live indoor performances will be able to resume in England from Saturday

[Happy Jack]

Nah ... it's a band thing. With the Junkyard Dogs, I sometimes call out "eyes and teeth" to the other guys between numbers.

 

[FinnDave]

12 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Nah ... it's a band thing. With the Junkyard Dogs, I sometimes call out "eyes and teeth" to the other guys between numbers.

 

I've played with people that need an occasional reminder to put their teeth back in, but it hasn't come to glass eyes yet!

 

[SICbass]

1 hour ago, Happy Jack said:

Nah ... it's a band thing. With the Junkyard Dogs, I sometimes call out "eyes and teeth" to the other guys between numbers.

 

I played in a band many years ago who did a lot of show with a lot of energy. On a rare occasion where we failed to get an audience to react as we hoped, one of the lads commented saying, “What do we have to do, set fire to our heads?”

From that day forth, the cry onstage if we had a difficult audience was, “Brrrrrring the petrol!”

Edited August 14, 2020 by SICbass

[spectoremg]

14 hours ago, Roger2611 said:

We had been offered a gig in Gateshead, the plan was that the band plays in one room with the performance video linked to the "crowd" in a separate room! We decided that Northampton to Gateshead to play in an empty room was not worth doing 

You could do that from home?

[Phil Starr]

 

One of our band members got this from the MU

We’re delighted that the UK Government will permit a return to indoor live performances in England from Saturday 15 August 2020. While this announcement is warmly welcomed by the Union, we need continued Government support for our sector's workforce specifically. The move to permit a return to indoor live performances follows intense lobbying from the Union and other music industry organisations since live performance venues were closed by Government order in March. The Union has also been closely involved in the drafting of guidance for the reopening of workplaces to ensure appropriate health and safety measures are put in place. Social distancing guidelines must be followed for indoor performances alongside the Government's Covid-19 guidelines for live performance. This change will not apply in areas of local lockdown and nightclubs across England will also remain closed. See up to date advice on work permitted in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Continued sector specific support still essential

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said: “The nation’s hard work to keep the virus under control means we can now make further careful progress on recovery with allowing audiences back for indoor performances, fans back at sports events and the reopening of more Covid-19-secure leisure businesses.” Horace Trubridge, MU General Secretary, commented: "While this announcement is warmly welcomed by the Union, we know that it won't result in MU members being able to make a living again in the short to medium term. “The Government's £1.57bn for the Arts, whilst a great investment in cultural organisations, will not filter down to the majority of musicians and creators. We still fear a huge talent exodus from the music industry which would be devastating and take years, if not decades, to claw back. “While many of our members' workplaces remain closed and organisations are operating at severely limited capacity, we need continued Government support for our sector's workforce specifically." Many venues, arts and music organisations cannot reopen while social distancing remains in place. Some are inhibited by lack of space while many others are ineligible for funding and therefore cannot reopen because it is not economically viable to do so. Orchestras may be able to begin working if sufficiently funded but in most cases we will see small ensembles rather than full strength orchestral concerts. We also await further news on the relaxation of guidance around singers, brass and wind instruments in particular. We are hopeful for a relaxation as we have consistently argued that the risks are not as great as was originally assumed by Public Health England.

Returning to work where possible

We would encourage our members to make the most of any opportunity to get back to work now that the following are permissable: Session and studio-based work Indoor and outdoor performances in pubs, bars and restaurants Open air gigs and busking Music teaching online and in person where government guidelines can be adhered to Orchestral and theatre work as well as gigs in music venues, where social distancing guidelines are followed. Musicians should familiarise themselves with the guidance that we’ve published on health and safety when returning to live performance, recording studios and teaching. We will continue to offer up-to-date advice and guidance in these areas and any others as Government restrictions are further relaxed. MU members across the UK will also be offered practical assistance with Arts Council funding applications in due course (watch this space) as we know funding for projects and work by individuals is important to facilitate music creation while many workplaces remain closed.

Guidance for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

MU members in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will also be kept up to speed as further guidance is published by devolved administrations. Our Regional Organisers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are working extremely hard and contributing to draft guidance, as well as pushing for further research into wind, brass and singing.

Continued action for musicians

Our fight to get our members back to work and earning again safely is far from over. We urgently need: 1. The UK Government, Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) and SEISS for workers in the arts and music who cannot return to work fully until social distancing ends. 2. Income support for the 38% of MU members who were ineligible for the government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and SEISS and for support to be backdated to March. You can read more about what we’re calling for and how we’re pressing the Government to act in our latest lobbying update.

[taunton-hobbit]

On 14/08/2020 at 06:55, ubit said:

We played a wedding years ago where the dance hall where we were set up was separate from the bar. What an utter disaster of an evening. Whoever thought that was a good idea has no clue.

Had a few of these over the years (as you do) -

The result is always the same ..............

😎

[Phil Starr]

I've just looked at some of the links, the gov't guidelines are still that the volume shouldn't be loud enough for people to have to raise their voices and full social distancing so that's us out then. Pretty much people's movements have to be controlled by the venue and nothing that could lead to bunching so dancing is out I guess. 

To be honest I don't really want to be part of an event which becomes a super-spreading incident. Potentially killing the elderly and infirm relatives of our audience isn't something i really want to be doing, even though I'm probably personally immune having recovered from Covid. Opening pubs when the numbers are edging up is the act of imbeciles. Doing so when you know track ad trace isn't working and your scientists are telling you there is a second wave in a few weeks time when the weather turns and you want to open up the schools is fatal negligence.

It's great that the government is finally moving the tracing services to local control and that they are ordering up all the differing vaccines and have almost sorted PPE and spreading by care workers but until we do tackle the disease we aren't going to get back to regular gigging.

Rant over

[Lfalex v1.1]

Socially distanced audiences, eh?

Sounds like a cue for a couple of Anthrax numbers;

"Antisocial" (I know, its a Trust cover)

"Caught in a Mosh -NOT!"

[ClassicVibes]

Social distancing is hard enough in an open field right now let alone a tiny pub!

[Nobatron]

6 hours ago, Phil Starr said:

I've just looked at some of the links, the gov't guidelines are still that the volume shouldn't be loud enough for people to have to raise their voices and full social distancing so that's us out then.

So we can have gigs as long as there is no audience and no sound? Marvellous.

[ubit]

On 14/08/2020 at 14:14, EBS_freak said:

Yeah, sorry about that. I've got to get out of the habit.

There was a certain bass player of a certain up and coming artist that I was well into about 10 years ago (so much I used to go to as many gigs of theirs as I could).

Every single gig, I would get peed off with the bass player looking so glum and miserable. I'd yell it out, "Cheer up <insert name>"

Years later, he comes clean on a facebook post saying that they were the worst years of his life, he was going through a mentally abusive relationship, he was having a battle with alcoholism and was a manic depressive on the verge of suicide. Just goes to show... I'm not proud. I just thought he had resting b1tch face.

Mate, I still feel bad about a situation years ago when I was 20. We were at the Reading festival and were absolutely pished on wine. MGM were playing and I was enjoying them. Lots of people were chucking plastic bottles at them and me, being smashed out of my face, decided to throw one. I don't know why I did it, cos as I say, I was enjoying them. Anyway, I threw this plastic bottle nonchalantly and blow me, it only flew straight and true and landed smack bang on Bernie Marsden's fretboard whilst he was playing a blistering solo. It ruined it. I still feel bad about it!

Edited August 17, 2020 by ubit

[ubit]

On 15/08/2020 at 12:58, taunton-hobbit said:

Had a few of these over the years (as you do) -

The result is always the same ..............

😎

We played the whole gig to about 5 little kids sliding around on the polished wooden floor. It was absolutely cringeworthy.

[paul_c2]

Just now, ubit said:

We played the whole gig to about 5 little kids sliding around on the polished wooden floor. It was absolutely cringeworthy.

Not a great advert for having live indoors gigs restart.....

[Woodinblack]

On 15/08/2020 at 13:16, Phil Starr said:

I've just looked at some of the links, the gov't guidelines are still that the volume shouldn't be loud enough for people to have to raise their voices

Thats fine for us. They wouldn't be able to raise their voices enough when we are playing to hear, so I guess we are ok!

2 hours ago, ubit said:

We played the whole gig to about 5 little kids sliding around on the polished wooden floor. It was absolutely cringeworthy.

We did one of those. Broke up my last group. Although I think there were only 3 of them at ours.

[Happy Jack]

Dunno about indoors, but one of my bands has AT LAST got its first post-Lockdown gig on the August BH weekend.

There's a smallish beer garden in front of the pub where they want us to play, then the pub's own small car park, then a quiet side road, then the blank side of a large Sainsburys (which will be closed at the time). That means that we can (if necessary) play the gig completely unplugged, without even a vocal PA, which is how we've been rehearsing during lockdown.

 

[EBS_freak]

7 hours ago, ubit said:

Mate, I still feel bad about a situation years ago when I was 20. We were at the Reading festival and were absolutely pished on wine. MGM were playing and I was enjoying them. Lots of people were chucking plastic bottles at them and me, being smashed out of my face, decided to throw one. I don't know why I did it, cos as I say, I was enjoying them. Anyway, I threw this plastic bottle nonchalantly and blow me, it only flew straight and true and landed smack bang on Bernie Marsden's fretboard whilst he was playing a blistering solo. It ruined it. I still feel bad about it!

Jeez, there's a slight difference between praying on somebody's emotions and throwing a projectile at them. Dayum. You're a savage.

[Bluewine]

On 13/08/2020 at 18:54, Lozz196 said:

The majority of the places we played that were dedicated music venues were separate rooms attached to pubs so I wonder how this will work. Strictly speaking they’re part of the pub, even though unless you had paid for a ticket you couldn’t go into the venue part. Confusing methinks, can’t see said band in this room of the building for free but can in that room if bought a ticket?

Separate room from the bar?

We have had really bad luck with that. We will only book bar gigs when we're playing in the same room as the bar abd as close to the bar as possible.

People are not going to choose us over alcohol. 😄

 

Blue

Edited August 19, 2020 by Bluewine

[FinnDave]

I played my first gig for six months last Sunday on the terrace of a pub - and it was effectively the first gig (and first rehearsal) of a new three piece. Went well, drummer used electronic kit so sound levels were easily controlled. Landlord used to play bass and was amazed and the sound my Super Compact and TE Elf produced - he remembered lugging a full on Marshall valve head and two 4 x 12s everywhere!

[Bluewine]

On 18/08/2020 at 01:17, FinnDave said:

I played my first gig for six months last Sunday on the terrace of a pub - and it was effectively the first gig (and first rehearsal) of a new three piece. Went well, drummer used electronic kit so sound levels were easily controlled. Landlord used to play bass and was amazed and the sound my Super Compact and TE Elf produced - he remembered lugging a full on Marshall valve head and two 4 x 12s everywhere!

Nice! It must have felt good after a 6 month break.

Blue

[odysseus]

On 14/08/2020 at 15:11, martthebass said:

I always try and remind myself to smile more on stage......maybe it's a bassist thing?

My smile looks more like a rictus, so I keep my bulldog-licking-the-p!ss-off-a-thistle face on at all times.

[martthebass]

So after 5+ months of inactivity there is some light at the end of the tunnel; in quick succession 'Glam Fever' got called back into the fray with 3 gigs.....

Saturday 29th August - NHS benefit gig, outdoors with social distancing (Multi-band line up over 2 days).

Friday 25th September - 'Farmyard' Bikers Rally at Helmsley, North Yorkshire, so pleased that this one has got the go ahead as it's a great event.

Saturday 31st October - WMC in Royston, the first indoor gig we will have done since 7th March albeit it will be limited audience and observing social distancing rules.

Now hopefully I can remember the songs.....

[FinnDave]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

Nice! It must have felt good after a 6 month break.

Blue

Oh yes, it did!

[petebassist]

Wandered past the Golden Lion pub in Bristol UK this morning, and was excited to see a single band poster in the window advertising a band next Saturday...and according to online, there's one this weekend also. Not quite the number we had back January before the great plague, but it's a good sign.

 

 

[steantval]

1 hour ago, petebassist said:

Wandered past the Golden Lion pub in Bristol UK this morning, and was excited to see a single band poster in the window advertising a band next Saturday...and according to online, there's one this weekend also. Not quite the number we had back January before the great plague, but it's a good sign.

 

 

I wonder if the bands are getting paid.

[la bam]

I'm totally confused now.

Can you play inside, or are all these upcoming gigs outside?

We cant even hire a practice room around here.

Edited August 20, 2020 by la bam