Arrival time prior to gigs?

rick1906 · #1 01-23-2010, 06:45 AM

How early does everyone arrive to gigs? The band leader wants us there at least 2 hours or more prior to the start time. It only takes me 20 minutes to set up and we rarely if ever do a sound check. If we do, it's never more than 10 minutes. Does anyone else get there this early just to stand around and waste time?

One Bad Monkey · #2 01-23-2010, 06:53 AM

Not on average, no.

At my theatre gigs, I'm usually there about an hour before (usual call is a half-hour) curtain. Mainly so I can get there, set up (even though the amp is usually there already), warm up a little bit, relax and grab something to drink, etc..

At one band gig, we showed up 3 hours prior to downbeat. Mainly to load in, get set up, mic everything, get a soundcheck individually and then with the group and run a couple of quick songs for warm up. When that was done, we had a half-hour left.

topper · #3 01-23-2010, 06:54 AM

If you're not getting a good sound check in, maybe you all need to get there earlier.

Seriously, two hours early should be plenty of time to set up and sound check if everyone helps out.

Is everyone finished in 20 minutes and standing around for an hour and a half?

Or are some people still setting up? Who does the PA?

phatbass · #4 01-23-2010, 07:04 AM

2 hours is a bit ludicrous for no sound-check, or just a 10 minute line-check. Unless it's one of those venues that wants everything set up before they open the doors.

If it's not a big PA/full sound-check thing usually I aim for an hour before the gig. This gives a nice relaxed load-in with time to deal with any issues that pop up and some chill time before the gig.

RustyAxe · #5 01-23-2010, 07:31 AM

I have a gig coming up, 50 miles from home, a private party fundraiser. We play at 7:30 - 10:30 ... the guy who booked the gig agreed that we would set up at 2:00 pm! There's some stuff going on and a buffet dinner before we go on. But a 5 1/2 hour wait ... that's gonna be tough. Are we compensated for that time? Of course not! At least the guy got us free food and beer while we wait.

For a typical gig, where I'm just responsible for my bass rig, I show up an hour before we play. But sometimes, when I have to set up a PA and all that, it's two hours, and I want everyone else there no less than one hour before we start for line and sound checks.

jaywa · #6 01-23-2010, 07:37 AM

2 hours? I would go nuts sitting around a venue that long before going on. Either that, or drink to pass the time and get too much of a buzz on.

Most of the places we play I don't care to spend a lot of extra time hanging out in. Assuming we've set up and soundchecked earlier in the day or the day before, I rarely get to the venue more than a half hour before first note. Usually more like 20 minutes, i.e. just in time to get my bass unpacked, plugged in, tuned and still have a few minutes to get a beer and get my head together.

rick1906 · #7 01-23-2010, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topper

Is everyone finished in 20 minutes and standing around for an hour and a half?

Or are some people still setting up? Who does the PA?

Yep, it pretty much takes everyone 20 minutes or so. The drums and PA are always set up prior, so all we have to do is set up my rig, the guitar amp, and keys. That's no big deal at all, so we end up standing around for and hour and a half or more. We always play the same venues, so I know how to EQ for the room which is probably why we never do real sound checks.

So what's the point of arriving so freakin' early??

jaywa · #8 01-23-2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

I have a gig coming up, 50 miles from home, a private party fundraiser. We play at 7:30 - 10:30 ... the guy who booked the gig agreed that we would set up at 2:00 pm! There's some stuff going on and a buffet dinner before we go on. But a 5 1/2 hour wait ... that's gonna be tough. Are we compensated for that time? Of course not! At least the guy got us free food and beer while we wait.

Thats not uncommon for private gigs... parties, weddings. etc. where an evening meal is involved. The client wants the band set up and soundchecked before people are coming in to eat. Can't blame them, but it does make for a lot of downtime and a long day.

As for the OPs question of why... the only thing I can figure is that the bandleader is a control freak who has had too many bad experiences with musicians showing up late or not at all. The extreme 2 hour condition is to make double damn sure everyone is there in plenty of time.

pbd · #9 01-23-2010, 07:46 AM

In my opinion you can't show up early enough. I like to get in, get set up, tryout everything, hear how my rig sounds in the room, make adjustments. Let my instrument warm up in the room and retune as needed. I like to have to time in case something goes wrong, like a flat tire or other car trouble, something in my rig needs repair or cleaning or in case I forgot something!

I also like allow plenty of time for sound check, this gives me the best chance to hear what I need in the monitors. Its also a good idea to another sound check as the room starts to fill up with people because the people in the room will change how things sound too.

my 2 cents,
Todd

Fun Size Nick · #10 01-23-2010, 07:51 AM

As late as possible! Puts my hourly rate up

Seriously though...if I have the choice, I aim to get there with enough time to set up and do soundcheck (if there is one), plus a bit of extra time to allow for delays or things going wrong. Two hours seems pretty excessive, especially if there's no soundcheck.

Here in China, it's unfortunately quite common for agents to ask bands to be at the venue ridiculously early (hours before start time) for corporate gigs, only to have the band sit around for almost all of that time, do a minimal soundcheck, and then put the band on an hour late anyway. In the meantime, it's entirely probable that the sound engineer has changed the levels on the mixer and not written them down in any way, negating any benefit gained by the soundcheck. Ah well, at least the pay is good!

I think that sometimes, the reason that the band is asked to be so early is because the person setting the call time thinks that musicians are not punctual, and is allowing for that. I've found it incredibly frustrating on the occasions when I've shown up to a gig at the requested time, only to find NONE of the other musicians at the venue. I once waited an hour and a half for the other band members to trickle in on the first time that I played with a new band! Needless to say, I felt that my time could have been better spent.

jaywa · #11 01-23-2010, 07:52 AM

I've always felt that for a 5 or 6 piece band with vox, it should never take more than 20 minutes for a soundcheck. 15 minutes to check lines and get FOH and monitor levels, 5 minutes to run one full song or parts of a couple and you're out of there.

Unless there are serious technical difficulties, if soundchecks are routinely running 30 minutes or more than either the band or the sound tech don't know what they're doing.

rick1906 · #12 01-23-2010, 08:24 AM

I agree 100% on the 20 minute sound check. So with a sound check, 15-20 minutes to set up and a target to finish sound check 30 minutes prior to the start time suggests arriving about an hour or so prior. Anything more than that is excessive and a waste of time IMHO.

electracoyote · #13 01-23-2010, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick1906

How early does everyone arrive to gigs? The band leader wants us there at least 2 hours or more prior to the start time. It only takes me 20 minutes to set up and we rarely if ever do a sound check. If we do, it's never more than 10 minutes. Does anyone else get there this early just to stand around and waste time?

We show up at least an hour prior to first set, usually more. We hate trying to move gear through the crowd and having them see our butt cracks as we do the grunt work of set up. We hate sound checking in front of an audience. We hate setting up in a rush. We hate when set up isn't going well and we have no time to work out the bug. We sometimes change into stage attire after set up. We like to shoot the breeze with the sound man, door people, wait staff and bartenders.

There are a lot of reasons to show up more than 20 minutes before showtime.

And if we have extra time on our hands, we go have dinner somewhere before showtime.

chicago_mike · #14 01-23-2010, 08:42 AM

Talk to him about it. My gig tonight starts at 9 or 9:30. Ill be there around 8:30, maybe later. But my gear is setup from last night. I know the material, and the club doesnt open till 8 anyways.

I guess your band leader has had cats not call and not show up at all. If the club is at some "private" function. My best guess is the area you play at, before that time, people are eating at tables there. so...its kinda moot.

Zooberwerx · #15 01-23-2010, 08:59 AM

Rule#1: be unobtrusive.

I usually set up the PA 1.5 - 2 hours before gig time. This gives me adequate time to tweak EQ's, balance, and the like. If my bandmates are standing around looking bored, I have plenty of projects to keep them busy. While I'm completing the pseudo-high tech stuff, there's no reason they can't be:

*Hauling gear from the vehicle(s)
*Trip'ing the mains
*Stringing cables (no trip hazards, fellas!)
*Add your own here

Riis

troy mcclure · #16 01-23-2010, 12:28 PM

1 hr for my cover band gig, 90 mins max if we never played the place before, so we can get comfortable to the acoustics.

Jluckie3 · #17 01-23-2010, 12:52 PM

we show up whenever the venue tells us to. sometimes this is at 4pm for a 10 pm show. we end up going to dinner or something before the gig. our production (7 piece reggae band) usually takes about 20 minutes to set up then we don't have to worry when the show starts. for us, pleasing the venue is key because they write the check at the end of the night.

gjbassist · #18 01-23-2010, 01:02 PM

Depends on the venue. If it is somewhere new usually about an hour and a half to two hours ahead. If it somewhere we have played before and know the layout then about an hour. Most of our gigs are bar gigs so we usually setup then relax and grab a bite to eat before we start.

Drop-the-One · #19 01-23-2010, 01:07 PM

If it's a cover/house gig... be ready for soundcheck maybe 1 1/2 hrs before (people are usually moseying around before we start)

Original... there's usually 3 or 4 bands... I show up 2 to 2 1/2 hrs early... get ready, take off for food or something. I HAVE to show up that early, trying to juggle accurate times with 4 bands is NOT easy :\

pasta4lnch · #20 01-23-2010, 01:09 PM

I usually like to get there an hour before I need to play my 1st note (be it a sound check or actual start time if there is no sound check) I am of the minority in my bands, as usually I'm by far the 1st person there.

actually subbed on a wedding gig once, supposed to be there by 4 (start time 4:45-5). 4:30 no one esle had showed up and I wasn't even told where/which wedding we were doing (so unprofessional!) so I'm panicing/bitching on the phone w/ a friend when (apparently this is part of the venue) a peacock walked past me eating a hot dog . . . I froze in a weird moment of realization until I saw another by the dumpster a yard or so away