How was your gig last night?

[jazzyvee]

I had a good gig on Friday night at camp bestival. First gig for the band since around 

March 2020. Lots in for late this year into 2022.

Felt great to get back on stage after so long. 

[Stub Mandrel]

Not a gig, but had my first rehearsal with a new band (a six piece!) today.

 

Last one was over a year ago, and before that not since the start of Covid.

[cheddatom]

Our first gig back was Saturday 24th. I had my 2nd vaccine at 5pm and we were on stage at 9pm. I was nervous, which never used to happen, but I guess it was the combination of worrying about my arm failing, and te fact it'd been 16months since we've last played in front of an audience. Thankfully it was a small affair with a very friendly audience. Apparently no-one notices all of your disastrous mistakes if you're playing with full on enthusiasm. I got more compliments about my playing after that gig than I've had for years, and it was the worst I'd ever played!!

 

Friday 30th was way better. Nah Then Festival in a big tent. The sound was absolutely terrible. Our guitarist uses a pod, so the only thing I was in my drum monitor is guitar. I usually hear the bass from the amp on my left, and the vocals just about from the wedges at the front. For the whole set, the drum monitor was either deadly silent, or pumping out deafening levels of guitar. I always wear ear plugs, so no actual damage, but every time the guitar kicked back in (especially electric guitar) it felt like a punch to the head. I tried to ask the sound tech to turn it off but he hadn't got a clue what I was on about. Anyway, despite that I actually played well, which is nice

 

They had a queueing system at the bar with a marshal at the front guiding people to be served. I assume this was in the aid of social distancing - preventing crowding by the bar staff? Ironically, the marshal was getting very touchy-feely with me, wouldn't stop playing with my hair, and took a photo of me for her daughter - creepy AF!

 

It's so good to be back at it

[PaulWarning]

48 minutes ago, cheddatom said:

Our first gig back was Saturday 24th. I had my 2nd vaccine at 5pm and we were on stage at 9pm. I was nervous, which never used to happen, but I guess it was the combination of worrying about my arm failing, and te fact it'd been 16months since we've last played in front of an audience. Thankfully it was a small affair with a very friendly audience. Apparently no-one notices all of your disastrous mistakes if you're playing with full on enthusiasm. I got more compliments about my playing after that gig than I've had for years, and it was the worst I'd ever played!!

 

Friday 30th was way better. Nah Then Festival in a big tent. The sound was absolutely terrible. Our guitarist uses a pod, so the only thing I was in my drum monitor is guitar. I usually hear the bass from the amp on my left, and the vocals just about from the wedges at the front. For the whole set, the drum monitor was either deadly silent, or pumping out deafening levels of guitar. I always wear ear plugs, so no actual damage, but every time the guitar kicked back in (especially electric guitar) it felt like a punch to the head. I tried to ask the sound tech to turn it off but he hadn't got a clue what I was on about. Anyway, despite that I actually played well, which is nice

 

They had a queueing system at the bar with a marshal at the front guiding people to be served. I assume this was in the aid of social distancing - preventing crowding by the bar staff? Ironically, the marshal was getting very touchy-feely with me, wouldn't stop playing with my hair, and took a photo of me for her daughter - creepy AF!

 

It's so good to be back at it

saw your gig at Nah Then, nice to have a chat btw, your sound wasn't the best, loads of drums and vocals not much guitar and bass, the sound all weekend was very up and down, each band seem to have a different sound, well the ones I heard anyway, very strange

The onstage sound for our gig was ok, not much guitar, but that's ok as long as I can hear the drums and vocals, the closing band was a very professional,  Madness tribute (the guitarist was about to go on tour with the Specials and the keyboard player had played with the Manics) I assume the had there own sound guy they were using in ears and their sound was spot on

[cheddatom]

9 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

saw your gig at Nah Then, nice to have a chat btw, your sound wasn't the best, loads of drums and vocals not much guitar and bass, the sound all weekend was very up and down, each band seem to have a different sound, well the ones I heard anyway, very strange

The onstage sound for our gig was ok, not much guitar, but that's ok as long as I can hear the drums and vocals, the closing band was a very professional,  Madness tribute (the guitarist was about to go on tour with the Specials and the keyboard player had played with the Manics) I assume the had there own sound guy they were using in ears and their sound was spot on

 

Yeh good to see you Paul, shame I missed your set. I could say more about this particular sound engineer but it would be better to say nothing at all

[Cat Burrito]

My first show in over six months was Friday night in Camden. It's only my 3rd since March 2020 & I found the other two fairly soulless affairs, compared to my manic 2019 calendar. This one was great fun. We were a little ramshackle in places (by our standards) but delivered a fairly decent 45 minute performance.

 

[Woodinblack]

7 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

a fairly decent 45 minute performance.

 

Oh thats the other thing I noticed. Although I hadn't gigged since last march, I practiced regularly, so it was quite a shock to the memory how much your fingers hurt after 3 hours when you hadn't been gigging for a while!

[Cat Burrito]

1 minute ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Oh thats the other thing I noticed. Although I hadn't gigged since last march, I practiced regularly, so it was quite a shock to the memory how much your fingers hurt after 3 hours when you hadn't been gigging for a while!

 

I upped my practice massively during the lockdowns and have kept it up. First rehearsal, and I played the worst I have played in years. I hadn't played standing up enough! 

[Woodinblack]

Also this is the first chance I got to try the stuff I bought in lockdown.

Ibanez 1505ms - absolutely fantastic, couldn't fault it, although it did sound a bit bassy, maybe need new strings.

Squier CV Mustang - absolutely fantastic, but maybe not bassy enough

Behringer 12" sub - certainly added to the drums and with that we seemed to have the best sound we had, so I guess it is doing its job.

Ashdown ABM600 - loved the sound, haven't really explored the EQ options, but in its first time live the DI lead felt a bit loose, thought it was a plug I had fixed badly but no, one screw has come off of the DI socket, and the other was loose, so it is flapping around.

XVive u4 - needed a better setup but worked almost flawlessly, even though I was a long way from the mixer where it was.

[Woodinblack]

2 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

 

I upped my practice massively during the lockdowns and have kept it up. First rehearsal, and I played the worst I have played in years. I hadn't played standing up enough! 

I think I also play harder if I am standing up, so although at practices I am standing up, I am not at home.

[WalMan]

First one back last Saturday. Went well in the main. Drummer ended the first song early but we ploughed through. All had the odd alien abduction moments but nothing we couldn’t handle, what’s the odd jazz note amongst friends who can look over and chuckle 😁

 

Just great to get out again 

[dmccombe7]

That's an issue i had when returning to rehearsals that i had been sitting at home practicing the songs but at rehearsals i stand and my back ached altho we do a 6 hr rehearsal but normally its never an issue for me.

I went back to gym 3 mths ago when they opened to build up my strength plus general overall fitness levels cause i've been so lazy in Covid.

Dave

[BigRedX]

Which is why I NEVER practice sitting down.

 

It's not how I play on stage so I simply can't see the point.

[FinnDave]

I'll sit down to learn a new song, but stand up to practise it once I've got it. 

[martthebass]

22 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I'll sit down to learn a new song, but stand up to practise it once I've got it. 

Makes sense Dave, you rehearse the performance once you know the notes and where they all fit.

[dmccombe7]

25 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I'll sit down to learn a new song, but stand up to practise it once I've got it. 

That's what i need to do but my bass cave is a bit cramped at moment with some boxes being stored for few weeks at a time to stop cats damaging the boxes.

Time for a clear up i reckon Dave.

Dave

[Reggaebass]

31 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I'll sit down to learn a new song

That’s exactly what I do, it can take me weeks to learn a new song note for note sometimes 

[FinnDave]

13 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

That's what i need to do but my bass cave is a bit cramped at moment with some boxes being stored for few weeks at a time to stop cats damaging the boxes.

Time for a clear up i reckon Dave.

Dave

Same here, have to practice downstairs when she's out as my room upstairs has filled up with (my own) rubbish. Started clearing it out a few weeks ago, but most of it is worth selling, so it takes time.

[martthebass]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

That's what i need to do but my bass cave is a bit cramped at moment with some boxes being stored for few weeks at a time to stop cats damaging the boxes.

Time for a clear up i reckon Dave.

Dave

 

Get a couple of shorties Dave, less chance of knocking the ornaments over

Something like a Dano Longhorn is very 'Steve Priest'.....

Edited August 2, 2021 by martthebass

[dmccombe7]

30 minutes ago, martthebass said:

 

Get a couple of shorties Dave, less chance of knocking the ornaments over

Something like a Dano Longhorn is very 'Steve Priest'.....

Not sure i fancy a Dano Longhorn to be honest. Its mainly boxes and stuff lying on the floor that's the problem. 

I'm still able to swing the cat (proverbial of course) but i fall over stuff when i get carried away in the moment of practicing.

Does anyone else get lost in the moment when practicing at home or am i just weird. 😂

Dave

[FinnDave]

9 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Does anyone else get lost in the moment when practicing at home or am i just weird. 😂

Dave

Just weird, Dave - surely you didn't expect anyone to disagree? 🤪😜😇

[martthebass]

13 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Not sure i fancy a Dano Longhorn to be honest. Its mainly boxes and stuff lying on the floor that's the problem. 

I'm still able to swing the cat (proverbial of course) but i fall over stuff when i get carried away in the moment of practicing.

Does anyone else get lost in the moment when practicing at home or am i just weird. 😂

Dave

Just you Dave......I daren't get lost in any moment as the dog would jump up at me unexpected like.

[BigRedX]

32 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Does anyone else get lost in the moment when practicing at home or am i just weird. 😂

 

 

All the time. If you don't it says to me that you aren't really connecting with the music that you play.

[Dad3353]

49 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

...Does anyone else get lost in the moment...

 

All the time, practising or not. It's an 'age' thing, I'm told (but started early, at about four or five, for me; I can't remember ...).

[gjones]

This was my bands first, and possibly last, gig of 2021. It was a video for the blues section of the jazz & blues festival up in Edinburgh. We didn't do too bad considering we hadn't played a gig in 15 or so months. We had two rehearsals beforehand to go over the songs a couple of times, one of which the drummer couldn't make. I managed to record the audio of the video while it was streamed on 17th june..