How much do you drink at a gig?

[guitfiddle0409]

These days with all of the US .08 DUI laws I pretty much limit my intake to three beers per gig, plus maybe some food there assuming it's edible. I can remember in my earlier gigging days (I'm now 54) I used to think nothing of drinking as much as I could and enjoyed the hell of it. About five years ago while driving back from an acoustic gig, I got pulled over by the cops and blew a .06 and that got me thinking about changing my ways. So, from now on it's pretty light on the beer and just enjoy playing. How about you folks that are considerably younger than I am? Hope you're all aware that in every state now the cops are encouraged to pull over as many late night vehicles as they can. They all want that federal highway money and local fines to keep pouring in...

[ogrossman]

Originally Posted by guitfiddle0409

...I pretty much limit my intake to three beers per gig, plus maybe some food there assuming it's edible...

ditto (I'm 52 now and sometimes wonder how I made it this far)

[GerManson]

5 or 6 beers, then on stage dance like an idiot.

always works XD

[RED5]

One Budweiser, hang it on my mic stand and use it to keep my throat wet,usually 2"left and warm by the end of the last set. I get bagged for speeding, and rightly so. But They ain't taking me for drunk. Too much riding on it. Note; found out that brewery beer,freshly made? gets you there fast, be careful.

[BlackLake]

How much d'you got?

[SC Bassboy]

I'm 30 and a drunk. So, quite honestly I drive when I shouldn't and drink way more than I should. Not really proud of it or anything, but you don't see many sober recovering alcoholics in bars three nights a week playing music.

[IanStephenson]

usually nothing - occasionally 1/2 pint, very rarely 1 pint if its a special event, or something.

Aside from driving home (which is usually OK, as it's a few hours later), I can really feel the effect on my playing from less than a 1/2 pint. I'm not particularly lightweight, and wouldn't normally think anything of drinking a couple of pints, but trying to play REALLY shows up how much if does affect your reaction times.

In the UK drunk driving laws have been pretty tight for a long time, and most people's attitudes to drinking and driving have adapted. Very few people would think about drinking three beers and getting in a car.

Ian

[guitfiddle0409]

Originally Posted by SC Bassboy

I'm 30 and a drunk. So, quite honestly I drive when I shouldn't and drink way more than I should. Not really proud of it or anything, but you don't see many sober recovering alcoholics in bars three nights a week playing music.

Please remember to keep the BAC under .08! If the cops get you then you can't gig easily...also it's unsafe.

[guitfiddle0409]

Originally Posted by IanStephenson

In the UK drunk driving laws have been pretty tight for a long time, and most people's attitudes to drinking and driving have adapted. Very few people would think about drinking three beers and getting in a car.

Ian

Yeah -- I had to go to Ireland as part of my day job and I found out that most European countries have a BAC of .04. Needless to say, I didn't drink and drive. The public transportation was really much better than we have here, however, so I did enjoy the pub scene....

[Dave Muscato]

Originally Posted by guitfiddle0409

These days with all of the US .08 DUI laws I pretty much limit my intake to three beers per gig, plus maybe some food there assuming it's edible. I can remember in my earlier gigging days (I'm now 54) I used to think nothing of drinking as much as I could and enjoyed the hell of it. About five years ago while driving back from an acoustic gig, I got pulled over by the cops and blew a .06 and that got me thinking about changing my ways. So, from now on it's pretty light on the beer and just enjoy playing. How about you folks that are considerably younger than I am? Hope you're all aware that in every state now the cops are encouraged to pull over as many late night vehicles as they can. They all want that federal highway money and local fines to keep pouring in...

Zero before I play, perhaps 1 after if the bar has any decent scotch.

[johnpbass]

Nothing before the first set. Maybe a beer on 1st and second breaks. Two is my max though.

[Fat.Mike]

If I am driving, one or two beers. If a band-mate is driving, three or four. There is no sense in making a fool of yourself and not playing well because you wanted to get hammered.

[optikhog]

Two beers maximum.

[T. B. Player]

Nothing alcoholic - I'll fall asleep.

Have to have two or three colas, however, or coffee, for the caffeine.

Might have a Corona afterward, but only once in a great while.

Then I don't have to worry about a .0+ anything, and all the cash is mine.

Thought it was funny that a band that was interested in me said we don't make a whole lot of $$, but Guiness is only $1 a glass. I said the band should charge more $$ (especially after being together for 13+ years), and should get the drink for free.

I didn't join - It's all about the Bens - not about the Buds.

Z

[mellowgerman]

I diet coke with lime on the rocks.
I don't like playing drunk...

[jweiss]

We usually get comped drinks and I limit myself to about 1 pint an hour (Utah beer). Any more than that and my playing suffers and I worry about the drive home.

[Dave Muscato]

Edit: Adding the disclosure that I am not an attorney, nor a peace officer, etc

Originally Posted by SC Bassboy

I'm 30 and a drunk. So, quite honestly I drive when I shouldn't and drink way more than I should. Not really proud of it or anything, but you don't see many sober recovering alcoholics in bars three nights a week playing music.

Originally Posted by guitfiddle0409

Please remember to keep the BAC under .08! If the cops get you then you can't gig easily...also it's unsafe.

I *hope* the cops get you, and take away your license, for your sake and for the sake of others on the road. I understand completely that when people are drunk, they are physically, definitively incapable of making sound judgments, but to know in advance that you are going to drink and drive is ridiculous and absurd.

Do you realize that the only reason drinking & driving resulting in someone's death isn't legally considered to be premeditated is that the driver, *because* he is drunk, can not definitively be identified as making the decision, with sound mind, to drive unsafely with extreme recklessness with regard to human life? Revealing on Talkbass that you plan to drink and drive, or even worse, that you do it regularly, and are aware that it's illegal, unsafe, and potentially dangerous, might be enough to charge you with second degree murder instead of vehicular or voluntary manslaughter, or something along those lines, if you ever kill someone doing this. Murder, in the US, means there was "malicious aforethought" - that is, 1) intent to kill, 2) intent to cause grievous bodily harm, 3) a "depraved heart", or 4) felony murder. A depraved-heart, or "abandoned and malignant heart" murder is one in which a person acts with extreme recklessness with regard to human life (e.g. stating in advance of getting drunk that you plan to drive while drunk, knowing that you are disregarding human life by doing this). A felony murder is one in which a death occurs during the commission of a felony (depending on the circumstances, can be satisfied if the driver is drunk and has his license revoked, etc). Any of these 4 conditions being met results in a murder charge, rather than manslaughter. If a murder is deliberate, premeditated, and willfull, it is generally first degree. Otherwise it is second degree.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not attacking you personally, and I don't want you to go to jail or anything like that - I don't even know you, man - but if you know you can't be responsible with a driver's license, you should just turn it over to the cops now, before you kill somebody or yourself. I want you to be safe, just as a fellow TBer, and if you know you're going to drink in excess, at least make other travel arrangements.

As far as the thread topic, when I'm at a gig, I'm "at work." I wouldn't drink at any other job, because even if it's allowed, it's unprofessional and it affects my ability to perform at my best.

After load-out, I might drink one or two, if I'm not the driver.

[cheapbasslovin]

Is 'Utah beer' like NW beer (booze content anywhere from 5.0 to 10.0 percent by volume)? I usually have 2 or three, but absolutely limit myself to 2 if I am drinking real heavy stuff. Learned that one the hard way (not cops, but I was severely hampered and couldn't get home safely without a very angry wife).

[ysand]

In my first and only (so far) gig i drank around 3-4 beers.
Was fun!

[cnltb]

I don't.