What's the longest set you've played?

BigCarl · #1 09-02-2007, 11:47 PM

Last Saturday one of the groups i play with played from 8:00pm until 1:45am only pausing for a string change around midnight. that was a record 5.75 hour set for us.

The group never takes breaks at gigs. we played for 2.5 hours yesterday and I just got home from a 3.5 hour set tonight (on upright tonight... ouch!) I'm always worn out when I get home after playing with this group.

any other long set stories?

alfredpunkjazz · #2 09-03-2007, 12:19 AM

I wonde played almost 7 hours... That was something that almost made me cry...

I was younger, LOL. We were playing in a club, I did sets for 2 DJ's and one band that did this weird cover thing... I felt my fingers were just dead after that.

bopeuph · #3 09-03-2007, 12:33 AM

Never played a set that long, and I probably never will. Especially at jazz gigs playing upright, it just can't be done. I will tell whoever protests that I need a break every now and then, and it's going to be no longer than would be considered a normal break anyways.

Nick

Smallmouth_Bass · #4 09-03-2007, 12:37 AM

I can't imagine doing more than 2 hours straight! Even the audience needs a break and I find anything over an hour starts to be too much. I'm talking about a bar bands here; a concert can go anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours and be okay.

lomer · #5 09-03-2007, 12:53 AM

Longest set i've ever played would probably only be an hour or so... Keep in mind we're a speed metal band so its not that common for sets to go over 40 mins around here, keeps the crowd from getting restless.

Means people get to see 4-5 bands in the one night too...

phat daddy · #6 09-03-2007, 01:01 AM

I've played up to 3 hrs at corporate functions, never more than an hour and a half at a club

bmc · #7 09-03-2007, 01:23 AM

I play in a trio with a guitarist and drummer. They came to Europe from the states touring with a band out of NYC. The band's claim to fame was doing one show a night from 9:30pm nonstop until 0230am. They were the house band at a club in Lausanne for a long while, and they played seven nights a week. The longest consecutive run of playing every day was 84 consecutive nights.

That was back in the early 90's and I can just imagine what their chops were like back then. We've been together 3 years now and I think the longest set we've may have done approaches two hours. We very rarely go over an hour.

oxygenbass · #8 09-03-2007, 01:30 AM

I have never done like 7 hours - id be dead and completly brain fried!

The longest i did recently was a 2 hour set and that was knackering.

I cant imagine doing any more but id sure love to try one day!

detracti · #9 09-03-2007, 01:43 AM

Five hours or so... equal amounts of covers and blues jamming.

I had blood seeping out around the edges of my fingernails by the end of it.

absolutezero · #10 09-03-2007, 04:34 AM

wow, 7 hours ! Were u able to feel ur fingers after that ? Had a gig a couple of days back. That was probably my longest gig , around 2 hours

jewbear · #11 09-03-2007, 05:50 AM

about 45 or 50 minutes... lol

My band just has like 8 to 10 originals and 2 covers atm

with another band I am starting, I am planning on an average of 2 to 3 hours played per show, mostly just including originals

**Eric Perry** · #12 09-03-2007, 05:55 AM

Probably 3 hours, maybe a tad longer. That's LONG ENOUGH!!!! I typically enjoy cocktails when I play... My bladder isn't bionic!

Jazz Ad · #13 09-03-2007, 06:04 AM

In cover bands for weddings and stuff, I've done over 8 hours with only a few pauses.

Bassman8416 · #14 09-03-2007, 06:10 AM

Wow that is painfully long.I've done 3.5 hours in a Grateful Dead tribute band. Plus it was fueled by varous substances,but today I'm 46 an living clean and sober.The longest I will tolerate is an hour and a half,maybe two hours.One also has to consider the audience getting tired as well.

welshtigerboy · #15 09-03-2007, 06:46 AM

I regularly run jam nights and if there's a turn out that doesn't include a bass player or is thin on guitarists, I'll often play from 7 till gone midnight switching between bass and geetar and singing a few when required!

The trick is to get the drummer to have a solo then run off quick to use the toilet, all coming back onstage and then continuing the song!

It's also really useful for getting people to buy beer for you as you can't get to the bar!

peterpalmieri · #16 09-03-2007, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welshtigerboy

I regularly run jam nights and if there's a turn out that doesn't include a bass player or is thin on guitarists, I'll often play from 7 till gone midnight switching between bass and geetar and singing a few when required!

The trick is to get the drummer to have a solo then run off quick to use the toilet, all coming back onstage and then continuing the song!

It's also really useful for getting people to buy beer for you as you can't get to the bar!

Personally I've played sets over 2 hours never more then 3.

The way I see it I'm getting paid to play sets of 45 mintues with a 15 minute break, anyway you want to break it up, maybe 2 130 minute sets with a 1/2 hour break. Anything more and I expect to get paid extra!

Playing 4 or 5 hours straight is cool if your being paid to do so, although it seems to be super tiring....

John Wentzien · #17 09-03-2007, 07:05 AM

I played in a house band for a strip-club in the mid 70's. This is back when they used a live band for the dancers. We would start at 11 pm and end at 6 am, 7 days a week for a month straight! You had maybe 5 minutes to go to the can between the girl's sets.

jewbear · #18 09-03-2007, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wentzien

I played in a house band for a strip-club in the mid 70's. This is back when they used a live band for the dancers. We would start at 11 pm and end at 6 am, 7 days a week for a month straight! You had maybe 5 minutes to go to the can between the girl's sets.

49 hours of playing a week... getting payed for it... and you got to see pretty ladies dance around NAKED while doing so?

That must have been one of the coolest jobs ever lol.

I just play short sets sometimes in bars lol... and none of the ladies are naked

yamaha · #19 09-03-2007, 07:45 AM

Wow, that's something you don't see often on a musician's resume. Bassist of a house band for a strip-club. Sounds so cool, but then again, was there ever anyone who came to see the band, or even noticed it wasen't a DJ.

yamaha · #20 09-03-2007, 07:48 AM

Back on track. The longest I've done was a private party for rockers and headbagners. We had two 15 song sets, plus a 3 song encore. We ended up playing straight thru it all, because everyone was screaming, jumping up and down, and really enjoying us. I figure it was 3 hours +