How was your gig last night?

[BrunoBass]

We played a mid afternoon set in Cropredy for the Fairport Convention Festival Fringe yesterday, and much fun was had by all. Good crowd (a mixture of the traditional Fairport types, families with young kids, rock fans, a load of our friends and family etc...) and a nice happy vibe. 

We played for ninety minutes, and went down really well. We played well, good energy onstage and a nice bit of interplay between us. We’ve lacked stagecraft historically and I’ve encouraged everyone to move around a bit and look like we’re enjoying ourselves, which we are doing much better now; the audience pick up on it and we pick up on their energy in return -  obvious.

We were done by 4.30pm, and I was packed up and home by 5.30pm. I took MrsBass into town for drinks and a meal later and saw a few people out who’d been at the gig earlier and were full of compliments, what a great feeling! 

Next stop for us is The Bell in Bicester next Saturday, one of our favourite places to play.

[Yank]

Nice pics,  Bruno!  Nice to see a band with all band members looking fit.

[BrunoBass]

16 minutes ago, Yank said:

Nice pics,  Bruno!  Nice to see a band with all band members looking fit.

Thank you! We’re not too bad for a bunch of middle aged weekend rock stars! 😁

[urbanx]

 

We were honoured to be asked to headline our cities first gay pride event this weekend. Fantastic weather, and 5,000 people in a good mood. It was the first time I got to bring my two year old son to see us too, was awesome to get out and dance with him for a bit. We threw in YMCA and ‘Gay Bar’ because why not!

 

After we played, a 7ft drag queen closed the festival  by singing “I am what I am” whilst stripping appendages. I was crouched behind my stack unwiring everything when I got hit by a prosthetic boob, very disorientating as I didn't know she was stripping. The next thing I heard was my two year old shriek “NOT a lady!” Top day.

[Bluewine]

22 hours ago, BrunoBass said:

We played a mid afternoon set in Cropredy for the Fairport Convention Festival Fringe yesterday, and much fun was had by all. Good crowd (a mixture of the traditional Fairport types, families with young kids, rock fans, a load of our friends and family etc...) and a nice happy vibe. 

We played for ninety minutes, and went down really well. We played well, good energy onstage and a nice bit of interplay between us. We’ve lacked stagecraft historically and I’ve encouraged everyone to move around a bit and look like we’re enjoying ourselves, which we are doing much better now; the audience pick up on it and we pick up on their energy in return -  obvious.

We were done by 4.30pm, and I was packed up and home by 5.30pm. I took MrsBass into town for drinks and a meal later and saw a few people out who’d been at the gig earlier and were full of compliments, what a great feeling! 

Next stop for us is The Bell in Bicester next Saturday, one of our favourite places to play.

Nice pics, looks like you had a nice size crowd.

Blue

[NHM]

just finished my fourth gig this week at the Broadstairs Folk Festival. Seemed more rock than folk, but perhaps I was looking in the wrong places.

Good to know that  dog wee doesn't seem to damage a Rumble.

[josie]

We played the open jam at the Thirsty Scholar in Mcr Monday night. Our keys player had played there a few times before, and got us a slot as a band. Tiny stage, no monitors on stage, so I was cramped in a back corner with my headstock a few inches from the keys player's head, and could only hear him and the drums. Had no idea what the singer, lead guitar, and harp were doing, so just nailed a steady bassline and hoped for the best. Couldn't understand why the singer was so upset after, until I was told (at practice Weds) that there had been a couple of mix-ups about when she should be singing and when it was supposed to be an instrumental solo. Ironic, as we'd spent time at our last practice working on how to keep eye contact and what signals to give. 

But the place was rocking and we've been asked back, so I guess we got away with it 🙂 

[seashell]

Halfway through my little stint depping with the Stones covers band. Three down, three to go! All went well. Loads of people in and all seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it..including a few die hard Stones fans, wearing all the appropriate gear.🙂

Many thanks to our own KevB for coming along! Really nice to catch up.

A good friend (also a muso) was kind enough to give me a lift in his van and help me load in and out which was much appreciated. On the way home, we stopped for a curry which I paid for out of my earnings for the night.  My friend declared this made me a proper musician at last.  Another milestone reached! 😎

 

[Bluewine]

We played the St. John's Church Festival last night. A very long 5:30-9:30.

Tough gig, we're not a Church Festival band 

Other than a few high points, it wasn't a great gig, however we worked very hard.  Those of you that gig with full sound and lights know what I mean.

Blue

[Woodinblack]

We did a friday night gig at one of our usual good pubs, but someone had decided as we had played there a few times recently that we should drag some old songs back that we had agreed to not do again. So we started with 4 blues songs in a row. There are a load of bass players who can lay back and play blues all night. I am not one of those people. After 4 blues songs in a row I had basically lost interest in playing, and it took a long time to get into the swing of it. I feel the singer, who is the life and soul was also in the same boat. The rest of the first half seemed ok but lacking in spark or energy. It was also a 1½+ hour first half and so it dragged a lot!

The second half was ok though, got a bit of a second wind and it was the first time I had played RHCP version of Higher Ground live, which is something I wanted to do a for a long time.

We seemed to gain a few new fans though, and people seemed to enjoy it so maybe it was just how it seemed to me.

Always a bit of a double edged sword when someone at half time says 'oh you guys are really good', its nice but not so great when you know that you are not that on form.

 

[DaytonaRik]

Got roped into playing a couple of Lizzy tracks with the band at a friend's 60th birthday bash and...don't tell anyone...actually enjoyed it!  The band were brilliant and it was so easy to step up and front a bunch of excellent musicians.  The guitarist and drummer also play in  another rock band playing large clubs/theatres and I've been asked to audition for the vacant bass player slot in a few weeks...watch this space

[BrunoBass]

Just got in from tonight’s gig at The Bell in Bicester, we play there a couple of times a year and it’s always a cracker, tonight was no exception.

We started late, about 9.30 to avoid a clash with a music festival in town. I think we hoovered up everyone leaving as the place was rammed. Fantastic crowd, really up for it, we played really well, great energy between us at the moment.

I played my new Squire PJ again which sounded great. I’m home now - hot, sweaty, achey and still buzzing. 

 

[casapete]

Just got in from playing with a mate's band in a local pub, depping for their regular bassist who's a good friend of mine too. Fairly standard dad-rock set list, but enjoyable nevertheless. Great drummer who I've known for years so good to play with him again, un-busy player who totally gets what's right for the song. Good sized crowd, quite a few dancing and re-booked so job done. Only thing - it was a bit loud and I forgot my earplugs so will be ringing a bit, stupid of me. I forget how loud some bands play, having got used to theatre gigs with low stage levels. Used my P-bass Lyte into GK MB800/Loud Inc 4x10 and it sounded fine. Haven't used the cab for ages, and have forgotten how good it is to have 4 speakers working away as a change from my usual BF Compact 1x15. 

[FinnDave]

Just back from playing a gig in Melksham, 55 miles each way, was glad to get home as decidedly sleepy! Gig went well, plenty of familiar faces there, LL wants us back, so all good. Took my new six string along intending to play it for the first 2 or 3 songs as I've only had it a couple of days and only ever played four strings before - and the Precision stayed in its case, the mixer was played for the entire gig, including the 2 or 3 encores!

So, gear used tonight was Ibanez SR 506, Ashdown ABM 600 and Barefaced Super Compact, sounded good.

[Bluewine]

3 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

We did a friday night gig at one of our usual good pubs, but someone had decided as we had played there a few times recently that we should drag some old songs back that we had agreed to not do again. So we started with 4 blues songs in a row. There are a load of bass players who can lay back and play blues all night. I am not one of those people. After 4 blues songs in a row I had basically lost interest in playing, and it took a long time to get into the swing of it. I feel the singer, who is the life and soul was also in the same boat. The rest of the first half seemed ok but lacking in spark or energy. It was also a 1½+ hour first half and so it dragged a lot!

The second half was ok though, got a bit of a second wind and it was the first time I had played RHCP version of Higher Ground live, which is something I wanted to do a for a long time.

We seemed to gain a few new fans though, and people seemed to enjoy it so maybe it was just how it seemed to me.

Always a bit of a double edged sword when someone at half time says 'oh you guys are really good', its nice but not so great when you know that you are not that on form.

 

I have absolutely no say in the material we perform and prefer it that way.

There are several songs we do that I personally don't care for. I put more effort into those songs than I do for the songs I love playing. We played " White Rabbit" last night with an extended free form intro and I had a blast with it.

I say;

" Always play the best bass you can and stay focused."

Blue

Edited August 19, 2018 by Bluewine

[FinnDave]

We used to play White Rabbit when Jenny Haan was singing with us - one gig we had to play it 3 or 4 times before they'd let us go home!

[Bluewine]

14 hours ago, FinnDave said:

We used to play White Rabbit when Jenny Haan was singing with us - one gig we had to play it 3 or 4 times before they'd let us go home!

Dave,

I thought it was a bad move adding  Rabbit to our  last set. I couldn't have been more wrong.

People go nuts for that song. The crowd always sings along and it seems like people of all ages know it.

Blue

Edited August 19, 2018 by Bluewine

[grumpyguts]

Did what has become an annual gig at the Binfield Club - near the bright lights of Bracknell. It's a fairly typical social club, we get a good sized space to play - getting stuff in is a battle, we have to manoeuvre past folks sitting on chairs watching the telly having a drink. It was the last gig with our current drummer which is a pity cos he is a decent drummer and a lovely bloke.

We suffer from a lack of practice, some of the new stuff is a bit rough round the edges - despite this we went down well; some really nice comments after both sets - we will be back next year. I am rarely happy with my playing and last night was no different, it was the first gig with my TC BH800 (was using an LH500) I was at least happier with the sound. 

 

 

[Woodinblack]

9 hours ago, Bluewine said:

I have absolutely no say in the material we perform and prefer it that way.

There are several songs we do that I personally don't care for. I put more effort into those songs than I do for the songs I love playing. We played " White Rabbit" last night with an extended free form intro and I had a blast with it.

I would be more than happy to do white rabbit, it is interesting and involved. There are several songs that we do that I really dislike, but there is something to play. Cocaine on the other hand is the same notes over and over to the end and not even slightly interesting. I have no feelings either way on the song. 

Obviously I am going to play the best I can, and I did (and I played fine) but our motivations are different, you do it for money and hope you enjoy it, I do it for enjoyment and hope to get paid. If at any point I wasn't enjoying it, then the fact I get paid becomes irrelevant, I would stop doing it. 

If a set like that became normal, I would be looking around for something else.

 

 

[FinnDave]

We played Cocaine last night, and much as I love JJ Cales's music, this is one song I really dislike playing, but it always goes down well, so I do my best and pretend I'm enjoying myself!

[Woodinblack]

I will on those songs that it is a one off, but when you get a load of them in a row, it just kills the spark and makes you wonder why you are bothering to be out on a friday night when you could be at home!

[BrunoBass]

We have a number of songs that I don’t like playing, but the crowd reaction makes it worth it. Mind you, I wouldn’t choose to listen to 80% of the material we play anyway.

[12stringbassist]

We played a pub just outside of A******ton last night.

When I arrived at 8 pm, the stage area was (as usual for this venue) totally full of tables and I was prepared for the usual battle of wits with the landlord about getting them moved. I took all my gear in and placed it in ahuge mound, next to where I was going to set up in the corner. The couple sat at the next table looked at me with big eyes and a look of total dumb incomprehension.

When I took the covers off the amps, they seemed to finally get the picture and moved a couple of tables away. The landlord saw me setting up without moving any tables at all and was, for once, shamed into asking if we needed some tables moved. 'All of these that are in the stage area' I said. So, with a look of sadness and bewilderment, he moved all of them a few feet forward, except the ones where the couple were now sat, leaving no room for our guitarist and still not much room for our trio.

Our drummer was at his wife's (significant) birthday bash, so we used a very good stand-in for the night (Steve, who covered for Graham's absence last year, after his operation). When he turned up, the couple looked alarmed, but stayed put. Up went the kit. Then our guitarist arrived. I got his amp into the room and put it right in front of one of the couple sat where he needed to be, on the floor by the blokes foot. They took the hint and moved again. It astonishes me how utterly dim some people are.

As to the crowd that night, they sort of looked at us as if we all had two heads for most of the first half. They didn't seem to undertsand what two guts with guitars and a drummer were doing there, or even clap when we finished playing songs. The atmosphere was totally flat and to be honest, I was dreading the second half, until a few people wandered in. Their faces lit up when they saw us and they sat to watch and actually reacted to what we were doing, unlike all the unresponsive in-breds that were there.

The second half was much better, thanks to the handful of people who took us on while we played, but we only have one more gig there this year and to be honest (again), I think it will be our last one. There are far better places to play. I wish we'd gone to Graham's wife's birthday bash instead.

Edited August 20, 2018 by 12stringbassist

[BrunoBass]

47 minutes ago, 12stringbassist said:

It astonishes me how utterly dim some people are.

Me too. 

We had a gig earlier this year in a small pub where we had to set up in an area the staff had cleared for us. We’re only a three piece but it was still a squash.

There was a couple on an adjacent table that were in the way to be honest, we had to put an amp right next to their table, thinking they’d realise what was happening and move to one of the other free tables. But no, they stayed put. We then had to put the PA stand in front of the table, it got to the stage that we were actually building up around them but they still didn’t move. We needed to access a wall socket that was behind their table which we had crawl under to reach, no offer to move when we apologetically explained that we needed to get to it. The landlord could see what was happening and we thought he might suggest to the couple that might consider moving to another table, but no. 

Even when we sound checked they remained there, trying to have a conversation and continued trying after we’d started the set, eventually moving table about three songs in. 

There are some very odd people around, it’s just territorial ‘I’m not f***ing moving grumble grumble’ obtusity. Luckily they’re the minority, most people can see what you’re doing and are happy to cooperate. 

[musicbassman]

Careful guys - with these attitudes to punters.

It's something I used to be very guilty of myself in the arrogance of my younger gigging days - regarding any customers as 'dim punters' if they didn't react favourably to your playing or ignored you.

It's better to try and engage with these people - so if you're going to put a PA speaker 12" from their faces when you're setting up then you could at least suggest with a smile on your face that they might like to move tables "as it might get a bit loud and we don't want to deafen you" or something like that. OK, they may not be the sharpest tools in the box but they're still human beings and people usually respond favourably to someone taking even the slightest interest in them and their wellbeing. And then it all helps create a good atmosphere in the place which is beneficial for all.

Just a thought, nothing personal.