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"Check In" here before and after your gigs, Set #2, the sequel!

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#524
jgsbass said:
Nothing out of the ordinary: Saturday was a spectacular view of the Hudson river, interrupted by the horns of the trains going up and down on the other side of the river. The place was so in the middle of nowhere that after the gig, the only place that was open for snacks was a gas station/convenience store, 11 miles away.
This weekend, I only have a wedding at the Westchester Country Club. I look foward to resting during July. Teaching school and gigging every weekend (multiple times) has drained me of energy. I need the break to continue my recovery from cancer. I did 18 gigs during May/June in addition to teaching full time.
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I hear ya. it can take its toll! Rest up and recharge but, knowing you from the threads on the forum I am sure you won't be resting long lol You are one of the busiest players I know.
 
#525
Fireworks gig tonight....opened for Country singer Andy Griggs. First act was a solo guy with a guitar and a mic singing country songs. Then us...full on classic rock (Zep, Hagar, Bad Co., Van Halen) then the headliner. Sound check went well. We all left to change and eat and then came back. When we started things went to hell with the monitor mix for the rest of the guys. I could hear everything else but not my bass. Some horrible roar onstage too. Singer had an ear mix instead of wedges and said the feedback from whatever was getting picked up by his mic and running into his ears. We soldiered on tho. Crowd was really into it. I think the headliner's band might have been a little pissed cause they cut us about 2-3 songs short. We got paid the same tho. Since I work concert production as a second job, it was kinda neat to roll up, unload my gear, tell someone what I want in my mix, play the gig, and then watch someone else get to tear it all down and pack it up in the truck.

PS... I really cant complain too much about the headliner's band guys tho...the stage we were playing on was really small, and they let us use their drumkit, so that was really cool of them. The production crew was really great too...just a weird night with the sound.

BnB
 
#526
Ah the headliner sound guy screw job is what you got there BNB! Here is how it works if you sound great on the sound check you can bet you will have a crap mix when you hit the stage no doubt happens to the best of us. I think had you sounded like crap musically they would have kept a good mix next time test it out. play something wrong on purpose have the singer sing off a little and they will have you loud and proud through everything they can pump you through! Then when you hit the stage clean it up and go through maybe 3 songs one after the other blow them away and as soon as you stop to talk to the crowd you can bet the next mix you here will s8ck!
 
#528
This Saturday we're playing a crappy bar all of our friends go to to. My friends' band is getting back into playing shows after about a year of time off due to injury/members leaving. I'm probably gonna get really drunk/stoned that night as this is a throw away show.

Next Sunday we're playing an outdoor music festival. Gonna do it sober, maybe a doob before the set. I'd do it during, but the drummer is sober for 12 years and doesn't like the funk it leaves.
 
#529
Actually, we had our own soundguy at FOH, but the production crew was running the monitors, which is where the problem was. I agree about the level of talent thing tho. The guy with the production company actually said to me right after the sound check that he was surprised how good we were. I think they (the production crew and the headliner) were expecting a bunch of hicks that would stumble thru Sweet Home Alabama and Folsom Prison Blues and have a singer that couldnt hit the notes. We hit 'em striaght outta the gate with Rock n Roll Hootchie Koo and Hot Blooded and I dont think they expected that. I dont think the monitor guy ever really knew what lines were in which channels. I'd ask for more vocals and he'd give me guitar. I'd ask him to take the bass out and the kick drum would disappear. We were sharing drum kits, and they only added three lines for our band, two vox and my bass line. They used the headliner's guitar line. I know how to do a soundcheck, I just am not sure he did. Our singer used an ear mix but the monitor engineer kept cranking up the center wedges, causing every mic on stage to feedback.

As to screwing the opener, that's just pure unprofessionalism. I've been a member of a production crew for over 20 years, and have never tried to make an opener sound bad just so the headliner would sound great. Not saying that it isnt what happened to us, because I'm sure that was part of our problem, just that it's wrong on a hundred levels. If the headliner cant sound good, he needs to practice more. I'm sure it happens alot out there, I'd just never resort to that. And I've run sound for bands with guys in it that I cant stand.

Ah well, we kicked ass anyway....it was a fun gig. The FOH guy with the sound company asked us how much it would cost for us to come to their town and play a festival.

BnB
 
#530
Okay we have a very unusual gig this Friday our drummer is away and we are going to play the entire show with no drums! No drum machine just the band the electric guitars and the people. It is a small cafe setting in Wayne, NJ call the Green House Cafe if any of you NJ tber's are in the area and not gigging of course. We crash and burn starting at 9:30 no just kidding should be fun! We never ever rehearse so it is like flying by the seat of your pants! Man I love a challenge. RTS Classic Rock 60-90
 
#531
Well, the leader got us another "benefit" gig. Someone he knows who owns a vintage clothing store with a cafe next door. PA is provided; we shall see what it's like. 3 PM to 5 PM At Lovey's Loot in NW Austin. 60's oldies from true oldies.
 
#532
Had 2 great playing weekends in a row:

Last Friday: outdoor rock/blues show, lots of girls dancing, a few joints even got passed around (of course not to the band :/) and it was a great time!

Last Saturday: same group, indoor bar. Plenty of dancing (some girls even got up on the tables!), hot, sweaty, and dirty. The crowd went so far as to make the band take our shirts off haha

This Friday (most recent Friday): background jazz at local country club.

Saturday: jazz trio for funeral/luncheon, local well-respected man passed away at a nice, comfortably old age.

Today: coffee shop gig this morning (jazz) duo of guitar and electric bass (read: FUN). Also playing in the trio that played on Saturday in a little while at a wine bar/restaurant.

Next weekend I have the country club on Friday, a local jazz festival Saturday, coffeeshop gig Sunday, and another trio gig after the coffeeshop.

Hurray for abundant summertime gigs!
 
#533
rtslinger said:
Okay we have a very unusual gig this Friday our drummer is away and we are going to play the entire show with no drums! No drum machine just the band the electric guitars and the people. It is a small cafe setting in Wayne, NJ call the Green House Cafe if any of you NJ tber's are in the area and not gigging of course. We crash and burn starting at 9:30 no just kidding should be fun! We never ever rehearse so it is like flying by the seat of your pants! Man I love a challenge. RTS Classic Rock 60-90
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The Gig went okay was a very small place but since we were doing a gig with no drummer worked out okay only problem the A/C wasn't working well and we were dripping sweat by the end of the first set. We have no luck with A/C
 
#534
First gig with the new band this wed at a fairly nice club/bar in Oakland, Ca. Free show, no money as part of a local band showcase. Booker never returned any of my emails and only know we're playing because our name is on the calendar on the web site.

we've been rehearsing since January, yep a long time. Only had to get a gig because the drummer is moving away in august, how's that for a reason to finally play out?

Hopefully we can point some potential drummers to the show.

All original band, pretty good material, but hey it's tough being an original band in the bay area.
 
#535
House party outdoors, Saturday afternoon contrasted by a wedding at the Yale Club in Manhattan Saturday night.
Sunday is a wedding in Rockland county

Next weekend is a hard one. Glouchester, Mass on Saturday and NJ Sunday afternoon. Have to be set up by 1PM for a 5PM start on Saturday so its 2 days in a motel somewhere for me.
 
#537
Open jam night gig tonight. We were supposed to go on at 9 and have 20 minutes to play. We went on at 9:50 and played for 10 minutes before they sent us packing. Ah, reality checks... how I love thee...
 
#538
My Grateful Dead band is playing this afternoon at a party on Capitol Hill in DC. It's hosted by noted Deadhead Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont. I hope we can make it through security! :hiding:

Tomorrow the same band has an outdoor gig at the Star Diner, in the Kentlands/Gaithersburg area, 7 pm.

Saturday my originals band has a neighborhood party, in the neighborhood where I grew up. My brother lives there, but most of the people I knew as a kid have moved away. And the DOT is building a highway right behind the back yard of the house I grew up in. Talk about "there goes the neighborhood"! :spit: It sucks, but what can you do?
 
#539
Lazylion said:
My Grateful Dead band is playing this afternoon at a party on Capitol Hill in DC. It's hosted by noted Deadhead Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont. I hope we can make it through security!
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Well, there was no security, I guess it's not a gov't building.
We played well, especially considering the lack of rehearsal. The lead guitarist has missed the last 3 in a row. He does practice at home, thank goodness. And we had a sub rhythm guitarist, who had played one prior gig with us.

They had Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Magic Hat beer available. Pretty Vermont-y! Lot of clean-lookin' guys in suit & tie and a lot of flashy Capitol Hill babes, pretty weird for a Dead cover band. Sorry, I didn't bring a camera...

Best thing about the gig (besides the $$): we had John Kadlecik sit in & play guitar and fiddle with us! He's currently a member of Furthur, Bobby & Phil's band. Here I am trying to cop Phil's approach, and John plays with the real thing! A bit intimidating, I tried to put it out of my mind. John is a real nice and easygoing guy, he did a great job singing Black Muddy River, the Senator's favorite Jerry song. The Senator was quite pleased.

After load-out, I took an impromptu tour of Southeast DC, due to incorrect directions. Turns out Mass Ave can take you pretty far the wrong way, LOL. I used to know that town... I have forgotten much. :rolleyes:
I've decided to give in & buy a GPS.

Tonight's gig is outdoors, and they're calling for up to 100 degrees today. We're arriving at 4:30, oughta be good and hot by then... can't wait.

I'm off to buy water.
 
#540
normalized said:
First gig with the new band this wed at a fairly nice club/bar in Oakland, Ca. Free show, no money as part of a local band showcase. Booker never returned any of my emails and only know we're playing because our name is on the calendar on the web site.

we've been rehearsing since January, yep a long time. Only had to get a gig because the drummer is moving away in august, how's that for a reason to finally play out?

Hopefully we can point some potential drummers to the show.

All original band, pretty good material, but hey it's tough being an original band in the bay area.
Click to expand...

Well, the gig went pretty well considering:

-the last band canceled
-the first band was an acoustic act which was not advertised
-we headlined when we weren't supposed to

Good points:
-they reserved parking for all 3 of our cars right outside the club
-we got a decent soundcheck because of one band not being there
-Our friends showed up despite us going on later on a wednesday
-And it's a pretty nice club with good sound system, high stage. etc.

And we rocked the house, pretty tight performance, and your's truely rocked out, I'm am NOT the bass player that stands in the back, I figured the other two guys have to play guitar and sing, frees me up to ROCK!

This is the first show with this lineup, unfortunately the drummer will be moving soon, but I think everyone was happy with the way it turned out.
 
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