How do we get ourselves and our rigs to rehearsals or gigs?

[Bluewine]

On 22/06/2023 at 07:18, TeresaFR said:

With just me, a pedalboard and one or two basses it's public transport or walk. Far less likely to walk with two basses though, but using two is a recent development as I'm branching out into different tunings.

 How old are you guys that are walking to gigs ?

 

Blue

[Len_derby]

7 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 How old are you guys that are walking to gigs ?

 

Blue

I’m 65, but it’s not a new thing with me. I’ve been lucky, so far, with good health and fitness. 

[spencer.b]

In the car is standard although if there's backline or a house bass ( if it's an upright gig) I'll get the tube or train , more and more London venue's seem to be getting house gear 

[BigRedX]

11 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

My band has been offered a really good gig in London but with ULEZ charge and parking for two vehicles (or hiring one) it's just too expensive. Still tempting though, I think it'll be a fun gig

 

These days these is no reason to play in London with all the additional associated hassle unless you already have a decent following there who are guaranteed to turn out, or you are offered to chance to support someone well-known whose fans are also going to like your band.

[nilorius]

I think it would be interesting to know also - how differs or not, the way we get back from gigs to home ? 

Edited June 28, 2023 by nilorius

[BigRedX]

9 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 How old are you guys that are walking to gigs ?

 

Blue

 

I'm 62. I don't actually walk because I'm also responsible for bringing all the additional gear that is our "drummer" and "second synth player", but if I didn't have to bring that I'd just be taking my bass, Helix and a few leads which is an easy carry for the 20 minute walk into the city centre for rehearsals and local gigs.

[Bluewine]

11 hours ago, Len_derby said:

I’m 65, but it’s not a new thing with me. I’ve been lucky, so far, with good health and fitness. 

That's really nice, especially at 65.

 

Blue 

[Bluewine]

11 hours ago, spencer.b said:

In the car is standard although if there's backline or a house bass ( if it's an upright gig) I'll get the tube or train , more and more London venue's seem to be getting house gear 

Absolutely no public transportation in my neck of the woods.

 

Blue

[Bluewine]

22 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said:

When we played the Rock Garden it was easy, we were living in a squat about 3 mins walk from there 😁

 

I don't quite understand how some of you have gigs within walking distance. That's impossible over here. Matter of fact when I see bass player wanted ads they'll state " must have reliable transportation " as a requirement. 

 

Blue

[Woodinblack]

Although I need a car due to carrying the PA, if there were places in town that had their own PA and equipment, then I could walk to a lot of our gigs (although not as many as there used to be locally). 

[Waddo Soqable]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

 

I don't quite understand how some of you have gigs within walking distance. That's impossible over here. Matter of fact when I see bass player wanted ads they'll state " must have reliable transportation " as a requirement. 

 

Blue

The example I gave was back in the day, when London was like a different world compared to now. The buildings that were derelict squats are now posh zillion £$ sites... 

I have to confess I preferred it the first way myself.. 

[Len_derby]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

 

I don't quite understand how some of you have gigs within walking distance. That's impossible over here. Matter of fact when I see bass player wanted ads they'll state " must have reliable transportation " as a requirement. 

 

Blue

It’s pretty common to see “must have own transport” in band-member wanted adverts over here too Blue.

Regarding being able to walk to gigs, some parts of the British Isles are relatively crowded. Those of us who live in the cities or urban sprawls can take advantage of the closer distance to venues. Also, we don’t have the zoning system I believe you have over there. It’s common here to have a pub or club that hosts live music very close to residential properties. My local pub, a quarter mile away, has an open mic night plus Saturday night gigs, mostly covers bands. The pub was built in the 1930s as part of a large housing estate. Although, complaints about noise from residents has become more common across the country.

 

As mentioned above, things are different in that London.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Len_derby

[TeresaFR]

11 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

I don't quite understand how some of you have gigs within walking distance. That's impossible over here. Matter of fact when I see bass player wanted ads they'll state " must have reliable transportation " as a requirement. 

 

Blue

I live in a city, there's literally a live music venue that semi-regularly puts on the sort of gigs I play at, just ten minutes walk away.

[nilorius]

26 minutes ago, TeresaFR said:

I live in a city, there's literally a live music venue that semi-regularly puts on the sort of gigs I play at, just ten minutes walk away.

Lucky You !!! Not lucky - me !!!

[neepheid]

I drive. Public transport is a non-option - spotty timetables in the city and utterly hopeless out in the 'shire.  Also, last buses way too early for playing gigs.

 

Rehearsal space is 30ish miles away in rural Aberdeenshire - good luck getting a bus out there.

 

Sometimes in the interest of taking less motors to the gig, I'll drive as far as the drummer's house then we'll go together from there.  Or the drummer will pick me up on the way through to a gig in the south.  He's got a bigger car than me.

 

So, for the sake of argument, let's see how public transport works, using google maps for time estimations etc.  Let's say I have a gig in Fraserburgh (played there last Friday, so a real world situation). Car takes about an hour, bus takes 2, so already there and back that's 2 hours stolen from my life I'll never get back.  Want to get there for 8pm for a 9.30pm start.  Well, the bus stop in Fraserburgh is a 5 minute walk from the pub, laden with gear - that'll be fun in the height of summer - so getting the bus which arrives at 8pm will make me late, better get the one that arrives before at 7.22pm then hang about like a plum waiting for my compadres to arrive.  At least I can have a beer while I wait.  Play until 12.30am, pack up, load out, probably takes us to 1am or thereabouts.  Oopsie poopsie, no buses back to town - first bus back is at 8.30am.  So, either find somewhere in a teeny tiny NE Scotland town to hole up for the night (good luck with that) or spend half my gig earnings on a taxi back to town.

 

If you think I'm going to participate in any of that charade, in the immortal words of Judas Priest - you've got another thing comin'.  Happy to forego the beer.

[kwmlondon]

1 hour ago, TeresaFR said:

I live in a city, there's literally a live music venue that semi-regularly puts on the sort of gigs I play at, just ten minutes walk away.

Yeah, I walked to an open mic a couple of weeks ago but then that's the trade-off for putting up with all the down sides of living in London! Suits me but not for all...

[Lozz196]

I have actually played a pub that`s about half a mile from my place. I drove. I was depping for a covers band doing two 1hr sets. I had two basses, a combo, an extension speaker, and a case containing leads etc. If it had been a 30min originals set with provided backline I like to think I would have walked.

[nilorius]

27 minutes ago, neepheid said:

I drive. Public transport is a non-option - spotty timetables in the city and utterly hopeless out in the 'shire.  Also, last buses way too early for playing gigs.

 

Rehearsal space is 30ish miles away in rural Aberdeenshire - good luck getting a bus out there.

 

Sometimes in the interest of taking less motors to the gig, I'll drive as far as the drummer's house then we'll go together from there.  Or the drummer will pick me up on the way through to a gig in the south.  He's got a bigger car than me.

 

So, for the sake of argument, let's see how public transport works, using google maps for time estimations etc.  Let's say I have a gig in Fraserburgh (played there last Friday, so a real world situation). Car takes about an hour, bus takes 2, so already there and back that's 2 hours stolen from my life I'll never get back.  Want to get there for 8pm for a 9.30pm start.  Well, the bus stop in Fraserburgh is a 5 minute walk from the pub, laden with gear - that'll be fun in the height of summer - so getting the bus which arrives at 8pm will make me late, better get the one that arrives before at 7.22pm then hang about like a plum waiting for my compadres to arrive.  At least I can have a beer while I wait.  Play until 12.30am, pack up, load out, probably takes us to 1am or thereabouts.  Oopsie poopsie, no buses back to town - first bus back is at 8.30am.  So, either find somewhere in a teeny tiny NE Scotland town to hole up for the night (good luck with that) or spend half my gig earnings on a taxi back to town.

 

If you think I'm going to participate in any of that charade, in the immortal words of Judas Priest - you've got another thing comin'.  Happy to forego the beer.

Cheers. I hate my public transport at Riga, too.

[BigRedX]

Even if I had a car I'd still get a taxi for myself and my gear for local gigs. The cost there and back is only slightly more than city centre parking for the evening. Plus taxi drivers don't have any qualms about blocking the street directly outside the venue while you unload your gear and you don't have the inconvenience of then having to find somewhere to park which will either be close but expensive or too far away to easily carry the gear. And it means I can have a couple more drinks after we have played. All benefits, no downsides.