Things that you've learned from gigging... that you feel should be passed on

[EBS_freak]

As the title says...

 

Everybody talks about gear and the like... but I wonder what other useful bits of information that people could pass on to make gigging life easier.

 

For me, it's quite a simple one. It's footwear - I wear a particular type of shoe pre and post gigging. And that is a Sanuk. https://www.sanuk.com/

 

This isn't a sponsored post or anything like that, in fact, I've only ever bought one pair that have lasted 10 years... and just today, I've ordered a replacement pair after the soles are showing a little too much wear.

 

So why these shoes? Well, the soles are made from yoga mats.... and there's nothing more comfortable to wear when you've been on your feet. So whilst all my bands mates are struggling with sore feet after standing for around 2 hours, it feels like I'm walking on air.

 

Maybe not the coolest look at a gig - but Im the only one that wakes up with fresh feet!

 

So that's one of my tips. What's yours? EDIT - looking for things not necessarily immediately music related.

Edited March 9, 2022 by EBS_freak

[Cat Burrito]

Don't drink too much! 😸

 

Seriously though (& the above is serious), I have picked up so many tips over the years that there isn't one stand out piece of advice. Practice, learn the set, show up on time and by the occasional round for the band. Best tip I can give. 

[MacDaddy]

 

Black Gaffa tape. Multitude of uses, gigbags should never be without.

 

 

[EBS_freak]

2 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

 

Black Gaffa tape. Multitude of uses, gigbags should never be without.

 

 

If there's no gaffa on a gigbag, you aren't gigging enough. Hard cases should have at least one latch that no longer springs shut - extra points if it has to be gaffed shut.

[MacDaddy]

3 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

If there's no gaffa on a gigbag, you aren't gigging enough. Hard cases should have at least one latch that no longer springs shut - extra points if it has to be gaffed shut.

 

bonus points if it has a 'Keep music live!' sticker 😆

[EBS_freak]

3 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

 

bonus points if it has a 'Keep music live!' sticker 😆

On it. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393977088052?hash=item5bbadd4834:g:jDQAAOSw9yFiJ0ES

[sprocketflup]

14 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

As the title says...

 

Everybody talks about gear and the like... but I wonder what other useful bits of information that people could pass on to make gigging life easier.

 

For me, it's quite a simple one. It's footwear - I wear a particular type of shoe pre and post gigging. And that is a Sanuk. https://www.sanuk.com/

 

This isn't a sponsored post or anything like that, in fact, I've only ever bought one pair that have lasted 10 years... and just today, I've ordered a replacement pair after the soles are showing a little too much wear.

 

So why these shoes? Well, the soles are made from yoga mats.... and there's nothing more comfortable to wear when you've been on your feet. So whilst all my bands mates are struggling with sore feet after standing for around 2 hours, it feels like I'm walking on air.

 

Maybe not the coolest look at a gig - but Im the only one that wakes up with fresh feet!

 

So that's one of my tips. What's yours? EDIT - looking for things not necessarily immediately music related.

I'm with you on the shoes thing, I jump around a fair bit on stage and coupled with the fact I'm no longer in my youth, and neither is my waistline, I found myself barely able to stand in the mornings after sometimes. I just last week bought a pair of Skechers most comfortable-ist shoes that will be used for stage use only, as I was told that they were the most cushioned thing there is. It's like putting your foot into a Flump. I've only used them once in anger so far but I think they're gonna help, they were expensive (to my tastes) but worth it

[EBS_freak]

Just now, sprocketflup said:

I'm with you on the shoes thing, I jump around a fair bit on stage and coupled with the fact I'm no longer in my youth, and neither is my waistline, I found myself barely able to stand in the mornings after sometimes. I just last week bought a pair of Skechers most comfortable-ist shoes that will be used for stage use only, as I was told that they were the most cushioned thing there is. It's like putting your foot into a Flump. I've only used them once in anger so far but I think they're gonna help, they were expensive (to my tastes) but worth it

Welcome to the world of the yoga mat/flump/cushion of air...

 

I'm not at the stage that I'm wearing mine for the actual show... but you know, I'm probably what you'd call "getting on a bit" now - and I'm getting to that phase that you get to where you don't give a hoot what you look like. 

[MacDaddy]

5 minutes ago, sprocketflup said:

I'm with you on the shoes thing, I jump around a fair bit on stage and coupled with the fact I'm no longer in my youth, and neither is my waistline, I found myself barely able to stand in the mornings after sometimes. I just last week bought a pair of Skechers most comfortable-ist shoes that will be used for stage use only, as I was told that they were the most cushioned thing there is. It's like putting your foot into a Flump. I've only used them once in anger so far but I think they're gonna help, they were expensive (to my tastes) but worth it

 

3 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Welcome to the world of the yoga mat/flump/cushion of air...

 

I'm not at the stage that I'm wearing mine for the actual show... but you know, I'm probably what you'd call "getting on a bit" now - and I'm getting to that phase that you get to where you don't give a hoot what you look like. 

 

back in the day, I was gigging in my metal band and wearing suitably clumpy boots. Too clumpy as it happened, as the toe cap was too broad for my multi fx. The first time I tried to change a patch I pressed 2 switches which put me on mute for the tuner 😖

[sprocketflup]

Another tip, again age related, print/write your setlist in a typeface big enough to be read with out kneeling down and squinting between the songs

[PaulWarning]

3 minutes ago, sprocketflup said:

Another tip, again age related, print/write your setlist in a typeface big enough to be read with out kneeling down and squinting between the songs

never suffered with foot problems always wear Converse maybe I'm lucky, as well as print the set list big enough to read check out the next song before you've finished the last one so you're ready for those no break in between the songs moments

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Idiot check twice. 

 

EAR PLUGS.

[toneknob]

Be nice to the soundman.

 

[Bass Culture]

If you f**k a song up (within a reasonable amount of time), stop, apologise and start again.   

[Teyeplayer]

Think about the back line logically -not what you think looks cool. A row of stacks competing to be heard at the dock and duck is overkill. Funnily enough, the audience tend to leave or loiter far away from the stage as it’s not a pleasant experience and your hearing never recovers. 
 

I wish I’d learnt this twenty years ago! 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

If its the kind of gig where wives and girlfriends are welcome, always remember its an either/or situation never invite both.

[Clarky]

Plectrum key ring can come in handy for when you somehow mislay your picks during or after soundcheck

 

[LeftyJ]

24 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

print the set list big enough to read check out the next song before you've finished the last one so you're ready for those no break in between the songs moments

 

And make sure you know your titles 

I was in a band that wrote its own original music, but until the songs had a lyric and an actual title, we would number them. All good, until the singer made the setlists and only put titles on it. I was completely lost, after having worked on these songs for such a long time and only ever using the number to refer to them. I've since learned all titles by heart but we also kept putting both the number and the title on the list.

 

Still, I'm sure there must also have been some fans who have been extremely puzzled when they took home a handwritten setlist that only said 17 - 24 - 21 - 5 - 23 in sharpie 

[EBS_freak]

5 minutes ago, LeftyJ said:

 

And make sure you know your titles 

I was in a band that wrote its own original music, but until the songs had a lyric and an actual title, we would number them. All good, until the singer made the setlists and only put titles on it. I was completely lost, after having worked on these songs for such a long time and only ever using the number to refer to them. I've since learned all titles by heart but we also kept putting both the number and the title on the list.

 

Still, I'm sure there must also have been some fans who have been extremely puzzled when they took home a handwritten setlist that only said 17 - 24 - 21 - 5 - 23 in sharpie 

6345789 vibes.

[peteb]

17 minutes ago, toneknob said:

Be nice to the soundman.

 

 

Also, bear in mind that most of the sound engineers you will encounter at club level will be cr*p and that you will have to deal with them as well as you can. Learn how to make things as easy / idiot proof as possible. 

 

It is always a big boost on a gig when you get a sound engineer who knows his stuff...! 

 

[Ed_S]

2 minutes ago, LeftyJ said:

 

And make sure you know your titles 

I was in a band that wrote its own original music, but until the songs had a lyric and an actual title, we would number them.

 

I still don't know half of the proper names of ours! They don't get numbered, but they have a working title that relates to how they sound at the start, and often we continue to know them by that title even when a proper one exists. If you nick one of our setlists (never really got why people do that with local bands playing originals, but it's very nice that they're enthusiastic and I don't mind in the slightest) you'll get things like 'dun-dun' and 'dugga-dun' mixed in with the more recognisable names 🙂 

[BigRedX]

11 minutes ago, Ed_S said:

 

I still don't know half of the proper names of ours! They don't get numbered, but they have a working title that relates to how they sound at the start, and often we continue to know them by that title even when a proper one exists. If you nick one of our setlists (never really got why people do that with local bands playing originals, but it's very nice that they're enthusiastic and I don't mind in the slightest) you'll get things like 'dun-dun' and 'dugga-dun' mixed in with the more recognisable names 🙂 

 

I play in two goth/post-punk bands. For the longest time one of our songs in progress was called "It's Friday I'm In Loughborough"...

[rushbo]

58 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Welcome to the world of the yoga mat/flump/cushion of air...

 

I'm not at the stage that I'm wearing mine for the actual show... but you know, I'm probably what you'd call "getting on a bit" now - and I'm getting to that phase that you get to where you don't give a hoot what you look like. 

For a couple of the bands I play with, it's Converse all the way. For the Roxy Music tribute, its either Chelsea boots or Cuban heels. I'm pushing 60, so the day may soon be upon me where I have to wear something more... orthopaedic, shall we say.  When that dreadful day arrives, I'll need to make some serious decisions about performing live.

 

Things I have learned from gigging:

At least one member of the band must bring a roll of gaffa (black), a set of screwdrivers, a hammer and a Stanley knife to every gig. Mostly for repairs. Sometimes for self defence.

Bring a spare. The thing you never bring a spare of, will eventually fail at the highest profile gig you will ever play.

Make sure everyone is using THE SAME SETLIST. 

Think you play better when you've had a few beers? No you don't. 

If a lead can be gaffa taped to something, then gaffa tape it to something. I speak from experience. 

The minute you put a drink on stage, someone will kick it over.

At a gig, at least one of your carefully programmed effects will sound nothing like it's ever sounded before. In a bad way. 

 

There are others, but I've made myself feel sad writing that list out. 

 

[KiOgon]

Tip from the past, always use big valve amps and keep your pie/pasty/fish & chips on top,  over the vents - for after the gig 😜

[Ed_S]

Rather than trying to run through an arbitrary list of things, I always do the idiot check in my head as if I'm setting up. I'll visualise taking everything out of their bags and boxes and then step through using each item to set up, checking that each extension reel, cable, patch, pack, battery etc. that I 'use' is packed where I think it is. The exercise only ends when I've imagined picking up the bass, putting my earplugs in, looking at the set list and, with pick in hand, am ready to go.