Cancellation dilemma

[Nicko]

I was knocked off my motorbike last week. Fortunately it only resulted in a few cuts and bruises, but my left hand is pretty bad. We have a gig coming up on Sunday, and having tried to play the setlist last night I'm fairly sure I can get through it but i'll a.) be in pain and b.) be a long way from my best.

The band has been looking forward to the gig for months and the venue is a potential regular well paid gig.

We also have another gig the following week at a pub where I know the LL quite well and I'm confident that if we do that well then we'll get a few more bookings from them. The chances of my hand recovering for that gig would obviously be better if I don't play this week.

I could cancel, and hack off the band and the venue, or play and know that we won't be as good as we should and potentially end up making a mess of both gigs.

[Les]

If you can cope with the pain do it.

[TimR]

Have you had a decent x-ray?

[fretmeister]

Get a dep?

[discreet]

Definitely get an X-Ray if you haven't already. Personally I'd load up on powerful painkillers and do both gigs, but I'm reckless. Not reckless enough to ride a motorbike however, I gave it up when my son was born...

Edited August 22, 2017 by discreet

[planer]

Drugs could be your friend here, much more rock and roll than cancelling too.

However my sensible, risk-assessing head says - get it looked at first, just in case you've sustained some proper damage.

[Steve Browning]

I have to say I'd be looking at ways I can do both gigs. In my case I would look to simplify bass lines (luckily we don't play Rhythm Stick) where possible.

[fftc]

Have you spoken to your band about it yet?

[lojo]

No one can answer if you can do it or not , only you can gauge that , but I have been in similar situations

Either way you have to make a call today or at least very soon either way

Start the communion with the band now

[FinnDave]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1503407528' post='3357957']
Definitely get an X-Ray if you haven't already. Personally I'd load up on powerful painkillers and do both gigs, but I'm reckless. Not reckless enough to ride a motorbike however, I gave it up when my son was born...
[/quote]

I played a couple of gigs after my bike accident loaded with painkillers, but that was 3 or 4 months after the accident. At two weeks after the accident, I had my right arm and left leg in plaster and was so full of morphine that I didn't know which country I was in.

I also did a couple of gigs a week or so after a prostatectomy two years ago, again sitting down and so loaded with painkillers and whisky that I didn't realise I was playing at all, just enjoying the music. I remember thinking to myself 'I wish I could play bass like that' and then looking down at my fingers without really understanding I was playing. Mind you, it wasn't the first time I've experienced that, but the other times haven't involved anything you can get on prescription!

[discreet]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1503408580' post='3357977']
...it wasn't the first time I've experienced that, but the other times haven't involved anything you can get on prescription!
[/quote]

Oh yes, that Camomile tea can get pretty freaky.

Edited August 22, 2017 by discreet

[T-Bay]

I have an aggressive form of arthritis and the pain in my hands can be pretty bad but the adrenaline of a gig means I never notice it at the time, can be crap after though. If it was me I would take painkillers (moderate amounts of alcohol also works well) and do it.

Edited August 22, 2017 by T-Bay

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1503409141' post='3357985']
I have an aggressive form of arthritis and the pain in my hands can be pretty bad but the adrenaline of a gif means I never notice it at the time, can be crap after though. If it was me I would take painkillers (moderate amounts of alcohol also works well) and do it.
[/quote]

Awaiting an amusing 'gif' from Dad......

[gapiro]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1503406861' post='3357951']
Get a dep?
[/quote]

[T-Bay]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1503410646' post='3357998']


Awaiting an amusing 'gif' from Dad......
[/quote]
Damn this autocorrect!

[chris_b]

If you can make the pain bearable, do the gig.

If you need to change the lines, change them.

I did a gig after a skirting board incident with a sharp implement that meant that night I could only play root notes.

But I played them well, so everyone was happy.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1503410646' post='3357998']
Awaiting an amusing 'gif' from Dad......
[/quote]

When duty calls...

[el borracho]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1503413970' post='3358033']
If you can make the pain bearable, do the gig.

If you need to change the lines, change them.

I did a gig after a skirting board incident with a sharp implement that meant that night I could only play root notes.

But I played them well, so everyone was happy.
[/quote]

I've done this after almost removing the tip of my middle finger.

I just simplified it all - nobody even commented.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1503416280' post='3358057']


When duty calls...


[/quote]

[julietgreen]

I did this a couple of times. The first time I fell off my bike and managed to get through with painkillers - fretting hand. The second time, all I did was lift a speaker off a stand - badly. I couldn't touch or move the thumb for 2 weeks - plucking hand. Had to cancel sax gigs, but managed to fumble through a bit of bass. Go for the gig as long as you can play a bit and no obviously fancy bass parts needed. Let us know how you get on.

I recommend aspirin!

[Nicko]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1503406598' post='3357948']
Have you had a decent x-ray?
[/quote]

The hand wasn't x-rayed, they didn't seem that interested in it, although they x-rayed other bits of me.

[Nicko]

[quote name='fftc' timestamp='1503408253' post='3357968']
Have you spoken to your band about it yet?
[/quote]
[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1503413970' post='3358033']
If you can make the pain bearable, do the gig.

If you need to change the lines, change them.

I did a gig after a skirting board incident with a sharp implement that meant that night I could only play root notes.

But I played them well, so everyone was happy.
[/quote]

I haven't spoken to them as I did manage to do the practice last night with them. The pain was bearable when I was playing but it feels like its taken a backward step today.

I managed to play most of the bass lines using just 3 fingers. The pinky is not usable, and I have no extension between the fingers so I'm shifting position a lot. On most songs this is OK but not ideal, but theres a couple where people will really notice eg: the intro to Somebody Told Me, When I Come Around. We can possibly drop one of these though.

[discreet]

No-one listens to the bass anyway.

[SICbass]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1503406861' post='3357951']
Get a dep?
[/quote]
[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1503411885' post='3358007']
Get a dep?
[/quote]

Get a dep?

[DJpullchord]

I played a gig on a load of methadone after an injury. Everything was smooooooooooooooth.

Good luck!!