Alcohol + Gigs = success?.. or failure?

[Humbled]

When I was in my twenties I thought I played better smoked-up and sang better with alcohol, but I knew even then that the smoke hurt my singing, and the drinking hurt my playing. So it was a struggle to find a balance. In hindsight, I was likely wrong on all counts and should have just stayed clean.

I haven't smoked in a couple decades, I still like to drink, but if I'm playing out for pay, I do it substance-free. I'll play better, no doubt. I destroyed most of my upper vocal range in my intemperate youth, and I'm certain the smoking and drinking had a lot to do with that.

 

[ReiPsaeg]

A little bit goes a long way.

 

[john_g]

I usually have a couple of beers before a gig...then maybe one or two between sets. I usually get anxious to get gigs started after all the travel and setup, so it helps take the edge off. Too much and it definitely screws me up, so its a fine line. Then again i have done plenty without too, and I usually feel much better the next day when I dont.

 

[Freight Train]

The more the audience drinks the better they think we are. The more we drink the better we think we are. If you can sync the two up just right you can reach an epiphany.

 

[Rip Topaz]

I'm a whisky drinker. Don't like beer. Enjoy plant matter as well.

That said, I don't drink at gigs these days. I have in the past, but over the last few years have seen too many other people's playing go to crap due to over-imbibing. So these days I do my drinking/smoking at home after the gig.

My playing is better for it. And that makes me happier than being the "life of the party" onstage. If I don't any drinking at all, it'll be a shot (and just one) way before we start playing.

I also run sound for my band (from the stage). Wouldn't wanna do that drunk.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

One before the show, two during and one after. Over 6-7 hours this has little effect. I got drunk once at a show years ago and was a sloppy mess by the third set. Luckily it was a private party and most everyone else was hammered too.

 

[Mr Gaston]

As a drinking enthusiast from way back, I can honestly say that drinking never improved anyone's ability to do anything worth doing.

It's commonly excepted as true and it has been my experence that most people play golf better while drinking.

It may be a Texas thing, but I don't ever remember seeing a bar band that wasn't drinking during their show. Most of the time heavily. I don't know how they do it.

 

[socialleper]

I don't drink anything except pop

Without even looking at your location I knew you were from the mid west

 

[Bunk McNulty]

I'll have a small glass of beer just before we start the first set; Invalid Link Removed, it seems to help me stretch my vocal range. I tend to produce a lot of mucus anyway, and I do drink nothing but water--and lots of it--after that first small dose of alcohol. If I'm not singing on a gig, I don't drink at all. As for weed--forget it! I like some when I'm listening with the headphones on, but I really can't play at all under that particular influence. Different strokes, etc.

 

[AaronVonRock]

I'll have a couple of beers before playing. Not a big deal.

 

[nervous]

Some of the casinos around here have "no drinking" stipulations for the performers they hire. I've also played casinos in CA that are alcohol free. The tribes have this figured out.

Now what do you do?

That's what the truck is for... ;-)

 

[Marley's Ghost]

Some of the casinos around here have "no drinking" stipulations for the performers they hire. I've also played casinos in CA that are alcohol free. The tribes have this figured out.

Now what do you do?

It's not just tribal areas. All the casinos around here have that rule. And a manager will be watching and sniffing around to check. One drink and you are banned. They have dress codes too.

hsech said: ↑
I don't drink anything except pop

Without even looking at your location I knew you were from the mid west

Quick derail. My first trip to the Midwest I went to a Minneapolis sandwich shop and ordered a combo. The young server taking my order asked "pop"? My quick response in my head was "not likely, you don't look anything like me and I've never been closer than 1500 miles from here".

 

[Marley's Ghost]

That's what the truck is for... ;-)

Around here the manager will come and chat up the band during breaks. If he smells booze or sees telltale signs your band will never get booked there again. It happened to a friends band.

 

[okcrum]

Same around here.

 

[HawldieMPB]

Record yourself sober , then come back in a couple of hours and record yourself with a good buzz on (doesn't matter what your vice is.) Then listen to both recordings the next day when you are sober. Then we'll talk.

Hey man I'm not trying to call you out specifically but this gets said every time this subject is brought up and I'm just confused as to why you assume no one has done this and come up with an answer that contradicts yours? I mean many of us are professional musicians and that mean not only recording in a studio but also often means recording live sets. I have recorded several performances and I know what works for me. Why would assume that just because someone got a different answer than you that they haven't thought it through? It's all personal and case by case. Hell, I knew a banjo player that couldn't even PLAY his banjo unless he had 5 or 6 beers and around 7 or 8 he was practically a Dillard (well not THAT good). While making our most recent album, the band I'm with now recorded everything in all different states. We laid (lain? ) down everything (vox, leads, rhythm tracks, bass, etc) and then we had a few beers etc and went back and re-recorded; these were much better performances.We even made the guitar played get absolutely blasted before a couple lead takes and they were phenomenal. My point is that this is like anything else: What works for some may not for others. YMMV IMHO ETC

 

[Quilbert]

i like 1-2 beers before a gig just to loosen up enough to be creative. Dutch courage like. I think it helps the gig be more fun (without compromising your playing). The worst thing is if you really gotta take a leak and the breaks are a long way off. :/

 

[Marley's Ghost]

It was explained to me by a friend who is a casino worker. In the early days there were fights between the band and customers and booze was involved. So they view bands as employees and the same rules apply - drinking, dress code, respecting customers. I'll chug my water and be happy about it.

 

[Quilbert]

Used to work with a vocalist who had stage fright. A few beers got him back into his comfort zone so he could do his thing.

I played with a drummer who always smoked a huge spliff before every gig. His timing was impeccable.

 

[joe vegas]

i play a bunch of interactive jazz/jamband stuff where chops are in the service of a fast, fluent conversation, while at the same time always trying to avoid fall-back-on cliches.

the guys i play with who drink to the point of buzz and/or smoke to the point of full high always, like always, get fuzzy / tired / unfocused / hamfisted and or slightly loutish at some point on the gig... the high wears off partway through, and the cloudy tired post-high crash vibe sets in.

the guys who bring it straight & sober are thinking faster and with lots more subtlety. they sound much more real, more engaged, way more present, and definitely play stronger.

i'm personally all for cats doing a well-earned "their choice" after the gig, but onstage it's like live theater- audiences are listening and watching, regardless of whether it's a back-alley bar or a well-known performance venue. why be fuzzy? playing great music with great people is a gift, why not bring your coolest self?

 

[Quilbert]

In Ireland it's normal practice to get a steady stream of pints throughout the gig handed to you.So you might start a gig sober but...