Anyone played a train gig?

[Dirk Diggler]

I'm just asking since I never have, well until this coming Saturday. I've played on boats, and on land, just never on the rails.
Anyone got any stories?
Ours should be fun, it's a Brews and Blues train ride. I can't believe there are actually 2 bands on this excursion. And oddly they want to be able to take a feed from our car for the other cars, each car has it's own PA, how cool is that!
I can't wait actually, I love firsts and a good mental challenge. LOL
Dirk

[HomeBrewTJ]

That sounds cool- good luck!

[darkfinger]

dude, that sounds like crazy fun!
Good luck and have a great show!

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by Dirk Diggler

I'm just asking since I never have, well until this coming Saturday. I've played on boats, and on land, just never on the rails.
Anyone got any stories?

I played a sub gig this summer that was supposed to be a send-off for 200 people on an old steam powered train doing some kind of themed scenic ride. It was at 9AM, and we were slated to set up right next to the tracks. Luckily it rained and we ended up inside the station, otherwise we would've been hosed by all the steam coming off the locomotive.

Hope you don't scare the patrons with your wacky basses, or your questionable sartorial skills!

[TomB]

Originally Posted by Dirk Diggler

I'm just asking since I never have, well until this coming Saturday. I've played on boats, and on land, just never on the rails.
Anyone got any stories?

I just did a train gig. "Customer Appreciation Day" thrown by the railroad. They had the "company car" that execs use for family vacation hooked onto one end, fancy catering, open bar and us at the other end.... yee haw!

It was actually great fun... kind of a wallpaper gig at first but a dedicated crowd settled into our car after lunch... pretty well-sedated by then. By the end we had 'em.

The sound wasn't bad really... just like playing on a boat, you have to compete w/the clickety clack, engine whistle at crossings, etc., but easy to ignore after a bit.

Only real problem... given the state of rail tracks in the northeast US these days.. make SURE you tie the PA speakers very well to something solidly anchored! Talk about rockin' & rollin'!

Tom

[baba]

I just got back from the Tequila Train. It runs in Jalisco (Mexico) and for the entire 1:45 ride to and from Casa Herradura there was a 10 piece mariachi going up and down the cars and stopping for 2 or 3 songs at every car. I'll try to post a pic of the guitarron player.

Did I mention all you can drink top shelf tequila and Estrella beer? It was a SCENE! Highly recommended if you are in that area of Mexico.

[Dirk Diggler]

Passinwind a 9am gig, man that's inhuman.

Yeah I was most worried about the PA and of course the width of the playing area. At least we're playing 6-9 and it is brews and blues so a drinking crowd is always fun. I know where we leave from and return to, I have no clue where we are going though.

And Tequilla and Beer sounds like too much fun. We will be stationary but the mariachi thing would have to be fun to play and walk, as a listener the wandering 3d sound would be cool depending on where you are.
Dirk

[Dirk Diggler]

Well I just got back from the train ride gig, indeed one of the most bizarre experiences ever. Wow I feel like I was surfing for 3 hours, oh yeah I learned that lashing things down is very important. Also that I really like the horn blowing at road crossings, it almost works in an odd way in most keys thanks to the loud tri-tone horn. LOL
I enjoyed watching the guitar player trying to use his Wah pedal, hilarious, he came very close to tipping over more than a few times.
Also watching the drunken folks trying to walk and dance in the isles was more than entertaining.
I would recommend it for anyone that doesn't have motion issues, I thought our drummer was going to hurl, he doesn't even do roller coasters, he was a bit green looking the first set.
But he toughed it out and once it got dark and the train reversed direction he was able to deal.
I've only got 3 gigs I haven't done left, submarine, space ship and airplane, I somehow don't think I'll ever get to do those, but then again I would have never imagined playing on a train.
Dirk