Do you drink alcohol before a gig? I usually take two or three, but have bad experiences with drinking more than that. 
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Do you drink alcohol before a gig?
- Thread starter Lazy B.
- Start date
I never find the need to drink any alcohol beofre a gig, so nope not me. I don't get that nervous, so taking a drink to calm myself as many people do before a gig would be pointless for me!
Andy
Andy
There was a thread I created a week or two ago about how drinking ruined what could have been a very advantageous gig for my band, career-wise. As such, my bandmates and I agreed that _nobody_ drinks _anything_ until after the show. "I'm only gonna have a few" plus half price drinks for band members embarassed us in front of a booking agent that could have done a lot for us.
My bandmates and I used to get drink alot before gigs, then realized that it was affecting our performances. That was about 3 years ago.
Now I will have 2 to 3 beers before going onstage, and maybe 2 to 3 during the show. I also always have a big glass of water up there.
To some, that may seem a bit much, however; I have been drinking beer since I was 15 which was 20 years ago. So it gives me a slight buzz, but thats about it. Much better than than 10 and beyond I used drink with shots mixed in.
Now I will have 2 to 3 beers before going onstage, and maybe 2 to 3 during the show. I also always have a big glass of water up there.
To some, that may seem a bit much, however; I have been drinking beer since I was 15 which was 20 years ago. So it gives me a slight buzz, but thats about it. Much better than than 10 and beyond I used drink with shots mixed in.
I don't drink before a gig. I have tried performing under the influence, and that was not a good idea..
I got drunk before a show once.... wow, did I make an idiot of myself. So, its 100% sober for me.
Shure, whatever floats your boat. I have been playing live gigs for 11 years, and a few drinks don't hurt. Some guys can't handle their alchahol too well and too bad for them. 1 mans trash is another mans treaure. Do what feels good for you. I am so used to drinking at covers gigs it's not funny, especially if the club are giving you a rider, and peolpe in the crowd are buying you freebee's. All part of the deal. If people in your band don't drink, well Yippee for them. As long as it doesn't effect your playing then it isn't a problem, and the guys in the band will soon let you know if you play like poop on the sauce.
Music is my livelyhood - my job. How many drinks should I have before I play - the same amount as the pilot who flew me to the gig
Mike
Mike
Mike Dimin said:
So are you saying you "shouldn't drink at gigs because it's your "job"
I think there is a Huge difference between a what a pilot does and what a musician does. With musicians, peoples lives aren't at stake!!! 
Alot of this has to do with how much alkeehol you can handle. I'm not a lush, but 2 or 3 before a show doesn't affect me.
puttz buster said:So are you saying you "shouldn't drink at gigs because it's your "job"
Ok, then what job, other than being a musician, is it OK to drink on?
School Teacher
Bus Driver
Computer programmer/operator
nuerosurgeon
day care provider
architect
barber
Man, not even the bartender can drink.
What if you are the bassplayer for a major act. One where tens of thousands of people attend the shows and hundreds of thousands of dollars depend on it. Would you take the chance that on one particulr evening you had a bit too much. The stakes are REALLY high.
I am assuming that most here have "day jobs", how many of you drink on your day job. Well my "day job" is being a musician, author, clinician I cannot afford to drink on the job - physically, emotionally or most of all financially
Mike
Normally I wouldn't drink before a show. Unless ony 10 people show up for it. And that happens a lot in Miami. Miami music scene sucks.
I'll normally have one or two drinks before hitting the stage. Just enough to help me loosen up a bit...helps to get rid of the nerves I might have that nite also....
thats great mike, if not drinking at a gig works for you, well thats great. I play 5 nites a week, and we get free drinks when we play. I am in Australia and I guess gigs here may run different to where you guys are from, but as I said before, if it doesnt effect your playing, then it shouldnt be a problem. I see alot of "fusion" guys like scott henderson,Scott Kinsey and others drinking WHILE they play. Theres no right or wrong, its all individual, thats thats the point I was making.Mike Dimin said:
Peace mate, Aaron.
I might have few pints before a gig if there´s a long wait. I don´t need it to relax, I just like the taste of beer more than soda and hauling gear makes me thirsty. Besides, being a heavily built guy I need to drink pretty serious amounts of beer before it starts to have an effect. I´ve done that a couple of times and I´ve learned my lesson.
And although I´m not a pro, I would like to say my 2 cents about drinking at workplace: in many business cultures it is considered OK to have a glass of wine or beer at lunch. So it´s not all black & white.
Of course I fully respect anybody´s decision to remain 100% sober. As I said earlier, I might have a beer or two, but more often than not I don´t drink even that. I have witnessed the effects of alcoholism in my family so I make a conscious effort to keep my drinking strictly under my control. I never drink out of habit or because I need to.
And although I´m not a pro, I would like to say my 2 cents about drinking at workplace: in many business cultures it is considered OK to have a glass of wine or beer at lunch. So it´s not all black & white.
Of course I fully respect anybody´s decision to remain 100% sober. As I said earlier, I might have a beer or two, but more often than not I don´t drink even that. I have witnessed the effects of alcoholism in my family so I make a conscious effort to keep my drinking strictly under my control. I never drink out of habit or because I need to.
reasonbass said:
I'm becoming reasonably sure that's most of Florida (Having spent a good a few years in the Treasure Coast area with the same results).
Myself, never. Nor before/during/after practice. It's only AFTER the music is out the of the way that I'll drink (Which is about 1-2 times a month, one of which was recently a thread on TB...... ..... ... ...)
