How was your gig last night?

[mrdirtyrob]

Harburn Hall! I played a very memorable gig there with my old band Tabasco Fiasco.

[neepheid]

Had an absolutely brilliant day yesterday, 2 very different gigs. Also our first gigs with our new trombone player, Kenny. The daytime one was in The Greenhouse in Dingwall - a community run cross between a coffee shop and a second hand shop. We did a stripped back "acoustic" set in there and it went really well. Our drummer put together a mini kit by using a floor tom as a bass drum with a converter kit, and instead of keys our keyboard player used an accordion. I used my little RedSub combo and my Victory Artist. It was a really good gig, very different to what we usually do yet familiar. I backed off a little from what I normally play to suit the more laid back style. It was well received and afterwards they passed a hat round and we got a sizeable contribution to our travelling costs, which was damn nice of them. Also sold quite a few CDs

Then at night it was Mad Hatters (in Hootananny) in Inverness. Proper, full on, plugged in double set. Used the RedSub head with my Zoot 4x10 for this one. The sound engineer in there did a really great job and the onstage mix was very good, could hear everything I needed to. We went on at 10.30 and the place was a bit quiet, maybe 50 folk in there. Did 30 mins or so as a bit of a warm up then came off. Inverness has a 12am curfew in force, so we went back on at 11.30 and cranked it up a bit. Well, the place didn't half fill up - before long the place was rammed. What a great crowd, they were really up for it, and the nods and foot tapping during the first set turned into full on mad dancing - loved it. Played all our own stuff until we ran out of stuff then started playing some of our favourite covers. Ended the night with a big long jam of Bring Down The Birds (love playing that bass riff, although my fingers felt like they were going to fall off by the end!). Place went mad as soon as they heard the bass line Drummer bust through his snare skin near the end of the last song - good timing.



Got loads of good feedback, people saying that they really enjoyed the show, sound engineer complimented me on my playing which was nice coming from one of the undoubtedly few sober people in the room All in all, an amazing gig, thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd go so far as to say that it's the best gig I've ever played.

Edited April 22, 2012 by neepheid

[Rich]

Belting gig with Tamba on Saturday night at the Blue Lagoon in Bristol. Not a promising start, a few dickheads at the front making twats of themselves, but after they were ejected when one of them got his tiny knob out (!) on the dancefloor it got a lot better, and the crowd loved everything we did. Even the house sound engineer was dancing. Brilliant night.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330191722' post='1553998']
Thanks very much! I stand behind our backing singers who tend to get a lot more attention than I do!
[/quote]
Yes, I know what you mean, I get to stand behind Abi and Siân with the Destroyers. I have the best view in the house

[gafbass02]

Played the st Paul's tavern in Cheltenham on Saturday with my guitar/vocals band MyDesign.
I live playing there cause its so friendly and easy to get packed and partying.
Couldn't hear a note I sang, but seeing the whole room doing the 'Saturday night' dance by Whigfield was awesome and hilarious.
Great fun

[BigRedX]

Another good one. Wednesday night at 93 Feet East in Brick Lane.

Nice venue with a good big stage and decent PA. Good sized crowd for a mid-week gig too. Thanks to the opening band Meansteed for letting us use their bass amp. Didn't arrive in time for a soundcheck so the on-stage sound was a bit murky but we survived. However once again the PA engineer turned off the theremin channel after line-checking it and consequently wasn't ready to fade it in when needed. We repeatedly tell sound engineers that we'll control when the Theremin can be heard from on-stage so all they have to do is get a level and leave it there, but I've lost count of the number of times that when Mr Venom comes to use it we find that it's been turned off at the mixing desk!

As usual everything over-ran plus IMO the organisers were a little optimistic with how quickly the band change overs could be done and consequently both ourselves and Bubblegum Screw had to cut our sets short so as now to run over the music curfew for the venue. Still the audience enjoyed it - plenty of people getting down at the front. Sold lots of badges and some CDs. Gave away stickers and Dick Venom tampons and got back to Nottingham at a not too unreasonable hour.

We'll be taking a break from gigging for the next month or so, but we're back in June with a whole load of new stuff - watch out!

[Lozz196]

Played The Wheatsheaf in Leighton Buzzard last night, with The Daves.

On way to load pa, got txt from the drummer - going to have probs getting there for 7pm - ok, thanks for the heads-up. Get there, unload, another txt at 7.30 - doubt will be there by 9.30 - when we`re meant to be on. Again, thanks for heads-up. Everything set up on-stage with a glaring gap in the middle. Luckily we play the Wheatie a fair bit, so know most of the people over there from them coming to see us, plus us going there to see other bands. So the audience are aware we have missing drummer syndrome from chatting to them. Text at 9.45 from drummer - just got on train at Euston, have to go home, get drums, (in Harrow) and get to venue - minimum landing time 11pm.

Told the venue who were cool about it, but they asked us to make an announcement over the pa, to let everyone know the sp. Again, luckily cos we go to the venue a fair bit, one of the people over there said they could lend us a kit, to save a bit of time setting up when drummer arrives - great, went off to get it. Plus, a couple of our mates were over who play drums, both of whom said they would do a few songs each, to keep the evening going. During that time drummer calls, at 10.10, not going to make it, just got in from work, minimum 90 mins til he would get to venue.

So, the two mates agreed to do the whole evening. Now The Daves do punk, the classic 77 - 79 period, and if you`re not used to that high-speed drumming, it`s a job and a half. The two guys were amazing. Yes, a few timing issues, but overall the night was great, and we did an hour and a half non-stop.

Again, luckily, as we know the crowd at the venue, they were with us 100% and loved the gig. So a lesson can be learned there, don`t be a snobby band who walk in, don`t socialise with the crowd, and walk around like you`re better than them - you`ll get no results that way. They saw us give it our all, and responded likewise, with continual support throughout the night, including rallying around between them to find a drum kit and making calls to find possible drummers for us.

It may not have been the gig I was expecting when I set out at 5.30, but I loved it.

[Oopsdabassist]

Blimey Lozz, thats a tale and a half...and so nearly mirrors mine, Gig in MK, Drummer works near Gatwick, left work at 4.30, rolls up at 8.50 slightly stressed! We throw kit and PA together in 10 mins flat and are running by 9.15, small hiccup after song 1 as hi-hat was put together wrong hammered thru until 11.30 to a small, but appreciative bunch of punters and a repeat booking, cant say fairer than that. Friday night gigs are turning into real PITA's though, unless drummer takes a half day off

[Lozz196]

Glad to hear you got a repeat booking - I think venues appreciate it when they see you pull out the stops for them.

Both our drummer and guitarist are tech-support guys so inevitably the doo-dah hits the fan at 5pm on a Friday.

Which isn`t conducive to Friday night gigs.

[Gust0o]

We had a gig last... someone else's gig, I'll admit, but a full band outing. Caught Tracer in York, playing the Duchess. Great live band, lots of energy. Then we all got drunk, and our FB statuses this morning reflect a night of mayhem

[BigRedX]

Photo from Wednesday's gig...

[IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/149326_446849118664167_137154026300346_1967801_568116674_n.jpg[/IMG]

[andrewrx7]

Bizarre one this...usually get told to turn down, but the place last night kept saying louder...can't imagine how the guys standing in front of us were actually enjoying it! But it was what they (and the landlord!!) wanted!

[Oopsdabassist]

[quote name='andrewrx7' timestamp='1335618192' post='1633770']
Bizarre one this...usually get told to turn down, but the place last night kept saying louder...can't imagine how the guys standing in front of us were actually enjoying it! But it was what they (and the landlord!!) wanted!
[/quote]

I want a gig there!!

[Gust0o]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1335437065' post='1630981']
Sold lots of badges and some CDs. Gave away stickers and [b]Dick Venom tampons...[/b]
[/quote]

I missed this the first time. Now allow me a little of the following: lolwut?

[discreet]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1335437065' post='1630981']
Gave away stickers and [b]Dick Venom tampons...[/b]
[/quote]

You have taken band merchandising to new levels.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1335628901' post='1633993']
You have taken band merchandising to new levels.
[/quote]

Well, they don't fanny about, do they?

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1335628501' post='1633980']
I missed this the first time. Now allow me a little of the following: lolwut?
[/quote]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1335628901' post='1633993']
You have taken band merchandising to new levels.
[/quote]

If you want one they are free with any merchandise purchase at one of our gigs...

[lurksalot]

Tonights gig got cancelled , on the basis that the brewery closed the pub for refurb and the landlord didn't bother to let on , FFS

[WalMan]

Went OK considering it had been a while and no r/h in between due to one guitarists dad passing on. The main thing however, and as elsewhere, the screaming in my head has subsided.

I really do need to work on getting some more gigs to keep vaguely sane!

Edited April 29, 2012 by WalMan

[alyctes]

Could have been worse. Tiny stage. My playing was rubbish throughout; couldn't hear the guitars, which really doesn't help. I suspect they couldn't hear each other, either. Pretty much total absence of audience (weather-related, venue is a caravan park), so it was more of a rehearsal, and not a great one. But we did get paid

Trick now is convincing them they should pay us again next month. Hmm.

[Delberthot]

Played quite a bit of jazz tonight. In other words quite a few mistakes were made by all of us during the night

First gig with the Ibanez Doug Wimbish with EMG 35HZs and Roto flats. What a beast. Caught me out a few times cos I've not played a 24 fret bass in a lot of years so sometimes what I thought was fret 12 was in fact fret 10.

We did Its My Life by Bon Jovi tonight as a request for the Bride and Groom (amongst about 20 other songs they asked for) so I had the first chance to try out the Yamaha RBX 775. Would've been really good had the battery not decided to die during the song so it was quite distorted. Again, first time with an active bass in a couple of years and my favourite 5 string strings - Warwick Yellow Label 45s.

Bit of a funny one tonight. I've had some of my best gigs with hangovers but I just couldn't get into it tonight.The first gig in years where I haven't got that huge adrenalin buzz by the end of the night.

[E sharp]

We've not gigged for a little over a month - we all had a bit of this (I think it's refered to as 'playing "out" ') .

Not the numbers we normally get - weather probably .

Tried a new pedal out (Prunes and Custard) , just need to get to grips with it how it sits in the band . Couldn't get a decent sound out of my other fuzzes , so need to spend a bit of time .

Actually getting a lie in tomorrow (today) , that is going to go past 9am (be a first) .

Guitarists as per usual , too loud , and faffing with there tuning all the time .

Bit of a non descript pants gig all in

[joeystrange]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1335616925' post='1633753']
Photo from Wednesday's gig...


[/quote]

Are you sure you've got the right singer? He's wearing clothes!!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='joeystrange' timestamp='1335689809' post='1634522']
Are you sure you've got the right singer? He's wearing clothes!!
[/quote]

That photo was taken some time during the first song. Mr Venom was in his more usual state of undress by the end.

[Monckyman]

Wedding at Mitton Hall Clitheroe.
Managed to get the PA desk/eq/amps/rack drawers in a couple of racks on wheels, along with wheels on the subs and stands case which made for a much quicker and easier get in and setup, which was especially helpful at this gig.
In short:
Venue manager,"they`re running half hour late, so once they stop eating, you have 30 mins to get in, get set up, and start the first set.
Oh and these guys here will be putting in a dance floor at the same time, and that bloke is the DJ he`ll be setting up at the same time.
Oh, and the sound limiter is connected to your power sockets and it`s a bastard."

So we got in,didn`t swear at the floor blokes much, and with a bit of prodding actually managed to get the rest of the band to plug a few cables in and get some stands out instead of fiddling with their own equipment while I do it all.
Shame the DJ had to run 10 year old Ibiza (s)hits at the same time, meant we had to shout a bit.
Managed to get 3 minutes for a soundcheck which lasted 10 seconds when the power went out.
Once the power returned and I rebooted out digital desk..... I tweaked a few things down, and we tried again.
Repeat
One last time, mainly a vocal P.A, subs turned off, no kit except a bit of kick,no guits no bass in P.A.
Power remained on.
Great.
Hit save scene and 2 min to change in the thoughtfully provided [s]dressing room [/s]disabled toilets,(yes, I`m sorry, for banging into you, but you`re sat in the doorway to the disabled toilets. "but your not disabled, you dick" etc.)
Managed to get a shandy at the bar and straight on to first set of minimum volume tunes.
No obvious means of hearing what I was playing and the singers guitar neck in my right ear.
All good, till 25 min in when the drummer managed to snap his kick pedal spring....
Stopped set and announced Buffet Open (honest, not just a cunning diversion) and went at it with two pairs of pliars and some muffled oaths.
Drummer declares he loves pliars, I retorted that he might perhaps care to buy some instead of using mine then...
Looked up during this activity to see the (ex)keys owner scoffing a big plateful of food and smirking at us.
On with second half, tweaked a few things up a bit as more bodies get between us and the limiter mic.
Drummer complains one side of his IEMs are down. I can hardly see him let alone his mixer so lipshout at him to centre pan his chans and carry on.I reck one of us stood on and damaged the feed to his desk during the stretchy spring pedal swearing competition.
End final song,instant Ibiza 92 and bodies almost on the "stage" dancing. Sweaty noisy pack biting my tongue about "casual" cable wrapping from my colleagues, and fight through the throng to exit with a "sorry no water" from the venue manager.
Nicked some cake and legged it.
Did I mention the agent took £90 commission on a £600 fee?
Good points?
My new suit and tie looked spiffing, although the drummer did mutter something about me "looking like a gay financial consultant".
Bastard can get his own pliars next time.

Edited April 29, 2012 by Monckyman

[leftyhook]

Monckeyman, sounds ike a normal band night if you ask me! I love how people who run these nights haven't got a f***** clue, or care, how much time and effort goes into putting on a show. Oh, and the agents fee. tell me about it. £$%^&!!!!

Our night was going great until some drum stumbled into out PA and manage to knock the full-range mid (all 5.ft of it) off a bass bin and for it to land on his back. Luckily he was a very big lad, so broke it's fall without breaking his back.
Thst's showbiz.