worst gig conditions

jazzyteen · #1 06-12-2007, 10:59 PM

hey ev'rybody,

Just asking what was your worst gig conditions you've had as a bass player?

Mine is a gig I still do... great learning experience, you get paid a respectable amount for doing jazz and its a stable gig (we are sure to play two nights a week)...

It's in a train for tourists. The space we play in is ruffly 3 to 5 square meters (don't know how much its in feet, i'd say about 9 to 16). We are a trio, a drummer, who actually plays only a snare drum sitting on my amp, a guitarist, and me, the bassist. The guitar player and I are plugged in my amp, a cheap practice amp about 30 watts and we have a power pack so we can plug ourselves in. We play about 2 to 3 tounes per half-wagon and we do about 4 to 5 wagons per night, above all, the wagon is moving and is wobbly so we are practically more thinking about our balance than our playing. Plus, it can get really hot in there...

I think i'll remember that gig for ever... but it's fun and challenging... so when you play with a whole drum with a better amp an everything else you're better since you played on the train... We actually called ourself: the portable trio.

-Peace

JT

aluminumcatfish · #2 06-12-2007, 11:20 PM

Playing music I don't like, With people I don't like.

Life's just too short for that.

bassteban · #3 06-12-2007, 11:41 PM

I've played our town's Christmas tree lighting 3 or 4 times- it's always the 1st Tuesday night after Thanksgiving, & although it's northern Cali, it's always freezing. Once it was so moist that it kind of detuned the hand drums & congas. we were a bit concerned abour 'wet' amps, etc, but we all survived.

cutthroatmolloy · #4 06-12-2007, 11:57 PM

the portable trio haha, i like it!

i guess worst conditions for me are when its a tiny tiny area to play in, we normally play smaller stages, but once or twice weve had to play somewhere thats just a tiny corner, gah! no room to move at all.

brothernewt · #5 06-13-2007, 04:22 AM

I played at a snowboard festival once, outdoors at the base of the half pipe. Nevermind loading in via snow cat.... there's just no way to warm your fingers up enough to actually play smoothly.

QORC · #6 06-13-2007, 06:26 AM

played a very rich kid's 16th birthday party at her folk's mansion outside in September. By the time the sun went down, a dew was settling on everything, including us, our guitars and amps. and they left us almost no light, so we played mostly in the dark. And the kids? they watched briefly, then went off 100 yards away to a bonfire that Daddy set up...

CrashClint · #7 06-13-2007, 08:01 AM

Shucker's Oyster Bar in Wake Forest, NC. You set up on a covered screened porch. There is no heat in the winter and no A/C in the summer. Bring your own fan and hope you do not get noise through your system.

Wizardgoleman · #8 06-13-2007, 10:40 AM

A couple years ago a friend had asked our band to play some at a peace rally they had set up....only myself, the keyboard player, and drummer could make it...we set up and its outside in November (In NY...maybe 40deg) I couldn't feel my fingers after 2 songs...it was not fun....however we sounded good...it was a shame only 15 people came...

Vanceman · #9 06-13-2007, 05:24 PM

One time there was a dead, stinking rodent under the stage.
I also have played in the cold with numb fingers. No fun.

Granville · #10 06-13-2007, 06:42 PM

Soundchecked at a festival on a stage with a inflateable roof....it didnt stay inflated,I kid you not,we carried on playing thou,it must looked cool,que awful puns about bringing the house down...

The acoustic duo playing before us warned us the monitors were poping on the bass notes of there acoustic guitars!

I was playing in a dub D&B band,I hit my 1st note and they popped then remained in distorted buzz mode.

The some strange woman with obvious mental issues clumbered up onthe stage and stared at our drummer.

Played ok thou,good festival!

wideload · #11 06-13-2007, 07:32 PM

We played an annual private party 4 years running that started at midnight and went to 4 AM, outdoors. Dance floor was plywood screwed together, as was the "stage". Level? No thanks, we're in the Santa Cruz mountains, and had to dig out spots for our amps so they wouldn't tumble. That being said, the pay was always good and prompt, as were the food and ladies!

Sean S · #12 06-13-2007, 08:59 PM

worst gig conditions? kinda like the half-pipe story there...except the annual santa claus parade. 2.5 hrs in the freezing cold...30w amp trying to play over the generator that was powering it...

not fun times...i couldn't feel my feet OR my fingers...

Rattman · #13 06-13-2007, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aluminumcatfish

Playing music I don't like, With people I don't like.

Life's just too short for that.

+1

People with no ambition to improve their chops... people with gear that is very poorly maintained and never seem do anything about it.. playing with other musicians that are a bit resentful of my dedication and hide it rarely poorly.

Rudeboy · #14 06-13-2007, 10:50 PM

try fitting a 6 piece band (including drumset) onto a stage thats about 5 feet by 10 feet. Our drummer is up agains a brick wall playing with his right elbow up in the air because there isn't room to fit it behind him

then keep in mind it was summer in texas (about 104 degrees) in the late afternoon and we're all in suits (because we all thought it would be an inside gig)

....and it was at a church

BUT, it was a battle of the bands and we won, the judges were happy to see a band that could play in more than one key

....oh, highschool

otis_thick · #15 06-13-2007, 11:11 PM

I once played a Funk/R&B gig dedicating a new State Rest Area. There was only a busload of non-english speaking German Tourist! All I could hear in my mind was. "Welcome to our New Roadside Crapper, please enjoy your Dump! (fanfare into K&G "Celebrate")-True Story!

Foamy · #16 06-14-2007, 12:09 AM

112 degrees
Outdoors, on concrete
No shade
No audience
Free gig for promotion

otis_thick · #17 06-14-2007, 12:29 AM

I will say it again....I played a gig celebrating an OUTHOUSE!!

Rattman · #18 06-14-2007, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by otis_thick

I will say it again....I played a gig celebrating an OUTHOUSE!!

He he he!! I caught the 2nd time around. Thats amazing that some agency would do that at all.. PLUS hire a band to celebrate a new roadside rest stop.. hilarious!!!

otis_thick · #19 06-14-2007, 01:39 AM

It was complete with hotdogs and baloons and a photo op for some state officials who read the dedication plaque and even cut a ribbon and then some! They even polled people as they came from the toilet to ask them how they liked the rest rooms! Our manager was trying to get us listed with the tourist council. When they put out the little travel tips pamphlets, there we were listed with our picture in front of the fancy john!

bertbassplayer · #20 06-14-2007, 01:47 AM

One time I had to play the roof of this one place. There was supposed to be a bunch of people and it was catered and all that. Anyway the entire band disappeared as we were unloading, so I was stuck unloading everything pretty much myself, including my Ampeg 8x10 that I had to lug up stairs... luckally some of the guys who worked at the bar helped out. It was early June, and HOT, and.... well nobody showed becuase the Dallas Mavericks were in game 7 of some round of the playoffs that night.