How was your gig last night?

[msb]

One surprising thing about the 51 reissue , it has the most lively G string that I’ve ever played.

[stewblack]

Irish pub in town with the originals band. We play a kind of upbeat Anglo Celtic folkish set, mainly originals and have a monthly residency here.

The only drawback (apart from the low pay) is the lack of care for the musicians. No stage, no security, people falling over the gear, hardly any space to set up and another venue where the owner insists on playing sound engineer. Not that he actually runs a PA or anything (there isn't one) he just stands there telling us to turn the bass down.

And turn everything else up. 

Which the BL dutifully does so we end up playing among a cacophony of howling feedback and with no discernable bass.

While fending off drunken punters with our instruments.

 

Don't get me wrong, this is my job and I'm grateful for the gig.  I don't expect to enjoy every work night any more than office drones enjoy every day at their desk. 

I've just never believed in cow towing to anyone else when it comes to our sound. It's ours. We know how it should be.

But there we are. A wedding tomorrow with a different outfit entirely.

 

 

[WalMan]

Gig with the main band in Fareham yesterday (Friday). A bit quiet to start with but picked up towards the end when the hen party reached peak inebriation - had to step over the bride being comforted and filled with water while sat on the pavement outside on load out.

 

Tonight (Saturday) I am being a Punk Pirate 😁

Edited August 10 by WalMan

[dmccombe7]

10 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Erm. Brief.

 

Multi band “battle” thing…I know…

 

But, we smashed it - playing a festival tomorrow.

 

Nice little event - about 40-50 folks In a lovely venue.

 

Sound was shocking onstage, but played alright - nice response considering we didn’t really take anyone of ours (as they’re out to see us tomorrow).

Looking at the pic trying to figure what bass that was then remembered having a conversation with you about it. Bit of a Doh !!! moment for me there Andy. 

Looks like a good set up stage there. Nice one.

Dave

[dmccombe7]

7 hours ago, WalMan said:

Gig with the main band in Fareham yesterday (Friday). A bit quiet to start with but picked up towards the end when the hen party reached peak inebriation - had to step over the bride being comforted and filled with water while sat on the pavement outside on load out.

 

Tonight (Saturday) I am being a Punk Pirate 😁

Happy days 

Dave

[tony_m]

11 hours ago, msb said:

One surprising thing about the 51 reissue , it has the most lively G string that I’ve ever played.

 

Same here, even with TI Jazz Flats, and particularly around the 12th fret. Luckily I'm only ever up that way a couple of times during our set... 😃

[moley6knipe]

There’s a 12th fret?!

[Chienmortbb]

Just now, moley6knipe said:

There’s a 12th fret?!

Hidden by all the dust.🤣

[casapete]

I was playing with blues band The Alligators in Bridlington last night at The Stirling Castle in

the town centre. Nice pub that puts regular live music on, with great staff and manager. I

love it when you are greeted with a smile and offer of a beer!

Used my passive Precision Lyte into a Rumble 500 watt 2x10 combo raised off the floor

due to no space - actually quite liked it a bit higher. Also utilised ear plugs as didn’t want

my ears ringing - even though it’s only a 3 piece with a 15 watt Vox and a small PA the

levels can be deceptively high.
Playing area was quite small, even for a 3 pc band like ours. After an initial problem with

the mains supply we got set up and started around 9pm to a reasonable sized crowd.

During the break ( 2x45 min sets) our guitarist Tony was chatting with an old band mate 

of his, who it turned out is getting married today so was out with some friends for a few 

beers. As he is a drummer, inevitably he got up to play a song with us which was okay

although he was a tad inebriated. Told us his best man today is Tenpole Tudor, who

we are old enough to remember!  Another of his pals we got chatting to was Jeff Rich,

another drummer who was with Status Quo for over 15 years. A lovely bloke, who we

got up to play as well - he wanted to do a blues shuffle sort of thing, so I sang ‘Farther

up the Road’, made famous by Bobby Bland and later Eric Clapton. Jeff was an absolutely

amazing player, so strong yet subtle and groovy as. Really enjoyed playing with him, and

so nice to meet someone with no edge or ego, just a fabulous musician. May be some pics

with him kicking around that I’ll add later. (now added!)

Got home around 1am, bit knackered today though.

 

 

Edited August 11 by casapete

[Stub Mandrel]

18 minutes ago, casapete said:

Tenpole Tudor,

 

Eddie Tudorpole iirc

 

Sounds a cool evening

[rwillett]

Damm missed all of this by a week. Story of my life

[casapete]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Eddie Tudorpole iirc

 

Sounds a cool evening

Of course, that’s the chap! 
Remember seeing him doing ‘Swords of a thousand men’ on TOTP.

Quite pleased he wasn’t in the pub as well last night though, don’t think

I could have busked that one from memory. 😆

[dmccombe7]

1 minute ago, casapete said:

Of course, that’s the chap! 
Remember seeing him doing ‘Swords of a thousand men’ on TOTP.

Quite pleased he wasn’t in the pub as well last night though, don’t think

I could have busked that one from memory. 😆

Our punk covers band was gonna give it a go and not much to it. After we tried it we decided it wasn't really suited to what we were doing.

Dave

[casapete]

1 minute ago, dmccombe7 said:

Our punk covers band was gonna give it a go and not much to it. After we tried it we decided it wasn't really suited to what we were doing.

Dave

I’m generally not a fan of shouty / football crowd types of songs, so glad I managed to avoid 

doing it. In one of my old bands we did ‘Chelsea Dagger’ which I absolutely hated, but to be

fair always went down well towards the end of the evening. 

[AndyTravis]

Day 2, gig 2.

 

Rained heavily while we waited side of stage…

 

then the sun came out as we played.

 

Played really well, big Ashdown house rig - possibly lowest output ever - possibly ohmage issue. Couldn’t get stage volume I needed.

 

My rig would’ve been preferable, but that’s life.

 

 

 

[Chienmortbb]

Well for the second time in a couple of weeks the Singer has baled at the last minute. 3pm for a gig starting at 8.30. Another place that will not book us again?

[taunton-hobbit]

21 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

the Singer has baled at the last minute

Time to look for a new singist methinks ...

 

😎

[WalMan]

Saturday I was “Anchor Face” Al on the good ship Punk 🤪

 

All good fun. One rehearsal and a couple of rough play thoughs at home and I remembered/managed to busk through it all watching the guitarist’s hand and catching up quickly when a song completely escaped me.

 

Old skool rig: Hartke LH500 into a pair of BigBaby’s, tuner in the loop and an Origin DCXBass for an extra kick when required, battered FPPR Status S1 that has seen many SEBB’s. I nearly only used one BB then remembered (a) it’s punk; and (b) the band I was depping for has a drummer who really lays in so went the whole hog. Sounded flipping marvellous where I was 😁 I’m not normally allowed to be such an hooligan and ‘twas fun 🤩 

 

 

Edited August 11 by WalMan

[Bluewine]

On 08/08/2024 at 15:19, Bluewine said:

 

Big Gig this Saturday.  Big stage, Big sound & lights. National Headliners.

 

We only play for an hour.

 

Daryl

 

 

 

 

**Waukesha Rotary BluesFest**, August 9 & 10 at Naga-Waukee Park, Delafield featuring the "New Generation" of the blues with headliners **Ally Venable** and **GA-20** plus **Tinsley Ellis** (solo) and **Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band**! www.waukeshabluesfest.com

 

It was a good gig. And the organisers stayed true to their word. Food & beverage was provided. Lol

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

On 08/08/2024 at 15:19, Bluewine said:

 

Big Gig this Saturday.  Big stage, Big sound & lights. National Headliners.

 

We only play for an hour.

 

Daryl

 

 

 

 

**Waukesha Rotary BluesFest**, August 9 & 10 at Naga-Waukee Park, Delafield featuring the "New Generation" of the blues with headliners **Ally Venable** and **GA-20** plus **Tinsley Ellis** (solo) and **Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band**! www.waukeshabluesfest.com

 

It was a good gig. We played an hour slot, 3:45- 4:45. The sound on stage was fantastic. 

 

Blue

[dmccombe7]

8 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

Well for the second time in a couple of weeks the Singer has baled at the last minute. 3pm for a gig starting at 8.30. Another place that will not book us again?

Why did he bale at last minute ?

Dave

[Mickeyboro]

A gig that seemed fated from the start. Guitarist didn’t want to do it, drummer cried off with painful wrists the day before. ‘It’s not our kind of venue, it’s too late, no one will come.’ But as so often happens we dragged victory from the jaws of defeat!

 

The cellar bar venue rarely does ‘non original’ music but we got the nod for a Saturday two-setter. The stairs are murder with gear and the stage is compact, but the sound is very good. I played my Flea through the house Markbass CMP121.

 

And so the Otis Jay Blues Band live to fight another day. Suspect the guitarist was going down with something - was in a foul mood anyway, playing from 10-midnight, and paid £6 for parking  - but the dep drummer performed manfully. A drunken bunch of ravers, none of whom had ever seen us before (our audience don’t do late night Saturdays) took us to heart. I have never been groped on the dance floor before, but there’s a first time for everything!

 

Arriverderci Boscombe… we will be back!

Edited August 11 by Mickeyboro

[ezbass]

Unfortunately for us, there were a couple of larger events happening in town that reduced the size of our potential audience. However, those that were there (30ish) were appreciative, although there was the predictable too loud comment from some folk in the firing line of the drums. Speaking of whom, we had a dep drummer again, so all those little pushes and dynamics that make our set sound good and polished we’re missing  . A small stage meant that I was right on top of my rig and no matter if I played pick or fingers, distortion on or off, tone rolled full or all off, or any other effect, it all sounded like mush  . TBH, I’m getting a little tired of this aspect of playing live. Still, looks like we might have picked up another local venue to play in, as one of the audience is going to recommend us for his club.

 

 

[dmccombe7]

BLOCKBUSTARZ Glam gig last night at Hearts Longstone Club. Played here quite a few times now and always a wonderful reception.

Its not a huge club and i reckon maybe about 60-70 folks in with many dressing up for the Glam night.

We even had the boob flasher during Get It On which is new for us. No pics of that bit have appeared as yet 

Also a first with this band a young lady in a mini dress asked for our autographs and was so i pressed with the band said she will def be at the Xmas gig and any others in the Edinburgh area. 

Club  brought a load of blow up guitars etc and star sunglasses and handed them out.

Band played well and altho singer lost his voice during the week he did remarkably well altho our other singer Lynn was all prepared to step in as and when needed.

Using my Berg VM4 into my new Mesa TT800 for  the first time with my Mesa SW210/115 cabs. Sounded a lot more modern than my SVT7 Pro or Handbox WB-100 but it sounded clear and full on both channels. Boogie channel set for a more standard warm tone and the Subway channel set for a more Ric bite sound. Gonna take a bit of fiddling to get it just right but so far i'm pleased with it. I've only waited 3 yrs to get one. 

1 Hrs drive home on nice quiet country roads so that was all good.

Got a thumping headache this morning tho so probably not enough water during the gig. Normally drink between 1-2 litres a gig but only had 1 litre last night. I do sweat a lot with all the glam gear on.

Dave 

[rwillett]

we need more pictures of you in glam gear....

 

Pictures or it didn't happen 😊