How was your gig last night?

[stewblack]

Near run thing last night. We have a weekly Bandeoke at a notoriously tardy paying venue.

Sick of their shenanigans the band leader was forced to remind them of our agreement that we receive payment within a week or she could not guarantee her musicians would turn up.

They coughed within a couple of minutes of the 6pm deadline so our strike was called off. 

Turned out to be a great night. Phew.

 

[Woodinblack]

Played a school, a primary school. Its the school the guitarist and keyboard player went to, so they don't get money, we do and it is a charity event. Went well although thursday night is not one where I really want to do gigs, but it was 8-10, so it covers the time we would normally be doing a practice anyway, except they pay instead of us!

I bought some wireless microphone wireless link things about a month ago, I took them to a gig that we didn't use and hten they went missing. I spent ages going through *everything* trying to find them and the day before yesterday I contacted a few venues to see if they turned up anywhere.

Last night setting up, I couldn't find all my mains leads (almost certainly as the last few gigs other people have put them away) and at the bottom of the bag was a small black box with my wirless senders in it! Could have sworn I looked in there.

Anyway, tried, them, huge range, no drop out, the singer loves them.

[Bluewine]

The Bastille Days gig was ok. Load in and parking was a nightmare.  Downtown Milwaukee was packed. The Republicans convention started tonight. It's being held here in Milwaukee. 

 

We were too loud for my taste. Decent  crowd and decent pay, $1,500.00 for two and a half hours. The lighting was right up in our eyes,we couldn't see the crowd.

 

Here are a few pics I took.

 

Daryl

Edited July 13 by Bluewine

[Mykesbass]

6 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

The Bastille Days gig was ok. Load in and parking was a nightmare.  Downtown Milwaukee was packed. The Republicans convention started tonight. It's being held here in Milwaukee. 

 

We were too loud for my taste. Decent  crowd and decent pay, $1,500.00 for two and a half hours. The lighting was right up in our eyes,we couldn't see the crowd.

 

Here are a few pics I took.

 

Daryl

Looks like a nice event, though I did have a little laugh reading the website that describes the day as a celebration of French culture - did you have plenty of Edith Piaf and Johnny Holliday songs in the set? And we're the audience drinking vin rouge instead of Schlitz?!

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, Bluewine said:

The Bastille Days gig was ok. Load in and parking was a nightmare.  Downtown Milwaukee was packed. The Republicans convention started tonight. It's being held here in Milwaukee. 

 

We were too loud for my taste. Decent  crowd and decent pay, $1,500.00 for two and a half hours. The lighting was right up in our eyes,we couldn't see the crowd.

 

Here are a few pics I took.

 

Daryl

I see what you mean about the lighting Daryl.

Otherwise a good event tho by sound of it and decent money too so all good.

Sure the band played well and from an audience point of view that's what counts.

Dave 

[Bluewine]

11 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

I see what you mean about the lighting Daryl.

Otherwise a good event tho by sound of it and decent money too so all good.

Sure the band played well and from an audience point of view that's what counts.

Dave 

 

Agreed Dave,

 

Depends on the gig but I finally figured out the audience are not musicians.  All they really want is beat they can dance to.

 

It was pretty cool I thought. A decent amount of alcohol induced dancing. It was far from perfect but we had a few good moments. 

 

Daryl

[dmccombe7]

19 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

 

Agreed Dave,

 

Depends on the gig but I finally figured out the audience are not musicians.  All they really want is beat they can dance to.

 

It was pretty cool I thought. A decent amount of alcohol induced dancing. It was far from perfect but we had a few good moments. 

 

Daryl

Today i have a biker rally gig for not a lot of money. Its a 4hr drive each way and i'll maybe break even not including the fact i still need to eat at some point. Its an earlier start so hopefully finished and packed up by 10pm. Home by 2pm ish. 

Not looking forward to the drive on way home altho my wife will share some of the driving.

You need to stick to the speed limits as we have average speed cameras all along the main A9 route. Mostly 60mph with occasional dual carriageway sections of 70mph. Get stuck behind a tractor on this road and your journey soon becomes 5hrs. Part of the route is a tight twisty mountain passes. Gorgeous scenery tho and one of my fav areas for holidays. 

Dave

[Piers_Williamson]

37 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Today i have a biker rally gig for not a lot of money. Its a 4hr drive each way and i'll maybe break even not including the fact i still need to eat at some point. Its an earlier start so hopefully finished and packed up by 10pm. Home by 2pm ish. 

Not looking forward to the drive on way home altho my wife will share some of the driving.

You need to stick to the speed limits as we have average speed cameras all along the main A9 route. Mostly 60mph with occasional dual carriageway sections of 70mph. Get stuck behind a tractor on this road and your journey soon becomes 5hrs. Part of the route is a tight twisty mountain passes. Gorgeous scenery tho and one of my fav areas for holidays. 

Dave

Presumably its the twisty mountain passes that attracts the bikers.  One of the most beautiful parts of the whole UK.  Enjoy! (gig not the drive)

[peteb]

47 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Today i have a biker rally gig for not a lot of money. Its a 4hr drive each way and i'll maybe break even not including the fact i still need to eat at some point. Its an earlier start so hopefully finished and packed up by 10pm. Home by 2pm ish. 

 

 

You could always do what we do at those type of gigs if you don't fancy the late night drive home - pitch a tent, stay the night, have a few beers and drive home about noon the next day... 

 

[stewblack]

Another slightly depressing Friday night pub gig yesterday. I don't know how these places stay in business with so few customers. 

We went through the motions and it will help pay some bills, but it's tiring sometimes.

[ricksterphil]

3 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Another slightly depressing Friday night pub gig yesterday. I don't know how these places stay in business with so few customers. 

We went through the motions and it will help pay some bills, but it's tiring sometimes.

Did the pub promote the gig much?

Many don't and that has an effect on numbers

[ezbass]

55 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Today i have a biker rally gig for not a lot of money. Its a 4hr drive each way and i'll maybe break even not including the fact i still need to eat at some point. Its an earlier start so hopefully finished and packed up by 10pm. Home by 2pm ish. 

Not looking forward to the drive on way home altho my wife will share some of the driving.

You need to stick to the speed limits as we have average speed cameras all along the main A9 route. Mostly 60mph with occasional dual carriageway sections of 70mph. Get stuck behind a tractor on this road and your journey soon becomes 5hrs. Part of the route is a tight twisty mountain passes. Gorgeous scenery tho and one of my fav areas for holidays. 

Dave

I’m a regular traveller on the A9 from Pitlochry to Dundee, Perth, etc and back, I find that the speed limit thing is when cruise control comes into its own (plenty of folk go screaming past me though, perhaps they don’t know,the definition of average?). The main annoyance on the A9 for me, is the 50mph limit for 7.5 tonnes and above, it’s not the vehicles that should be observing this limit, it’s the cars that think it applies to them too. 

[dmccombe7]

22 minutes ago, Piers_Williamson said:

Presumably its the twisty mountain passes that attracts the bikers.  One of the most beautiful parts of the whole UK.  Enjoy! (gig not the drive)

Its in Tomintoul which is a famous bike destination up thru the Lecht pass.

Dave

[ricksterphil]

 

Our gig this evening is at The Speakeasy in Hinckley. Bit different to playing at the Dog n Duck next to one of the big TV's 😊

[dmccombe7]

10 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I’m a regular traveller on the A9 from Pitlochry to Dundee, Perth, etc and back, I find that the speed limit thing is when cruise control comes into its own (plenty of folk go screaming past me though, perhaps they don’t know,the definition of average?). The main annoyance on the A9 for me, is the 50mph limit for 7.5 tonnes and above, it’s not the vehicles that should be observing this limit, it’s the cars that think it applies to them too. 

Pitlochry is probably my favourite place for scenery. I love the drive along that section.

The A9 north of Perth to Inverness is literally average speed cameras the full route. To be fair the section from the Queensferry Bridge to Perth isn't too bad and you can make up some time on it but you do need to be very aware of police cameras along it too.

I'll use cruise on my way up  to a gig but when travelling at night after a gig i prefer not to use cruise. I just feel i have more control of the car without cruise plus the more i'm doing and keeping check off the more it keeps me alert. I actually prefer twisty roads after a gig as i'm more focused. Once i hit motorways i get bored easily and that makes me more tired.

I took a test drive up to Tomintoul 2 weeks ago just to see what the best route was and the A9 makes most sense. That particular car didn't have cruise but it is way better fun to drive. I'll be using the Volvo V90 today for the gig so its pretty comfy on long hauls.

It is funny as you mention there's always someone going a lot faster than me when i'm sitting at the speed limit. I often wonder if they got done for speeding ?

Dave

 

Edited July 13 by dmccombe7

[dmccombe7]

Just now, ricksterphil said:

 

Our gig this evening is at The Speakeasy in Hinckley. Bit different to playing at the Dog n Duck next to one of the big TV's 😊

WOW that looks nice. Can you get a band in there 

Dave

[stewblack]

12 minutes ago, ricksterphil said:

Did the pub promote the gig much?

Many don't and that has an effect on numbers

To be honest I don't know. These particular gigs come through a booker and it just feels like a soulless exercise for all concerned.

[ricksterphil]

23 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

WOW that looks nice. Can you get a band in there 

Dave

It's fabulous inside and run by a lovely couple Terry and Marni. They own the carpet shop next door and live in the flat above. You can't get a band in that bit and it is a small venue. 

[dmccombe7]

5 minutes ago, ricksterphil said:

It's fabulous inside and run by a lovely couple Terry and Marni. They own the carpet shop next door and live in the flat above. You can't get a band in that bit and it is a small venue. 

I was really curious to see more and had a google search on it and that just looks like an amazing place. Its so different and interesting.

Its a bit far from me but its the kind of place i'd love to visit. Quaint and charming. 😍

Have a great gig.

Dave

[Stub Mandrel]

5 hours ago, Bluewine said:

The Bastille Days gig was ok. Load in and parking was a nightmare.  Downtown Milwaukee was packed. The Republicans convention started tonight. It's being held here in Milwaukee. 

 

We were too loud for my taste. Decent  crowd and decent pay, $1,500.00 for two and a half hours. The lighting was right up in our eyes,we couldn't see the crowd.

 

Here are a few pics I took.

 

Daryl

 

Decent money!

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Today i have a biker rally gig for not a lot of money. Its a 4hr drive each way and i'll maybe break even not including the fact i still need to eat at some point. Its an earlier start so hopefully finished and packed up by 10pm. Home by 2pm ish. 

Not looking forward to the drive on way home altho my wife will share some of the driving.

You need to stick to the speed limits as we have average speed cameras all along the main A9 route. Mostly 60mph with occasional dual carriageway sections of 70mph. Get stuck behind a tractor on this road and your journey soon becomes 5hrs. Part of the route is a tight twisty mountain passes. Gorgeous scenery tho and one of my fav areas for holidays. 

Dave

 

We've got the Llandovery Bike Weekend on Sunday. £30... to split!

 

But the event supports Blood Bikes Wales.

[ricksterphil]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

I was really curious to see more and had a google search on it and that just looks like an amazing place. Its so different and interesting.

Its a bit far from me but its the kind of place i'd love to visit. Quaint and charming. 😍

Have a great gig.

Dave

Thanks 

[Oopsdabassist]

We're playing at the Harefield Hospital charity event later, we did it last year and it was great fun, weather is gonna be a bit suspect, as the 'stage' is on the grounds behind the nurses home we may get damp!  just about to load up the car..more news later!

[StingRayBoy42]

TODAY!

Depped on Sousaphone for the AD concert band at a garden party for one of the band member's 80th birthday.

It was in deepest, darkest, poshest Knowle, where the drives are bigger than the flat I've just agreed to rent.

Nice marquee in the grounds (!) of his farmhouse (!), a fair few family and friends were there (his, not mine) and we played well (the band is a pretty high standard which not all 'community' wind bands are).

The birthday boy is a big sports fan, so we played the old Ski Sunday theme and the old cricket theme (Soul Limbo) while some folk played cricket on the field in front of us, which was jolly good fun.

Other highlights were a Mary Poppins medley which rattles along at quite a lick (*and* I got the important tubular bell solo cue bang on, which was nice) and a Sousa Medley which is obviously fun to play on a Sousaphone.

Other pieces were the usual wind band rep, Seventeen Come Sunday (every wind band must play this by law), A Sodding Andrew Sodding Lloyd Sodding Webber medley (Jesus Christ Superstar is acceptable) and a piece imaginatively titled Waltz no 2 (Tchaikovsky? Stravinsky? Someone like that) which is a really, really beautiful piece of music (Actually, it's Shostakovich now that I think about it).

A record five people asked what the instrument I was playing was (It's a Sousaphone, basically a marching Tuba, named after but not invented by John Phillip Sousa, the American composer and band leader of the late 1800s (I should have this printed on a business card, it would save so much time) and yes it is very heavy) and one woman knew what it was so she got fifty points.

Two sets, a sandwich, a glass of very passable red, a brownie and a meringue thing at half time, lots of thanks for standing in, a few viola jokes shared with Colin the Eupphonium player (his best mate's wife plays Susan in The Archers) and home in time for a stiff G&T.

Oh, and it's my 50th birthday today *and* I've agreed to rent a tiny flat in lovely Bewdley.

Cheers!

[BCH]

5 years ago (this night!) when Fynnius Fogg was awarded a group MBE.