After Gig ramp down

[RustyAxe]

Arrive home at 02:00. Wake the wife up for a quick poke. Asleep by 02:05!

You, or the wife?

 

[InhumanResource]

Bass masters! Have you ever got home from a gig at 3 AM and you are all ramped up from the gig and just cannot sleep?? I try and relax to some old soft rock like "what a fool believes" and a 6 pack. But man all that rock and roll and a adrenaline keeps a cat up at night! Some of you are home in bed by 10!
dang

I hit the diner on my way home and order something extremely bad for me. The heavier and greasier, the more easily I get to sleep.

 

[SteveHeissner]

Drive 80-100 miles to get back home after the gig. By then you'll be ready to sleep if you don't fall asleep at the wheel first.

 

[mellowinman]

I try to always do gigs where I have to lug most of the gear. That way, by the time I am finished loading in, around 5:30 am, I have been up over 24 hours, have worked a full day at my job and am so exhausted that I collapse in a heap wherever I run out of energy, and awaken in that spot a few hours later with the dog licking my face.

 

[Wesley R]

In my teens there was no winding down after a gig it was hit it hard and have some fun, except of course pre-driving age when my mom or dad would pick us up after the gig. In my 20's there was almost always a party afterwords and maybe companions. In my 30's it was basically a craptacular frozen pizza four beers and fall asleep with the TV on. Every once in a while a super pro keys guy would stop by and we would get some food, or go fishing, or go hang with others who may or may not have had gigs that night.

 

[Mugre]

sadly alcohol , which is pure sugar , makes things worse ... !! unless you actually pass out .. ?!

and alcohol , sodas , or any fruit drinks thru the night contain lots o sugar ...

If you're implying that sugar cause hyperactivity, it's a myth.

WebMD:

Invalid Link Removed

Yale Scientific Magazine

Invalid Link Removed

Of course sugar has other issues especially depending on your body's relationship with insulin spikes but that's not what we're talking about here.

 

[rtslinger]

Personally I think it is more the drive home that has me wired than the gig itself. Folks here in NJ drive like crap at normal times of day so you can imagine the crap you witness at 2am

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

After a gig, I proceed directly to the nearest Waffle House. Go home and straight to bed - no problem.

But I gotta' have that after-gig chill-out time.

 

[andruca]

a hot shower, glass of Scotch, and an old movie usually does it for me.
takes me a couple of hours sometimes.

Works. Change the scotch for a spliff for me ;-)

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

One bourbon, one scotch, one beer.

 

[sharkbait130]

If I'm traveling solo , which is most of the time , I hit the local McD's near the house. "Welcome to McDonalds , how may I help you?" "Two double cheeseburgers , that's all." "Hi honey. Did you play tonight?" "Sure did." "See you at window 2." If this woman ever leaves her job , I will be lost after a gig.
If Seahag (my lovely wife) is with me , we hit the local Waffle House for an early breakfast. Then , home , maybe check e-mail or T.B. for a half hour or so and hit the sack.

 

[FirewalZ]

Most of my gig are around an hour drive, I'll listen to some cool jazz, puff on my pipe(tobacco) and eat a little something. But yes it does take a while to come down, especially after a really great night, when your tone and playing were just right.

 

[dbase]

Those "wind down" hours are a good time to work on a gig report

That's what I was going to say ... get on TB... that works better than Ambien.

 

[Biggbass]

If I'm traveling solo , which is most of the time , I hit the local McD's near the house. "Welcome to McDonalds , how may I help you?" "Two double cheeseburgers , that's all." "Hi honey. Did you play tonight?" "Sure did." "See you at window 2." If this woman ever leaves her job , I will be lost after a gig.
If Seahag (my lovely wife) is with me , we hit the local Waffle House for an early breakfast. Then , home , maybe check e-mail or T.B. for a half hour or so and hit the sack.

I used to swing by In & Out Burger after gigs and get a #1 combo (at 1:30am) and eat on the way home. Last time I did that I regretted it.

 

[Charlzm]

Bass masters! Have you ever got home from a gig at 3 AM and you are all ramped up from the gig and just cannot sleep?? I try and relax to some old soft rock like "what a fool believes" and a 6 pack. But man all that rock and roll and a adrenaline keeps a cat up at night! Some of you are home in bed by 10!
dang

I have never really had trouble sleeping after a gig, even when I was new to it. All the sweat and playing and exertion hauling gear and then the long drive home at night had a way of really priming me for sleep when I finally got home and hit the bed.

Never played a gig where I didn't sleep at home after (except one of two at a motel); not sure how that would work on a tour.

 

[QORC]

no, I'm usually so exhausted that I leave a trail of clothes to the bed and asleep within 5 minutes

 

[waveman]

It takes me about 45 minutes to chill out and before I go to bed.

 

[JGbassman]

Most gigs involve an hour of drive time, so by the time I get home I'm ready to hit the couch and get some sleep. If not, a half hour on Tb or other website works better than any sleeping pill.

 

[Treadstone71]

Most shows, getting to sleep before 3 am isn't an option. This past show, the bartender bought the band a round of rum and cokes (or rum and soda for my US pals), just before the last set, and it was the stiffest R&C I've ever had. I think it had just enough coke to change the colour.

Long story short, I had no problem falling asleep...was out cold just after the second song.

 

[PullThePlug]

Post gig routine: Eat a big meal, drink a ton of water. If I feel destructive, sub water with booze and big meal with big party.
But usually just a meal and and a beverage, nothing exciting happens over here.