coping with a bad gig..

[x15]

i'm sure, this has been posted a number of times before.. but i guess i couldn't find any of the sort.. i had my first bad gig yesterday night.. i've been playing bass for about 4 years now.. but performing actively for only about one and a half.. only had about 8 gigs with this particular band.. (i realise i'm a complete beginner).. guess i've been really lucky so far.. but i don't know what happened at this one..
if you're supposed to be in a mood.. i wasn't in it..
if there's a vibe that you get or send, i wasn't feeling it..
i couldn't concentrate during the set.. it felt like one long bad trip.. i just wanted to get it over with.. i don't know whether it was the crowd or.. god knows man..
the lighting was intense, i was burning up under it.. sweating. .feeling light headed.. almost like i was going to pass out.. the bastards kept hitting the strobe lights.. and half way through the set.. my left hand started shaking violently.. right before a solo at that..
which i conveniently Botched.. i felt physically ill.. and my nerves have never really been a problem for me.. i just don't know what happened.. and it wasn't like i was messing up Very much.. but my playing was all over the place..
its the next morning now.. and i'm trying to put it past myself.. but its easier said than done i suppose..
any words of wisdom would be appreciated... cheers..

[8mmOD]

Don't sweat it so much, they can't all be good gigs. Some of my notable f'ups have been- tripping & knocking over my amp, having everything shut off in the middle of the set, breaking a string with no backup, getting my hair wrapped around my guitarists headstock, having my wireless crap out in the middle of a song, having the strap peg come out of the bass in the middle of a song & the bass dropping to the floor, and theres always the occasional plain old just being too drunk to play... well anyway, I survived all of these ordeals and you will survive yours. Honestly, most of the time the audience doesn't notice anyway. Oh and a word of advice... Tell the light guy you have epilepsy and will go into convulsions if they use strobe lights. No, really, that will keep them off the strobes for fear of a lawsuit.

[Dave Grossman]

It sounds like a lot of it was the heat. Being on stage with a lot of lights on you can get really hot. I always bring a fan (er, unless I forget, then it sucks). There are some good small fans that look like jet engine intakes that work really well even from far away. I'd get one and make it part of your road gear.

I'm sure that everyone has a bad gig. I've had plenty. Just look forward to the next one.

- Dave

[ryco]

Make sure your drinking plenty of water as well. Sounds like you might have become dehydrated. No - drinks containing alcohol don't count. Alcohol dehydrates you.

Other than that, forget it and move on. Everyone has the occasional bad night. Get back in there slugger!! :rudi rudi:

[roger winkler]

This was your first "gone bad" gig. There is one thing for certain, it will not be your last. Not trying to be mean, it's just the way things happen. I've had gigs where I was really pumped up and really looking forward to playing and it seemed like I couldn't hit the right note or keep the groove to save my life. Sometimes things just happen and there's nothing you can do about it. My best advice is to roll with the punches and keep on playing.

[Munjibunga]

Yeah, it happens. A few months ago, my new band played at the 50th birthday party of one of my best friends (my daughter's godfather). We were recording the gig. For whatever reason, I just sucked royally that night. After the gig, the band was all excited and thought everything went well. I tried not to bring 'em down, but I still sucked.

OK, so last night I was over at the same friend's house for our annual Christmas celebration, and his wife is standing there in the kitchen yakking with me and says, "That was the best party we ever had." Then her husband, hearing this, says, "Man, you guys were hot!"

So it just goes to show you ...

[JimmyM]

If I had a dollar for every bad night I've had, I'd have at least $100. Forget about it, dude. It's over and you're home now. On to the next gig.

[QORC]

Gee, I had a band dump me because we had a bad gig and I wasn't apparently "smiling enough" for their taste.

This is the problem with joining an established group -- they have their own culture, and no matter how much they tell you that you are a "full and equal member", they will not tolerate anything from you that they will forgive in themselves and in each other.

[BrandonBass]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Yeah, it happens. A few months ago, my new band played at the 50th birthday party of one of my best friends (my daughter's godfather). We were recording the gig. For whatever reason, I just sucked royally that night. After the gig, the band was all excited and thought everything went well. I tried not to bring 'em down, but I still sucked.

OK, so last night I was over at the same friend's house for our annual Christmas celebration, and his wife is standing there in the kitchen yakking with me and says, "That was the best party we ever had." Then her husband, hearing this, says, "Man, you guys were hot!"

So it just goes to show you ...

it justs goes to show that the audience dont give a crap about the bass

[Jazzdogg]

Forty-odd years ago, when my other was suffering terribly from epilepsy, strobe lights would trigger seizures.

I'm not saying there's a definite link between the way you were feeling during your gig and the strobe lights, but it might be worth considering.

[dave s]

What happened to you has happened to me once or twice before as well. The combination of the hot lights, not a lot of fresh air moving around and then lights that MOVE, (i.e., strobe lights and those random laser-like light deals) is definitely enough to make a person feel ILL on stage.

When this happens its very easy to lose focus on what you are doing because of the environmental factors.

Or, it could just be a case of simply 'not having it' that night! We've ALL had those nights!

dave

[seanm]

Originally Posted by ryco

Make sure your drinking plenty of water as well. Sounds like you might have become dehydrated. No - drinks containing alcohol don't count. Alcohol dehydrates you.

Other than that, forget it and move on. Everyone has the occasional bad night. Get back in there slugger!! :rudi rudi:

+1 It sounds to me like you where just not getting enough water to compensate for the heat. Make sure you have water with you next time and the gig will go better.

And a fan can't hurt either, but water is most important. Stay away from drinks like Gatorade, they have too much sugar unless you water them down.

[vindy500]

you need to go into the fetal position and convulse saying mommy, keep that up for 29 minutes or so then get up and move on.

[Dave Grossman]

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

Forty-odd years ago, when my other was suffering terribly from epilepsy, strobe lights would trigger seizures.

I'm not saying there's a definite link between the way you were feeling during your gig and the strobe lights, but it might be worth considering.

I blacked out for a moment at a Billy Corgan concert and it seemed linked to the strobe lights they used.

- Dave

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

it justs goes to show that the audience dont give a crap about the bass

No argument here.

[Baryonyx]

I was watching a band playing at work last night. They sucked royally, but the bassist and the drummer really were working to keep it together. He had a rather nice Yamaha TRB and an Epifani on stage for a monitor (nice stuff!). During one of the more upbeat numbers they band played, the bottom of his strap actually came off the bass and he had to stop playing and fight to re-attach it! It was a hairy moment, for sure.

It also didn't help that his singer was a talentless goon and that the guy on keys was getting some really nasty distorted sounds due to a technical hiccup.

However, from what you've been saying about the lighting, it's possible you could be epileptic. I mean, if the lightings making you feel like that, you should maybe see a doctor to talk about it.

[tZer]

Along the same lines as Munji's statement - I don't know how many gigs I did where I felt fine and others felt bad and vice-versa. Everytime, however, the crowd was fine with it. I believe every gig hits every member differently. Makes you really treasure the gigs where everyone in the band really dug playing that night.

[gafbass02]

Yup been there got the tshirt, lost contact lens, tangled hair fight with other band member, fight with audience member, electrocuted, watched gf and ex gf fight, keyboard player had heart attack onstage (two weeks ago!) amp fallen over, amp blown ( three amps blown in one gig!) fallen over, needed a poo, vocalist forgot to sing,so drunk i forgot to take my bass on (twice!) all sorts of cool and exciting stuff to be kept and retold over and over in the pub.

[uly_]

x15: I had my very first gig yesterday evening aswell and for me, it was a blast! Totally.. we rocked the house with our own material

Did you have a couple of bottles of water with you on stage? The first tune we played last night I forgot to:

• Put on my earplugs, so all I could hear was: "Ashcshchsahchshhchchehshchhchshchschschshchschs<< <h<hzzzhhz"
• Take bottles of water with me on stage. My mouth went SO dry and my legs started to shake, it was so hot.

To my luck there was an acoustic tune right after the first one, so I went to get some water and took some with me on stage. I had to drink between nearly every tune we played. I think it's the most important thing! To keep your body and brain alive.

Hope this helps just a bit get up on the horse again, man! And remember that water

/ Bo

[stuonbass]

You will learn from these experiences. As aforementioned, a talk with the light man, a fan, water; these things will helpyou be better prepared next time. Not nailing your solo will prompt you to be more prepared for it next time as well. I always learn from my mistakes and vow to never make them again!