Again, +1 for noodling between songs especially if there's a funky bass player in a Country/Western band.
Musicians who look like they smell like pee.
Musicians who look like they smell like pee.
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Bands - - - PerformanceTurn-Offs
- Thread starter Auguste
- Start date
You guys did and will be mentioning everything that happen on a live stage to every band,and there will nothing good a band could do to please you.
You have to take what the band can offer.
The main turn off is bad music and/or bad sound, the rest is cosmetics.(even instruments is cosmetics in my book :if you play the broom good enough or a Ken Smith and sounds well,I'll take it either way)
Let's say you listen to a record and you like what you hear,no reason to be turned off when you see them live because they wear no shoes,or they have long hair,or not at all,or they are white or black or yellow,all of it tend to be discriminatory.
I would advice not to become one of those that disregard a band because they use Tama drums instead your favorite Pearl,or they talk between songs : the music and sound is what counts.
Is already a big shame the music business is ruled by "what you see" over than "what you hear",to add more fuel to the fire.
In my opinion,of course.
You have to take what the band can offer.
The main turn off is bad music and/or bad sound, the rest is cosmetics.(even instruments is cosmetics in my book :if you play the broom good enough or a Ken Smith and sounds well,I'll take it either way)
Let's say you listen to a record and you like what you hear,no reason to be turned off when you see them live because they wear no shoes,or they have long hair,or not at all,or they are white or black or yellow,all of it tend to be discriminatory.
I would advice not to become one of those that disregard a band because they use Tama drums instead your favorite Pearl,or they talk between songs : the music and sound is what counts.
Is already a big shame the music business is ruled by "what you see" over than "what you hear",to add more fuel to the fire.
In my opinion,of course.
I'm not bothered by much, really. But I get terribly frustrated by bands tuning between every freaking song. It's like smiling at a girl in a bar, and then punch her every time she smiles back.
Well, if it's a choice between players tuning a lot or playing out of tune, I'll take the downtime for tuning.
That said, it shouldn't come down to that choice. Quality guitars and basses, properly maintained and with strings regularly changed should hold their tune for most if not all of a set unless there is a rapid and dramatic change in playing conditions during the performance (temp, humidity, sunny turns to shady or vice versa, etc.). If a bass won't stay in tune (despite my best efforts at maintentance, etc.), then it's not going to be in my possession very long.
What really bugs me (and I've jumped guys in my own bands about this), is, the band finishes a set, an instrument is clearly out of tune and the offending player does NOTHING about it during the entire break. Then gets back up on stage for the next set, and either continues playing out of tune or holds the band up from starting till he can get in tune. That's what break is for, son. Get it together then, not when the band is back on the clock.
That said, it shouldn't come down to that choice. Quality guitars and basses, properly maintained and with strings regularly changed should hold their tune for most if not all of a set unless there is a rapid and dramatic change in playing conditions during the performance (temp, humidity, sunny turns to shady or vice versa, etc.). If a bass won't stay in tune (despite my best efforts at maintentance, etc.), then it's not going to be in my possession very long.
What really bugs me (and I've jumped guys in my own bands about this), is, the band finishes a set, an instrument is clearly out of tune and the offending player does NOTHING about it during the entire break. Then gets back up on stage for the next set, and either continues playing out of tune or holds the band up from starting till he can get in tune. That's what break is for, son. Get it together then, not when the band is back on the clock.
This
If I can hear the band perfectly in the parking lot, I'm not going in.
There are a few clubs in town I will not go to because the sound guys always have it cranked, even if a Carpenters tribute band is playing.
Yep, this is my number one reason for leaving a show early.
Different gripe, but the other thing I don't understand is why clubs/bars insist on having shows start at ten on weeknights. I'd be much more inclined to go out and see bands on weeknights if the shows started at a reasonable hour.
Late starts, and cover charges. Two things bar owners continue to insist on doing for weeknights even though they both have a significant negative impact on turnout.
Could the constant tuning you guys are seeing be due to having new strings? I see this a lot too, and it's not always with guys that have junk gear. I learned early on to not put on new strings the day of the gig, unless I absolutely had to. As little as some of the bands gig (once a month), they would probably only consider their strings the night before, or the day of. Yeah, that's the difference between an amateur and pro, but the amateurs still represent a large portion of the gigging community.
I hate the down-time too, but I'd rather hear a band in-tune than a band that squeezes another two songs out of a set.
I hate the down-time too, but I'd rather hear a band in-tune than a band that squeezes another two songs out of a set.
No, I don't!
If I don't like what a band has to offer, I'm leaving.
Oh,
and +1 to late starts.
I used to gig with a guitarist who would never put new strings on till at most a couple hours before show time. You guessed it, he was pretty much out of tune all the time. Worse still, he'd change strings while the rest of us were busting azz to set up P.A. and lights.
^agreed^- and I don't have to *take what the band has to offer*- I can walk out & find a better band. I'll take my drink money w/me.
Not following you here- do you want an incomplete drum set, or do you want it off the stage or what..?
I think he means when the drum kit takes up the whole stage and the rest of the band has to play on the floor.
I.e., too much drum kit for the room. I definitely think that's bush league but it's not something that's necessarily gonna send me for the door. Now, if the drummer isn't good, that's when I'm outta there... whether he's playing 4 drums or 18.
I.e., too much drum kit for the room. I definitely think that's bush league but it's not something that's necessarily gonna send me for the door. Now, if the drummer isn't good, that's when I'm outta there... whether he's playing 4 drums or 18.
I agree with all of these and I don't recall leaving a show early for anything but excessive volume except once:
Bands that take too long to set up. We attended a show with four or five bands and it took each of them from 30 to 45 minutes to get ready--and the equipment was already on the very large stage (although it had to be moved around a bit)--and a couple of the acts were all acoustic. We left before the last band played. It was more than we could take (and it was a headliner band with a current top hit).
Gotcha- wasn't trying to be a smartarse, just easily confused. Yeah, though- context. Play the gig- don't show up for the Rush tribute show w/your *Stray Cats* standup/cocktail set, or vice-versa. DEFINITELY share the damn stage! I just about always bring a large gig rug, and nearly always end up getting NONE of it. I got smart last time & added a small one for ME- jump back. 
Of course you do
This is when you do not like what band has to offer,or when they have nothing to offer.
In any case,is not a MUST TAKE,is you evaluating the band and liking it or not.
Let's say,how many would be NOT turned off by RUSH taking their time to tune?
And how many would do just the opposite for a bar band?
My point was not to get into discrimination in this thread.
The only big-name band I ever walked out on due to volume was Kings X.
Arena sized P.A. pushed to clipping in a convention center room of no more than 1,500 capacity. I left about 45 minutes into the show and my ears rang for 3 days afterwards.
Arena sized P.A. pushed to clipping in a convention center room of no more than 1,500 capacity. I left about 45 minutes into the show and my ears rang for 3 days afterwards.
I'm a bit confused- I guess you mean that 'for the purpose of this discussion' I *have to* give an opinion..? That's really not true either... but I digress. Also realize that you mentioned *discrimination* ... I am talking about semi-purposeful amateurishness- something one can choose not to engage in.
Edit: I'd be HIGHLY miffed if Rush lolligagged around tuning on my dime(assuming I'd pay through the nose for the show)- I hold the more-experienced musicians to a higher standard. Of course, younger pups/noobs also need to be put through the wringer to some extent(OPINON).
