cheddatom Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Friday night I played my favourite local venue again - The Rigger. It was packed, a great atmosphere, and loads of compliments afterwards even though I thought I was below par Saturday night I played the bigger Sugarmill with my "Disco Punk" band Dandelion meow meow. Our singer really stepped up her stage presence and this fuelled the whole band, everyone playing great, and plenty of audience dancing along. Great fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12stringbassist Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 (edited) Again, NOT my gig, but I saw Cheap Trick at The Cavern, Liverpool. Edited December 18, 2018 by 12stringbassist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 (edited) Wasnt in the best of moods on arrival. Venue is dreadful for load ins and we had been told (via singer who arranged the gig) we would be last of 3 bands appearing 'at various times during the day'. If I asked the singer once in rehearsal I asked him 6 times to check start times so we wouldnt overlap with another act. So i turn up at the time I'd been told and find a band just about to start an hour long set. The venue isnt big enough to have one bands gear waiting around while another is on so I might as well have turned up an hour later than I did. Then it just seemed to be one of those nights where it felt like I was holding everything together, setting the right tempo for the drummer, trying to guess when the singer was going to pink torpedo up an arrangement, giving cues to guitarists etc it just got very wearing and we were not at our best all round. Due to having to start late we had to cut the second set short but i think the audience were flagging by then, cant blame em if some of them had been having bands play at them all day long. Still I was home by 1am and a bit of xmas beer money in pocket so not all bad. I think the set needs a major overhaul, too much 'blues jam/open mic' material still for my liking but its a slow process. Someone from the audience specifically mentioned how good the McMillan 12 step triggered keys sounded which was nice. Edited December 25, 2018 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 (edited) We had a problem at a gig last weekend - a pub local to me that we've done about 6 times without issues but suffered from Xmas p***head syndrome last week. Some old girl kept getting on stage and groping the guitarist (she did it on 3 separate occasions), 6 young blokes that could barely stand up throwing beer about at the front of the stage and we we were just waiting for one of them to trip over the monitors (and they knocked a few drinkers clean over a few times!) And all the time the landlord was just filling them up with more beer and laughing at the old girl. We tried slowing the pace of the set down to diffuse the situation but i got to the point at 11.40pm where i just said, thats it, i ain't doing anything else until its calmed down and we have a bit of protection at the front. It took 10 minutes of silence to reinforce the point and we eventually played 2 more songs then packed up. Never had to do that before and it really spoilt the night. The landlord was trying to be all matey after so he knew it had gone too far. We have 4 more booked next year and we're going to pull them if we can replace them. So FFWD to yesterday.....a gig we were looking forward to finishing the year up with thats always been a good one before. Again a lively pub that we always go down a storm at. And i get a message from a mate who played there last week saying to be careful as they changed the door staff, let a load of idiots in who were getting onstage and trying to grab instruments, the venue didn't manage the situation and the band ended up getting threatened by the punters. Fisticuffs were involved. Great...just what i needed to hear after last weekend! Its the first time i've ever been nervous about a gig...i could just smell a difficult night coming and i wasn't in the mood for a punch up. We came up with a plan - first sign of anything uncomfortable happening and we would stop playing until it settled down, breakables firmly away from the crowd and we used some low cases to build a stage edge. We told the manager when we arrived what we were doing and why (he denied there was any bother last week.....) and we cracked on with the show..... And had a blinder! Great crowd who danced and sang all night from the first song, the manager told a member of staff to stay at the stage all night to keep an eye but there was no trouble anyway, we played well and the sound was brilliant apparently (I even had a few bass players come up personally after to compliment my sound!) Balance has been restored. It just goes to show that it just takes one decent gig can lay a lot of ghosts to rest. Next weekend off and then get cracking on January :-) Edited December 23, 2018 by Mudpup 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dontregartha Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Our gig last night was a petty crap pub gig. The load in is always difficult, stuck in an alcove - in front of one of many screens showing football, having to turn it off and move complaining drunks. Then fight your way in with the gear - give us a break guys ffs! Did the first set , but found that my DI had been turned down 'as it was clipping' and the guitar player turning up and up - playing rhythm at lead volume. Second set - I have a bass solo a-la Louis Johnson - I turned up into the headroom I'd bought back in the break, only for the guitar player to up his so the scratches were louder than the solo on stage. Then someone behind the bar put on the bloody jukebox on... Difficult load out with the disco banging away and everyone in the village standing in our way - broken glass, very drunk people, blood flying all over from a headbutt on the door step, get home at 2.00am and best of all it's INVAPAY! - so that'll be mid January then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Another great gig last night - this is now my 7th with the 80's covers band that I joined earlier in the year, and after a couple of lousy gigs in November, with very little in the way of active audience engagement, it's been nice to have a couple of good ones in a row. As I set off for the venue at about 6:45pm, Google Maps warned me that the pub had been closed since 5pm. I thought that this was probably an error on Google's part, but I was still mentally composing the "Am I at the wrong place, this place is clearly closed" email for my arrival. Thankfully I got there and the pub was bustling. A little too bustling, actually - we unloaded all our gear but then had to wait for the landlady to relocate a table full of drinkers in order that we might have enough space to set up. Very nice venue, real old-fashioned local boozer kind of vibe, lovely staff. As we were setting up, a few groups left and I started to worry that it might be the kind of pub with a "leave before the band starts making too much noise" crowd, but thankfully we had a healthy audience (in terms of size, participation and alcoholic lubrication) throughout the evening. I did have one huuuuge performance-based flub though. We'd prepared a couple of Christmas songs for our December gigs, with the Slade classic as our closer. I played it last week perfectly, but when it came to the chorus, I realised that I had totally forgotten the line. The problem is that with 6 gigs down, I've got all the rest of the set so well memorised that I got overconfident and didn't think to have a "refresher" practice for the ones that I've only gigged once. Anyway, I recorded the gig last night, and listening back to that song is hilariously Les Dawson-esque. And my drummer's put the video up on Facebook because he's lovely like that. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I can see my story for tonight’s gig already building. Security have just been to speak to me... Glad it’s a dep, remember why I stopped doing these “high brow” functions. oh well. Got a bottle of wine in the fridge at home and should be done before 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonsman Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 Friday night's gig was in a pub on the edge of a new town which has sprung up near Exeter over the last couple of years. The pub is surprisingly nice for a new place with easy load in via french doors, decent sized playing area and reasonable acoustics. As you'd expect of the Friday before Xmas it was pretty lively with the local ladies netball team on their festive night out making themselves pleasantly obvious. Happy punters, happy bar staff and home by 12.30. Saturday was the after match at Exeter Chiefs following their top of the table clash with Saracens. Sound checking whilst trying to watch the big screens showing the match at the same time was interesting. We were the second band on and wondered how many people would still be around by 6.30 but with Chiefs winning handsomely the crowd were buzzing and there were still two to three hundred people bopping away. The crowd thinned out later in the evening so we stopped at ten, packed down sharpish and home by eleven. A New Year's Eve club gig is my last gig before retiring from active gigging. Having done fifty to sixty gigs a year over the last few years I decided earlier in the year to tell the band I was finishing after over ten years to spend weekends doing other things whilst I have the health and energy to do so. Little did I know that due to family circumstances it would turn out to be quite a prophetic decision. Yes I'll miss the buzz of playing live in a tight band but not the crap that sometimes goes with being the glue that holds the thing together. I'll be first call dep, so the occasional gig without the responsibility will be very pleasant. Seasons greetings to all low enders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I’ve not done a gig like that since I was 13. thank god it won’t happen again. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 @lurksalot I shall explain after this g&t 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Tonight’s gig was a bit of a favour to a mate. I really like this lad and would like to state clearly he’s one of the best guitarists I’ve ever played with. I met with the “band” about 2 weeks ago. The singer was a 50-60 year old bloke, obviously well to do (if I hadn’t guessed, he made it apparent) - had voice cal harmony pedals and variax guitars...very much a self styled bandleader...(read bit of a tit) anyhow, the gig is a wedding... It started with me turning up on time at 6pm, to be told there were delays - no issue, I’ll get a pint and wait. Beer was off until after the meal (I wasn’t part of this). I was then accosted by the security team for not being invited to the wedding - the father of the bride had asked who I was (it wasn’t the father of the bride at all, it was her uncle) - and the security folk mistook me for some kind of wedding based terror threat. Anyhow, I got on with my business of waiting. Two hours later... We go to set up. And the DJ has set up a booth and mobile lighting rig in our place. All good, we choose another spot. Out of the storage space comes the shittiest old EV/Dynacord PA ever, with some subs devoid of carpet and multiple 1987 rucksacks of cables. well - I’m the dep, I’m not getting involved! oh, yes I am - broken speakon cables, I present a handy selection of screwdrivers “No I’ve got it” comes the cry from the PA owner. He hasn’t, clearly. 3 cables needed the wires reconnecting to terminals. All set up, ready to level check. “I’m not getting your bass” ‘It’s showing on my amp sim’ (showed him the waveform responding to my playing on the toneport app) “Well, IM NOT GETTING IT, SO YOUR CABLE, IS IT BROKEN?” ‘No, it’s brand new - I’ve not even had to repair it like yours...’ “DONT, eh? JUST TRY ANOTHER LEAD” Just, wow. Avoiding any further issue and against my better judgement, I plug straight into the instrument input on the PA desk, negating the app nonsense. we have signal. i’ve inadvertently unplugged the guitarists XLR thinking it was mine. Mate on guitar has no signal...whoops. Imagine if you will, a nasty old teacher chastising a 5 year old who knocked over milk...”did you unplug the guitar so you had signal?!” just...enough already then half the PA wasn’t working I spotted he hadn’t plugged the speaker into the amp, hence the left side wasn’t working. “Well f*ckin get it plugged in then” ‘Don’t be a c*nt, I’m not sorting your gear out’ “Whatever, whatever.” ‘Yeah, f*ckin whatever, it’s hardly Wembley - chill the f*ck out’ He mumbled. Anyhow. He was stinky poo throughout the gig, and played and sang out of tune all the way through. The female singer (I left a band because of her previously) was stinky poo too. The keys lad played in different keys because nobody told him they’d changed the songs. Professional. Mad little “in joke” jams. Basically regrettable. Oh and I forgot this... “Trav, I forgot to say...our nephew is learning guitar, he might get up and play” Thinking a 13 year old lad was joining us for Valerie or something... He was at least 25, 6ft 2 and stood in front of me for the whole set. “Sorry mate, I got up and there was nowhere to plug in...so I just pretended” he mimed throughout. Meaning I had my back to a wall. It went on way too long - I’ve never played a gig where it dragged. No more depping. 2 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 16 minutes ago, AndyTravis said: Tonight’s gig was a bit of a favour to a mate. I really like this lad and would like to state clearly he’s one of the best guitarists I’ve ever played with. I met with the “band” about 2 weeks ago. The singer was a 50-60 year old bloke, obviously well to do (if I hadn’t guessed, he made it apparent) - had voice cal harmony pedals and variax guitars...very much a self styled bandleader...(read bit of a tit) anyhow, the gig is a wedding... It started with me turning up on time at 6pm, to be told there were delays - no issue, I’ll get a pint and wait. Beer was off until after the meal (I wasn’t part of this). I was then accosted by the security team for not being invited to the wedding - the father of the bride had asked who I was (it wasn’t the father of the bride at all, it was her uncle) - and the security folk mistook me for some kind of wedding based terror threat. Anyhow, I got on with my business of waiting. Two hours later... We go to set up. And the DJ has set up a booth and mobile lighting rig in our place. All good, we choose another spot. Out of the storage space comes the shittiest old EV/Dynacord PA ever, with some subs devoid of carpet and multiple 1987 rucksacks of cables. well - I’m the dep, I’m not getting involved! oh, yes I am - broken speakon cables, I present a handy selection of screwdrivers “No I’ve got it” comes the cry from the PA owner. He hasn’t, clearly. 3 cables needed the wires reconnecting to terminals. All set up, ready to level check. “I’m not getting your bass” ‘It’s showing on my amp sim’ (showed him the waveform responding to my playing on the toneport app) “Well, IM NOT GETTING IT, SO YOUR CABLE, IS IT BROKEN?” ‘No, it’s brand new - I’ve not even had to repair it like yours...’ “DONT, eh? JUST TRY ANOTHER LEAD” Just, wow. Avoiding any further issue and against my better judgement, I plug straight into the instrument input on the PA desk, negating the app nonsense. we have signal. i’ve inadvertently unplugged the guitarists XLR thinking it was mine. Mate on guitar has no signal...whoops. Imagine if you will, a nasty old teacher chastising a 5 year old who knocked over milk...”did you unplug the guitar so you had signal?!” just...enough already then half the PA wasn’t working I spotted he hadn’t plugged the speaker into the amp, hence the left side wasn’t working. “Well f*ckin get it plugged in then” ‘Don’t be a c*nt, I’m not sorting your gear out’ “Whatever, whatever.” ‘Yeah, f*ckin whatever, it’s hardly Wembley - chill the f*ck out’ He mumbled. Anyhow. He was stinky poo throughout the gig, and played and sang out of tune all the way through. The female singer (I left a band because of her previously) was stinky poo too. The keys lad played in different keys because nobody told him they’d changed the songs. Professional. Mad little “in joke” jams. Basically regrettable. Oh and I forgot this... “Trav, I forgot to say...our nephew is learning guitar, he might get up and play” Thinking a 13 year old lad was joining us for Valerie or something... He was at least 25, 6ft 2 and stood in front of me for the whole set. “Sorry mate, I got up and there was nowhere to plug in...so I just pretended” he mimed throughout. Meaning I had my back to a wall. It went on way too long - I’ve never played a gig where it dragged. No more depping. Wow , that sounds like a proper sh1tstorm , take the money and run , have a sherry tomorrow and a great Christmas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 I totally forgot the bit where the angry little man who owned the PA and the seemingly endlessly problematic variax acoustic and electric guitars broke into a version of Stars by Simply Red - nobody knew what to do. So odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 29 minutes ago, AndyTravis said: I totally forgot the bit where the angry little man who owned the PA and the seemingly endlessly problematic variax acoustic and electric guitars broke into a version of Stars by Simply Red - nobody knew what to do. So odd. Shame you had a bad experience with this clown, 'Delusions of Grandeur' seems appropriate. Cheer up dude have some nuts, it's Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 1 minute ago, John T said: Shame you had a bad experience with this clown, 'Delusions of Grandeur' seems appropriate. Cheer up dude have some nuts, it's Christmas! Gin and my turn for a lie-in in the morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John T Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Sounds like you've earned it.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 (edited) two gigs depping with a mate's death metal band over the weekend. Friday night was headlining at Rebellion in Manchester. Load up at the band's studio and on the road by 11.00, arrive bang on time for load in at 4.00. Missing only one crew member who dropped out on the day, and the drummer who couldn't get the day off work and was arriving later by train. Supposed to be borrowing a drum kit from the main support, but no sign of them so we crack on setting everything up, including our drums, which was interesting without the drummer or the usual drum tech who couldn't make the trip. A lot of photos were exchanged over social media. And stopping only to drain the rider of all the beer (and popping out to get some more as clearly it won't last). We brought our own soundman, but massive praise for the venue's own soundman who did a fantastic job for all of the support acts, and was really helpful all evening. We'd brought a bass rig, only because we'd promised to provide the backline for Saturday's gig - I was fully intending just to DI - but it was just as well that we had as the monitor in front of me wasn't working. The rhythm guitarist/singer from the main support band was sacked as the bass player in my lot about a year and a half ago (basically for, among other things, not being able to play the bass, and he hadn't been allowed to play on the last album, although he is credited on it as the bass player) and things are a little strained between him and some of my band, was a little aloof with me, and when told that, ahead of playing their set, he was only getting a line check for his guitars told the soundman that he would instruct his band not to play unless he got a proper check of his guitar. Unsurprisingly they then started late and had to be told to stop after they showed no signs of it being their last song when they'd already gone over their half hour slot. Fortunately the previously hard 10.30 curfew seemed a bit more relaxed by the time we got on stage and we got our full set in despite having been put back a bit by the support act...although our last song is a ten minute prog/death epic and we were gambling that the venue wouldn't pull the plug on us half way through that if we did run out of time. We'd been warned that ticket sales weren't very strong, but with the venue anticipating a good walk up due to them always putting on a club night with a similar genre of music afterwards. Only they forgot that another metal club in town was having it's closing night that evening, so it was a fairly modest crowd - maybe 100 or so. However, they were all fans of the band, and while it wasn't packed, it wasn't groaningly empty either, and they were extremely enthusiastic. I played OK (I'd say a B+), everybody else was great, and we got an excellent reception. Good feedback from everybody about my performance. Brilliant venue too - well organised, very fan friendly, and just nice people to deal with. Load out, drink in the club until about 1.00 chatting to fans and mates, then off to the Ibis Budget to drink until 2.30 and then sleep in the world's smallest hotel rooms. On the road at 9.30 the following morning, everybody in need of more sleep. In Camden at 2.00 for load in at the Underworld. It's a co-headliner, but we've chosen to play first in order to get some extra drinking time in before the load out which follows a 10.00 curfew because of a club night. This turns out to be a stupid decision as half the band are driving once we get back to drop the gear off afterwards so that night's post gig debauchery is largely cancelled in favour of taking advantage of the early finish so that everybody can get to bed at a reasonable time. Rock n roll isn't what it used to be... We're also providing the backline for the other headliner so we set up and soundcheck first, then off to the pub for a few pints for me, one or two for the drivers. Meet a load of mates who have come in to town for the gig, one of whom is a little confused at why everybody else has already got a ticket, as he's seen me play in bands before and they've almost all been in pubs, and hadn't understood that this was a much more serious affair...can he still get a ticket? Sad to report that it hadn't sold out and he didn't struggle to get in (though I was amused to see him front and centre when we came on, only to be barged sideways as the first circle pit started - not something he is used to seeing when I'm playing) We have a different soundman for this gig - a former member of the band. Knows his stuff and it's the quickest, easiest soundcheck I've ever done - played for thirty seconds with each bass to get the levels sorted, using the rig as my monitor as me and the keyboard/samples would otherwise be going through one stage monitor and it's easier to take the bass out. Done. The rest of the band bicker over monitor levels. Had a good chat with the soundman afterwards - the main issue I'd had both in the studio and at the gigs was that the output from my (active eq) Warwick 5 string was a lot less than my (passive) Rickenbacker 4001. Not a huge issue - just cut the volume for the Ricky on my pedalboard (in retrospect it would probably have been better to boost the volume for my Warwick, but, whatever). I was using the Warwick for all of the band's old material, which is tuned down to a C on the guitars, but one step up for me on the five string. I was using the Rickenbacker four string for the couple of songs off the new album which is in E. Funnily enough I'd loaned the band the Warwick to record the last album, and most of their earlier stuff was recorded on a de-tuned Rickenbacker, so everything was the wrong way round. An irony not lost on some of the more dedicated fans, and to the bass player who quit two months ago and was at the show (no tension there - i know him well and had his blessing). But to my ears the Ricky has too much treble and is quite harsh. The soundman's verdict was that the Rickenbacker cut through and sat in the mix much better than the Warwick, and i should have used that for the whole gig. Maybe it's one of those "use distortion and play with a pick live" things where you're better off using a sound that in itself isn't a good to your ears but works better in the mix. Much better crowd - 200+. Great show, another B+ performance from me but sterling work from everybody else. Comments after the show were again complimentary, and consensus was that we had much better sound than the other co-headliners (even by their admission) who had used the in-house soundman. Also noticeable that a chunk of our crowd left after we played, although half a dozen or so of that are my fault for chatting to them in the bar rather than let them watch the band. Only downside was the beer on the rider wasn't worth drinking (and only appeared shortly before the gig, when I was already in the pub) and that we didn't stick around for any post-gig bad behaviour as had originally been planned. Oh, and one slightly odd point, which is that as a type 1 diabetic I like to have a pint of proper, fat Coke on stage with me during the gig just in case of low blood sugar - adrenaline lowers the blood sugar, and it's not a great look to be leaving the stage in search of glucose if something happens mid show. Only Diet Coke on the rider, so i go to the bar in search of sugar and the venue does not serve any full fat drinks - post sugar tax they only have sugar free options. Ended up shoving a load of glucose tablets into my mouth as we went on. Home at about midnight, in need of sleep, but a brilliant couple of gigs to round off the year. Edited December 24, 2018 by Monkey Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 On 22/12/2018 at 21:03, KevB said: Wasnt in the best of moods on arrival. Venue is dreadful for load ins and we had been told (via singer who arranged the gig) we would be last of 3 bands appearing 'at various times during the day'. If I asked the singer once in rehearsal I asked him 6 times to check start times so we wouldnt overlap with another act. So i turn up at the time I'd been told and find a band just about to start an hour long set. The venue isnt big enough to have one bands gear waiting around while another is on so I might as well have turned up an hour later than I did. Then it just seemed to be one of those nights where it felt like I was holding everything together, setting the right tempo for the drummer, trying to guess when the singer was going to pink torpedo up an arrangement, giving cues to guitarists etc it just got very wearing and we were not at our best all round. Due to having to start late we had to cut the second set short but i think the audience were flagging by then, cant blame em if some of them had been having bands play at them all day long. Still I was home by 1am and a bit of xmas beer money in pocket so not all bad. I think the set needs a major overhaul, too much 'blues jam/open mic' material still for my liking but its a slow process. Someone from the audience specifically mentioned how good the McMillan 12 step triggered keys sounded which was nice. Agreed, I get concerned when our band leader calls multiple 12 bar blues tunes. Thing is we have so much other material . However it's not my call. Blue PS: I'm in New Jersey over the holidays and had a chance to jam with my close childhood friend Doug. We started our first band when we were both 12 years old. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staggering on Posted December 29, 2018 Share Posted December 29, 2018 (edited) For the third year our jazz quartet played an early New Year's Eve gig yesterday (Dec 28) at a nursing home where about 75 residents/patients gathered with some family members and staff for a party to celebrate NYE. We play in a lovely big room with great acoustics and decorated with balloons and lots of other appropriate things including hats and noisemakers. We did two sets and then had the big countdown at 3:00PM(!) and the balloons came down from the ceiling nets and we launched into Auld Lang Syne as the residents toasted and cheered in the new year. It is a fun but also sad gig as many of the residents struggle with various afflictions brought on by old age or disease but the music always seems to get through to them and some dance or clap along and some sing along with us. Even most of the people with mental difficulties (dementia and others) respond to the music and at the end of the show seem to be a bit more "alive" , if I may use that term. I guess for many musicians this would be a very odd gig but we have come to look forward to it and work hard to make it a good time for everyone, including the band. A sad fact is that when we go back again many of this year's audience won't be there and as we all get older we realize how precious life is and how lucky we are to have music in our lives and that we can brighten up the day for others doing what we love to do. This gig always reminds me that life just flies by, we should try to do what we can while we are able and have fun with our music and use it to cheer up others as well, and that is not always easy as life throws stuff at us.We play in many different venues but this gig always makes me want to get moving and take what I can from whatever time I have left. OK, sermon over, time to wish everyone a great year in 2019.😀 Edited December 29, 2018 by Staggering on 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted December 31, 2018 Share Posted December 31, 2018 On 29/12/2018 at 13:49, Staggering on said: For the third year our jazz quartet played an early New Year's Eve gig yesterday (Dec 28) at a nursing home where about 75 residents/patients gathered with some family members and staff for a party to celebrate NYE. We play in a lovely big room with great acoustics and decorated with balloons and lots of other appropriate things including hats and noisemakers. We did two sets and then had the big countdown at 3:00PM(!) and the balloons came down from the ceiling nets and we launched into Auld Lang Syne as the residents toasted and cheered in the new year. It is a fun but also sad gig as many of the residents struggle with various afflictions brought on by old age or disease but the music always seems to get through to them and some dance or clap along and some sing along with us. Even most of the people with mental difficulties (dementia and others) respond to the music and at the end of the show seem to be a bit more "alive" , if I may use that term. I guess for many musicians this would be a very odd gig but we have come to look forward to it and work hard to make it a good time for everyone, including the band. A sad fact is that when we go back again many of this year's audience won't be there and as we all get older we realize how precious life is and how lucky we are to have music in our lives and that we can brighten up the day for others doing what we love to do. This gig always reminds me that life just flies by, we should try to do what we can while we are able and have fun with our music and use it to cheer up others as well, and that is not always easy as life throws stuff at us.We play in many different venues but this gig always makes me want to get moving and take what I can from whatever time I have left. OK, sermon over, time to wish everyone a great year in 2019.😀 Great post. I do a retirement home twice a year (summer and Christmas) with my acoustic duo, and it never ceases to touch me when I see the oldies enjoying it. Was even more touching this Christmas as my Dad had been a resident there but passed away in July, so his absence made it so much more poignant. I got through it okay though (just!) and actually managed to enjoy it too. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Did our now usual NYE residency at a local hotel. 4 piece band plus a good friend on DJ duties. Audience numbers for the evening a little down on last year, but they made up for it in quality - really up for a good time and noticeably a younger lot than in recent years. We got to do more recent material as a result, which made a refreshing change. It’s quite easy to underestimate audiences at such events these days, assuming they’ll want old weary stuff when a lot of the time they just want to go a bit crazy to some good tunes! Only downside for me was the naffing drummer went a bit daft in the last set, hitting everything so damned hard that I now have a slight ringing. I should have taken my ear plugs, but based on previous years didn’t think I’d need them. My NY resolution is to pack them in my gig bag for every event I do, lesson learned. 🤨 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Black tie 'do' at a golf club for me last night. Good food, a lift up to the function room, nice space to relax and get changed, lovely band to dep for. In bed happy by 3.30am. Perfect start to the new year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) Rather good on the whole. Last one with our drummer who is retiring to Cyprus. Three one-hour sets at a country music club with a short break for all the hand-shaking business around midnight. The only downer was that I lost my voice prior to the gig, so vocals-wise I was restricted to a couple of Johnny Cash numbers! Very pleased that Mrs Axe and I had booked a Travelodge 10mins from the venue, as I was Donald Ducked by the end. Edited January 1, 2019 by JapanAxe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) NYE party in Edinburgh at a popular music bar (Stramash). We (Sea Bass Kid - originals, ska/funk/whatever) were meant to play from 10.30 to 12.30... we were worried that the fireworks at midnight would empty the venue (just 200m down the road there's a square where people congregate to watch them). However... the place was full and stayed full. The venue gave us a few confetti cannons to shoot from stage, so we kept an eye on the clock, stopped 2 minutes before time... made a bit of noise, counted down, shot the cannons... it was actually a lot of fun. Then we played Auld Lang Syne, of course... started slow as expected but after a few rounds we changed to a fast ska beat and it worked really well. Bombskare played after us... it was a great night. I love those guys and a wee video someone took during one of our new songs: Edited January 1, 2019 by mcnach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Great room, pay and a great crowd for New Year's Eve. You guys seem to value food, the owner also gave each memer a $75.00 gift certificate for their restaurant. Blue 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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