Fighting For Space At Gigs

[catcauphonic]

We play some small to 'just enough room' size stages. Can you believe that both guitarists in our band are very very talented, yet so humble about it that they're borderline shy and thus prefer to set up on the wings just on the borders of where the stage lights start to fall off ... Thus leaving the center, front, or both for the singerbabe and I ??? (To be fair, we are the best looking and most stylish members of the band )

 

[Kevan Campbell]

Depends on the band and gig I suppose. Some stages are small so there's going to be occasions where everyone is just cramped, other times there's plenty of room but the guitar player is convinced his amp needs more room onstage than necessary and the drummer insists on setting up in the dead center. To make more room for myself and my rig I usually rave about the look of having the drummer slightly off center towards the guitarist's side of the stage under the guise that doing so lets the audience see the drummer more...and so far that ploy has worked out well.

We play some small to 'just enough room' size stages. Can you believe that both guitarists in our band are very very talented, yet so humble about it that they're borderline shy and thus prefer to set up on the wings just on the borders of where the stage lights start to fall off ... Thus leaving the center, front, or both for the singerbabe and I ??? (To be fair, we are the best looking and most stylish members of the band )

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Don't let go of those guitarists!!! Humility and talent in a guitar player is a rare thing to find!

 

[southpaw723]

One time the guitarist in my band put his amp right in front of my cab, I was like where the heck do you want me to stand now!?

 

[gazzatriumph]

Seems like no matter what band I’m in, I’m always fighting for room to play. After the guitarists put down their carpets, racks of guitars, effects boards the size of my kitchen table, and other crap, I end up wedged in back standing sideways with my butt up against my cab. Any other bassists out there feeling the squeeze at a gig and sick of being shoved in the back?

Not just me then

 

[Deleted member 165050]

I feel your pain... a drummer I currently play with will only set up his kit centre stage leaving me crammed into a corner between him and a huge keyboard setup, but with the guitarist on the other side having acres of empty space to strut around in. Sometimes I think I should just play from the desk and double as sound engineer. Egos, eh.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Spectre1966

Small stages are a pain in the a$$!!!!

The only solution (when you don' t want to fire the drummer ) is to talk.

Get early to the place!!! Everybody in the band, not just you!!!

Take your time to talk about using the stage so that everybody feels okay

And get a pointy headstock

may the space be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[Spectre1966]

Thanks eyeryone! Lots of great ideas here!

...now excuse me while I go look for a file to "modify" my headstock

 

[jaysbass2002]

Seems like no matter what band I’m in, I’m always fighting for room to play. After the guitarists put down their carpets, racks of guitars, effects boards the size of my kitchen table, and other crap, I end up wedged in back standing sideways with my butt up against my cab. Any other bassists out there feeling the squeeze at a gig and sick of being shoved in the back?

Last Band I was in was the same thing. Guitarist with his 3'x6' carpet, Drummer sprawled out everywhere, Light stands, Keyboard player with 3 keyboards and amp. I got stuck setting up he PA, Monitors, Lights while they set up and never took into account room for me. Yup a good many gigs I was wedged in and rushing to get my rig set up for the gig.

 

[Reuben Hernandez]

Not in my current band. Everyone is cool we’re all old friends more like brothers and everyone shares the stage equally. As a matter of fact my stuff usually goes up first cause it’s so heavy (Ampeg 8x10 and a SVT Pro 4 with other rack stuff) and they use 2 full Marshall stacks each.

 

[4dog]

I move too much to be crammed into a corner...and i need a runway from my spot to the front of the stage...if a guitarist puts his crap in said runway ...i will ruin his night by stomping whatever box he puts there...and i have drawn blood with my headstock...the way i look at it is ,if you need space you will get it but dont assume im gonna stand behind the drummer just cause im the bass bub...cause i will change that thinking in a nano second !

 

[Silas Stingy]

Playing on small stages happens to me a fair bit but the thing that most annoys me is singers not giving enough room for me to play with the bass at a comfortable angle. A quick hard jab in the back from a thunderbird tuner and they generally get the message.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

They got carpets. I got a carpet. I defend my carpet against all intruders. Except the BL, of course. She gets to stand wherever she wants.

 

[stringthrough]

One word: Wireless

I'm everywhere I wanna be and lots of places I shouldn't.

I gave that a go a short while ago then gave up on it when it failed at the start of a set. Also, just more gear to schelp around - Trying to simplify my gigging set up/ breakdown.

 

[stringthrough]

I've got that problem with my current band. When that happens I look at the nearest offender(s) in the eye and say "I need more space". Unless the stage simply prevents spreading out more, my approach works.

 

[SteveBassJr]

I wait for the drummer to set up, then I go to his high hat side.

 

[ColonelZulu]

Often happens when I'm filling-in for a band. I've set up off stage whenever a band does that to me. Sorta passive aggressive of me I guess.

 

[grisezd]

My band is a 3 piece so no issues there. But in other settings I’ve just pulled up a nice chair next to the stage and played from there. If it’s not important that I’m on stage it’s not important that I stand. No sweat.

 

[JRA]

speaking up for yourself (on this issue and others) sometimes requires a confrontation (it doesn't have to be a big deal...just honest!). if you can't manage it = why bother being in a band?

 

[micguy]

Most of my gigs are at churches where the middle of the stage has a huge screen during the message, which means you can't put gear there. Drums are off to one side, electric guitar on the other side, singers out front. I get the middle of the back row, which typically is 20 to 30 feet wide, and maybe 10 feet deep. I'm on ears, so even that space doesn't have an amp in it.

I'm good.

 

[john_g]

My previous band was like this. We had 6 members and usually played bars and smaller clubs. The drummer had a big set, then the keyboardist took up just about the same amount of space. Usually I had to stack my amp on top of one of the guitarists amps. It was a nightmare. In my last band, the one guitarist was always last setting up because he would spend 1.5 hours setting up his lights. He would move my stuff out of the way to make room for his...even though I had it wedged up next to the drummer. I think he considered his stuff more important.