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

[jazzmanb]

I'd put the songs you are playing way down the list from 

Do the band get regular (paid ) gigs 

Are they a good bunch

How much input you have to put in to make a gig happen (pick people up ,lug most of the gear etc ,find ,book gigs ,sort payment )

Getting by on the best but least gear possible 

[Crusoe]

17 hours ago, redbandit599 said:

Cardigans are not Rock 'n Roll attire.

Despite what my guitarist thinks 🤪

Visit a medium and pay them to tell that to Kurt Cobain.

[redbandit599]

1 hour ago, Crusoe said:

Visit a medium and pay them to tell that to Kurt Cobain.

Sorry, but Val knows that the only Rock and Roll knitwear is a nice jumper. Mind you, maybe Kurt was rebelling against his Dad? 😉

 

Edited March 11, 2022 by redbandit599

[MacDaddy]

4 hours ago, odysseus said:

Back on topic: Keep a bog roll in your kit bag. 'Nuff said.

 

Wet wipes.

[Norris]

Life is short. Enjoy yourself and try not to fosters anyone else off while doing so.

 

Any disaster that befalls you will be an amusing anecdote given enough time.

 

That's about it. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Don't kill anyone who doesn't deserve to be killed.

[chris_b]

23 hours ago, redbandit599 said:

Cardigans are not Rock 'n Roll attire.

 

I remember when tank tops were cool.

[bearhart74]

When you vomit on stage from drinking too much... who hasn't done it right?... aim away from your pedals.

[Nail Soup]

Make sure the audience knows the band name, and can get to your facebook (or whatever) page and get contact details etc.

So announce the band name a few times, have posters up and fliers around.

[tauzero]

Keep leads tidy. Coil them properly, velcro-tie them.

 

If you use wall warts or similar PSUs, don't wrap the leads round the body of the wall-wart. Wrap them round your hand and use velcro ties on them. And if you use more than one wall-wart, put some coloured heat-shrink on the plug so you know which is which without having to go back to the wall-wart itself.

 

Periodically go through the leads bag and weed out anything you don't need. You will need: 1) all the leads to connect your gear up (you're probably doing the PA too, so those leads too) 2) spare leads for all of 1) 3) spare lead(s) for the guitarist(s) (which should be bright yellow)

 

Besides the set list being in big enough letters, make sure it's in black ink and that you've made any necessary additional notes (like which key it's in or which note to start on or if it's one of these modern tunings like drop-D)

 

Make sure that at least one person other than the singer reads the setlist and tells the singer if he/she has suddenly skipped two songs (adult supervision). Please feel free to have a 20-page discussion if you are a singer who is offended by this.

 

Have a checklist for car loading and make sure that everything is in

 

Make sure there's enough extension leads

 

Colour coding leads can be handy if you're doing the PA

 

If you're running a pedalboard with separate PSU, get a DC extension lead the same length as the jack-jack lead from the pedalboard to the amp, cable-tie the two together, and keep the pedalboard PSU by your amp

 

[NancyJohnson]

From years of playing sh*tholes, do not be coerced into believing that playing certain venues (ie the St Moritz in Wardour Street) because it's 'good for the CV'.  NOBODY CARES ASIDE FROM YOUR SINGER.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SteveK]

PHOTOCOPY SETLISTS! This goes a long way to eliminating the possibility of counting a song in and the guitarist playing a completely different song from the rest of the band. It's quite staggering how long a band will glare at each other in a confused state... while continuing to play.

[sprocketflup]

9 hours ago, tauzero said:

If you're running a pedalboard with separate PSU, get a DC extension lead the same length as the jack-jack lead from the pedalboard to the amp, cable-tie the two together, and keep the pedalboard PSU by your amp

 

Had to read that slowly a couple of times to get what you meant 0-o

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, sprocketflup said:

Had to read that slowly a couple of times to get what you meant 0-o

 

 A picture's worth a thousand words, so here's a couple of kilowords.

 

The basic jack-jack plus one DC extension:

 

 

I have another one to power an MS-60B (centre negative) and a Smoothhound (annoyingly, centre positive), for which I use two wall-warts. Colour coded, as are the wall-wart plugs, and put into a braided sleeve (took ages but it's lovely and neat):

 

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

...The basic jack-jack plus one DC extension...

 

A sound idea, but beware of voltage drop with such a length of DC. Depending on the current drawn by the equipment, and the gauge of the DC wire, it could cause issues. Not necessarilly, but needs checking.

[chris_b]

The biggest lesson I've learnt from gigging. . . is that it's the biggest turn on, greatest fun, most satisfying thing that I've ever done.

 

Selecting your gear, practising the songs, loading the car, driving around the M25 at 20mph, putting up with drunk punters, the drive home, all worth it for a good gig.

[skankdelvar]

On 13/03/2022 at 05:45, NancyJohnson said:

the St Moritz in Wardour Street

 

Oooh! I used to drink in the St Moritz back in the '80s.

 

Ghastly place, I loved it.

[NancyJohnson]

29 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

 

Oooh! I used to drink in the St Moritz back in the '80s.

 

Ghastly place, I loved it.

 

It smelt of cheese, old smoke, alcohol, sweat and other things.  I couldn't shake the smell out of my nasal passages for days.  

[ozzy138]

I played at the St Moritz this weekend, still stinks, still horrible, still awful sound. I never want to go back….

[chris_b]

I played the St Moritz several times in 1968. It was a dump even then, but they liked a bit of Soul and Blues so the gig was fun.

Edited March 14, 2022 by chris_b

[Marky L]

Your drummer does NOT need to take up all that space.

[Boodang]

It's not compulsory for the drummer to be positioned centre back on the stage. 

[uk_lefty]

Never. Never!! "Borrow" some disco lights on a whirly thing and think it would be cool to have the mains plug sat almost in an extension lead ready for you to press it down with your foot at the end of the intro to the first song and send coloured lights swirling round everywhere like a budget Jean Michelle Jarre show. It will most probably look cheesy, but it 100% will result in your instrument cable being drawn into the whirly mechanism and being yanked out of your bass, making you look like a bellend. Kicking the lights to death doesn't help get your cable back either or continue the song.

 

I learned this lesson so you don't have to. 

Edited March 15, 2022 by uk_lefty

[Elfrasho]

Look after your leads 

 

Don't fosters about on your instrument between songs 

 

Keep the set flowing, don't stop after every tune for a chat and a sip of your pint

 

Get ear plugs 

 

Keep stage volumes as low as possible 

 

Don't flip about at sound check

 

I'm sure there's plenty more. 

 

 

[Lozz196]

On multi band bills be accommodating with gear, what goes around comes around, do someone a favour at some point and it’s likely you will be repaid. Not saying loan basses or amps but def cabs, makes changeovers much easier if the bands agree amongst them beforehand who is bringing what, ideally one bit of backline each.