Do you drink alcohol before a gig?

[no4mk1]

Marineman... If your profile is right, you are about 18 years old right? I only bring it up because when I was your age, I thought about things in a pretty black and white manner (like you seem to be doing here.) The older I get I realize that there are many shades of grey, and many different RIGHT answers.

For most adults, having a drink does not equal getting drunk.

Obviously, those who are working construction, or driving, or any job where life is on the line, inebriants of any kind are not allowed. On stage is not one of those places. If drinking a beer effects your ability to make music, then don't drink the beer. I am a 285 pound man, and one beer, or an ounce of scotch is not going to detract from my playing.

Stage fright is different for everybody that has it. For me, once the first downbeat happens, I forget about it. But the few hours before, I can get very nervous, and that nervousness can make me physically ill. I need something to calm me down. My little ritual of a beer after set up, helps me relax, and it doesn't get me weird looks from the crowd like meditating in the corner chanting mantras might. Hell, If I could get a BJ before every show, I'd forgo the drink, but my wife might have a problem with that.

You didn't really offend me, I just want you to understand, that what works for me might not work for you and vice versa. And that it doesn't mean that I (or anybody else who chooses to drink) is any less of a musician than someone who chooses not to.

Alcohol is a touchy subject. I know, I have had friends and family almost die from addiction. Let's just try to be a little bit more open minded out there.

As far as drinking at work goes... We are multi-disipline engineering consultants, not contractors, and I've never seen anybody have more than one at lunch. Meetings after 5pm on the other hand...

Cheers,
Chris

 

[puttz buster]

I wasn't trying to insult those who have stage freight or whatever and feel a drink helps calm them down but there's a difference in stage freight and nerves. Everybody gets nerves (butterflies in their stomach) before a gig and you'd be weird not to but stage freight is something that one drink won't really get rid of. To me a musician with stage freight is like a submarine captain with claustraphobia. It can be done but seems like some better career choices could be made. And what kind of engineering do you do where you can drink at lunch? Just interested because i've always worked at an ambulance company where you can't drink for obvious reasons or at a steel erecting company where you're walking on I beams 100 feet above the ground so you can't drink for obvious reasons. Sorry to anyone offended by my views but like you guys i'm just expressing my opinion

cool mate. there is no right or wrong answer in this situation.

 

[brett_bassman16]

once i tried a few shots of rum didnt go down to good, then i tried burbon i forgot the structure of all my songs

 

[The Golden Boy]

I realize that it's entirely voluntary, and in one forum, and "drinking age" in the US is different than the rest of the universe, so the poll isn't to scientific or accurate, but...

According to the "What's Your Age" poll in the OT forum, 47% of people in that poll are below the legal drinking age in the US. Kinda skews the answers a bit?

I used to drink a lot. I can't handle it as well as I used to. Plus, I don't like hangovers anymore; it was one thing sitting in a big dark lecture hall working off the night before vs. sitting in the bright flourescent hell that is my office.

I enjoy having a few drinks before playing. Moderation is key. As far as the "drinking on the job" thing goes, there was a 2 beer "liquid lunch" limit when I was in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1988. Although I'm sure that's changed by now, if you can't fire up a 60 ton M-1 Abrams with a good buzz on... what can you do?

 

[crazybassplyr]

i don't get hammered, but i do have a few prior to playing. i am a fairly reserved person and a few beers or a shot or two helps me relax and come out of my shell. thats just me though....its not like i am a lush or something

 

[MAJOR METAL]

I had two cocktails (Wild Turkey ) whille waiting to go on and i noticed i sweat alot more then usual when i was up their keeping the low end. Since then i save the drinks till i am done. Dont you all want to keep the rush up whille your up their playing.

 

[marineman227]

In my experience with teenagers it doesn't matter that the drinking age is 21. In my highschool before graduation we took a survey and 98% of our graduating class claimed to drink at least once a month. I understand that it probably will skew the results because younger people can't drink in the bars they're playing at but just a little piece of information i found

 

[PartlyDave]

We normally play about 4 nights a week and I get absolutely %&*@-faced each and every night before I go on. It's the only way to go.

Just kidding. Actually, I play much better without drinking. Playing long nightclub sets is difficult work. Hot, loud, tireing (albet great fun) is great makings for a headache during set breakdown at the end of the night. Alcohol makes it tons worse and you are definetly not at your best. Perhpaps one or two drinks throughout the night, but never more.