How was your gig last night?

[Graham]

We did some sort of private function at Hickstead Show Jumping Ground last night.

Few difficulties to start with, we'd got the gig from an agent who hadn't given the band leader all the information, so he was setting up later than he'd planned, and was rushing and ended up with a problem somewhere in the PA set-up, helped him get it sorted without too much issue, but it was making him a bit stressed.

However, once we got started it was really good, dancefloor was packed from the third song and stayed that way for the rest of the night. The whole event was running late, so instead of taking a break we just played through for and hour and three quarter which I actually really liked, as it kept the momentum going.

[Graham]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1480684405' post='3186391']
Triainwreck of a gig at the Shed in Leicester. Good venue, decent PA, amiable sound guy, what could go wrong? The two local headliners pulled out on the day, taking any likely midweek audience with them, leaving the three out of town acts to play to each other. As the highest billed of the original 5, we were forced to headline and yet again somebody needed a bass amp. No parking outside the venue so had to resort to NCP and the headline slot pushed me into the 4+ hours bracket leaving me stung for 15 quid at the end of the night. Icing on the cake. Why am I doing this to myself? I can now say I headlined The Shed, I suppose.
[/quote]
The one time I played Leicester, about a decade ago, was at The Shed, had a similar experience.

[ern500evo]

Local pub gig last night, pub was known more as a food pub/carvery, meaning its busy all day but by about 7pm trade is slowing down. The landlord is trying to draw in more customers to use it as a pub on weekend evenings and it's just had a revamp. Quite a crowd in when I arrived to load in at about 7.30, and a large percentage stayed for the band which was good. Bit of a strange feeling, it was our lead guitarist's last pub gig, he's leaving after NYE gig, but I now think he's having regrets. His potential replacement came along last night and I think when our guitarist realised that, it sort of hit home to him. Played well as a band though, couple of small errors but nothing majorly noticeable. From a personal point of view, I enjoyed it, used my EBS Sheehan drive pedal for the first time, enabling me to run the two pickups from my Attitude ltd bass independently. The combination of Attitude Ltd>EBS Sheehan>GK MB Fusion>Barefaced Big Twin 2 was awesome! I know every one of us has probably said this at some point and changed our minds, but I think this could be it, I was dialling in tones last night that have been in my head for years. Very happy!

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1480861919' post='3187608']
Absolutely heaving pub in Arundel, candlelight festival on during the evening so the High St (where the pub is) was shut. Arundel is usually a real pain as far as parking goes, but we had passes for entry to the High St for unloading etc. and as the event was pretty much over security chap said we could just leave our cars there. Easiest time parking ever. We played well, the crowd were really enthusiastic (drunk?) - we even had people dancing on tables at one point! Highlight of the evening for me was a very nice young lady called Hannah who came and gyrated in front of me while her friend recorded it on her 'phone after we had sung Happy Birthday for her. Hot, sweaty, full, a couple of free pints and a reasonable payer. What more could you want. a great night. And of course we have been rebooked for next year.
[/quote]

That's exactly the kind of gigs I love playing.

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1480861919' post='3187608'] Hot, sweaty, full, a couple of free pints and a reasonable payer. What more could you want. a great night.
[/quote]

That's exactly the kind of gigs I love playing.

[colleya]

After freezing fog and playing to the (very appreciative) bar staff plus about 20 brave souls last weekend our last gig of 2016 was at the Steamhouse, Sale last night. Cool place with a dedicated downstairs cosy band room, big stage and power sockets aplenty. Lovely beer too and a mile from home, what's not to like?

Place fluctuated between nicely busy and packed all night. Three setter with a 12:45 finish. Great reaction from the punters and loads of positive comments. We've worked hard on the set to keep people moving and singing and it paid dividends last night. Very happy with the sound and the interaction and 'show' aspect of the performance too. Our singer was out of action for about 6 months at the start of the year so we covered as a 3 piece but it's loads better with all four of us.

Rig sounded ace, plus I was trying a wired Fischer Stick IEM to replace my broken LD MEI 100, which took a bit of adjusting to but was very good and will be even better when my OBBM dual cable arrives and I don't have to gaffa an XLR to my bass lead.

Best bit, the stage 'diver' who turned out to be the drummer's wife tripping over the 2 inch step up to the stage and nearly taking out the guitarist's pedalboard! We've somehow managed to book up for next year already (easier then it sounds when you only do one gig month). Let's hope they're all like that one.

Oh, and there was even room for the xmas tree

[WalMan]

I survived my last one with that particular band all the while trying to talk the dep drummer through the set and endings - easy as he's a pro & really good and tight, though the second set got looser & looser as it progressed as many songs just stopped by falling apart (the main reason I've finally had enough and knocked it on the head to become another member of the huge "survivors" group ). How does one try to explain the odd endings (that really shouldn't be) all the while trying to do the odd backing vocal and keep it together...car wreck disintegration it'll be then.

Used the SmoothHound radio for the first time, having decided to get back on the radio bandwagon after selling all my kit last year having not used it for a while. Now it was a small venue and I never got more that 10 feet away from the receiver, but all good and solid and sounded fine. Next up replacement IEM's

So that's the last gig where I get to do a couple of lead vocals unless I happen to be asked to dep...and actually give in and say yes.

Rather bizarrely I was told the I had been accused of ruining the pool table at the previous weeks venue by putting some superglue substance on it - apparently he'd been through the CCTV and reckoned it was me did something. Utter BS of course as all I have is cases full of bits of wood and wire, not a drop of liquid of any sort in there. Ah well. Shame though as I was going to go in and try to get a gig there for my main band. Looks like I'll have to send one of the others in...so no gig there then as no other bugger seems to do much to chase up gigs

Edited December 4, 2016 by WalMan

[Woodinblack]

Travelled quite a distance for us - 20 miles, that is the furthest we have been, it was a pub that my last group played. We have to be pretty quiet. there is a sound trip but they run a cable around the bar to bypass it.
Anyway, it's the quietest we have ever been and I think we played better for it, we certainly played slower (ie, somewhere near the normal speed, we are fast and loud).
At one point the singer mentioned that he had comments that he wasn't very loud, so I turned him up, but it still didn't seem loud, then after a bit of confusion I realised that i had forgotten to turn the PA back on after turning it off, so it was just the monitor volume!
Anyway, seemed to go down well, we had quite a few people dancing (although mostly the drunk ones) and we got invited back for 3 more gigs next year.

[radiophonic]

[quote name='Marillionred' timestamp='1480703372' post='3186632']
Had a fairly similar experience a few years ago on a Glastonbudget audition gig there. Freezing cold Sunday night, three Leicester acts with their own audience, us from Nottingham could only muster up a few hardy souls to travel. Local bands fans left after mates had played leaving us with the soundman and doorman to play to, pretty much. At least we got a few useable videos for YouTube out of it but it was a tad soul destroying. And no we didn't get the Glastonbudget slot - how good you were considered was based on how many fans you brought, it seems.
[/quote]

Yes - the 'never mind the quality, feel the width' approach. Always a great experience! There was a small silver lining. Although the gig was a bust, the guitarist / leader of the opening act (Monk, from Derby) has declared himself our biggest fan, which is surprising given how we have absolutely nothing common with his band musically at all. Also, at least we didn't travel all the way from London for this - unlike the other band on the bill (Heel). They had a considerably worse night than us, I'm sure. Fingers crossed for Coventry tomorrow night.

[FinnDave]

Played a pub in Swindon with the Wirebirds Saturday night. The place had changed since our last gig there (almost exactly 3 years ago) but still had the same atmosphere. Not a huge number there (lot of competition in Swindon!) but those that were there stayed and had a good time. Parking next to the pub so an easy load in/out which helps. Hope we'll be back there in less than 3 years time!

Edited December 5, 2016 by FinnDave

[DaytonaRik]

Had a surprisingly good last gig of 2016 with Think Lizzy last Friday - an odd shaped venue playing to a bar just 10 feet in front of us but rooms and punters off to the right - have radio mic/guitar/IEMs will travel I say! It was fun to go and set up a little 'B' stage of my own in the other rooms and play to a different part of the pub...a lot of fun and the punters enjoyed it too

Edited December 5, 2016 by DaytonaRik

[HengistPod]

Had possibly the worst gig I've ever played on Friday night.

A best-remain-nameless bar in Aberdeen, a venue apparently on a slippery slope as it is (we were told that taxi drivers are telling customers it's closed down when they ask to be taken there!). There were times on Friday when there were up to 20 people in, but mostly it was 5 or 6. They eventually switched off the giant TV beside us halfway through our second set, which was nice, but left the others on. The landlord turned up drunk, glowered at us while sinking a couple of pints, then disappeared out again.

Anyhow, the head barmaid was going around with a face on her like Judge Dredd. I honestly looked at her and wondered how she could get her mouth into that shape.

So we played, occasionally with a few lonesome-sounding claps after a tune. It really was like a paid rehearsal. A few folks got into it, had the occasional dance or bout of fist-pumping. We finished on time, got paid, packed up and went home.

Here's the best bit. When he got home, our guitarist found that the guy that books us in there (a 3rd party agent) had emailed him. It seems that the bar staff had emailed asking him to contact us and get us to turn down because we were "about 25% too loud".

This is a new one on me. Why the bar staff didn't feel they could come up and speak to us between songs - as happens anywhere else - is totally beyond me. We're all in our 40s (at least) and not very scary.

Fortunately, we don't have any further bookings in there. The punters are fine (when they turn up) but the management is beyond amateur. I won't miss it one little bit. First time I've ever really not enjoyed a gig ... spent most of my time counting down the setlist!

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='HengistPod' timestamp='1480938942' post='3188157']
Had possibly the worst gig I've ever played on Friday night.

A best-remain-nameless bar in Aberdeen, a venue apparently on a slippery slope as it is (we were told that taxi drivers are telling customers it's closed down when they ask to be taken there!). There were times on Friday when there were up to 20 people in, but mostly it was 5 or 6. They eventually switched off the giant TV beside us halfway through our second set, which was nice, but left the others on. The landlord turned up drunk, glowered at us while sinking a couple of pints, then disappeared out again.

Anyhow, the head barmaid was going around with a face on her like Judge Dredd. I honestly looked at her and wondered how she could get her mouth into that shape.

So we played, occasionally with a few lonesome-sounding claps after a tune. It really was like a paid rehearsal. A few folks got into it, had the occasional dance or bout of fist-pumping. We finished on time, got paid, packed up and went home.

Here's the best bit. When he got home, our guitarist found that the guy that books us in there (a 3rd party agent) had emailed him. It seems that the bar staff had emailed asking him to contact us and get us to turn down because we were "about 25% too loud".

This is a new one on me. Why the bar staff didn't feel they could come up and speak to us between songs - as happens anywhere else - is totally beyond me. We're all in our 40s (at least) and not very scary.

Fortunately, we don't have any further bookings in there. The punters are fine (when they turn up) but the management is beyond amateur. I won't miss it one little bit. First time I've ever really not enjoyed a gig ... spent most of my time counting down the setlist!
[/quote]

I feel your pain. We had a very similar experience recently. I refer you to my post here on 7/11:

'We played at a well known rock bar in the East Midlands which in the interests of professionalism I'm not going to mention. It was our second gig there, having been rebooked following a gig earlier in the year. In short, it was the worst gig I've ever played and I'm pretty cheesed off with the whole situation.

We arrived to find that the person who booked us had gone home, and nobody else on the staff seemed to know or care who we were. We bought four friends with us which was good because they outnumbered the clientele for most of the night, and provided the only applause / audience noise etc. The songs we played when they went outside for a smoke were greeted with complete silence from the remaining punters, and I mean absolute silence, no acknowledgement whatsoever. The bar owner/ manager started complaining that we were too loud (we weren't). We explained to him that our amps and PA were balanced volume wise with the drum kit (unmiced, apart from the kick) and that we couldn't turn the drums down. He then proceeded to walk around the venue for the rest of the set with his fingers in his ears, which he clearly thought was very funny, but I thought was f***ing rude.

Not happy.'

It honestly makes me wonder why some bars or pubs bother putting on bands, if it's that much of a hassle for them!

Edited December 5, 2016 by PaulGibsonBass

[LewisK1975]

Can only describe our gig on Saturday night as 'Sick' (not the hip kids vernacular 'sick' either).

Singer threw up on herself 10mins before show time (not nerves).

I had to leave the stage during the last song to throw up (again not nerves).

Drummer was pale as a pale thing the whole gig, but got through it.

Only our guitar player got through unscathed, and he got the number of a delightful young lady in the audience...

[barneyg42]

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1480942021' post='3188189']
Can only describe our gig on Saturday night as 'Sick' (not the hip kids vernacular 'sick' either).

Singer threw up on herself 10mins before show time (not nerves).

I had to leave the stage during the last song to throw up (again not nerves).

Drummer was pale as a pale thing the whole gig, but got through it.

Only our guitar player got through unscathed, and he got the number of a delightful young lady in the audience...
[/quote]

Was she a nurse??

[HengistPod]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1480939756' post='3188163']It honestly makes me wonder why some bars or pubs bother putting on bands, if it's that much of a hassle for them!
[/quote]

Yep, that sounds broadly similar to our one the other night. We had several big endings met with absolute silence (save for the football commentary from one of the TVs). Not much fun, is it?

[peety]

Had a similar experience earlier this year at a big pub in Little Hulton inbetween sort of Bolton and Manchester audience clientele maxed out at 8 which included a guy who never left the smoking shelter all night just had someone regularly delivering pints to him out there and 3 people round the far side of the bar watching TV meaning the actual audience ranged from zero to 4 despite it being a really rubbish experience for bands how can such pubs justify paying out for a band when they can't even be taking enough to cover the bands fee even before the cost of the beer.

Have spoken to a couple of other people who have played there and had a similar experience safe to say will not be going back no matter what the payment is despite already having had an agent try to book us in there again.

[spike]

Had a very rare Sunday gig last night, started at 6 and finished at 9. Didn't look very promising to start with, audience barely into double figures including one guy with several bags of shopping who left just before the break and reached into one of his bags and gave our singers a box of chocolates on his way out. After finishing off the chocs we started the second set and almost on cue the place started filling up, lots of dancing and we ended up having a great gig.

[mikebass84]

Played my 1st gig with my new band on Saturday night at a private Xmas gig held at the local practice studio.
Both me and the drummer are full of flu and this was the first time our singer has sung in front of people (the singer is the guitarist from my old band who's now doing both jobs)

Turn out was way more than we expected and the feedback was amazing.
Currently waiting for the music video to be finished up so shall post that ASAP

[leschirons]

Bit of a strange one as we played yesterday (Monday) at 2.00pm but it was for the local physio unit staff and patients so a good cause. Quite heartwarming to see people dance (albeit sitting down) and enjoying themselves when they've obviously had some quite serious problems. Went down well and the band were appreciated so all good.

[12stringbassist]

[quote name='peety' timestamp='1480950317' post='3188307']
Had a similar experience earlier this year at a big pub in Little Hulton inbetween sort of Bolton and Manchester audience clientele maxed out at 8 which included a guy who never left the smoking shelter all night just had someone regularly delivering pints to him out there and 3 people round the far side of the bar watching TV meaning the actual audience ranged from zero to 4 despite it being a really rubbish experience for bands how can such pubs justify paying out for a band when they can't even be taking enough to cover the bands fee even before the cost of the beer.

Have spoken to a couple of other people who have played there and had a similar experience safe to say will not be going back no matter what the payment is despite already having had an agent try to book us in there again.
[/quote]

Was it The New Inn?

[peety]

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1481846749' post='3195748']
Was it The New Inn?
[/quote]

Hulton Arms there's another big Pub across the way on the same crossroads at 4 lane ends there not sure what its called but that looked shut or was being refurbished.

Have no idea why this place has bands on two of the lads in our band used to play in a duo and have played there three times and it was the same then

[DaytonaRik]

We had an absolute blast last bnight - 6 employees of the same company all experienced musicians but with varying live gig experience from veterans to newbies. No expectation, just a 100 or so of your workmates who all leave their tables and make their way to the dance floor waiting with expectation as you take to the stage!

Nerves "The Resonators" might have had quickly disappeared and I get the feeling that we could have put together a set twice as long and they'd have loved it.

The makeshift band was a result of me drunkenly suggesting to the CEO at the summer BBQ that we must surely have enough musicians in the company to put together a band for Xmas so it became one of my 2016 objectives. It's fair to say that the mark 'Exceeded expectation was awared by the CEO herself but the trick of including tracks by her favourite bands AC/DC and Led Zeppelin made sure of that - sneaky huh!

The highlight of the night was discovering how good the excellent but nervous female vox was - to the point that I've poached her for a band project also featuring last night's lead guitarist. What a great gig to finish off 2016 with

[attachment=234120:resonators.jpg]

Edited December 16, 2016 by DaytonaRik

[T-Bay]

I started playing in the middle of September, we started a band at work in the middle of October (other guys are all experienced), yesterday was our first gig (our works do). I expected to be nervous but wasn't at all (the clueless not knowing what to expect?). We ended up going on half an hour early as the other things on didn't run to time so we also finished the set early and having not been playing long together long we had nothing in reserve so just played the same ones again which no one seemed to mind. I absolutely loved every minute and would have happily played through again. The buzz I got was amazing and everyone had a great time so all good. I missed a few notes but had practised enough that I could come back in no problem or just improvise for a couple of seconds and then back in and no one noticed. We were really tight and had a lot of fun on stage. I need more time to be able to interact with the crowd at the same as playing. I could do a bit but had to concentrate on playing most of the time. Strangely the song I enjoyed most was Slade merry Christmas everybody. The walking bassline sounded really good in the big space and everyone knows it so was singing along. We did it as the last song and got loads of our colleagues up on stage to sing along. Brilliant night all round and we are now planning to do another social in a few months after requests.

[FinnDave]

Just back after a foggy drive back from a Wirebirds gig near Banbury. We set up in an almost empty pub, were served good food free of charge and as soon as we started, an audience suddenly materialised. Two one hour sets, which went down well, plenty of dancing, sold a couple of CDs and had a enquiry about more bookings from a local in the audience. All in all, a good evening.