How was your gig last night?

[Mykesbass]

7 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

Gig in a small bar in Witney last night - fourth time I've played there since lockdown eased. Very few people there this time - combination of people going on holiday and at least three other music events within 3 minutes walk. It was good to play, of course, and we still got paid. Better with a few more in the audience, though.

Always a massive frustration. Happened to me once in Arundel. 4 bands on Sunday night within three minutes walk.  Would be nice if pubs could work something out between themselves, but I guess there's too much dog eat dog attitude around.

[martthebass]

The pandemic is the gift that just keeps on giving. Should have been playing one of our favourite little pubs in a small village near Howden but a local spike in cases and one of the regulars coming down with it meant the gig was off. A small bikers rally next week just outside Selby.....here’s hoping 🤞

[EBS_freak]

Excellent festival this weekend. I’ve been taking a bit of a break from playing to work on my video stuff and been shooting stuff for my friends Britpop tribute. Anyway - Turns out this other random guy had missed live music and all the festivals that he couldn’t go to. So what did he do? Get a full blown stage built over his lake and hired a pro crew from Sheffield Area and held his own on his front lawn and booked all his favourite bands - Deacon Blue (the guys fave band) closed. They’re pretty epic. (ps pic from soundcheck before the audience arrived…!)

Edited August 15, 2021 by EBS_freak

[KevB]

Return to same biker club that we played a few weeks ago but this time they only had 1 band on each night over the weekend rally so we played inside rather than outdoors. Not quite as many people as the previous rally but a decent crowd. We took our own mixer and I took my own monitor so we had more control over the sound and it was much better than last time, I even put my backline through FOH as its a very long narrow room and the low freqs get lost quite quickly when there's people dancing at the front.

We overran both sets so rather than the agreed 2 x 45 it was more like 2 x 60 and it didn't go unnoticed as we ended up with an extra 20% on top of the agreed fee at the end of the night which was a nice gesture.

Due to non overlapping holidays in the band we've had to turn down a couple of gigs so next is a pub gig next month less than a week after I get back from a 2 week break so that could prove interesting if I've forgotten some of the fine detail!

[Angelus]

Played a small function for a charity this afternoon. First time with a crowd in so long. Was actually so much fun catching up with the band again. We went from a weekly rehearsal and played four nights in a row the weekend before the original lockdown. 

[sbrag]

First gig back was on Friday at the Blue Lagoon in Bristol. Felt really tight for the first few songs but after that was a belting gig. Really good fun. Realised how much I'd missed it. Back on it this Friday at the Birkett Tap in Bristol.

[ubit]

On 15/08/2021 at 09:36, KevB said:

Return to same biker club that we played a few weeks ago but this time they only had 1 band on each night over the weekend rally so we played inside rather than outdoors. Not quite as many people as the previous rally but a decent crowd. We took our own mixer and I took my own monitor so we had more control over the sound and it was much better than last time, I even put my backline through FOH as its a very long narrow room and the low freqs get lost quite quickly when there's people dancing at the front.

We overran both sets so rather than the agreed 2 x 45 it was more like 2 x 60 and it didn't go unnoticed as we ended up with an extra 20% on top of the agreed fee at the end of the night which was a nice gesture.

Due to non overlapping holidays in the band we've had to turn down a couple of gigs so next is a pub gig next month less than a week after I get back from a 2 week break so that could prove interesting if I've forgotten some of the fine detail!

We used to play a bar very similar in layout as this. (It's no longer running as a bar) The problems with getting a decent sound at both ends of the venue were manyfold. We used to only worry about the ones down the front who were dancing and paying attention right enough. I remember one really busy night there was a navy ship in and some of the boys were in. We were playing and I saw a guy getting a bj in the middle of the very crowded dance floor. I couldn't believe it and was slightly annoyed as they clearly weren't paying attention and that the band wasn't getting this sort of action.

[12stringbassist]

We played at a new (to us) venue - The Number 39 Brewery Tap Bar in Darwen on Saturday night.
It was a bit like 'Jazz Club'. Small and intimate. They have only just started dipping their toes into the murky waters of cover bands
A good crowd, some transient people came and went during the evening.

I was quite worried about the gig beforehand, as my throat had been really rough and my voice was coming and going.
I'd slept in til 2pm that afternoon from 11pm the night before. I was really feeling flaky.
Two covid test came back negative, just a really bad cold.
A couple of beers and some chloraseptic spray helped.

We went down really well. I expect some of the punters were expecting the one finger in your ear folky stuff, but we don't do that.
The owner had me giving him some names. And we look to be doing the Darwen Live event there (to be confirmed).

** edit, we got a 6-7pm spot there on October 2nd, which lest us travel to our evening gig.

The jam night yesterday was Hell for me. I felt really ill and with there being no other bassists in, I ended up playing with everybody.
Not the end of the world, but three hours of it, 7 - 10 without a break... We powered down and the landlady came along and said we should be on for another half hour. The times have been switched round so much recently I lose track AND at that point I was struggling to remember who i was. I just stopped when our drummer said 'last one'. I think she will get that extra half hour out of us on the Bank Holiday weekend.

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by 12stringbassist

[Lozz196]

On 15/08/2021 at 08:06, Mykesbass said:

Always a massive frustration. Happened to me once in Arundel. 4 bands on Sunday night within three minutes walk.  Would be nice if pubs could work something out between themselves, but I guess there's too much dog eat dog attitude around.

Used to happen quite a lot on the punk scene. A major band would be playing in a city/big town and then a promoter would put a punk event on on the same night at a smaller venue, pretty much guaranteeing hardly anyone in the audience as they’re all down the road watching the named band. 

[dmccombe7]

59 minutes ago, ubit said:

We used to play a bar very similar in layout as this. (It's no longer running as a bar) The problems with getting a decent sound at both ends of the venue were manyfold. We used to only worry about the ones down the front who were dancing and paying attention right enough. I remember one really busy night there was a navy ship in and some of the boys were in. We were playing and I saw a guy getting a bj in the middle of the very crowded dance floor. I couldn't believe it and was slightly annoyed as they clearly weren't paying attention and that the band wasn't getting this sort of action.

Only in Oban 😂

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, ubit said:

We were playing and I saw a guy getting a bj in the middle of the very crowded dance floor. I couldn't believe it and was slightly annoyed as they clearly weren't paying attention and that the band wasn't getting this sort of action.

 

I am sure if you had asked he would have given you one too?

 

[ubit]

1 hour ago, 12stringbassist said:

I was quite worried about the gig beforehand, as my throat had been really rough and my voice was coming and going.
I'd slept in til 2pm that afternoon from 11pm the night before. I was really feeling flaky.
Two covid test came back negative, just a really bad cold.
A couple of beers and some chloraseptic spray helped.

I too am the singer as well as bass player. I have had so many occasions over the years where I have had a cold and my passive aggressive guitar playing mate would say oh, you will be fine and I have stupidly gone along with it and struggled. Sometimes you sing better with a cold right enough.

[ubit]

37 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

I am sure if you had asked he would have given you one too?

 

Any girl who would do that in the middle of a busy dance floor wouldn't get mine anywhere near her I can tell you! Classy as feck!🤮

[steantval]

2 hours ago, ubit said:

We used to play a bar very similar in layout as this. (It's no longer running as a bar) The problems with getting a decent sound at both ends of the venue were manyfold. We used to only worry about the ones down the front who were dancing and paying attention right enough. I remember one really busy night there was a navy ship in and some of the boys were in. We were playing and I saw a guy getting a bj in the middle of the very crowded dance floor. I couldn't believe it and was slightly annoyed as they clearly weren't paying attention and that the band wasn't getting this sort of action.

We’re you playing Pearl Necklace by ZZ Top at the time ?

[knirirr]

Managed a pleasant outdoor gig in Charlbury last night; somewhat jazz, but rather ska influenced. The audience seemed to enjoy it, and the whip-round afterwards will more than cover fuel and a pint each.

 

[casapete]

I had a busy weekend. Birmingham theatre gig on Friday with over 600 punters, then Lincoln on Saturday with around 300 in. Both gigs went well, despite us being a cellist down on the Friday gig due to isolating. My initial worries about slow ticket sales may have been unfounded - early days yet but we'll see how it pans out.

 

Sunday afternoon I had a gig at a pub not far from my place, playing with 3 other musicians I'd never played with before. Was a band put together by the singer/guitarist to do some covers to finish off an afternoon of other (mainly acoustic style) acts. Unfortunately the weather nearly spoiled it all but we managed to get finished just before the heavens opened. I make no apologies for the music stand - 12 songs in the set of which I knew maybe 4, so a necessity really. Nice PA and engineer along with Ashdown rig provided, so quite enjoyed myself. Went down well and maybe some more stuff in the future too. Love playing with new people, always a good learning curve etc.

 

[ubit]

20 minutes ago, steantval said:

We’re you playing Pearl Necklace by ZZ Top at the time ?

Now that would have put the tin hat on it, or at least the cheesy bonnet 😉

[knirirr]

5 minutes ago, casapete said:

I make no apologies for the music stand - 12 songs in the set of which I knew maybe 4, so a necessity really.

 

Funnily enough, I was in a similar situation. For much of that gig the guitarist would whisper the key/chords to me whilst the trumpeter introduced the next one. 😉

[FinnDave]

1 hour ago, knirirr said:

Managed a pleasant outdoor gig in Charlbury last night; somewhat jazz, but rather ska influenced. The audience seemed to enjoy it, and the whip-round afterwards will more than cover fuel and a pint each.

 

 

Not far from me, then, I live in Standlake, other side of Witney.

[dmccombe7]

3 hours ago, ubit said:

Any girl who would do that in the middle of a busy dance floor wouldn't get mine anywhere near her I can tell you! Classy as feck!🤮

AGAIN ..... "only in Oban"  ...  😂😂😂

Must have been a tourist. 👍

Have to wonder at the kind of venues you're playing up there in Oban. @ubit 

Dave

Edited August 16, 2021 by dmccombe7

[Mykesbass]

5 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Used to happen quite a lot on the punk scene. A major band would be playing in a city/big town and then a promoter would put a punk event on on the same night at a smaller venue, pretty much guaranteeing hardly anyone in the audience as they’re all down the road watching the named band. 

Although I do know of one occasion when this came up trumps for the smaller band. My pal's Prince tribute was booked for a bar in Dublin the night the man himself was playing in town. I think the bar thought they might pick up on those that failed to get tickets. Prince eneded up cancelling at very late notice and my pal ended up with a packed house! 

[robscott]

On 15/08/2021 at 06:23, ubit said:

Years ago I crushed my ring finger on my fretting hand. It was very tender and had stitches. We had a gig booked and I said I can't do it. My ever so passive aggressive mate who was the guitarist said you will be fine. He thought nothing I was doing was complicated enough to warrant using four fingers. I played the gig against my better judgement and suffered terribly and had to simplify my parts so much it was untrue. I was embarrassed and humiliated.

Guitarists, eh?🙄

[VTypeV4]

On 15/08/2021 at 07:30, simon88wilson said:

I played at Bloodstock yesterday with Black Atlas.  It was amazing. The sound quality on stage, the professionalism of the techs and the appreciation of the crowd was all excellent. We played well and I’ve never had such a buzz after playing. 
 

Such lovely words - I was FOH engineer for this stage over the last few days..

[dmccombe7]

53 minutes ago, VTypeV4 said:

Such lovely words - I was FOH engineer for this stage over the last few days..

Sound was good because a bass player was in charge. Cannae beat the qualities of a bass player.

Dave

 

[ubit]

12 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

 

Have to wonder at the kind of venues you're playing up there in Oban. @ubit 

Dave

As much as we like to slag these venues, I'd rather play a place like that than a place where everyone sat at their tables sipping gins and tonics😉