gloves are the way forward for outdoors shows. I once played at a bonfire night event which was outdoors, being Novemeber it was a bit nippy; I've kept fingerless gloves in my gig-bag since.

[TimR]

Fingers stay warm when playing. Just wrap the rest of you up warm.

Try playing in an unheated church hall trying to read dots sitting down heading into Panto season.

The worst thing/time to play is a Tuba on a summer evening just as the sun goes down. The dew comes down and fills it up quicker than you can empty it.

[Mottlefeeder]

I'm in a band that busks to raise money for Cancer Research UK. In the run up to Christmas we regularly play outdoors in temperature below 10 degrees. On one day, the car thermometer read 3 degrees an the way there, and also on my way home, so we probably played for 5 hours at about 4 or 5 degrees.

As others have said, wear fingerless gloves, wooly hat and lots of layers.

David

[Beer of the Bass]

A band I played with a few years ago busked on the Edinburgh Christmas market during an unusually cold winter, where it was a couple of degrees below freezing some days. With long johns, multiple pairs of socks, jumpers, scarf, hat, big coat and army boots it was still a bit of a challenge! I was playing double bass, and while my right hand was fine, my left hand was hard to keep warm due to the raised position. Our hat got pretty well filled though!

[chris_b]

A few years ago I played the Warren Point Blues Festival in Ireland. The wind was so cold I had a T shirt, shirt, fleece and overcoat on and I was still so cold I could hardly l move my fingers.

The wind chill was terrible. . . . but the sun was shining. It was the only time I've frozen and got sunburn at the same time!

[Lozz196]

Yep, done a few outside gigs where it`s been very cold, probably around the 5 degrees mark. The main thing is, half an hour beofre the gig wash your hands with warm/hot water, and then stay indoors if possible, or if not, keep your hands in your pockets. Your hands shouldn`t freeze up when playing.

[Staggering on]

Here's a Canadian response.
In the late '70's I played a strolling gig in February at the Toronto zoo.I was playing tenor banjo as a dep in a Dixieland band that wore clown costumes so it was a pretty strange gig.It was made worse by the fact that it was -20C (really)so we decided to play a few songs outside then hustle inside to warm up before our next foray into the cold.Fingerless gloves and several layers including long johns made it a bit better but it was very cold.
We tuned up inside,went outside and the leader called a song and key and wanted 4 bars on the banjo as an intro so away I went.Ithought the horn players,all very good musicians, seemed to be having a hard time getting the song rolling but it eventually worked out by the end of the song.At that point the trumpet player asked why I played the intro and the song in C# instead of C.Turns out the couple of minutes of cold air raised the tuning of the banjo a half tone,which made for a very interesting gig.As each song was played the horn players had valves freeze,pads on the sax freeze shut and the trombone froze solid in first position between songs.They had a tough time playing songs with more notes missing as the song progressed.Not a fun day but we got paid,but it was COLD.Haven't played below freezing since then and don't plan to.

[SICbass]

[quote name='Staggering on' timestamp='1494122288' post='3293443']
Here's a Canadian response.
In the late '70's I played a strolling gig in February at the Toronto zoo.I was playing tenor banjo as a dep in a Dixieland band that wore clown costumes so it was a pretty strange gig.It was made worse by the fact that it was -20C (really)so we decided to play a few songs outside then hustle inside to warm up before our next foray into the cold.Fingerless gloves and several layers including long johns made it a bit better but it was very cold.
We tuned up inside,went outside and the leader called a song and key and wanted 4 bars on the banjo as an intro so away I went.Ithought the horn players,all very good musicians, seemed to be having a hard time getting the song rolling but it eventually worked out by the end of the song.At that point the trumpet player asked why I played the intro and the song in C# instead of C.Turns out the couple of minutes of cold air raised the tuning of the banjo a half tone,which made for a very interesting gig.As each song was played the horn players had valves freeze,pads on the sax freeze shut and the trombone froze solid in first position between songs.They had a tough time playing songs with more notes missing as the song progressed.Not a fun day but we got paid,but it was COLD.Haven't played below freezing since then and don't plan to.
[/quote]

We have a winner!.....I hope?

[miles'tone]

[quote name='Staggering on' timestamp='1494122288' post='3293443']
Here's a Canadian response.
In the late '70's I played a strolling gig in February at the Toronto zoo.I was playing tenor banjo as a dep in a Dixieland band that wore clown costumes so it was a pretty strange gig.It was made worse by the fact that it was -20C (really)so we decided to play a few songs outside then hustle inside to warm up before our next foray into the cold.Fingerless gloves and several layers including long johns made it a bit better but it was very cold.
We tuned up inside,went outside and the leader called a song and key and wanted 4 bars on the banjo as an intro so away I went.Ithought the horn players,all very good musicians, seemed to be having a hard time getting the song rolling but it eventually worked out by the end of the song.At that point the trumpet player asked why I played the intro and the song in C# instead of C.Turns out the couple of minutes of cold air raised the tuning of the banjo a half tone,which made for a very interesting gig.As each song was played the horn players had valves freeze,pads on the sax freeze shut and the trombone froze solid in first position between songs.They had a tough time playing songs with more notes missing as the song progressed.Not a fun day but we got paid,but it was COLD.Haven't played below freezing since then and don't plan to.
[/quote]
Classic! 😂

[Earbrass]

Dress appropriately.....

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6IyVzmetPg[/media]

[blue]

It's happened to me a few times. Fingerless gloves and all, playing outside in the cold is a real challenge.


Blue

[TimR]

I got snowbound in Toronto once on a flight from Detroit to London. We all had to leave the plane but weren't allowed any baggage as it was in the hold and had cleared customs. I had changed into London clothes, t-shirt and hoodie. We had to queue outside in -20'C waiting for a bus to a hotel.

I thought my ears were going to snap off.

[skej21]

Are any other northerners reading this, thinking "fingerless gloves?! It's got to be -50 before I put a jumper on!!"

[Woodinblack]

I play with silk gloves, they play really well, and you don't get cold. Works for Scott Devine, works for me!

[TimR]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1494175979' post='3293801']
I play with silk gloves, they play really well, and you don't get cold. Works for Scott Devine, works for me!
[/quote]

Scott has focal distonia that makes his hands tremor. The gloves fix it.

http://youtu.be/wOVGrGBeqiI

Edited May 7, 2017 by TimR

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1494177144' post='3293815']
Scott has focal distonia that makes his hands tremor. The gloves fix it.
[/quote]

I know, I was joking,
I just seem to lose sensitivity in my hands when it gets cold in recent years, so my wife bought me some silk gloves after I complained about it at a few practices in unheated bowling alleys over the winter and I found that not only did they keep my hands warm, and not inhibit my playing in any way, they actually made some things a bit easier, especially slides.

[SpondonBassed]

I'm not sure what's on the market since I stopped motorcycling but heated gloves used to be readily available.

If you have a 12V source, you can use the gloves to pre-heat your hands before the gig itself warms them up for you. Keep them handy for the interval too.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1494175083' post='3293793'] Are any other northerners reading this, thinking "fingerless gloves?! It's got to be -50 before I put a jumper on!!" [/quote]

Actually, my first thought was "Nesh".

[JamesBass]

Virtually NOTHING stops me from gigging! It's the best feeling in the world, it's worth bearing out conditions, unless it's unsafe of course!

[bassjim]

Yep still got my thermals and bass mitts the misses knitted for me. Any advice on where to get the silk gloves? I'd like to try em out.
As I said, I'm a right pansy when it comes to playing outside.
Unless it was a xmas market type thing with a good crowd I'm not keen.
There have been a few bigger stages where the stage lights have warmed things up nicely but I'm crying about the UK in the summer!
The gig I was dreading this Saturday just gone turned out to be inside. The Elton John tribute act just before us played out side during the warmish daylight. We set up in the nice warm inside whilst he was still doing his thing. The girl from the pub running the event even said it was always the plan as punters will be to chilly come later on. At last I thought, taking off my outer layer of clothing. Someone with common sense running the entertainment. I'm so delicate.

[gary mac]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1494088541' post='3293188']
Fingerless gloves are the way forward for outdoors shows. I once played at a bonfire night event which was outdoors, being Novemeber it was a bit nippy; I've kept fingerless gloves in my gig-bag since.
[/quote]

I've done exactly this

[itsmedunc]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1494175083' post='3293793']
Are any other northerners reading this, thinking "fingerless gloves?! It's got to be -50 before I put a jumper on!!"
[/quote]

Shorts, T-shirt and an extra flat cap serves me well.

[seashell]

Bah humbug, I hate performing in the cold. When I used to act a bit I have been coerced into doing a couple of outdoor performances and they were always chilly affairs. And as a punter I really don't enjoy outdoor events unless the temperature is positively Mediterranean.

I remember being duty bound to go and see some friends in a play at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It was bloody freezing and I retreated to the tropical plants hothouse for the entire evening, only emerging to give them a round of applause at the end.

Luckily, in my somewhat limited musical career, I've never been in a band that's been invited to do an outdoor gig. The whole idea would fill me with foreboding. As well as the inevitable cold, there's the risk of electrocution if it rains. And it probably will rain.

I guess if the rest of the band wanted to do it, I'd feel duty bound to. But I'd probably moan a lot and they would all hate me

All hypothetical of course, as I'm not even in a band at the moment :-(