stingrayfan Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 (edited) Sounds depressing. Sounds like it was all going on bar the meat raffle. We won't do those social clubs. Lead singer used to do the circuit in a previous life and he shudders at the thought of them. We got offered good money to play one recently and I went in and had a look around out of curiousity. It was grim. Like Phoenix Nights, without the comedy. [quote name='silverfoxnik' post='175573' date='Apr 13 2008, 11:23 AM']"Come on, fu*king play it, play it! I asked yous nicely first time, just fu*king play it![/quote] Or it goes (usually while you're in the middle of playing something): "Do you know 500 Miles..?" "No we don't, sorry..." "You must know it. It goes: 'I could walk....'" "Yeah I know the song but we don't know the chords (ie p*ss off, I'm busy) They then try to sing you more of the song, to remind you how it goes. Fortunately we're now playing more gigs where people know what we play (punk, ska, new wave, indie covers) so those questions happen less. Last night though we got asked for Wham.... Edited April 13, 2008 by stingrayfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 A pub in deepest Hampshire, my first time with my 'party' band (v, 2xg, b, d, sax) for a month. Was looking forward to it but found it a bit frustrating as the drummer threw in every fill he could think of, having not played during that time. He also sped up massivly despite my best attempts - will put half a valium in his beer next time. Then I found I could barely hear myself. Dunno if this was cos I didn't have my 2x10 cab to augment my 1x15 combo,the gutarists were at 11 or (more likely) I am now used to the guitar-bass-drums format of my other band. Anyway no-one was willing to turn down. The sax player has got an alto now which runs onthe same frequency as my wireless, so had to dig out a lead...but as we were all crammed together onto a few square feet it didn't make much difference. How do you cope when you're not having a good night but the audience are enjoying themselves? Grin, bear it and crank out 'Mustang Sally'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 [quote name='stingrayfan' post='175579' date='Apr 13 2008, 11:36 AM']Sounds depressing. Sounds like it was all going on bar the meat raffle. We won't do those social clubs. Lead singer used to do the circuit in a previous life and he shudders at the thought of them. We got offered good money to play one recently and I went in and had a look around out of curiousity. It was grim. Like Phoenix Nights, without the comedy. Or it goes (usually while you're in the middle of playing something): "Do you know 500 Miles..?" "No we don't, sorry..." "You must know it. It goes: 'I could walk....'" "Yeah I know the song but we don't know the chords (ie p*ss off, I'm busy) They then try to sing you more of the song, to remind you how it goes. Fortunately we're now playing more gigs where people know what we play (punk, ska, new wave, indie covers) so those questions happen less. Last night though we got asked for Wham....[/quote] It was depressing.. And devoid of any of the humour Phoenix Nights has to offer! Your summing up of the pointless 'debate' between audience member and band is spot on! Luckily, this is not the normal sort of gig we do, so the scars should heal by next weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyparrot Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 How do you cope when you're not having a good night but the audience are enjoying themselves? Grin, bear it and crank out 'Mustang Sally'! [/quote] Just close off to it, and think of the pay, or maybe what your gonna eat after the gig!! Or try your best to get into your own plaing (very hard in the situation, ) but sometimes the situ can turn around, just by the energy that you put out while playing. I have found that this happens some times. Its like they see your doing it and it gains respect (sometimes!! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 [quote name='silverfoxnik' post='175573' date='Apr 13 2008, 11:23 AM']I had that problem last week Matt - very frustrating! Glad to hear it was a good gig though. Which is more than I can say for ours last night at the Labour Club in Brighton.. Grim place with a Karaoke bar upstairs, intervals in the evening for Bingo, the Raffle and Play Your Cards Right, lots of brylcream and blue rinses on view;I'm sure you know the kind of place. We were constantly being asked by the audience to turn down so, instead of going all the way up to No.11, the volume ended up on -11! Requests for 'New York, New York' all evening from an old dear who looked like the twin-sister of the nasty gran in Catherine Tate's show. She kept saying to our singer: "Come on, fu*king play it, play it! I asked yous nicely first time, just fu*king play it! blink: So in the end, we dug very deep into our seriously unrehearsed 1950s reptoire so the audience could have a little dance.... All in all, very scary! Music may be the food of love but gigging in places like that is like a sh*t sandwich! [/quote] You need to have a serious talk with whomever is in your band that says "yes please!" to gigs like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Bugger. I've just noticed my lovely new Hiscox case has cracked where the bass took a tumble in the van yesterday. Gah.. it's only the second time I've used it. Ah, well... I suppose that's what it's for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdphysio Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 As a non-gigging player, i find this thread the most entertaining of the whole site! It gives us 'bedroom bassists' a great insight into what you 'proper players' have to put up with (& enjoy), when doing the hard-yards in the pubs/clubs. keep up the good work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassninja Posted April 13, 2008 Author Share Posted April 13, 2008 [quote name='silverfoxnik' post='175573' date='Apr 13 2008, 11:23 AM']I had that problem last week Matt - very frustrating! Glad to hear it was a good gig though. Which is more than I can say for ours last night at the Labour Club in Brighton.. Grim place with a Karaoke bar upstairs, intervals in the evening for Bingo, the Raffle and Play Your Cards Right, lots of brylcream and blue rinses on view;I'm sure you know the kind of place. We were constantly being asked by the audience to turn down so, instead of going all the way up to No.11, the volume ended up on -11! Requests for 'New York, New York' all evening from an old dear who looked like the twin-sister of the nasty gran in Catherine Tate's show. She kept saying to our singer: "Come on, fu*king play it, play it! I asked yous nicely first time, just fu*king play it! blink: So in the end, we dug very deep into our seriously unrehearsed 1950s reptoire so the audience could have a little dance.... All in all, very scary! Music may be the food of love but gigging in places like that is like a sh*t sandwich! [/quote] I feel your pain brother, at least there wasn't a dB meter (or was there.....????) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 [quote name='bassninja' post='175809' date='Apr 13 2008, 07:42 PM']I feel your pain brother, at least there wasn't a dB meter (or was there.....????) [/quote] Cheers. No dB meter visible on the wall - just the sneaky hearing aids in the punters heads! Old Git; we were recommended to the venue by another venue where we've had some very good gigs.. So we were hopeful of better things Just one of those things I suppose.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 [quote name='silverfoxnik' post='175814' date='Apr 13 2008, 07:48 PM']Cheers. No dB meter visible on the wall - just the sneaky hearing aids in the punters heads! Old Git; we were recommended to the venue by another venue where we've had some very good gigs.. So we were hopeful of better things Just one of those things I suppose..[/quote] Ha ha I understand .. just pawns in a local feud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='175827' date='Apr 13 2008, 08:06 PM']Ha ha I understand .. just pawns in a local feud [/quote] Mmm..? I hadn't thought of that with this venue, but it definitely happens with others we play at.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny dissident Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Last night , nice little pub gig playing our very personal take on love , life ,politics and religion to an audience who clearly seemed to be enjoying the evening as much as us. I've got one ear on my own sound a little more than usual tonight as I'm breaking in my brand new Euphonic Audio micro 300 .Nice big sound for one so small. Switches nicely between the stingray and the upright. About halfway through the set ,they are actually dancing, not bad for original songs I'm sure they have not heard before ,and to think we are yet to break open the rip roarers ,this is turning out to be a most agreeable outing. the bass has disappeared ,don't say the EA has overheated and the thermal cut out kicked in ,can't be a power cut ,the band plays on without me.All the lights are out on the amp ,I'm playing about with the power switch,"must have overheated " I shout to our drummer."Nah" says he "bit more serious ,did'nt you see that blue flame shoot out the top."...................... must dash ,got a phone call to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassninja Posted April 13, 2008 Author Share Posted April 13, 2008 (edited) [b]No dB meter visible on the wall - just the sneaky hearing aids in the punters heads![/b] "[i]Excuse me young man, but my wife and I are sitting with our heads in your speakers, and I can hardly hear a thing she's saying..."[/i] Edited April 13, 2008 by bassninja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Friday had its moments [attachment=7660:Chickie.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='WalMan' post='175948' date='Apr 13 2008, 10:55 PM']Friday had its moments [attachment=7660:Chickie.jpg][/quote] I see what you mean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 I did a dep job this weekend, possibly the strangest of my life! (Apart from the one at the nudist colony some years ago!) Played this week for the "Ancholme Riverside Jazz Band." Nothing strange there I hear you say, but then think on the lines that all the members of this excellent dixieland band were a minimum of 30 years older than me! The drummer was easily 80 & still grooving away, the trombonist & trumpet player were in their early 70's & the sax player (who was absolutely awsome!) was 85 if he was a day! The moral of the story? Keep on playing no matter what! Age doesn't matter. These guys were an inspiation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='WalMan' post='175948' date='Apr 13 2008, 10:55 PM']Friday had its moments [attachment=7660:Chickie.jpg][/quote] We have gigs like that now and then .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Yep, we have had ones like that as well. In fact sometimes they take over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='176041' date='Apr 14 2008, 08:55 AM']I did a dep job this weekend, possibly the strangest of my life! (Apart from the one at the nudist colony some years ago!) Played this week for the "Ancholme Riverside Jazz Band." Nothing strange there I hear you say, but then think on the lines that all the members of this excellent dixieland band were a minimum of 30 years older than me! The drummer was easily 80 & still grooving away, the trombonist & trumpet player were in their early 70's & the sax player (who was absolutely awsome!) was 85 if he was a day! The moral of the story? Keep on playing no matter what! Age doesn't matter. These guys were an inspiation![/quote] As one of the older subscribers of Basschat I find that very encouraging! We are not quite in that age bracket but still play to full houses. Tonight Rotherham, tomorrow the world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Great jazz trio gig last night at the Fox in Bury - Phil Brook on guitar and a new guy (to me) Jack Hunt from nr. Diss on flute (sitting in). NIIIIIIIIIIIICE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Funny reading about recent social club gigs! Unusually for us our last 2 gigs have been social clubs. On Saturday we played Equalized Club in Stapleford, Nottingham. It was a right laugh, and despite there being bingo in the break, and some of the audience being elderly, we got on just fine. The oldsters were up dancing from the 1st set onwards; we even had couples up dancing for Nothing Else Matters fairly early on. If you're being paid reasonable money for these club gigs you've just got to be professional and put on the best show you can regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Barn dance organised by the Cotteridge Park association in our case. We'd done one for them last year (which I hadn't played at due to a conflict of dates) which had apparently gone down well - this one did too. Tickets sold out, and a crowd who were actually up for it. The future Mrs Zero was on her feet for four hours of calling (we did have a 20 minute break but she didn't sit down for that) and everyone enjoyed it (including the band). Plus we've got possibly three more bookings out of it, which is nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='Adrenochrome' post='176258' date='Apr 14 2008, 01:36 PM']If you're being paid reasonable money for these club gigs you've just got to be professional and put on the best show you can regardless.[/quote] +1 but... better to not get yourself in that situation in the first place if you don't have the material, show or attitude to fit the gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='176374' date='Apr 14 2008, 04:10 PM']+1 but... better to not get yourself in that situation in the first place if you don't have the material, show or attitude to fit the gig.[/quote] After doing week after week of weddings i find doing a Social(!) club a nice, relaxed change. Not something i enjoy week in week out though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='176380' date='Apr 14 2008, 04:13 PM']After doing week after week of weddings i find doing a Social(!) club a nice, relaxed change. Not something i enjoy week in week out though.[/quote] Sure, I agree the contrast in nice and the "best behaviour" aspect of weddings can be a tad waring, especially if the drunks are out in force ... In our case the antidote is a charity gig or one in our home village .. more mallarchy than you can shake a (morris) stick at ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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