How was your gig last night?

[Lozz196]

I sadly reached that point about 4 years ago, gigging every weekend both all over the country and in Europe whilst holding down a full time job just got too much for me, I was exhausted all the time. No matter how much I enjoyed the gigs I disliked how I both physically and mentally felt all the time aside from when I was on stage. So I quit, and aside from the big gigs like Rebellion I don’t miss it at all.

[Rich]

3 hours ago, martthebass said:

Nice titfer 

[Downunderwonder]

12 hours ago, tony_m said:

Other than the usual distraction of the odd bass note booming through the monitors (octave E's this time rather than the usual B's and C's

99/100 that's the acoustic guitar or something ringing at an octave up from you. It might be set off by you, but it's not you.

[dmccombe7]

12 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

 

I used to sleep brilliantly, but now I'm awake at 4.00-5.00am every morning irrespective of the time I hit the sack...I just seem to have lost the ability to sleep well and if I've had a long day recovery can extend into two or three days.

 

I just love being back playing/gigging, but the day I'd experienced was unnecessarily complex and I was definitely running on adrenaline.  Just this afternoon (discussing this with family), like you I had this nagging thought in the back of my head about how much longer the willingness to do this is replaced by the body not being up to it.

 

When i was working I used to be same 5-6am every morning and if i wakened and it was daylight i was out of bed. Summer was a pain. 

The good news is that when you retire you do return to decent sleep hours 11pm to 8am on many occasions but usually cats get me up around 7am.

Retirement does have its plus side provided you keep yourself fit and healthy.

Hopefully that gives you a light at the end of the tunnel 

Dave

[tony_m]

4 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

99/100 that's the acoustic guitar or something ringing at an octave up from you. It might be set off by you, but it's not you.

 

Yeah, our frontman swaps between a 6-string electro-acoustic and a 12-string electro-acoustic, and it's always worse when he's on the 6-string. Throw his vocals plus two lots of backing vox and the electronic drumkit into the mix, and it does seem to be a case of frequency stacking that the monitors can't handle. Fortunately it doesn't affect the FoH, it's just annoying.

[Rich]

3 minutes ago, tony_m said:

 

Yeah, our frontman swaps between a 6-string electro-acoustic and a 12-string electro-acoustic, and it's always worse when he's on the 6-string. 

Does he use soundhole plugs on the acoustics?

[Downunderwonder]

1 minute ago, tony_m said:

 

Yeah, our frontman swaps between a 6-string electro-acoustic and a 12-string electro-acoustic, and it's always worse when he's on the 6-string. Throw his vocals plus two lots of backing vox and the electronic drumkit into the mix, and it does seem to be a case of frequency stacking that the monitors can't handle. Fortunately it doesn't affect the FoH, it's just annoying.

High pass his monitor send and it will be all good. The loop is guitar monitor guitar, doesn't matter where it starts from only that it is cut off.

[Mickeyboro]

Three-hour gig with the Otis Jay Blues Band in Bournemouth. 
Singer-harmonica player in Japan so we had two deps for the price of one! Not to mention a guest sax player…

All good clean fun.

PS: Sandberg VM4 through Elf plus Barefaced One10. Plenty loud!

Edited April 10, 2023 by Mickeyboro

[dmccombe7]

18 hours ago, tony_m said:

Saturday afternoon saw the first outing for Rascallion in 2023, appearing as the first "Outdoor Band" of the year at a local village pub (and coincidentally the first time we've ever played there too). 

 

Really nice setup in the beer garden, with a marquee roof running the full length, though as things turned out it might have been better if they'd had the sides on too - despite the lovely sunshine, it was both a tad draughty and incredibly chilly in the shade, and by the time we finished at about 6:30pm (having kicked off at 4pm, with a 30 minute break between sets) we were all suffering from cramp and frozen fingers (but fortunately had just enough dexterity and feeling left to be able to bash out "Bad Moon Rising" as a much-demanded encore).

 

Other than the usual distraction of the odd bass note booming through the monitors (octave E's this time rather than the usual B's and C's... 🤨 ), all went reasonably well. Overall, it probably wasn't the best we've ever played tbh, but conversely a couple of numbers turned out the best we've ever done them, so swings and roundabouts, eh? Despite the onstage boominess, FoH sound was spot-on, and the audience were appreciative throughout, with one particular lady declaring we were "f****** awesome" at the end. There again, drink may well have been taken, so...  🤷‍♂️

 

As it is, we were already booked for late August BH Sunday at the same venue, but they've now also asked if we could be available at short notice should they find themselves needing a band any time before then, so guess we must have made a decent enough impression.

 

Next scheduled gig is an open-air local charity festival in mid-July - hopefully it'll be a bit warmer that day!

 

Picture from the pub FB page...

Had a similar experience while back at a rehearsal and a fellow BC'er explained it to me. I was getting a low hum on certain notes and as explained its to do with the bass amp sitting on same axis as his vocal mic. If i had turned the bass amp a few degrees one way or the other it would have altered the frequency and stopped it happening. I tried this at the next rehearsal and sure enough he was spot on.

Now i tend to turn my cab slightly off forward facing at gigs and very slightly inwards but not perpendicular to drummers vocal mic.

Oddly enough i've never had this issue with drum mics altho they are usually placed at angles on drums.

Hope that makes sense.

Dave 

[tony_m]

2 hours ago, Rich said:

Does he use soundhole plugs on the acoustics?

 

No, they haven't actually got soundholes, they've both got piezo bridge pickups (in the pic below, the black one's the 12, the yellow one's the 6), but I guess they've still got the body capacity to resonate in an unhelpful manner?

 

2 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

High pass his monitor send and it will be all good. The loop is guitar monitor guitar, doesn't matter where it starts from only that it is cut off.

 

Sounds like a plan, I'll have a fiddle with the desk at rehearsal on Thursday. 👍

 

 

[tony_m]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Had a similar experience while back at a rehearsal and a fellow BC'er explained it to me. I was getting a low hum on certain notes and as explained its to do with the bass amp sitting on same axis as his vocal mic. If i had turned the bass amp a few degrees one way or the other it would have altered the frequency and stopped it happening. I tried this at the next rehearsal and sure enough he was spot on.

Now i tend to turn my cab slightly off forward facing at gigs and very slightly inwards but not perpendicular to drummers vocal mic.

Oddly enough i've never had this issue with drum mics altho they are usually placed at angles on drums.

Hope that makes sense.

Dave 

 

Hmm, I do usually have my amp turned inwards slightly, but then it's aiming at both Mr Frontman and Mr Lead Guitar's vocal mics. I'll try moving it around a bit at rehearsal on Thursday and see if that makes a difference. Thanks for the suggestion. 👍

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, tony_m said:

 

Hmm, I do usually have my amp turned inwards slightly, but then it's aiming at both Mr Frontman and Mr Lead Guitar's vocal mics. I'll try moving it around a bit at rehearsal on Thursday and see if that makes a difference. Thanks for the suggestion. 👍

Might be a silly one but have any of the mic stands got the centre pole touching the floor. The tripod legs have rubber stops on them that prevent the mic picking up bass drone but if the centre pole is touching floor it can transmit the bass vibration up to the mic itself. Had that in rehearsals a few times where previous bands have left stands that way and we didn't notice until we started playing. Its usually a low end hum / drone tho.

Dave

[tony_m]

17 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Might be a silly one but have any of the mic stands got the centre pole touching the floor. The tripod legs have rubber stops on them that prevent the mic picking up bass drone but if the centre pole is touching floor it can transmit the bass vibration up to the mic itself. Had that in rehearsals a few times where previous bands have left stands that way and we didn't notice until we started playing. Its usually a low end hum / drone tho.

Dave

 

Hi Dave,

 

I don't think so, though to be fair they're a part of the gear I never get involved with! I'll have a proper look on Thursday.

 

Cheers,

 

Tony

[BigRedX]

More better photos of Hurtsfall from the Goth Friday gig:

 

 

[moley6knipe]

16 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Might be a silly one but have any of the mic stands got the centre pole touching the floor. The tripod legs have rubber stops on them that prevent the mic picking up bass drone but if the centre pole is touching floor it can transmit the bass vibration up to the mic itself. Had that in rehearsals a few times where previous bands have left stands that way and we didn't notice until we started playing. Its usually a low end hum / drone tho.

Dave

Good shout Dave… lost count of the times that’s been at fault over the years!

[casapete]

1 hour ago, moley6knipe said:

Good shout Dave… lost count of the times that’s been at fault over the years!

Even one missing rubber foot from a mic stand can create horrible resonances, especially

on hollow stages. 

[Leonard Smalls]

Did a Battle of the Bands last night in Hereford...

Apart from me being stuck right in front of the guitar amp and being able to hear little but that, it went well! Good crowd and as we went in the van and I wasn't driving I could even have a whole 2 pints of Real Beer! Both basses coming along quite nicely now, with both players sporting proper punky hairdos - with basses from Cort and ACG, my amp being Marshall Jubilee into Markbass 2x10 via Helix.

Problem is, us being oldies, we can barely do Facebook and voting for the Battle is over at Instagram where codgers fear to go! So if anyone feels brave and would like to vote for us (Choked), it's here 

 

https://www.instagram.com/stories/thejamfac/3080250387046344714/

 

Here's a snippet featuring punkdisco bass!

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Leonard Smalls

[tony_m]

So, @Downunderwonder / @Rich / @dmccombe7 / @moley6knipe / @casapete , I pitched up at rehearsal on Thursday intending to test out your various suggestions as regards the boominess we experienced last Saturday, only to be forestalled by Mr Rhythm Guitar who confessed that the lows on his monitor (a SubZero C12MAE active floor jobbie) had been wound up as high as they'd go for most of the gig - apparently he'd only noticed two songs from the end, and never thought to mention it to the rest of us on the day!  🤦‍♂️

 

Anyway, after double-checking that everything was set up correctly, we ran through the numbers which had generated the most boominess on Saturday without any problems at all - winding up the lows on the monitor in question immediately took us back to Boom City, so looks like that was indeed the problem on this occasion.   🤷‍♂️

 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

I ventured just 14 miles from my house tonight to play a gig at a pub I didn't even know existed.

We arrived around 6.30pm, by which time it was still relatively light. Going inside the pub, it was unusually dark by virtue of lengths of tarpaulin hung by bits of string in front of the windows. Blinds were obviously too much of an extravagance.

It was a bit rough and ready, obligatory 'wet floor' triangle in the Gents making the populace aware that the floor was partially flooded around the urinals, as if you could fail to notice.

The licensee was very friendly though. Seems he had recently taken over the pub and had reintroduced live music every weekend. He found that managing it was a bit onerous and had scaled it back to just once a month.

After loading in, we were asked to set up in an alcove. I didn't have high hopes for what was to come, but the kit was going to be mic'd and my rig was right at the front, so I hoped for the best.

Midway through set up, the drummers throne collapsed. Apparently there were three screws holding the base to the seat and it had been living on one screw for a while. The remaining screw sheared off and there was nothing to be done.

Cue frantic drive home for him to get his spare throne.

Meanwhile, I go to the loo and find this....

 

 

 

....now looking at this, you could probably be forgiven for thinking we are a Ska band (we're not). The rest of the set is Queen, The Stranglers, Deep Purple, The Who etc.

To be fair, we do play one song each from the bands shown (Night Boat to Cairo, Too Much Too Young and Mirror In The Bathroom), but that's it as far as that genre goes.

Drummer arrives back two minutes before our start time and we start our set with no sound check.

I walk out front during the opening song (Hush) and it sounds unexpectedly good. I turn myself up slightly, but other than that, it's fine.

I return to my space and realise I can see nothing of my fretboard. I spent the first few minutes wishing I had optioned Luminlays on my Shuker, then managed to kick one of the LED light units around so I could actually see something. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing.

The first set went well, they certainly like their music. Obligatory drunk dancing type persons getting dangerously close to P.A. bits and our guitars, but no damage sustained.

During the break we get asked to do Mustang Sally, Sweet Caroline and Geno to which we say no. We could have blagged Geno as 75% of us know it, but we elect not to try.

We kick off set two with A Little Respect, which catches them off guard and they're now quite into it.

No real issues for the rest of the gig. Someone comes up and asks us to play Dakota again. No, once is enough thank you.

We get two encores after the end of the set and then finally get to turn the amps off.

Being the incredibly self critical type I am, I feel it was a good gig, but there was room for improvement. This is our first gig with our new keys player and it doesn't feel 100% yet.

We then get presented with this which was left by one of the punters....

 

 

What a lovely gesture. I wish I could have thanked them personally.

All in all, an enjoyable and satisfying night.

[joel406]

Tomorrow is our fifth gig since Wednesday. We played two Friday. A blend of Bars and Festivals. Exhausted. Next week is a little better. I think there's just three. Taylor Swift is playing the last of three shows tonight so traffic sucked. Had to pass the stadium area yesterday and today. But home for now. Last festival tomorrow. Out at 6am for another 100-mile drive. One way. The whole year is booked like this. Estimating that the band should clear 300K usd this year.

[Mudpup]

6 hours ago, joel406 said:

Tomorrow is our fifth gig since Wednesday. We played two Friday. A blend of Bars and Festivals. Exhausted. Next week is a little better. I think there's just three. Taylor Swift is playing the last of three shows tonight so traffic sucked. Had to pass the stadium area yesterday and today. But home for now. Last festival tomorrow. Out at 6am for another 100-mile drive. One way. The whole year is booked like this. Estimating that the band should clear 300K usd this year.

Clear $300k!!!" Do you need a dep? 

[Merton]

Cracking gig with the modern rock covers band (called Wednesday’s Child). It’s always a risk playing songs which nobody knows to a crowded pub but we went down great. I think it’s the best we’ve played yet, even my BVs weren’t horrendous, and we had a blast. Had some lovely feedback during the break and at the end, people commenting on how it was cool to see a band enjoying themselves so much, or how, despite not knowing the songs immediately, the energy and passion brought them across really well and played into bringing the crowd out of their shells. Great fun.

 

And yes, the drummist had spent the week prior to this cleaning his kit 😂

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by Merton

[stewblack]

First time at the Jubilee Club in Cirencester last night. Pleasantly surprised by the venue; nice stage, well lighted, friendly staff and punters.

They seemed to like it. I got paid. ✔️

 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

1 hour ago, Merton said:

It’s always a risk playing songs which nobody knows to a crowded pub but we went down great. I think it’s the best we’ve played yet,

That’s what we do. We play what we like rather churning out the pub rock band standards. We should share set lists.

[mcnach]

8 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

I ventured just 14 miles from my house tonight to play a gig at a pub I didn't even know existed.

We arrived around 6.30pm, by which time it was still relatively light. Going inside the pub, it was unusually dark by virtue of lengths of tarpaulin hung by bits of string in front of the windows. Blinds were obviously too much of an extravagance.

It was a bit rough and ready, obligatory 'wet floor' triangle in the Gents making the populace aware that the floor was partially flooded around the urinals, as if you could fail to notice.

The licensee was very friendly though. Seems he had recently taken over the pub and had reintroduced live music every weekend. He found that managing it was a bit onerous and had scaled it back to just once a month.

After loading in, we were asked to set up in an alcove. I didn't have high hopes for what was to come, but the kit was going to be mic'd and my rig was right at the front, so I hoped for the best.

Midway through set up, the drummers throne collapsed. Apparently there were three screws holding the base to the seat and it had been living on one screw for a while. The remaining screw sheared off and there was nothing to be done.

Cue frantic drive home for him to get his spare throne.

Meanwhile, I go to the loo and find this....

 

 

 

....now looking at this, you could probably be forgiven for thinking we are a Ska band (we're not). The rest of the set is Queen, The Stranglers, Deep Purple, The Who etc.

To be fair, we do play one song each from the bands shown (Night Boat to Cairo, Too Much Too Young and Mirror In The Bathroom), but that's it as far as that genre goes.

Drummer arrives back two minutes before our start time and we start our set with no sound check.

I walk out front during the opening song (Hush) and it sounds unexpectedly good. I turn myself up slightly, but other than that, it's fine.

I return to my space and realise I can see nothing of my fretboard. I spent the first few minutes wishing I had optioned Luminlays on my Shuker, then managed to kick one of the LED light units around so I could actually see something. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing.

The first set went well, they certainly like their music. Obligatory drunk dancing type persons getting dangerously close to P.A. bits and our guitars, but no damage sustained.

During the break we get asked to do Mustang Sally, Sweet Caroline and Geno to which we say no. We could have blagged Geno as 75% of us know it, but we elect not to try.

We kick off set two with A Little Respect, which catches them off guard and they're now quite into it.

No real issues for the rest of the gig. Someone comes up and asks us to play Dakota again. No, once is enough thank you.

We get two encores after the end of the set and then finally get to turn the amps off.

Being the incredibly self critical type I am, I feel it was a good gig, but there was room for improvement. This is our first gig with our new keys player and it doesn't feel 100% yet.

We then get presented with this which was left by one of the punters....

 

 

What a lovely gesture. I wish I could have thanked them personally.

All in all, an enjoyable and satisfying night.

 

 

I misread the board as saying "Skaturday" instead of Saturday...