I Hate Gigging!

[TimR]

9 hours ago, Steady Eddie said:

Then the wife slides her leg over your thigh and begins to nibble your ear.

 

Make sure you've hidden the gig money somewhere safe, someone is after a new pair of shoes. 

[vates]

An interesting topic. I consider myself an introvert too, sometimes behaving like an extravert. It largely depends on my energy level.

And here's the thing: if the gig is good, then you're not only sharing your energy, but also receiving a lot from the audience too. And the better the gig - the stronger the flow.

So that means a gig should be really good. Otherwise think of it as just another rehearsal with your bandmates when you're getting paid!

[diskwave]

I was the opposite. I'm a surly misery guts loner...so stuck all day in a bus with a bunch of party animals was tortuous to say the least ....getting up on stage at the end of the day was like entering flippin nirvana...When I was doing the pub/club circuit I would just rock up at the last minute, plug in and get on with it. 

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[Supernaut]

I love gigging and playing live. It's one of the reasons I took up music in the first place. 

[Crusoe]

19 hours ago, vates said:

An interesting topic. I consider myself an introvert too, sometimes behaving like an extravert. It largely depends on my energy level.

And here's the thing: if the gig is good, then you're not only sharing your energy, but also receiving a lot from the audience too. And the better the gig - the stronger the flow.

So that means a gig should be really good. Otherwise think of it as just another rehearsal with your bandmates when you're getting paid!

When you are onstage, you are playing a part, rather than exposing yourself (not like that, unless you are Iggy Pop or a Red Hot Chilli Pepper).

[Woody1957]

1 minute ago, Supernaut said:

I love gigging and playing live. It's one of the reasons I took up music in the first place. 

Exactly my sentiments mate...l couldnt live without gigging. The only thing that really bugs me are the pig ignorant people who just stand there when you're trying to get your gear in and out, especially after the gig when they're peed up and don't want to move, even after numerous polite requests! There's a pub on the outskirts of Sheffield called the Devonshire  Arms in Dore, a really posh and up market area, Chris Waddle the ex England footballer is a regular in there. But the people are so up their own derrière and totally affected that they expect you to bow down to them and you are there just for their sole entertainment...they are all so ignorant...apart from Chris, he's a really nice guy! Rant over l'll get my coat....

[Franticsmurf]

19 hours ago, vates said:

An interesting topic. I consider myself an introvert too, sometimes behaving like an extravert. It largely depends on my energy level.

And here's the thing: if the gig is good, then you're not only sharing your energy, but also receiving a lot from the audience too. And the better the gig - the stronger the flow.

So that means a gig should be really good. Otherwise think of it as just another rehearsal with your bandmates when you're getting paid!

I agree - would also class myself as a bit on the introverted side of average but as @Crusoe said above, I can play a part on stage. I find I am driven and motivated by the actions and reactions of others. In other words the energy I receive from a good reaction to a performance feeds back into the performance, and to my enthusiasm and motivation. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true.

 

I find the same with any group activities of which I am a part. Most noticeably, when trying to get a band going, get new songs into a band or try some new ideas for the stage act. If the other band members are keen and show it, I get a boost and I'll be the most enthusiastic there. But if they don't care and/or want to leave it just to me, I find it difficult to keep going and may even lose interest completely.  

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, Woody1957 said:

Exactly my sentiments mate...l couldnt live without gigging. The only thing that really bugs me are the pig ignorant people who just stand there when you're trying to get your gear in and out, especially after the gig when they're peed up and don't want to move, even after numerous polite requests! There's a pub on the outskirts of Sheffield called the Devonshire  Arms in Dore, a really posh and up market area, Chris Waddle the ex England footballer is a regular in there. But the people are so up their own derrière and totally affected that they expect you to bow down to them and you are there just for their sole entertainment...they are all so ignorant...apart from Chris, he's a really nice guy! Rant over l'll get my coat....

People in the way after gigs, a fact of a musicians life sadly.
 

As is not many people hang around in the way to have a Marshall 412 rammed into them a second time.

 

Sometimes the old heavy gear has more than one use.

[msb]

It’s ironic how a solitary pursuit becomes public performance.

 

I’m thankful that I just worry about personal gear , I don’t worry about moving PA , band gear , or rentals.

I’ve always been gigging , aside from the pandemic breaks , since the mid 70’s , and keep my gig gear by the door. So the first question is one cab or two , and fire the stuff in the car. Will I use a different bass or just run the regulars ? I rarely play outside of town so I’m going to expect to see some I’ve known for ages. I’ll probably meet some new ones. Some will look familiar. I mostly play the mid sized rooms downtown. Just a working stiff. No big star. If it’s a band that’s under rehearsed I might have some anxiety. That usually goes quickly after things get underway. There is something different about every time you play.

And after all these years I still enjoy a good gig,

[basexperience]

I've been gigging since 1989, and if I'm honest I prefer gigging over recording! Love rehearsing too. I particularly enjoy openmic nights when I'm in the house band - the variety of music you get to play is amazing, you need to be on the ball, and the audience is always ready for something they haven't seen before (at good nights, anyway!)

 

The actual stuff about loading / unloading gear, setting up etc - I've got several sizes of gear I can take to things, and for pub gigs, it's a 15Kg cab and a 1Kg amp head, so TBH it's no trouble at all.

 

Since I see a lot of musicians I know regularly, it becomes a lovely social event with everybody enjoying themselves - the function band type gigs I do, likewise because the band enjoys performing with each other and we get the chance to enjoy the songs with little differences on the night for the fun of it.

 

The audience are there, true enough - but a lot of the time the fun is onstage: feedback just eggs us on. 

[dmccombe7]

39 minutes ago, basexperience said:

I've been gigging since 1989, and if I'm honest I prefer gigging over recording! Love rehearsing too. I particularly enjoy openmic nights when I'm in the house band - the variety of music you get to play is amazing, you need to be on the ball, and the audience is always ready for something they haven't seen before (at good nights, anyway!)

 

The actual stuff about loading / unloading gear, setting up etc - I've got several sizes of gear I can take to things, and for pub gigs, it's a 15Kg cab and a 1Kg amp head, so TBH it's no trouble at all.

 

Since I see a lot of musicians I know regularly, it becomes a lovely social event with everybody enjoying themselves - the function band type gigs I do, likewise because the band enjoys performing with each other and we get the chance to enjoy the songs with little differences on the night for the fun of it.

 

The audience are there, true enough - but a lot of the time the fun is onstage: feedback just eggs us on. 

I envy musicians that can remember loads of songs and able to recall them at short notice.

Because of my job in engineering  i've always solved a problem and moved onto the next problem and the last problem was forgotten. My learning technique for songs is just the same. I learn songs for a band and when i leave that band the songs are pushed back into the back of my mind under forgotten files 

I seem to be limited to my current set lists and trying to remember songs from previous bands i just struggle with.

Dave

[basexperience]

10 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I envy musicians that can remember loads of songs and able to recall them at short notice.

Because of my job in engineering  i've always solved a problem and moved onto the next problem and the last problem was forgotten. My learning technique for songs is just the same. I learn songs for a band and when i leave that band the songs are pushed back into the back of my mind under forgotten files 

I seem to be limited to my current set lists and trying to remember songs from previous bands i just struggle with.

Dave

I’ve been thinking about this recently - I’ve never counted, but there must be a couple of hundred tracks I would be able to jam my way through. Partly I think it’s just experience - I’ve been playing more than 30 years - but partly I think it’s because I play them fairly regularly. 
 

last couple of years I’ve been called on to play a couple of Elton John numbers more regularly, and these have now “stuck”: they were new tracks to me, not heard before. I took the time to sit down with the tracks and wrote out some charts, which are hybrids of chords and the occasional reminder of an interesting little bass part which makes a verse or chorus recognisable. First two or three times I plays it live, I’ll use the chart and refer to it: I play through the track maybe 4-5 times in the week before the first gig. 
 

This seems to be enough to get it to stick - but I think a big part of it is enjoying the song, at least for me. It never feels like a chore - learning new music and finding interesting stuff in it. 
 

That seems to be what works for me, and the bonus is it really helps enjoy the gig an enjoying the music, with musicians who are enjoying it too. That infectious, smiley energy you get. Working with a drummer on the cool bits. 

[nilorius]

I hate gigging only if it's outside there is below 10'C and no sound check will be available.

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, basexperience said:

I’ve been thinking about this recently - I’ve never counted, but there must be a couple of hundred tracks I would be able to jam my way through. Partly I think it’s just experience - I’ve been playing more than 30 years - but partly I think it’s because I play them fairly regularly. 
 

last couple of years I’ve been called on to play a couple of Elton John numbers more regularly, and these have now “stuck”: they were new tracks to me, not heard before. I took the time to sit down with the tracks and wrote out some charts, which are hybrids of chords and the occasional reminder of an interesting little bass part which makes a verse or chorus recognisable. First two or three times I plays it live, I’ll use the chart and refer to it: I play through the track maybe 4-5 times in the week before the first gig. 
 

This seems to be enough to get it to stick - but I think a big part of it is enjoying the song, at least for me. It never feels like a chore - learning new music and finding interesting stuff in it. 
 

That seems to be what works for me, and the bonus is it really helps enjoy the gig an enjoying the music, with musicians who are enjoying it too. That infectious, smiley energy you get. Working with a drummer on the cool bits. 

I've been playing around 45 yrs now but unless i'm playing songs regularly i  just don't retain them. I'll get away with not playing them for a few months and a quick run thru brings it back. 

I tend to run thru both bands set lists at least once a week to make sure i'm on top of them at a gig and i've been in these bands for 5 yrs and 2 yrs. 😂

Dave

[Franticsmurf]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

I've been playing around 45 yrs now but unless i'm playing songs regularly i  just don't retain them. I'll get away with not playing them for a few months and a quick run thru brings it back

I'm glad it's not just me. 😄 If it's been more than a couple of weeks I have to run through them just to get the details right although it's surprising how quickly the muscle memory kicks in once I've started playing them.