Are you the creepy wireless guy?

[two fingers]

I was to young when I joined. Just hit the big 40 a few months ago. Now I can join a Dad band and do the same crappy covers as everyone else.

You should be getting your order form for the TalkBass signature white New Balance sneakers and Kangol hat (to be worn backwards, of course) any day now.

We're assuming you already have the cargo shorts and oversized sports jerseys. If not, arrangements can be made to assist you with these as well.

Be advised. Hawaiin camouflage shirts, flip flops and straw hats are reserved for grandad bands. Check back with us on those when you turn 55.

Ampeg and Fender T-shirts fall into a grey area and are to be worn at your discretion... tucked in, of course.

Chevy and Ford T-shirts are banned altogether and are never to be worn on stage even if you drove a Ford minivan to the gig.

A full copy of the rules (including fines and other punishments) will be mailed to your last known address.

 

[Bassbeater]

 

[AdamR]

You should be getting your order form for the TalkBass signature white New Balance sneakers and Kangol hat (to be worn backwards, of course) any day now.

We're assuming you already have the cargo shorts and oversized sports jerseys. If not, arrangements can be made to assist you with these as well.

Be advised. Hawaiin camouflage shirts, flip flops and straw hats are reserved for grandad bands. Check back with us on those when you turn 55.

Ampeg and Fender T-shirts fall into a grey area and are to be worn at your discretion... tucked in, of course.

Chevy and Ford T-shirts are banned altogether and are never to be worn on stage even if you drove a Ford minivan to the gig.

A full copy of the rules (including fines and other punishments) will be mailed to your last known address.

Cargo shorts, Check. Also, I would never wear a chevy or ford shirt. Im a Mopar guy. But those shirts are reserved for Southern Rock tribute bands I assume ?

 

[eldorado2001]

My wireless keeps me from constantly stepping on my cable, that's the only reason I have it.

 

[mellowinman]

Yeah, no.....it’s usually creepy. And most of the guys that I know that do it THINK they are doing it right, but rarely do it in a fun and engaging way.

Yes, because YOUR personal experiences somehow trump MY personal experiences, right? No, they don't. Maybe the guys you know ARE creepy, and the audience is picking up on it.

When I do it, it's NOT creepy, and believe me, I'm not doing it for YOU.

 

[two fingers]

Cargo shorts, Check. Also, I would never wear a chevy or ford shirt. Im a Mopar guy. But those shirts are reserved for Southern Rock tribute bands I assume ?

We'll allow it. Just don't whip them out if the band's set list is less than 60% southern rock.

 

[ToneMonkey]

There's a local cover band. Very successful. Primarily because they basically lip sync to tracks. They sort of started out using live bass and drums with vocal, keys and guitar tracks. One gig their laptop over heated with 20 mins to go. You should have seen these guys scramble to even attempt to play a garage band level 12 bar blues. It was pathetic. As part of the evolution of this band, everybody is now on wireless. The last time I saw them, I watched the bassist in the audience not even pretend to play the notes on the track. Of course most people didn't notice and thought they sounded awesome. Well they do sound awesome because it's a recording.

 

[mellowinman]

Here is a brief list of things that CAN be creepy if you're creepy, and AREN'T creepy if you're not creepy:

• Asking a lady for her phone number
• Smiling at someone
• Playing your instrument in the audience
• Leaving too big of a tip
• Just about ANYTHING

 

[guy n. cognito]

Yes, because YOUR personal experiences somehow trump MY personal experiences, right? No, they don't. Maybe the guys you know ARE creepy, and the audience is picking up on it.

When I do it, it's NOT creepy, and believe me, I'm not doing it for YOU.

I’m sure it’s quite engaging.

 

[Bass Man Dan]

What's the best bass for crowd co-mingling?

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

You're wrong. I have had great results playing in the audience. I'm not a great player; no one's astounded, but I have had a ton of enthusiasm from audience members. Interacting with the audience is a great idea, and if it's not working, you're doing it wrong.

And your mum always said you were the smartest kid in class ...?

 

[Savage_Dreams]

yea, if you just wander out into the crowd it can be a little awkward and lame, but i played with a guy who jumped off stages, ran around in the crowd, actually performed in and for the crowd, and i dont mean just musically. it would fire the crowd up. its like anything, done right its great, done badly it sucks. also depends on the venue, type of crowd, type of band. if youre a cover band playing to a dinner crowd, yea, probably just going to be lame

 

[Bassbeater]

Give Mellowinman his batteries back.This is getting dangerous!

I don't have a wireless. If I did, and I played bars, I'd be stealing people's french fries, sitting down to preorder after show meals, chatting up bartenders, and dropping to my knees to rip modal bass solos with my tongue.

 

[noagreement]

Coincidentally, I have been shopping around for my first wireless. This thread is giving me second thoughts

 

[dtripoli]

Yes to female vocalists being wireless and wandering through the crowd
No to lead guitarist slamming out a solo while walking through the crowd
Me, I'm wireless after decades of being tethered to my amp. I still unconsciously won't wander more than 5 feet
from my amp. The main reason I went wireless was I simply got tired of stepping on my cable or constantly having to lasso it behind me.

 

[LowActionHero]

I initially bought my wireless because I was tired of standing on cables, and justified it because it looked like I was gonna be running sound for my band. Now we have a sound guy, so I don't need to go out front. So I don t, even if I'd like to hear for myself. If we ever play on a stage big enough for 5-6 guys to wander around comfortably, I might wander, but I'm usually right in front of my amp.
So yeah, I have a wireless, but no, I'm not a creep, no matter what those girls at my high school said.

 

[mellowinman]

And your mum always said you were the smartest kid in class ...?

How is this a useful comment? My mum is 91 years old, is in a wheelchair and has dementia. She really isn't involved in this discussion

Bottom line, if people are telling you that you're creepy, maybe you should learn how to conduct yourself, or assume they know nothing.

 

[jaco944]

The only time I've left the stage was right in the middle of Wonderful Tonight.....I stopped playing put my bass down and beat the crap out of some drunk dude that had been harassing my wife all night and decided it was alright to get a little hands on. To be fair I was just clean up as she had nearly knocked him out with an open handed full face smack.

 

[Brother Goose]

 

[Altitude]

In 1989, I was on a gig in Austin in the club that was called Toulouse at that time. 6th & Trinity.

In Austin, and especially on 6th Street, the clubs are all narrow and deep. So there might be 8 feet and a thin brick wall between you and the stage in the adjacent club. You see where this is going.

Midway through the first set we ended a song. Before we started the next one, the guitar riff from "Wildflower" began belting out of our PA. Our guitarist wasn't playing it.

We made a joke out of it and most of the people in the club seemed to understand what was happening.

I doubt that would happen with modern wireless equipment.