You/band routine before going on stage?

mward69 · #1 04-07-2011, 12:10 PM

I think this was covered before, there was some interesting post....
Anyway, do you or the band have a "routine" that you HAVE to do before getting on stage for the 1st set?

Mine - Pantera "Primal Concrete sledge" cranked up in headphones!! If I don't do it, I can't get into the "mood" until we are at least 3 songs into the set

Band - We all do a shot of a "water moccasin" It's crown/peach/sweet and sour....damn good shot!!

Oh, and the DJ plays "Baby Love" from Mothers Finest as the "Q" song for us to get ready.
for the younger folks here....
this is what song I am talking about.....Wyzard {bass player} is one of the old school, underrated funk bassist
YouTube - OH BABY LOVE - Mothers Finest

Tampabass · #2 04-07-2011, 12:14 PM

we engage in a secret Voodoo ritual involving candles, dead chickens, incense, file gumbo, and calling on the names of dead ancestors, and relatives we wish were dead.

But I can't reveal the details here, as then they would no longer be secret.

KenHR · #3 04-07-2011, 12:16 PM

My "routine" - if you can call it that - is to get edgy, irritable and nervous the day of the show (my fiance loves me when I'm like this), no matter how large or small the gig.

If I'm not a ball of nerves beforehand, my performance is invariably off somehow.

WalterBush · #4 04-07-2011, 12:17 PM

As a band, we stand around the venue and wonder if our drummer will make it on time. For our drummer's part, he finds a way to push his arrival time to the last second.

It's not much of a ritual, but it's what we do before every show, so we must be attached to it.

Phalex · #5 04-07-2011, 12:17 PM

The sound guy, the guitard and myself show up early and make sure everything is ready to go. The drummer shows up and focuses on drums and jager Bombs. At about 15 minutes prior to show time, I go look for the drummer and asses his level of inebriation. At about 5 minutes to showtime, I'm watching the doors for the lead singer to show up. At show time we all take the stage. At about 3 minutes past show time the singer comes in and wants someone to help him hook up his mic.

Every freaking weekend......

DRafalske · #6 04-07-2011, 12:24 PM

I spend all day looking forward to the gig - "Just get me to that stage," I keep thinking to myself. In excitement, I get to the venue 2 hours before showtime and everything is always set up and ready to go. I just have to hook up my amp head, plug in the DI, tune my basses, and set my level in the main mix. Then I go to the bar and order a shot of Jim Beam, a Budweiser, and an ice-water. I shoot the Beam immediately, chase with the Bud, and go to our reserved table and play solitaire on my iPhone until my bandmates arrive.

gnjpowell · #7 04-07-2011, 12:27 PM

Arrive waaay early and get setup. Then help everyone else setup. Then pray.

mward69 · #8 04-07-2011, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WalterBush

As a band, we stand around the venue and wonder if our drummer will make it on time. For our drummer's part, he finds a way to push his arrival time to the last second.

It's not much of a ritual, but it's what we do before every show, so we must be attached to it.

LOL must be a drummer thing, everyone in my band except for him will show up early, setup our PA {we are a cover band} we'll get a line check, order food and discuss setlist eat, few beers....drummer seems to show up just as we close the trailer door, we think he sits at the end of the parking lot and watches us

oh, and he wants us to help him load in his drums......typical

StuartV · #9 04-07-2011, 01:22 PM

Not a drummer thing. I'm the drummer in my main band. I show up first. I bring the drums and all the PA. I load my drums in and setup. Help load the PA in and help set it up and I'm the first one ready for sound check. And if we don't hire a sound guy for the night (which we usually don't), then I run the sound, too.

yougotbrizzled · #10 04-07-2011, 01:29 PM

Show up 2 hours before, set up and soundcheck, and drink until a proper buzz is felt.

This goes for me and the band

TinIndian · #11 04-07-2011, 01:34 PM

Show up 2 hours ahead of time and setup Lights, PA, Drum Riser and remaining gear. Have a shot or two and a beer, relax a bit.

Pretty crazy stuff.

Fassa Albrecht · #12 04-07-2011, 01:36 PM

For church bands, I follow the same routine.

Firstly I'll arrive, set up ALL the gear (including the second bass if I've brought one), sorting the music out into the performance order, EQing the amp settings and my pedals (if I'm using them), checking with the bandleader to see if there's any last-minute changes he wants to make and then get on with practicing with the band.

After that, I usually try and take even a few minutes out to pray, read some Scripture and generally try and focus on what I'm doing and WHY I'm doing it. I'll also make sure at this time to get a drink and a snack (I don't tend to eat before coming to church) so I don't have a hypoglycemic attack on stage.

Then I head out and play!

Derock85z · #13 04-07-2011, 01:43 PM

Well I usually start that morning by taking a spirited drive down my favorite stretch of "road course" , blairing some music which is usually The Mars Volta.

Then I polish my boots, get to the show early, meet the club owner and the waitress I want to hand me my water for the night. Head out side to meet a few locals and smoke. Come back in and polish my basses ( i do this between each set too, I hate fingerprints), and what for the rest of the band to show up.

After that it's time to set up the rig, get everything in tune, sound check, & head out into the parking lot for the ten minutes before the show to smoke and get pumped.

That was the routine for the old band, im pretty sure I'll be doin all of these and then some with my new band, these guys get more pumped up than I do

StevenB · #14 04-07-2011, 01:55 PM

Jager & Smoke!

NoiseNinja · #15 04-07-2011, 01:58 PM

I'm not playing in a band in at the time, but when I was my routine, just before we were getting on, would be to drink a beer and make some finger stretching exercises, as well as smoking as many cigarettes possible to calm my nerves.

Michelob_64 · #16 04-07-2011, 01:59 PM

We all gather with our drink of choice, go over the house specials, events, wait-staff names, etc. We toast, wish each other a good show, drink up & walk on. Seems to work very well!!

HailCorduroy · #17 04-07-2011, 02:04 PM

We play 2nd of 4 bands a lot, so bring in all my gear and put it back stage. Find guitarist who is somehow always earlier than me and chat a bit. When the bar opens, grab a beer and stand around talking to other bands. Once drummer arrives, help him set up merch table (he prints our shirts). I'll watch about half the 1st band's set, then I head backstage and finish getting dressed, then sit quietly alone and tune my bass and mentally go through our set list while doing some stretching.

StyleOverShow · #18 04-07-2011, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WalterBush

As a band, we stand around the venue and wonder if our drummer will make it on time.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

The sound guy, the guitard and myself show up early and make sure everything is ready to go. The drummer shows up and focuses on drums and jager Bombs......

We are joined at the hip, generally speaking, to the drummers in band. Usually they are my closest friend in the band Most, even the older cats, are idiosyncratic in one way or another.

I get there just about the same time as the drummer and we load in together about 15 minutes before the show...we text in our ETA to the singer/leader, and usually find a spot to chill as he beats pads to warm up and I practice slapping, tapping and whatever I'm working on as we enjoy a refreshment and smoking materials...

elwood1205 · #19 04-07-2011, 02:15 PM

I generally get there about 30 mins before everyone else so I dump my **** in the middle of the stage. I set up stands over on my side of the stage to let my basses get used to the temperature in the place before I tune. Go get a beverage and open a tab and become friendly with the bartender and get their names to thank them later during the set. Then drummer is usually the next to arrive along with the keys player and our sound guy.

I leave my stuff where it is so they can set up. It is easier this way. The drummer has more crap than I do so I let him go where he wants and I work around him. We accomodate each other so it works. He gets his bass drum, floor tom and ride cymbal placed and I set up my rig right next to it. Sound man gets the drums mic'ed and my DI put into the snake and then waits for the keyboard player.

The keyboard player always has a problem(weird buzz, missing cord, power cord missing) so we have to wait until that gets solved. When we are finished or close to it, typically the two guitards show up.

Drummer and I go finish our beverages while they try to figure out the wall outlet situation, keyboard player is still working on whatever went wrong with our sound guy or setting up "presets for the setlist". Lead singer and his acoustic shows up next and thinks he has forgotten "his" direct box which he always forgets. However, I just happened to see it while I was packing up at the practice space and think to myself "hmm knucklehead might need this" and toss it in my bag. I gently toss direct box to him and he thanks me profusely, seriously everytime we play. It would be like I forgot my amphead. I think at this point I just might be enabling.

About this point guitards are all set and mic'ed to the snake. Keyboard player is soothed and hooked up and the lead singer and his acoustic are all ready to go. We huddle up for a minute to make sure we are playing off the same set lists. Always fun to play off the list from the previous gig, keeps things interesting.

If it is our usual gig/venue we wait for another 30-45 mins for the venues sound guy to show up 5 mins before we are supposed to start. They won't let our sound guy touch anything beyond the snake. He can get all of our stuff hooked up but can't touch the freaking board. So YAY! we get to go on without a sound check, quote from the venue's sound guy "I'll adjust everything during the first song" gee thanks dude. I love that anybody seeing us for the first time is going to think our live sound is shite.

Then the fun begins.

After reading this I realize I kind of bust on my bandmates. Not to send the wrong idea, these are some of my best friends and I love playing with them. We are weekend warriors so nobody is trying to make a mortgage payment off our revenue. I love playing and that is all its about in my head. What else would I be doing on a weekend night, watching Law and Order reruns on cable?

TBAR Shane · #20 04-07-2011, 02:16 PM

I get to the jam room early to warm up. Than we start tearing down, take the gear, unload into the venue. We find a quiet corner, we all stretch. Drummer starts warming up on a practice pad, guitarist put on metronome with headphones and start running scales. Since I've already warmed up I take the time to relax and just get a feel for the atmosphere and crowd.