How was your gig last night?

[taunton-hobbit]

26 minutes ago, Cliff Edge said:

Next gig is mid November when I should have recovered

Take it very gently - heart surgery can leave you very weak & should not be stressed by heavy lifting, it can cause an internal rupture.

On that happy note, good luck, hope it all goes well !

 

😎

[Boodang]

First outing for our new punk band, 'last gang in town', last night. Actually just a warm up gig at the guitarist house warming but quite a good audience. First proper outing this Thursday with my new 'Hendrix' band Purple Haze in support. Thursdays gig should be fun as it's at the Canadian dip bar and lots of oldies like us who feel like teenagers again when we play the punk stuff. Will post pics from that one. Punk not normally my thing but I can't believe how much fun it was to play! 

[dmccombe7]

32 minutes ago, Cliff Edge said:

I did the gig last night as a duo that I had thought we would have to cancel due to my impending surgery, but that has changed to next week. So a nice bar down by the sea we’ve played before. Good crowd singing along which is always encouraging, proves we picked a good set. I got to drive the HX Stomp live, recently bought from @maidens97 of this parish.  It works a treat, makes me play a lot better. Well probably only in my head so thanks again. My wife acted as my roady as I’m not supposed to lift anything over the weight of a bag sugar. Ridiculous as I spent the two and half hour gig, without a break, with a 10 pound Stingray round my neck. Anyway a member of the bar staff helped her load out and even insisted on loading up the car, under my supervision. Nice people. Next gig is mid November when I should have recovered

All the best for a speedy recovery from surgery. My wife also helps both bands i'm in with loading and unloading gear more so at the end of the night. She doesn't drink and is able to take over the driving on longer hauls. She loves winding up cables at the end of the night and that is seriously a godsend for me. Wives are definitely a good thing. 

Cheers

Dave

[dmccombe7]

5 minutes ago, Boodang said:

First outing for our new punk band, 'last gang in town', last night. Actually just a warm up gig at the guitarist house warming but quite a good audience. First proper outing this Thursday with my new 'Hendrix' band Purple Haze in support. Thursdays gig should be fun as it's at the Canadian dip bar and lots of oldies like us who feel like teenagers again when we play the punk stuff. Will post pics from that one. Punk not normally my thing but I can't believe how much fun it was to play! 

100% on playing punk. Wasn't my thing either but when i started doing the songs i realised how much fun it is and requires a fair bit of finger stamina. 

"Long-haired punk isnae right" is a comment i've heard a few times now. Yep that would be me but usually all in good fun.

Dave

[Cliff Edge]

10 minutes ago, taunton-hobbit said:

Take it very gently - heart surgery can leave you very weak & should not be stressed by heavy lifting, it can cause an internal rupture.

On that happy note, good luck, hope it all goes well !

 

😎

Thanks for the good wishes. I’ve had all the take it easy stuff from the cardiac nurses at Brighton, as well as the surgeon. And my wife polices me incessantly so I am doing my best to behave. I suspect that will be even more intense after the surgery and I’m actually looking forward to a relaxing build up to Christmas. Although I suspect I will get very bored. 

[Jack]

We played a charity night for a good cause I'm Cullercoats on Friday. Sarah's Stars are a little charity that help people with terminal diagnoses. The singer and I are both NHS so we were happy to help. It was nice to have another good gig under our belts, this project has been struggling to find its feet since we started. 

 

 

Our guitarist's son recorded the medley of songs at the end of our set and edited it into a nice little video, shame there's no bass on the phone mic but rest assured it was sufficiently pumping in the room. Hey, I'm the soundman. Bass all round. Sorry about the song choice, the medley is specifically for songs that were kind of feel obliged to play as a party band, but that we don't want to do full renditions of. 

 

[walshy]

Gig last night at Whittles - Tokyo in Oldham with Sons of Nirvana. It was mighty!!!! The RD Artist is an amazing beast, even managed the 2 hours no bother with the incredible Pinegrove strap. The Ripper was a standby and is equally awesome, I do own 4! The Hiwatt and Barefaced 610 combination is just sublime!

[Bluewine]

On 28/09/2024 at 11:38, Bluewine said:

OMG!

Private Party today. Tough spot for me. I always brag about my short commutes to gigs compared to some of the commutes you guys make. We're providing sound & lights  so there's no room in the van for me. I have to drive. 

 

It's an hour and a half one way. I know nothing about this private party. We don't usually book gigs this far away unless it pays well.

 

We're all going to a Brewers Game at . American Family Field ( formerly Miller Park) on Sunday. The Brewers are already in the playoffs. 

 

Daryl

 

 

It was a long drive. We were way out in the country. It was very dark when I left and almost got hit by a car I didn't see when turning onto the highway.  The car was moving at approximately 70 miles an hour.

We have a nighttime gig coming up in the city of Milwaukee in a neighborhood I don't care to be in late at night at my age. I'm going to tell the band leader that I won't be able to drive to that gig.

 

As for the gig,our dep drummer struggled a bit. At times the timing just wasn'tthere..Very nice guy, great attitude. Hopefully it was a confidence thing. We depend on our 2 dep drummers a lot.

 

As it is with many private parties the pay was generous.

 

I haven't discussed what happened with the dep drummer with our band leader and I probably won't. It's not really my place. 

 

Daryl

Edited September 30 by Bluewine

[neepheid]

20 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

I haven't discussed what happened with the dep drummer with our band leader and I probably won't. If I do I'll end up being labeled as the

" bad guy". They're from a different generation and are much more tolerant than me.

 

Talk to us, plenty of old farts here to sympathise with you

 

[SuperSeagull]

A familiar venue for us in Crawley on Friday. One new experience, one regular. New - drunk woman wanted to sing one her songs with us and had a chord chart ready! It didn't happen. Regular - drummer messes up anything with a rall at the end, just doesn't listen or watch 😡

[Stub Mandrel]

22 hours ago, Bluewine said:

My good friend and bandmate Chuck Burgi played drums for them for a while.

 

Daryl

 

Totally different layout.

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, walshy said:

Gig last night at Whittles - Tokyo in Oldham with Sons of Nirvana. It was mighty!!!! The RD Artist is an amazing beast, even managed the 2 hours no bother with the incredible Pinegrove strap. The Ripper was a standby and is equally awesome, I do own 4! The Hiwatt and Barefaced 610 combination is just sublime!

Love your choice of gear. Those basses and that rig must pretty thunderous.

Dave

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

Talk to us, plenty of old farts here to sympathise with you

 

Me !, Me !, Me ! but Daryl already knows that 

Dave

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, Bluewine said:

 

 

It was a long drive. We were way out in the country. It was very dark when I left and almost got hit by a car I didn't see when turning onto the highway.  The car was moving at approximately 70 miles an hour.

We have a nighttime gig coming up in the city of Milwaukee in a neighborhood I don't care to be in late at night at my age. I'm going to tell the band leader that I won't be able to drive to that gig.

 

As for the gig,our dep drummer struggled the whole night. He was unable to keep time and almost crashed several songs.Very nice guy, however he doesn't have sufficient skills to perform with us in my opinion. 

 

Outside of walking away with $200.00 for myself it was a disastrous gig.

 

I haven't discussed what happened with the dep drummer with our band leader and I probably won't. If I do I'll end up being labeled as the

" bad guy". They're from a different generation and are much more tolerant than me.

 

Daryl

Yep i agree with you on the drummer issue, best let that one alone. I'm sure the others in the band will have noticed the same issues but with age comes less tolerance for good old fashioned hard work and experience.

 

Yep i'm not so keen on the late night driving but our roads are very quiet after a gig. I usually arrive at venues when its still daylight so that's not so bad. I do love a Sun afternoon gig with the Glam band. Start 2pm home by 7pm. 

Take care with that late night driving Daryl. We like you too much on here. Get the youngsters to drive, probably doesn't faze them at all. 

 

Dave

[walshy]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

Love your choice of gear. Those basses and that rig must pretty thunderous.

Dave

It was bloody mighty!!!! Thunderous is indeed the right word

[Bluewine]

17 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

Talk to us, plenty of old farts here to sympathise with you

 

 

I went to a Brewers Game today and was sitting next to our band leader and I couldn't help it. I said " Hey, was it just me or was Bob really struggling last night?" He agreed and felt it was a confidence issue.

 

Daryl

Edited September 30 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Yep i agree with you on the drummer issue, best let that one alone. I'm sure the others in the band will have noticed the same issues but with age comes less tolerance for good old fashioned hard work and experience.

 

Yep i'm not so keen on the late night driving but our roads are very quiet after a gig. I usually arrive at venues when its still daylight so that's not so bad. I do love a Sun afternoon gig with the Glam band. Start 2pm home by 7pm. 

Take care with that late night driving Daryl. We like you too much on here. Get the youngsters to drive, probably doesn't faze them at all. 

 

Dave

 

We went to that Brewers Game today Dave. I couldn't help but bring it up. They agreed it was a disaster. 

 

Daryl

[cheddatom]

Headsticks on Saturday at Eleven in Tunstall (Stoke-on-Trent)

 

It was an all day event with 6 acts on, starting at 3:30. We got there at 1pm to load in up a fire escape. Not too bad. The sound engineer tried arguing that we couldn't use our own mics. We insisted that we use our own due to hygiene concerns. We have this problem very occasionally, and it's only ever with the stereotypical grumpy sound guys. The rude control freaks. You know, the classic soundman. Anyway, that's exactly what he was, talking to us in the rudest possible way all night. We (including the other acts) all tried to kill his attitude with kindness, lavishing him with praise and thankyous. It had no effect. Why do people stay in jobs they hate?

 

Anyway, despite that it sounded great on and off stage, and the lighting was great too. Here's a photo with us doing our song Miles and Miles with Carol Hodge on guest vocals. She did it on the record so whenever she's on the same line up we persuade her to get up for it. What a voice!

 

 

That's me on drums. I supplied the kit for the whole day with the following note to be sent to all drummers in advance 

 

"Drum shells will be provided. Please bring your own hardware. Your own stool is a MUST and not negotiable"

 

This is because sharing stools grosses me out on account of the arse-sweat. I nipped out from the venue to get my girlfriend and when I returned I saw the drummer from another act sat suspiciously high up. Yep, he'd helped himself to my stool, which had been at the back of the stage with other equipment piled on top of it. You'd think musicians would have more respect for each other but this is pretty common in my experience. 🙄

[Gasman]

A gig I’ll never forget! A tale of disaster and a moral question…

 

The venue was the Turnpike Showground near Shaftesbury in Dorset, and the event was a ‘Tractor Run’ over a Sunday lunchtime. This raised a smidgeon of alarm, but a gig’s a gig – so the organisers booked our band to play from 13:30 to 16:00 to entertain the multitude of attendees they were expecting. Now, the showground extents to 39 acres, it’s flat and exposed to the wind from nearly all directions and can accommodate 10,000 people at a time for big annual shows (we’d played there for one of those back in May).

 

However, tractor runs are really meant for the owners and die-hard enthusiasts of agricultural machinery, giving them a chance to watch and drive their pride and joy in procession around the back-roads via as many pubs as possible – the general public aren’t very interested and don’t usually attend unless it’s held in a town-centre or as part of a bigger event (e.g. county show). Add into the mix the truly awful weather forecast (gales all day and heavy rain from around 15:00 til midnight) and you get the picture.

 

We turned up at noon – no rain yet - only to find that the gazebo they’d promised as the band shelter wasn’t there – it had apparently been blow away overnight and ended up half a mile away in a hedge, completely wrecked. There were thirty security staff but just 17 other punters sitting miserably on a few straw bales in the biting wind. Would we play out in the open air, pretty please, the organisers asked? After a band huddle we said OK, but at the first drop of rain we’d be packed up and gone. The pix below give some idea of the vastness of the field but it can’t tell you that we were playing directly into a Force 5-6 gale – no need for foldback, I thought sardonically.

 

There were no tractors there when we arrived. They were away on their run, leaving us to set up next to the burger tent and raffle stall. The tractors (about 20 of them) returned at 13:00 and we started playing early, all of us wearing a motley collection of whatever warm hats and coats we could beg or borrow. The tractor chaps collected their souvenir plaques, and ignored us (as well they might – we didn’t have three-point hitches or turbochargers!)

 

At halftime, the organisers tried to hold an auction for the colossal amount of bacon, baps and burgers that were never going to sell – they virtually gave away most of it (to the tractor guys) for token amounts. They then embarked upon a lengthy raffle draw, where most of the ticket holders had long gone home so the same prizes were re-drawn again and again. At this point the first drops of rain began to fall – our well-oiled band-emergency-packing-up machine swung into operation, as it had to – we needed to get the gear into our cars asap as there was no other shelter! End of gig for us…

 

So this is where the moral issue arose – your thoughts are welcome on whether we dealt with it in the best way.

 

Should we have insisted upon being paid the whole fee? On the minus side we only did one set, not two, but that was after agreeing to risk our gear in inclement weather so as not to disappoint the organisers who hadn’t (through force majeure) been able to provide the agreed shelter – and before playing we had insisted upon a rider that if it rained we stopped.

 

I had a lot of sympathy for the organisers as I’ve been on their side of the fenceas an organiser of similar events myself. However, experience had rapidly told me that they’d been wildly over-optimistic about public attendance, had invested far too much money in the wrong venue, over-catered for food drink, security etc, and were entirely at the mercy of the weather – they should have at the very least cancelled the band to save money but they didn’t.  Anyway, as always it was about money…

 

·         I said I’d be happy with token diesel money to help out

·         Our dep guitarist (yet another!) made the valid point that he’d made a 100-mile round trip, played under difficult circumstances, fulfilled his commitment and so wanted the full fee

·         The other three thought that accepting half-pay would help the organisers while recovering something for a partly-wasted afternoon

 

After a fairly heated discussion (without me, I was making the long trek to the Gents 150 yard away!) they’d agreed that we should take the full fee, but individually we could then donate whatever we thought appropriate back to the event… fair enough or not?

 

My goodness, what a shambles, and what rain came down yesterday after we left!

 

[taunton-hobbit]

That is a nightmare - I think you were pretty good about the money. As an aside, I wouldn't have set up like that, no pallets (or similar) - no music - simples !

 

😎

[dmccombe7]

10 minutes ago, Gasman said:

A gig I’ll never forget! A tale of disaster and a moral question…

 

The venue was the Turnpike Showground near Shaftesbury in Dorset, and the event was a ‘Tractor Run’ over a Sunday lunchtime. This raised a smidgeon of alarm, but a gig’s a gig – so the organisers booked our band to play from 13:30 to 16:00 to entertain the multitude of attendees they were expecting. Now, the showground extents to 39 acres, it’s flat and exposed to the wind from nearly all directions and can accommodate 10,000 people at a time for big annual shows (we’d played there for one of those back in May).

 

However, tractor runs are really meant for the owners and die-hard enthusiasts of agricultural machinery, giving them a chance to watch and drive their pride and joy in procession around the back-roads via as many pubs as possible – the general public aren’t very interested and don’t usually attend unless it’s held in a town-centre or as part of a bigger event (e.g. county show). Add into the mix the truly awful weather forecast (gales all day and heavy rain from around 15:00 til midnight) and you get the picture.

 

We turned up at noon – no rain yet - only to find that the gazebo they’d promised as the band shelter wasn’t there – it had apparently been blow away overnight and ended up half a mile away in a hedge, completely wrecked. There were thirty security staff but just 17 other punters sitting miserably on a few straw bales in the biting wind. Would we play out in the open air, pretty please, the organisers asked? After a band huddle we said OK, but at the first drop of rain we’d be packed up and gone. The pix below give some idea of the vastness of the field but it can’t tell you that we were playing directly into a Force 5-6 gale – no need for foldback, I thought sardonically.

 

There were no tractors there when we arrived. They were away on their run, leaving us to set up next to the burger tent and raffle stall. The tractors (about 20 of them) returned at 13:00 and we started playing early, all of us wearing a motley collection of whatever warm hats and coats we could beg or borrow. The tractor chaps collected their souvenir plaques, and ignored us (as well they might – we didn’t have three-point hitches or turbochargers!)

 

At halftime, the organisers tried to hold an auction for the colossal amount of bacon, baps and burgers that were never going to sell – they virtually gave away most of it (to the tractor guys) for token amounts. They then embarked upon a lengthy raffle draw, where most of the ticket holders had long gone home so the same prizes were re-drawn again and again. At this point the first drops of rain began to fall – our well-oiled band-emergency-packing-up machine swung into operation, as it had to – we needed to get the gear into our cars asap as there was no other shelter! End of gig for us…

 

So this is where the moral issue arose – your thoughts are welcome on whether we dealt with it in the best way.

 

Should we have insisted upon being paid the whole fee? On the minus side we only did one set, not two, but that was after agreeing to risk our gear in inclement weather so as not to disappoint the organisers who hadn’t (through force majeure) been able to provide the agreed shelter – and before playing we had insisted upon a rider that if it rained we stopped.

 

I had a lot of sympathy for the organisers as I’ve been on their side of the fenceas an organiser of similar events myself. However, experience had rapidly told me that they’d been wildly over-optimistic about public attendance, had invested far too much money in the wrong venue, over-catered for food drink, security etc, and were entirely at the mercy of the weather – they should have at the very least cancelled the band to save money but they didn’t.  Anyway, as always it was about money…

 

·         I said I’d be happy with token diesel money to help out

·         Our dep guitarist (yet another!) made the valid point that he’d made a 100-mile round trip, played under difficult circumstances, fulfilled his commitment and so wanted the full fee

·         The other three thought that accepting half-pay would help the organisers while recovering something for a partly-wasted afternoon

 

After a fairly heated discussion (without me, I was making the long trek to the Gents 150 yard away!) they’d agreed that we should take the full fee, but individually we could then donate whatever we thought appropriate back to the event… fair enough or not?

 

My goodness, what a shambles, and what rain came down yesterday after we left!

 

Setting up on grass and outdoors like that just looks like a recipe for disaster so i'm afraid i wouldn't be doing a gig like this.

My H&S head comes on. 

It annoys me when organisers get it wrong but expect the band who have put the effort in to take a reduced fee because of bad management.

At the end of the day its not your fault the tent blew away. 

Its a tricky one but that set up is a no no for me. 

Dave

[Woodinblack]

7 minutes ago, Gasman said:

So this is where the moral issue arose – your thoughts are welcome on whether we dealt with it in the best way.

Should we have insisted upon being paid the whole fee? On the minus side we only did one set, not two, but that was after agreeing to risk our gear in inclement weather so as not to disappoint the organisers who hadn’t (through force majeure) been able to provide the agreed shelter – and before playing we had insisted upon a rider that if it rained we stopped.

 

I think you were more than accomodating, playing in an open field on a day that had mentioned it was going to rain would be a pretty well non starter.

Seems that the morning they got up, checked the field, found there was no gazebo for the band, and no chance of getting one, look at the weather forcast and saw the options, they should have contacted you and cancelled then. It would still have been a pain, but such things happen.

 

 

10 minutes ago, Gasman said:

After a fairly heated discussion (without me, I was making the long trek to the Gents 150 yard away!) they’d agreed that we should take the full fee, but individually we could then donate whatever we thought appropriate back to the event… fair enough or not?

 

More than fair.

 

We have had discussions about these sort of things before, like weddings of 'friends of the band' - I am happy to do a wedding for a friend of the band for normal gig money, rather than wedding money, but 'friends of the band' tend to be friends of the singer and guitarist, sometimes the drummer, and rarely mine. If they were mine, then yes, I would be happy to do it free. If they want to do a free gig for someone, I am perfectly happy to take their cut of the fee out of what we are charging, leaving mine.

 

[Lozz196]

59 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Setting up on grass and outdoors like that just looks like a recipe for disaster so i'm afraid i wouldn't be doing a gig like this.

My H&S head comes on. 

It annoys me when organisers get it wrong but expect the band who have put the effort in to take a reduced fee because of bad management.

At the end of the day its not your fault the tent blew away. 

Its a tricky one but that set up is a no no for me. 

Dave

I agree Dave, it might seem like the band being precious if they decide to not do it but there are too many things that can go wrong. And inevitably there`s the tugging at the heart strings for one bunch of people to work for nothing where everyone else is paid their going rate. 

[casapete]

1 hour ago, Gasman said:

A gig I’ll never forget! A tale of disaster and a moral question…

 

The venue was the Turnpike Showground near Shaftesbury in Dorset, and the event was a ‘Tractor Run’ over a Sunday lunchtime. This raised a smidgeon of alarm, but a gig’s a gig – so the organisers booked our band to play from 13:30 to 16:00 to entertain the multitude of attendees they were expecting. Now, the showground extents to 39 acres, it’s flat and exposed to the wind from nearly all directions and can accommodate 10,000 people at a time for big annual shows (we’d played there for one of those back in May).

 

However, tractor runs are really meant for the owners and die-hard enthusiasts of agricultural machinery, giving them a chance to watch and drive their pride and joy in procession around the back-roads via as many pubs as possible – the general public aren’t very interested and don’t usually attend unless it’s held in a town-centre or as part of a bigger event (e.g. county show). Add into the mix the truly awful weather forecast (gales all day and heavy rain from around 15:00 til midnight) and you get the picture.

 

We turned up at noon – no rain yet - only to find that the gazebo they’d promised as the band shelter wasn’t there – it had apparently been blow away overnight and ended up half a mile away in a hedge, completely wrecked. There were thirty security staff but just 17 other punters sitting miserably on a few straw bales in the biting wind. Would we play out in the open air, pretty please, the organisers asked? After a band huddle we said OK, but at the first drop of rain we’d be packed up and gone. The pix below give some idea of the vastness of the field but it can’t tell you that we were playing directly into a Force 5-6 gale – no need for foldback, I thought sardonically.

 

There were no tractors there when we arrived. They were away on their run, leaving us to set up next to the burger tent and raffle stall. The tractors (about 20 of them) returned at 13:00 and we started playing early, all of us wearing a motley collection of whatever warm hats and coats we could beg or borrow. The tractor chaps collected their souvenir plaques, and ignored us (as well they might – we didn’t have three-point hitches or turbochargers!)

 

At halftime, the organisers tried to hold an auction for the colossal amount of bacon, baps and burgers that were never going to sell – they virtually gave away most of it (to the tractor guys) for token amounts. They then embarked upon a lengthy raffle draw, where most of the ticket holders had long gone home so the same prizes were re-drawn again and again. At this point the first drops of rain began to fall – our well-oiled band-emergency-packing-up machine swung into operation, as it had to – we needed to get the gear into our cars asap as there was no other shelter! End of gig for us…

 

So this is where the moral issue arose – your thoughts are welcome on whether we dealt with it in the best way.

 

Should we have insisted upon being paid the whole fee? On the minus side we only did one set, not two, but that was after agreeing to risk our gear in inclement weather so as not to disappoint the organisers who hadn’t (through force majeure) been able to provide the agreed shelter – and before playing we had insisted upon a rider that if it rained we stopped.

 

I had a lot of sympathy for the organisers as I’ve been on their side of the fenceas an organiser of similar events myself. However, experience had rapidly told me that they’d been wildly over-optimistic about public attendance, had invested far too much money in the wrong venue, over-catered for food drink, security etc, and were entirely at the mercy of the weather – they should have at the very least cancelled the band to save money but they didn’t.  Anyway, as always it was about money…

 

·         I said I’d be happy with token diesel money to help out

·         Our dep guitarist (yet another!) made the valid point that he’d made a 100-mile round trip, played under difficult circumstances, fulfilled his commitment and so wanted the full fee

·         The other three thought that accepting half-pay would help the organisers while recovering something for a partly-wasted afternoon

 

After a fairly heated discussion (without me, I was making the long trek to the Gents 150 yard away!) they’d agreed that we should take the full fee, but individually we could then donate whatever we thought appropriate back to the event… fair enough or not?

 

My goodness, what a shambles, and what rain came down yesterday after we left!

 

You sound like you couldn’t have been more reasonable to me.

Like some others though, I wouldn’t have set up on a wet field in the first place, and

think the organisers didn’t appreciate the risks and cost that could ensue.

 

Years ago I did a festival in the north east, and the weather wasn’t looking great.

The ‘stage’ ( back of an an artic lorry trailer) was barely covered against the elements, and

as I watched a couple of bands before us I rapidly came to the conclusion that I wasn’t happy

going on. Rest of our band soon agreed, and our BL went to discuss options. The organiser

just didn’t want to see the problem, and thought we were being too precious. By this time 

it was pouring down with a very strong wind blowing. We eventually agreed to go home

for half our fee. As we left we heard the band performing after us on the bill start playing

in the beer tent, as the stage covering had apparently blown away. I’d suggested this as

an option earlier on, but was told it wouldn’t be possible. 
Think we dodged a bullet TBH. 

 

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, cheddatom said:

Headsticks on Saturday at Eleven in Tunstall (Stoke-on-Trent)

 

It was an all day event with 6 acts on, starting at 3:30. We got there at 1pm to load in up a fire escape. Not too bad. The sound engineer tried arguing that we couldn't use our own mics. We insisted that we use our own due to hygiene concerns. We have this problem very occasionally, and it's only ever with the stereotypical grumpy sound guys. The rude control freaks. You know, the classic soundman. Anyway, that's exactly what he was, talking to us in the rudest possible way all night. We (including the other acts) all tried to kill his attitude with kindness, lavishing him with praise and thankyous. It had no effect. Why do people stay in jobs they hate?

 

Anyway, despite that it sounded great on and off stage, and the lighting was great too. Here's a photo with us doing our song Miles and Miles with Carol Hodge on guest vocals. She did it on the record so whenever she's on the same line up we persuade her to get up for it. What a voice!

 

 

That's me on drums. I supplied the kit for the whole day with the following note to be sent to all drummers in advance 

 

"Drum shells will be provided. Please bring your own hardware. Your own stool is a MUST and not negotiable"

 

This is because sharing stools grosses me out on account of the arse-sweat. I nipped out from the venue to get my girlfriend and when I returned I saw the drummer from another act sat suspiciously high up. Yep, he'd helped himself to my stool, which had been at the back of the stage with other equipment piled on top of it. You'd think musicians would have more respect for each other but this is pretty common in my experience. 🙄

Great looking bass set up there Tom, I bet your bassist had no probs hearing himself.