"Magical" Shows

DRafalske · #1 07-19-2010, 06:06 AM

You know what I'm talking about, guys:
The ones where the mix is perfect, your tone is perfect, the dance floor is packed from the first note of the first song, there ain't a bad lookin' girl in the place, the beer is cold, and the pay is great.

Had two of 'em this weekend. Just wanted to share.

D

FuzzBoxVoodoo · #2 07-19-2010, 08:55 AM

I have had some good ones but still working towards the "Perfect" one.
Congrats.

FunkMetalBass · #3 07-19-2010, 09:57 AM

The most perfect gig I ever had was two weeks before my 21st birthday, in a small converted garage out in the middle of nowhere, and we only made $5 on the whole gig.

The place was packed, we had an amazing sound (considering the FOH was for vocals only), and there was free beer for bands (no IDs = awesome). Hot, sweaty, gross, packed, stuffy...and amazing. It was the true essence of rock and roll.

worxforme · #4 07-19-2010, 10:01 AM

If the mix is great and my tone is great, that's all I need to have the "magic" type gig.

The rest is icing on the cake.

Deepak · #5 07-19-2010, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRafalske

there ain't a bad lookin' girl in the place...

Pics or it didn't happen.

DRafalske · #6 07-19-2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deepak

Pics or it didn't happen.

Guess it didn't happen then. Sadly, I don't have any pics.

kesslari · #7 07-19-2010, 11:44 AM

I'll take you at your word. The truly magic gigs are what make it all sublime.

I'll add one more intangible, which is when the band clicks and goes to that place where the music is much, much bigger than the sum of the parts - it hits that transcendent place. For me, that's generally marked by the entire band looking at each other in "how did we get here?" wonder... Everything kicks up a level - band, audience, everything.

groooooove · #8 07-19-2010, 11:54 AM

2 days after i recieved the dream bass that i waited 2.5 years for, and paid for off of years of minimum wage work, i played a huge club that was sold out, and everyone there was dancing their asses off. that was an awesome gig..

DRafalske · #9 07-19-2010, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kesslari

I'll take you at your word. The truly magic gigs are what make it all sublime.

I'll add one more intangible, which is when the band clicks and goes to that place where the music is much, much bigger than the sum of the parts - it hits that transcendent place. For me, that's generally marked by the entire band looking at each other in "how did we get here?" wonder... Everything kicks up a level - band, audience, everything.

Yes! Well put! We were in that spot too! Everything was there all weekend long. It reminded me why I do this.
I've played bass since I was a kid, but only been with this band about 9 months. Every gig has been a success, but this is the first time we all really clicked.
We cover "Sweet Child o Mine", and do pretty well with it I think, but by the cheers at the end you would have though GNR themselves were on stage.
D

doctorpunch · #10 07-19-2010, 01:12 PM

My favorite gigs started out as "OK, we don't have anything booked so we'll play this crappy place" gigs.

You know what I mean: You're playing a bar where the stage is a 15'X15 space of the floor where they moved the tables and chairs away. The PA had enough power to play an iPod. The amps and drums relied on the acoustics of the place because there were barely enough inputs for the vocal mics, let alone amps and (perish the thought) drums. No cover at the door, no pay, at least the band drank for free.

However, the place is packed with a super high energy crowd thrashing out for every song you play. It takes too long to break down because every 10 seconds someone taps you on the shoulder to give you props.

Granted, I play metal so this might not be ideal for everyone but hell...those gigs were awesome nonetheless.

StyleOverShow · #11 07-19-2010, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worxforme

If the mix is great and my tone is great, that's all I need to have the "magic" type gig.

Have had several magic moments when people weren't dancing or even overly interested in the music. The band just comes together in a collective conscious moment....

Spraeg · #12 07-19-2010, 02:33 PM

There's different types of gigs like that... There's the ones where you feel like a rock star- big sound, big venue, big, energetic crowd, you have an actual dressing room and a sound guy that knows what he's doing, you have a full light rig, and after your half hour set you have no idea what happened, but you know the band played well and you know it was awesome. Then there's the small, intimate venues where you've got a small PA for vocals and not much else, but the beer is flowing, the crowd is jumping, the energy is high, and you get to just go up in front of a bunch of people, be loud and have fun. If you play long enough, you eventually encounter those shows, it's all about making them a common occurrence.

bound'n'blocked · #13 07-19-2010, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StyleOverShow

Have had several magic moments when people weren't dancing or even overly interested in the music. The band just comes together in a collective conscious moment....

Been there, done that, got the shirt...

County fair gig last August...NO ONE to play for (except the obligatory wives) but we just locked in together. A moment when the five of us, and the sound guy were clicking as one. I'll never forget it...

BnB

TimK · #14 07-22-2010, 01:45 PM

My band had CD release show at the Fine Line in Minneapolis back in Feb. We really promoted hard and it paid off. Sold the place out, 500 people shoulder to shoulder and the mix, enegry and crowd were great!!!!

It was lots of fun!!!

I was being kind of a goof ball to some friends up front at one point. Only downer was the back ground vox girls were not singing in tune some of the time, they had a bad monitor mix and couldn't hear themselves very well. We had great response, sold a lot of CD's and built up a great fan base based on this show. We made some money, not a lot, but it was more about getting our music out there. Here is a video link to one of the songs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUlxN7sAdWk

DRafalske · #15 07-22-2010, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimK

My band had CD release show at the Fine Line in Minneapolis back in Feb. We really promoted hard and it paid off. Sold the place out, 500 people shoulder to shoulder and the mix, enegry and crowd were great!!!!

It was lots of fun!!!

I was being kind of a goof ball to some friends up front at one point. Only downer was the back ground vox girls were not singing in tune some of the time, they had a bad monitor mix and couldn't hear themselves very well. We had great response, sold a lot of CD's and built up a great fan base based on this show. We made some money, not a lot, but it was more about getting our music out there. Here is a video link to one of the songs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUlxN7sAdWk

You guys are pretty good

TimK · #16 07-22-2010, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRafalske

You guys are pretty good

Thanks DRafalske! we worked really hard for that show. Lots of rehearsing and promoting. Hopefully there are more shows like it to come!