Ways to Kill Downtime on a Gig

[jaywa]

Looking for any/all ways -- good, bad, or simply "creative" to knock back those hours between soundcheck and stage time. Getting into prime season now for two types of gigs that tend to come with a lot of downtime -- weddings, and multi-band festival gigs -- so I'm curious to hear what you all come up with.

For starters, here's a short list that from my own experience and watching/talking to others seem to be the most common diversions:

- Eating/Drinking - I really have to watch out for this one especially when food and beverage is comp'd... I've gone on stage with too much of a buzz and/or too much in my belly a few times, mostly cause I didn't have anything else to do and hey, it's FREE!

- Reading

- Sleeping

- Online / Tweeting / Facebook, etc.

- Video games

- Texting / Calls

- Band Business (booking gigs, etc.)

- Watching band(s) in front of you on the bill

- Walking around the neighborhood (safe areas and good weather only!)

What are some others?

[MatticusMania]

Find a lady, chat her up, get some!

[jaywa]

I suppose some of you who are more dedicated than myself would say "practice".

That's not usually my routine though unless we're breaking in a new song that night and I'm feeling sketchy about my part.

[pacojas]

i hit on the girls behind the bar! they are often very receptive to my BS laced humor.

[jaywa]

I've always wished there was a way I could leverage my gig downtime into some extra money. My day job is salaried so I don't gain anything by doing work "on the clock" while I'm waiting to play. If I was a sales guy making commissions or something you can bet I'd be on the phones while I was waiting to go on (and probably during breaks as well). And I don't gamble so that option is out.

To get paid for the gig and get paid for the time I'm waiting to play the gig as well... that would be great. Haven't figured out how to do that yet though. Closest thing I can think of is to spend that time sourcing / closing other gigs (which doesn't pay you immediately but will down the road).

[preside]

Talk to the people who paid to come see/hear you play, and not just your friends. Having a one on one relationship various people in the audience makes them want to come out and see you more often. I have a weekly gig at the same bar that has grown from 50 to 200 people a week because all the band members go out and chat people up. After a bit they start to feel like friends with the band and wont miss a gig.

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by preside

Talk to the people who paid to come see/hear you play, and not just your friends. Having a one on one relationship various people in the audience makes them want to come out and see you more often. I have a weekly gig at the same bar that has grown from 50 to 200 people a week because all the band members go out and chat people up. After a bit they start to feel like friends with the band and wont miss a gig.

This is a very good point and I saw proof of that on a festival gig my band played last weekend. We were booked into a terrible time slot (3 PM Friday afternoon) on a cool and windy day, but from the time we started playing there were about 30 people who stood right at the front of the stage getting into it and a lot of those were people we've seen at shows before and taken the time to talk with. What's more, it started raining pretty hard halfway through our set but those folks all stayed right there up till the very end and asked for more when we quit. I don't know if the promoter noticed that, but we did and it felt pretty good.

[Marial]

I read, nap if I can. Since most of my gigs are near my house and one of my neighbors is also in the band we've started to go back to his house after load in/sound check to sit around his fire pit when the weather permits. Makes for a much more relaxed vibe. I'm coming to detest waiting around in the club.

[inthevelvet]

Originally Posted by jaywa

I suppose some of you who are more dedicated than myself would say "practice".

+1 always a good idea

[inthevelvet]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Find a lady, chat her up, get some!

+10....always a GREAT idea

[nojj]

I like the points made about talking to the patrons.

Play pool with your band mates (and hope they're good losers)
If you're in a hotel, sometimes a visit to the weight-room is in order, or swimming.

What I really like to do is to take a camera. Nice for documenting the event.
Candid shots, backstage, some poses with fans,
pics of your drummer chasing nekkid women down the hall (to show his wife.........)

[jaywa]

I'm not big on the napping thing... makes me feel sluggish when I wake back up.

But there's a guy in one of my bands who will find the darkest quietest place he can after we finish soundcheck, lay down, and literally not wake up again till 10 minutes before we go on (unless we're being fed dinner LOL). He does fine on stage though, so different strokes I guess.

[fenderbassman40]

Some sort of stretching if I can find some privacy. Stretch out my left wrist and lower back helps me a lot.

[Joe Louvar]

Talkbass.com

Originally Posted by jaywa

Looking for any/all ways -- good, bad, or simply "creative" to knock back those hours between soundcheck and stage time. Getting into prime season now for two types of gigs that tend to come with a lot of downtime -- weddings, and multi-band festival gigs -- so I'm curious to hear what you all come up with.

For starters, here's a short list that from my own experience and watching/talking to others seem to be the most common diversions:

- Eating/Drinking - I really have to watch out for this one especially when food and beverage is comp'd... I've gone on stage with too much of a buzz and/or too much in my belly a few times, mostly cause I didn't have anything else to do and hey, it's FREE!

- Reading

- Sleeping

- Online / Tweeting / Facebook, etc.

- Video games

- Texting / Calls

- Band Business (booking gigs, etc.)

- Watching band(s) in front of you on the bill

- Walking around the neighborhood (safe areas and good weather only!)

What are some others?

[jaywa]

On multi-band deals I'm also not real big on watching the band(s) ahead of us on the bill.

If they stink, it annoys me and if they're really good it makes me worry that we can follow them adequately. Plus then I get into the whole comparing gear thing and all that... it's just clutter in my mind that I don't need when I'm trying to prep for my own thing.

The only time I'll check out an opening band is if I know somebody in it. Then I do it as a support thing but if that's not the situation I usually pass.

[bass12]

Originally Posted by jaywa

On multi-band deals I'm also not real big on watching the band(s) ahead of us on the bill.

If they stink, it annoys me and if they're really good it makes me worry that we can follow them adequately. Plus then I get into the whole comparing gear thing and all that... it's just clutter in my mind that I don't need when I'm trying to prep for my own thing.

The only time I'll check out an opening band is if I know somebody in it. Then I do it as a support thing but if that's not the situation I usually pass.

I'm usually the same but next week the band playing before us is Kool & The Gang so I'm going to make an exception.

[HolmeBass]

I do like to check out the other bands. Whether I know them or not I feel like it's support kind of thing, plus sometimes you see some great bands and hear some great music, which can be inspiring if you quell the sense of competition.

But I always like to warm up backstage or nearby starting about 1 hour, or at most 30 minutes before our call. Not practicing, just a nice leisurely warm-up so I'm feeling good and limber when I go onstage.

Now I'm kinda missing not being in a band that's going to be doing lots of festivals this summer. Oh well. Maybe again someday soon.

[nojj]

I always liked seeing the other bands, and talking shop with the members.
Good time to exchange tips and war stories.

[Slough Feg Bass]

Sell Merch!!!!

[sizzle]

whats downtime?