How was your gig last night?

[BreadBin]

15 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

My final gig tonight and I didn't go out on a high. Hand cramp meant I could barely hold my pick in the last few songs and my playing sucked.

We were opening for a Motorhead tribute and unfortunately, the crowd weren't in to our stoner/sludge metal. 

Not a good night. Even the drive home was horrible with the wind and rain.

Sorry to see this, but maybe confirms that you are making the right decision at this time. I hope you can still enjoy making music in some way though mate 

[SteveXFR]

1 hour ago, BreadBin said:

Sorry to see this, but maybe confirms that you are making the right decision at this time. I hope you can still enjoy making music in some way though mate 

 

Yeah, I think maybe I'm just not the right person to be in a band 

[JPJ]

Not last night but earlier today. Played the new Tyneside Americana and Blues Festival this afternoon with Ten Bob Blind, our female fronted Americana/Country band. The festival was organised over three days with three stages all within a local social club. The festival was really well attended with over 400 attending each day. Lucked out with the provided back line, an Eden World Traveller head and Markbass 2x10 supplied by the PA guy who was also a bass player so I had a lush sound both on stage and FOH. Hopefully this festival will become a regular on the national calendar 🤞

[casapete]

10 hours ago, markbunney said:

That theatre is just a few minutes up the road from me. The land that the temporary theatre sat on was a huge patch of bare earth for years since an old coop was demolished.

 

Quite a feat to get it up and running so quickly 

I was amazed at how brilliantly well the whole thing was carried out. You read about things like this in other

parts of the world but rarely in the UK. The whole place was well designed and constructed, with a superb

foyer and bar area for the punters along with excellent backstage facilities ( green room & excellent dressing

rooms etc). There was a Meyer Leopard line array PA installed too. I heard someone say the whole thing had

cost £1.8m to bring about, and they were expecting to be back in the old theatre by the latter part of 2024.
( Am guessing the new structure will then be taken down and sold ). 
 

 

 

Edited January 22 by casapete

[moley6knipe]

Last minute booking for 4 Play 😒 at Edward’s Bar in Grantham. 4:30 start, home by 9… great! 45 min drive each way. A little grim on the drive home coz of the weather. Played well enough, good feedback, decent pay and we played all bar one of the requests that came in. Another Sunday afternoon gig next weekend. I LIKE Sunday afternoon gigs!

Edited January 21 by moley6knipe

[Jack]

3 hours ago, JPJ said:

Not last night but earlier today. Played the new Tyneside Americana and Blues Festival this afternoon with Ten Bob Blind, our female fronted Americana/Country band. The festival was organised over three days with three stages all within a local social club. The festival was really well attended with over 400 attending each day. Lucked out with the provided back line, an Eden World Traveller head and Markbass 2x10 supplied by the PA guy who was also a bass player so I had a lush sound both on stage and FOH. Hopefully this festival will become a regular on the national calendar 🤞

Had a work colleague who went and said it was brilliant, no idea if he specifically saw your band but I'm going to just imagine that he did! 

[Muzz]

On 20/01/2024 at 23:04, StingRayBoy42 said:

It was my first gig with the ACG custom earplugs in... bit weird at first, I felt a bit disconnected and like the band lacked a bit of ooomph.
Got used to them after a bit, and found they helped with the BVs as I could hear myself through my headbone.

If all the band are in-ears (and even if not, but it's easier to sell the idea if it's to everyone's benefit) then to reduce the feel of isolation (tho you do get used to it) you might want to consider an ambient mic on the stage, just for a 'room sound' - also helps with those moments when you need to talk to each other: it always seems to happen the minute you get your inears properly in and settled...   Doesn't have to be anything posh, just something that'll pick up the room...

[Cat Burrito]

Not exactly my gig but I wandered into my local and was treated like a minor celebrity. At the end the band's set, the promoter insisted all the regular musicians get up for one song. Of course they picked a song I didn't know, so I recreated Bob Dylan's performance on the "We Are the World" video". They are all amazing musicians but I think I added nothing! 😸

 

 

 

 

[Mickeyboro]

19 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

I recreated Bob Dylan's performance on the "We Are the World" video". They are all amazing musicians but I think I added nothing! 😸

 

 

 

 

Way to go Bob👏

[StingRayBoy42]

1 hour ago, Muzz said:

If all the band are in-ears (and even if not, but it's easier to sell the idea if it's to everyone's benefit) then to reduce the feel of isolation (tho you do get used to it) you might want to consider an ambient mic on the stage, just for a 'room sound' - also helps with those moments when you need to talk to each other: it always seems to happen the minute you get your inears properly in and settled...   Doesn't have to be anything posh, just something that'll pick up the room...

 

These were just earplugs, not IEMs, the band are very old school.

 

I love IEMs with my other band!

[casapete]

Played at my favourite gig last night with my acoustic duo at The Lookout on the harbour in Scarborough.

Usual request night with plenty of variety. I was a bit shaken doing the old standard 'Have you met Miss Jones?',

which I'd forgotten was such a bug*er to play - unusual changes throughout (for non-jazzers like me anyway)

but my guitarist partner held it all together and nobody died. Can't have been that bad as we got another gig 

offered at the end of the night for a customer's private party, so all good.

A sold out gig despite the appalling weather, which made for an interesting drive home for us. We're back

there in a couple of weeks, and I'm already looking forward to it.

[WalMan]

First of two nights depping with a band I did a holiday camp dep for last summer. Couldn’t seem to connect to their XAir so didn’t use my IEM’s and went commando for the first time in a while. 
 

Everything from Beyoncé through Kool and the Gang to the Pretenders, Bon Jovi and Van Halen (Jump). One run through on Wednesday, a couple of run through to a Spotify and set up the sets as a playlist in iReal but didn’t really need it.

 

Couple of flubs but of course the punters weren’t aware of my ‘jazz’ moments and were dancing all night so all good, and onwards to tomorrow night (well tonight now). 

[dmccombe7]

Charity event with BLOCKBUSTARZ Glam covers last night organised by Falkirk Football Club at a venue we sold out last year. Was busy but not quite full last night but ended up a great night. The organiser asked us if we would play the clubs song Amarillo just for a laugh and because we know him we agreed. Boy did that go down a storm. I think everyone was crammed onto the floor bouncing about singing.

Altho i was apprehensive about doing the song i have to say i actually enjoyed playing it and the reaction from the audience was such a buzz. They also do specific actions at parts of the song. It was so much fun we got asked to play it again as the encore.

Home for 2:30am, little or no traffic on roads, coffee and a couple of jaffa cakes and off to bed.

Something my wife and i do on journeys home now is munch a bag of peanut M&M's. They seem to help keep me awake on the drive and certainly take away the after gig munches.

No pics or vids as yet but plenty of folks with their mobiles out so will see what appears.

We even got paid at soundcheck so that's always a good sign.

Finished playing at midnight but staff were clock watching us to get packed up and out so they could get home but in a fun way and were brilliant with us all night. We were out before 1am. Great staff at Camelon Social Club in Falkirk.

Dave

Edited January 27 by dmccombe7

[paddy109]

Mixed bag with my band tonight. My last gig for this band and my amp failed. The band called it karma for leaving.

Luckily the rehearsal studio we use was nearby and lent us a Orange combi. Adjusted on the fly and felt horrible.

Appreciative audience. 

Onwards and upwards.

[markbunney]

Played at The Penny Theatre in Canterbury tonight for the first time and it went really well.

 

They usually have tribute acts on a Saturday but the manager wanted to try a covers band and so we managed to get a slot. Wasn’t sure what to expect as we were told it emptied out by 10pm. We were a bit late on due to various issues and didn’t get going until 8.30 and then we had wireless and Wi-Fi issues but on the whole the gig was great and the manager said it was the busiest Saturday that they had had for months.

 
I used my @Tech21NYC Steve Harris pre amp tonight. I saw the great man himself playing in British Lion on Sunday and so thought fit to use it.

 

Unfortunately our drummer announced he was quitting after the gig, and said he would only do one more gig in a couple of weeks and that is it. Quite annoyed to say the least, as we have quite a few decent gigs booked this year including a wedding, and he has really dropped us in it.

Edited January 28 by markbunney
Picture

[StingRayBoy42]

Tonight:
The Lounge at Boldmere (Sutton Colefield) with the rock band. Nice place - when we got there, a bloke was being ejected for some light-hearted comedy racism and the bouncer told us there were a lot of d!ckheads out tonight. Yay!
It was full of wideboys, the manager told us it wasn't really a 'Rock' venue and asked could we not play the Motorhead, Pistols, AC/DC type stuff that makes up pretty much our entire setlist. 🤨
We said we'd see what we could do and played the Motorhead, Pistols, AC/DC type stuff that makes up pretty much our entire setlist.

During the first set, there were three or four people dancing at the front and about seventy people watching from the safety of the bar at the back of the room. Gotta love that huge, yawning chasm between the stage and the audience.
A bloke came up to the singer mid set and gave him some money, I assumed they were mates.
When this happened three or four more times, I wondered WTF was going on... was he a staff member paying the fee bit by bit?
Turns out he was some random bloke just giving the singer money.
Bit weird but he cut us all in, so no complaints.

Second set was loads better, everyone was suitably refreshed and they really got into it, the whole place was up by the end.
The manager came up as we were packing up and told us how wrong he'd been, he and everyone else had loved it and that he would definitely rebook us, so that's a win.

Sterling (love that Bass for rock stuff) -> small board -> Sansamp PBDDI -> Markbass CMD 121P.
Used my wireless and went and had a boogie on the dancefloor during the last song - I can heartily recommend it!
Feet update: Red socks and silver Converse.

Second gig with the ACG custom earplugs, they felt tons better than last time, it sounded like us just quieter.

I've lost my voice which meant no BVs... I really missed singing but I did notice myself focusing on the Bass more rather than just doing it on autopilot.

Spent the fee on a Pedaltrain Novo 24 on eBay inbetween sets - Apologies if you were bidding against me. I'll be selling my Classic JR this week if that helps?

[Mickeyboro]

5 hours ago, StingRayBoy42 said:

Tonight:
The Lounge at Boldmere (Sutton Colefield) with the rock band. Nice place - when we got there, a bloke was being ejected for some light-hearted comedy racism and the bouncer told us there were a lot of d!ckheads out tonight. Yay!
It was full of wideboys, the manager told us it wasn't really a 'Rock' venue and asked could we not play the Motorhead, Pistols, AC/DC type stuff that makes up pretty much our entire setlist. 🤨
We said we'd see what we could do and played the Motorhead, Pistols, AC/DC type stuff that makes up pretty much our entire setlist.

During the first set, there were three or four people dancing at the front and about seventy people watching from the safety of the bar at the back of the room. Gotta love that huge, yawning chasm between the stage and the audience.
A bloke came up to the singer mid set and gave him some money, I assumed they were mates.
When this happened three or four more times, I wondered WTF was going on... was he a staff member paying the fee bit by bit?
Turns out he was some random bloke just giving the singer money.
Bit weird but he cut us all in, so no complaints.

Second set was loads better, everyone was suitably refreshed and they really got into it, the whole place was up by the end.
The manager came up as we were packing up and told us how wrong he'd been, he and everyone else had loved it and that he would definitely rebook us, so that's a win.

Sterling (love that Bass for rock stuff) -> small board -> Sansamp PBDDI -> Markbass CMD 121P.
Used my wireless and went and had a boogie on the dancefloor during the last song - I can heartily recommend it!
Feet update: Red socks and silver Converse.

Second gig with the ACG custom earplugs, they felt tons better than last time, it sounded like us just quieter.

I've lost my voice which meant no BVs... I really missed singing but I did notice myself focusing on the Bass more rather than just doing it on autopilot.

Spent the fee on a Pedaltrain Novo 24 on eBay inbetween sets - Apologies if you were bidding against me. I'll be selling my Classic JR this week if that helps?

Now that’s a review! All that’s missing is the band name…

[martthebass]

Due to various double bookings and what not last night was the the first gig with the glam lads since New Year’s Eve. Didn’t know what to expect as this was through an agent (we only do 1/2 a year agent gigs) and a birthday party (which we find can be a mixed bag). Well I was a bit rusty and the stage had that awful ‘swimming’ sound which made everything seem out of key to me but all in all it was a cracking gig. It also had the benefit of being at a local pub in Askern so only 30 minutes drive.

The birthday boy came up for a chat at the end and said how much he’d enjoyed it, apparently he’d tried to get another Glam Rock band but they were unavailable, fortunately he wasn’t disappointed. 

[Paul S]

Friday night, one of my band's monthly 'residency' gigs at The Shamrock in Ipswich.  Very quiet.  Only one of our regulars turned up, good old Harry who comes to every single gig.  Only one other face I recognised.  Different bar staff - seemed like a different gig.  They've even fixed the dodgy power socket!  Usual revolving door of punters, a handful hung around but we didn't get the usual atmosphere building up.  Still, I got parked nearby, traffic to and from was light and we got paid.

 

Next up is this coming Thursday 1st, we are 'headlining' a 3 band 'blues and brews' evening at the John Peel Centre in Stowmarket.  Potentially a great night  

[StingRayBoy42]

1 hour ago, Mickeyboro said:

Now that’s a review! All that’s missing is the band name…

 

We're called The Cantina Band because we always play the same songs.

 

Also, we generally play wretched hives of scum and villainy.

[asingardenof]

8 hours ago, StingRayBoy42 said:

Tonight:
The Lounge at Boldmere (Sutton Colefield) with the rock band. Nice place - when we got there, a bloke was being ejected for some light-hearted comedy racism and the bouncer told us there were a lot of d!ckheads out tonight. Yay!
It was full of wideboys, the manager told us it wasn't really a 'Rock' venue and asked could we not play the Motorhead, Pistols, AC/DC type stuff that makes up pretty much our entire setlist. 🤨
We said we'd see what we could do and played the Motorhead, Pistols, AC/DC type stuff that makes up pretty much our entire setlist.

During the first set, there were three or four people dancing at the front and about seventy people watching from the safety of the bar at the back of the room. Gotta love that huge, yawning chasm between the stage and the audience.
A bloke came up to the singer mid set and gave him some money, I assumed they were mates.
When this happened three or four more times, I wondered WTF was going on... was he a staff member paying the fee bit by bit?
Turns out he was some random bloke just giving the singer money.
Bit weird but he cut us all in, so no complaints.

Second set was loads better, everyone was suitably refreshed and they really got into it, the whole place was up by the end.
The manager came up as we were packing up and told us how wrong he'd been, he and everyone else had loved it and that he would definitely rebook us, so that's a win.

Sterling (love that Bass for rock stuff) -> small board -> Sansamp PBDDI -> Markbass CMD 121P.
Used my wireless and went and had a boogie on the dancefloor during the last song - I can heartily recommend it!
Feet update: Red socks and silver Converse.

Second gig with the ACG custom earplugs, they felt tons better than last time, it sounded like us just quieter.

I've lost my voice which meant no BVs... I really missed singing but I did notice myself focusing on the Bass more rather than just doing it on autopilot.

Spent the fee on a Pedaltrain Novo 24 on eBay inbetween sets - Apologies if you were bidding against me. I'll be selling my Classic JR this week if that helps?

A pub in Sutton Coldfield full of dickheads? Who'da thunk it?

[Franticsmurf]

Last night I played rhythm guitar for the first time in many, many years. It was an unremarkable gig in a venue I've played many times before as a bassist. The band area (a small alcove) is too small for four, not helped by the giant TE rig our bass player used (although the sound was gorgeous). I got to stand next to the drummer behind the kit, unable to take more than one small step in any direction. The volume in that small area is huge but in ears helped, even if the dodgy PA only gave me vocals in one ear).  We went down well, we performed well enough for it not to make me feel guilty (that I'd 'got away with it'). Highlight for me was the rendition of Wish You Were Here I took lead guitar and lead vocals on.

 

Parking off street at the venue, decent crowd, home by midnight. Overall a success.  

Edited January 28 by Franticsmurf

[Woodinblack]

Had a gig on Friday, early start (8:30), tiny pub, second time we have been there. Its a real faff to set up because once you have brought all the equipment in you are tripping over each other, and the pub was quite full allready. To be fair, you get 10 people in it and it feels full, but there were a lot more.

Eventually moved the people from the corner where the PA sits and setup. By the time we were almost ready to start I was too hot and my back was to an open fire, that had died but still heating. Sound sounded great as we could turn it down quite a bit and it was clear and loud enough. 

Considering a complete absence of practice for a while, everything with the songs went really well. The singer didn't mess up the song he did last week, and when he tried to mess up another song I just sang the right thing over him and he got with the program

At one point this guy came right up to the side and leant down and stared intently at the front of my amp, for about 30 seconds - I mean the ashdown ABM600 evoIII is nice, but not that interesting. Then he stared at my pedalboard, which just currently has a dwarf and a critical mass on it, again, not that interesting.

There was a drunk guy that danced back almost knocking the mic stand over, I pushed him away, he got close again I pushed him away, he got close again, it was the second half so I had the acrylic bass, which I put the headstock into his back and pushed, that worked well. Then the landlady threw him out. 

At the end we did our last song as whole lotta love that we haven't done for a while, a guy that came in in the second half came up saying how well we had done it and what an interesting set we had, and he had just been passing and walked in, whcih was nice. 

You never know what pubs are going to be good, that one is. And it was a friday gig, finishing at 11:00, home before 12 and the rest of the weekend free, whats not to like

[Woodinblack]

Oh one thing that was not so great. I forgot the riff to poker face, which wouldn't have been an issue except I was already half way through it. Yes, I had played half of it fine, and then just boom - came out of the chorus and couldn't remember how it went. Isnt the brain a great thing

 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

The odds were stacked against last night even going ahead.

Our keyboard player had to pull out due to illness leaving us within a week of the gig with no option other than to cancel.

Keyboard players (decent ones) seem to be like rocking horse poo around these parts.

We decided to enlist the help of a guitarist to fill the hole which meant binning about 50% of our set for guitar orientated tunes.

One midweek rehearsal behind us and we got away with it. Went down very well.

Same again next week as a two guitar band.