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Do you drink alcohol before a gig?

Do you drink alcohol before going on stage?

  • Nope. I stay 100% sober before a gig.

    Votes: 42 35.6%

  • Well, I'll drink one or two. Just a social drink.

    Votes: 59 50.0%

  • I drink more than three before going on stage.

    Votes: 11 9.3%

  • I get absolutely loaded, that's when I perform best.

    Votes: 6 5.1%
  • Total voters
    118
#21
Yeah I'm a little newer to gigging so I still get a little bit of the butterflys, just a little. When I practice on the weekends I always seem to be drinking a beer or having a puff since I am not at work and relaxing with the band practicing. I have a decent tolerance so a couple before and during aint going to hurt anything. It just loosens me up and relaxes me, and I always practice that way but I am never drunk or sloppy just a little to take the edge off. I always drink a ton of water so I remain mostly sober anyway.
 
#25
Since having kids, I worry more about getting home safely than loosening up with a few beers. After loading up, it's often 2:30am when I hit the road. Dangerous time to be on the roads and most of our gigs are out of town. Plus, a DUI would be very detrimental to my career.
 
#26
Mike Dimin said:
...I cannot afford to drink on the job - physically, emotionally or most of all financially

Mike
Click to expand...

Good points all, Mike. Especially the financial one. I've played with so many guys who needed the gig money wayy more than me (I've got a 'career' day job) who run up bar tabs that the night's earnings barely cover. Sheesh. As someone who might have just a drink or two at the very end of the night (in answer to the original question posed in the thread), and who doesn't rely on gig money to get by, it's still nice to take home the night's pay in my wallet, rather than emptying a big chunk of it down the urinal. :)
 
#29
It depends on a person. One can drink alot and give a great performance. Other will make an idiot of him/her self. Finally others don't need any drinking. It also depends of what kind of music you play and what kind of show/party/gig/whatever it is. It's more likely to drink on rock or smilar shows ( specialy when audience is getting high too ) , than during a jazz or classical concert.
 
#30
I don't drink before or after the gig. I plain just don't drink alcohol.

I have no problem with bandmembers drinking if they still do their job. My job is not to be their wife or parent, what they do to themselves is none of my business until it becomes my business. I give people the benefit of the doubt that they are adult enough to moderate themselves.

If their drunkedness affects their ability to perform, then it's a different thing.
 
#31
I always drink one beer before a gig just to loosen up. Then I usually have a beer or two on the set.

I get by no means drunk or heavily influenced by one beer. It is just enough to calm my nerves and it makes me more relaxed so I can play better.

I have tried playing while drunk, but just in practices. That is no fun and it just ruins my performance.
 
#33
I didn't mind it before, I played one gig and had one beer before playing a bass solo set. Then after a surprise reaction from the people at the bar, (which was very very good and probably the best feeling I ever had onstage), I was asked to play once again. An hour later, after my friends had gotten me to try out tequila for the first time. I've no doubt learnt my lesson from the fact that during the encore performance in my improvisation point I ended up loosing all concentration, often hitting sour notes and forgetting all the little fills that naturally would come to my head. Now I barely drink, but I still find one beer doesn't do much. But before I drink I make sure I have a ride, there's no point in comming home driving even after one drink for me :hmm:. I just don't feel it's worth the risk, that and my fingers slow down so much after the 3rd beer it's not even enjoyable to play, well I wouldn't go that far haha.

That's my train wreck of a paragragh.
 
#35
gustomatic said:
coupla beers beforehand to loosen up.. then one or two onstage..

here's a tip.. if you gotta drink onstage, go with Pabst Blue Ribbon.. the stuff is more or less beer flavored water and costs a lot less than heineken!!! works for me!! where's the drunk smiley face? i need that icon..
Click to expand...

No alcohol for me. I want to hear what I play, even when I screw up. Water always works for me, especially during 4 set gigs.
 
#36
I have kind of a ritual. My band plays originals, therefore most of our gigs are only around 45 minutes. We need to be on top of it from the start and really concentrate through the set. about a half hour before we go on, I buy a bottled beer (Henry's, Rolling Rock, Heiniken, whatever) and a shot of Bushmills in a tumbler. I drink the beer before we go on (I have problems with nervous shakes before a show) and place the whiskey on my amp. The shot sits there as a prop/reward for a good performance.

Since I am slightly superstitious by nature, I rarely deviate from this. I figure if it makes me feel better and doesn't hurt my performance, then it's all good.

:bassist:

Cheers,
Chris
 
#39
So far, we've seen pretty much all of the standard, stupid excuses for drinking before/during a gig. There's only one set of ears to which you sound better after a few drinks: yours. To the rest of us (especially musicians) you suck. We hear every flub you make. As far as nerves, I want 'em. I also want to hear clearly. Also, I want to feel superior to the drunken nitwits stumbling around on the dance floor. I am their audience.
 
#40
Mike Dimin said:
Since most of us, I assume, perform at night, here is an interesting stat. 25% of all cars on the road after 11:00pm are being driven by someone whose blood alcohol exceeds the legal limit (at least here in the US).

Nice thought, huh?

Mike
Click to expand...
I think about this on the drive home at 2:30 a.m. Pretty scary.

Great posts, by the way.
 

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