Gig report : first time ever; no rehearsal (long post)

[DirtDog]

Great gig report @Hattie. It felt like I was right there watching you. I'm not sure what "larsens" are, but never mind - I like the word and I'm going to use it anyway! Welcome to the world of professional gigging bass players. I wish you many more, and a tonne of fun!

Larsens = feedback

 

[Hattie]

@whero Thanks! Larsen is feed back. I think the name comes after a physicist. For some reason, feed back always seemed to me to refer to a more ‘controlled’ effect than saying Larsen, which to me means an unbearable shrieking noise.
Probably because US and British guitar heroes and the like refer to feed back also as an ‘artistic’ effect, whereas where I’m from ‘Larsen!´always means everybody shut the power off!

 

[TreySonagras]

That, my friend, is what I would consider a GREAT gig. Congratulations and here's to many more!

 

[rtslinger]

I played my first gig last Friday.

Well, as a bassist anyway. I had plenty of auditions and exams a few years ago when I played violin in music school. And I do not count the couple of times I played for a nearly-strictly family audience.


So, last Friday, first gig ever on the bass. Wednesday the guitarist of my band called me : he needed a emergency bassist & drummer. He has a lot of bands, big bands, etc. We’ve been playing together for about 5 months now (and expected to play our first gig with our band on the 15th of June) - so I am a fairly new member of a small community of musicians.


I know he did not ask me first, because I am neither the best nor the most experienced bassist he knows -I am the only one still in college in our group, so I am not as available as the others. I don’t practise as much as them either. But anyway, he called me, as well as our band’s drummer, to fill in for the two members of his band that couldn’t come. The singer and him didn’t want to cancel the whole thing : the private birthday party of an old friend of the singer’s. 100€ each. I looked at the setlist (and the money), and I said yes, I’ll do it.


No time for rehearsal. It’s plug and play. Out of 16 songs, I knew the bass on 6. I’m being a bit dramatic here because most of the 10 remaining songs’ lines were super simple. Still, a few of the songs I was unfamiliar with were tricky to me, especially regarding their structures (you don’t wanna play the intro twice when it’s only one the second time around etc etc…). So needless to say I spent most of Thursday night playing and learning the grids (is that how you say in English ?). It didn’t help I already had a pretty busy week.


D-day comes, I am stressed as hell, I spend most of my day changing my setlist’s layout on Word and going on toilet breaks. I couldn’t go back home before the show, so I had my bass and my concert clothes on all day. At around 8, I jump in the metro, cross the whole goddam city looking like a hypoglycaemic ghost, at 9 I am at the gates of a fancy suburban house. There’s noise and people cheering in the garden. I start feeling really self-conscious when I hear myself mumbling on the intercom ‘uh, I’m coming for the concert ? I’m with the band ?’


I enter the place and I take the lady greeting me for the owner, when she’s the singer I am soon to perform with. Great start. But the people are very nice, a bunch of 40-50-year-olds slowly but surely getting inebriated with champagne. I am super thirsty. As I cross the living-room to get to the corner where the rest of the band installed the gear earlier during the day, the owner asks if I want something to drink. I say yes, I start unpacking my things and I am brought a full flute of champagne. At the time, I did not know that it was the only drink available in the house for the full evening, so I swallow the whole thing in a couple of seconds. The only food in my stomach at that point is a small chicken wrap I ate at 1pm. I swear that during the show the glass kept filling itself magically each time I glanced back at it.


20 minutes or so after I arrived comes the time to plug everything and go. No soundcheck of course, the guests are all here. There was a couple of larsens though, just to announce that live music was soon to begin (and that there definitely was an issue with the singer’s monitor).

First song goes well, second alright. I start getting relaxed (thank you champagne), but the singer’s quite nervous. The third song is a musical soup. I cannot hear what I’m playing or singing or what kind of sound anybody else is producing either. After the fourth, things get better. We adjust the volume better, people are a bit tipsy and start dancing. I think they are also getting accustomed to the number of decibels blowing in their faces (well, the owner did say that a full drum kit in her living-room was O.K.). We keep playing, I start having fun. I barely miss any notes. Okay, I messed up an ending. But nobody cared (except for me).


Damn, people really do love the Stones, their songs are the clear big hits of the evening (their songs were all amongst the ones I couldn’t play the night before, I’m not that much of a fan, although I have a greater appreciation of them now). At the end of our set, people cheer and ask for more. We do one more song. I genuinely thought, after the third song, that we wouldn’t play past half our set.


In the end it turned out pretty good. People congratulate us, thank us and start bringing us more and more champagne. At that point I really wish I could get some water and a piece of bread. I did manage to make myself a sneaky Brie-toast when I briefly reached the buffet and the cheese board. And I don’t even like cow-milk cheese all that much.


An hour or so later, maybe two, we’ve packed everything in the singer’s car and we’re on the go. My right-hand fingers hurt so bad I thought they were bleeding. I’m exhausted, but happy. I even got a couple of extra bucks in my envelope, courtesy of a girl who found I was awesome (the guitarist & drummer were super jealous*).


At the end, my first gig’s lessons :

- don’t worry too much about stuff, it won’t be hi-fi anyway ;

- don’t be afraid to play more than one song with a pick ;

- when in doubt, play the Stones ;

- long live champagne.



P.S. Before the gig, I never knew ‘Mustang Sally’ other than by name and by the reputation it got in various Talkbass threads, noticeably for being an over-overly played song. So, playing it really felt that I was ending my lurker days and entering a new age…

P.P.S. Special thanks to JimmyM, who one day in a thread recommended to a fellow TBer a K&M stand that’s light, solid AND FITS in my gig bag. My drummer watching in awe as I casually took it out of my bag and installed it in 3 seconds is something I’ll remember. I really do love lurking here on TB.

*it probably adds to the story to say that I am a woman...

Nice gig report glad the gig went well now for the next ones you will need pix and videos and don't for get the food pix they seem to be a important requirement of some TBers ha ha ha. RTS

 

[bherman]

Sounds like lots of fun - and French champagne as well! Keep it going if you can....

 

[dkelley]

You need to write a blog.

That's an entertaining and well written anecdote.

Or maybe become an author.

Or pro bassist of course lol

 

[bfields]

Always bring a bottle of water (!)

Excellent plan! I imagine you could also have been more assertive. Tough when you're in a strange place and there's so much going on, but surely somebody could have taken pity and found you some water.

 

[Cousin Iggy]

Great report! Thanks for sharing the fun.

I like the comment about appreciating the songs more now that you are playing them. I'm finding the same thing for myself - playing them gives me a new appreciation for songs I didn't care for previously.

 

[arbiterusa]

Before the gig, I never knew ‘Mustang Sally’ other than by name and by the reputation it got in various Talkbass threads, noticeably for being an over-overly played song. So, playing it really felt that I was ending my lurker days and entering a new age…

Next stage, which I have arrived at - you're asked to learn the lyrics and sing it.

 

[40Hz]

*it probably adds to the story to say that I am a woman.

Thank you for mentioning that.

Made me laugh. And it’s also good to see more female role models emerging in music beyond the “pretty voice and looks great in an evening gown” stereotype. (Even though I’d guess you probably do.)

Kudos for stepping up to the bar on short notice.

We are not afraid. Onward!

 

[Bassngtr]

Great report. Glad the beverages did not get in the way.
Summary of your experience: You said 'Yes' and hung in there despite many obstacles and curve-balls. Well done!! Welcome to gigging! Nothing like it, and NO better way to get better and learn.

 

[Wasnex]

Thanks Mr Cliff! Yes, some gigs I went to in Paris were awesome. Old caves, old pubs... But the champagne was definetly related to our host's wealth: I'm pretty sure the norm here is still beer. Which is quite alright to me! There is no way to quench your thirst on champagne only. No way. It's far too dry a drink. I can only imagine trying and ending up in a coma at 3 am, waiting for the ambulance to arrive, mouth wide open like a fish trying to taste the early dew. Nightmare!
I should probably have added :

- Always bring a bottle of water (!)

I hope I'll play more Beatles next time

Water and a protein snack is a good idea IMHO. Great job and it sounds like you had a fabulous time!

 

[JW56789]

I typically got a lot of calls back then to walk into a gig and play RIGHT NOW, no rehearsal(s). Usually following the immediate ejection of a drunk/stoned/useless hack who couldn't function.

I loved these gigs, it was usually a band that was already together, all I had to do was listen, not get in the way, and follow their lead. This sort of thing puts lead in your spine and is terrific experience, and builds confidence: I often think developing great 'radar' and serious on-the-fly listening is not mentioned enough as a really necessary skill as not every band knows how to have productive rehearsals. Growing that ability to hear where it's going and ride it is vital.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Thanks Mr Cliff! Yes, some gigs I went to in Paris were awesome. Old caves, old pubs... But the champagne was definetly related to our host's wealth: I'm pretty sure the norm here is still beer. Which is quite alright to me! There is no way to quench your thirst on champagne only. No way. It's far too dry a drink. I can only imagine trying and ending up in a coma at 3 am, waiting for the ambulance to arrive, mouth wide open like a fish trying to taste the early dew. Nightmare!
I should probably have added :

- Always bring a bottle of water (!)

I hope I'll play more Beatles next time

You're off to a great start and you leaned two important things:

1. Always bring a bottle of water
2. When in doubt, play the Stones.

(or is that when stoned, play in doubt?

But, hey! The rest is easy.

 

[mac10]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. I remember when 40-50 sounded really old. Now? Not so much. Sounds like it was a fun experience.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I played my first gig last Friday.

Well, as a bassist anyway. I had plenty of auditions and exams a few years ago when I played violin in music school. And I do not count the couple of times I played for a nearly-strictly family audience.


So, last Friday, first gig ever on the bass. Wednesday the guitarist of my band called me : he needed a emergency bassist & drummer. He has a lot of bands, big bands, etc. We’ve been playing together for about 5 months now (and expected to play our first gig with our band on the 15th of June) - so I am a fairly new member of a small community of musicians.


I know he did not ask me first, because I am neither the best nor the most experienced bassist he knows -I am the only one still in college in our group, so I am not as available as the others. I don’t practise as much as them either. But anyway, he called me, as well as our band’s drummer, to fill in for the two members of his band that couldn’t come. The singer and him didn’t want to cancel the whole thing : the private birthday party of an old friend of the singer’s. 100€ each. I looked at the setlist (and the money), and I said yes, I’ll do it.


No time for rehearsal. It’s plug and play. Out of 16 songs, I knew the bass on 6. I’m being a bit dramatic here because most of the 10 remaining songs’ lines were super simple. Still, a few of the songs I was unfamiliar with were tricky to me, especially regarding their structures (you don’t wanna play the intro twice when it’s only one the second time around etc etc…). So needless to say I spent most of Thursday night playing and learning the grids (is that how you say in English ?). It didn’t help I already had a pretty busy week.


D-day comes, I am stressed as hell, I spend most of my day changing my setlist’s layout on Word and going on toilet breaks. I couldn’t go back home before the show, so I had my bass and my concert clothes on all day. At around 8, I jump in the metro, cross the whole goddam city looking like a hypoglycaemic ghost, at 9 I am at the gates of a fancy suburban house. There’s noise and people cheering in the garden. I start feeling really self-conscious when I hear myself mumbling on the intercom ‘uh, I’m coming for the concert ? I’m with the band ?’


I enter the place and I take the lady greeting me for the owner, when she’s the singer I am soon to perform with. Great start. But the people are very nice, a bunch of 40-50-year-olds slowly but surely getting inebriated with champagne. I am super thirsty. As I cross the living-room to get to the corner where the rest of the band installed the gear earlier during the day, the owner asks if I want something to drink. I say yes, I start unpacking my things and I am brought a full flute of champagne. At the time, I did not know that it was the only drink available in the house for the full evening, so I swallow the whole thing in a couple of seconds. The only food in my stomach at that point is a small chicken wrap I ate at 1pm. I swear that during the show the glass kept filling itself magically each time I glanced back at it.


20 minutes or so after I arrived comes the time to plug everything and go. No soundcheck of course, the guests are all here. There was a couple of larsens though, just to announce that live music was soon to begin (and that there definitely was an issue with the singer’s monitor).

First song goes well, second alright. I start getting relaxed (thank you champagne), but the singer’s quite nervous. The third song is a musical soup. I cannot hear what I’m playing or singing or what kind of sound anybody else is producing either. After the fourth, things get better. We adjust the volume better, people are a bit tipsy and start dancing. I think they are also getting accustomed to the number of decibels blowing in their faces (well, the owner did say that a full drum kit in her living-room was O.K.). We keep playing, I start having fun. I barely miss any notes. Okay, I messed up an ending. But nobody cared (except for me).


Damn, people really do love the Stones, their songs are the clear big hits of the evening (their songs were all amongst the ones I couldn’t play the night before, I’m not that much of a fan, although I have a greater appreciation of them now). At the end of our set, people cheer and ask for more. We do one more song. I genuinely thought, after the third song, that we wouldn’t play past half our set.


In the end it turned out pretty good. People congratulate us, thank us and start bringing us more and more champagne. At that point I really wish I could get some water and a piece of bread. I did manage to make myself a sneaky Brie-toast when I briefly reached the buffet and the cheese board. And I don’t even like cow-milk cheese all that much.


An hour or so later, maybe two, we’ve packed everything in the singer’s car and we’re on the go. My right-hand fingers hurt so bad I thought they were bleeding. I’m exhausted, but happy. I even got a couple of extra bucks in my envelope, courtesy of a girl who found I was awesome (the guitarist & drummer were super jealous*).


At the end, my first gig’s lessons :

- don’t worry too much about stuff, it won’t be hi-fi anyway ;

- don’t be afraid to play more than one song with a pick ;

- when in doubt, play the Stones ;

- long live champagne.



P.S. Before the gig, I never knew ‘Mustang Sally’ other than by name and by the reputation it got in various Talkbass threads, noticeably for being an over-overly played song. So, playing it really felt that I was ending my lurker days and entering a new age…

P.P.S. Special thanks to JimmyM, who one day in a thread recommended to a fellow TBer a K&M stand that’s light, solid AND FITS in my gig bag. My drummer watching in awe as I casually took it out of my bag and installed it in 3 seconds is something I’ll remember. I really do love lurking here on TB.

*it probably adds to the story to say that I am a woman...

Cool report. All the rest of your gigs will even be easier now!

One thing I would recommend. Beware of drinking too much during a gig or your fingers won't go where you want them to.

Back in the early 70's I learned this the hard way, when we were playing a 4-night gig at the NCO club at Lemoore Naval Air Station in CA. Booze is really cheap on military bases and at the time I was a "Jack Daniels on the rocks" drinker. Sat down at our first break and next thing I know there are two Jack's sitting in front of me. I thanked my benefactor for the that drink; finished one; and about half of the other during that 15-minute break. Then back up for another 45-minutes.

Sat back down at the next break and I magically had 2 new drinks along with the half one I left. Drank 1½ of those and back up for another 45-minute set. Back at the table and I now had 3 drinks sitting in front of me. Managed to drink two of those and back up for our last set. I had no trouble walking at this point, but my playing went to HELL!!!

Fingers just didn't want to go where I wanted them to. After the last set, I sat back down to another 4 drinks. Finished one; thanked them profusely; and called it a night. Good news was that I didn't have to get up until noon the next day for a rehearsal of new songs.

The next night I talked to the bar tender and told him if someone asks for "the regular for the bass player" to please give me a Virgin Bloody Mary. That way the folks buying the drink wouldn't be offended by me refusing their drink and I could still play bass accurately all night long. Worked out pretty well. Eventually, I would just go to the bar and get one myself before I sat down at any of the customer's tables during a break so they thought that was my "regular" drink.

Most of my drinking then took place after the gig...

 

[Hattie]

That's sound advice, kind sir. I am fortunate enough to hate getting wasted, so I am really careful as to not cross a certain line. I could definetly tell that that line had to be drawn closer when I am playing. I had butter fingers during Knock On Wood, which really annoys me since it's my favourite from the set. But I have learned my lesson.

 

[Haroldo]

@whero Thanks! Larsen is feed back. I think the name comes after a physicist. For some reason, feed back always seemed to me to refer to a more ‘controlled’ effect than saying Larsen, which to me means an unbearable shrieking noise.
Probably because US and British guitar heroes and the like refer to feed back also as an ‘artistic’ effect, whereas where I’m from ‘Larsen!´always means everybody shut the power off!

Nicely written. My heartfelt bias is that French is a bad rock 'n' roll language (tho' I could be talked out of it possibly). Were you subjected to any R'n'R in French?

In the patois of Corporate Human Relations, it is felt that 'feedback is a gift.'

To a boy growing up in Northeast Wisconsin, Larsen's is a former canner and freezer of vegetables.

Again, very nice gig report.

 

[Hattie]

I don't think that it's inherently a bad rock'n'roll language, but to English-speaking people I understand it might come as weird, since French is comparatively very flat, and it's sonority/tone is often associated with snobbish, posh discourse (luxury things, old movies etc etc) which isn't what r'n'r is usually meant to be.

So you might need some adaptation time to listen to it, but some of it is pretty good. Of course there isn't as much good stuff as in English since the majority of talented artists sing in English to gather a wider audience.

The all-time classic French rock'n'roll band is the 1980s' Téléphone, great musicians, great lyrics, huge success, huge Stones inspiration.

I personally think that France's best (and last true) rocker today is M. He's a beast live. He can get down everything rock from the 50s to the 00s in one show. On his albums he comes out more as 'new wave'/funky. And he does everything from folk to disco-house as well. But I think he's a real woodstock child at heart. He actually wrote a fun song called 'the cornflake complex', about him (and the rest of us) always feeling inferior to US musicians. Actually, I think this 'complex' is the main reason why a lot of our French-speaking rock is a bit ironic and self-depreciating. But if you listen to his music, definetly pick a live recording.

There's many more, but this post is already way too long... Alain Bashung comes to mind as well, terrific music, very poetic lyrics. Also better live I think.

You might wanna check out your Canadian/Québécois neighbour's music as well. I'm more familiar with their folk music than their rock'n'roll but they are known for singing in French better and more often than we do.

And to end on a fun note, a true classic from Belgium:
The first verse translates to 'Wham, bam, my cat -splaaash, lies on my bed, ate his tongue drinking all my whisky...' I dare you to tell me that's not rock'n'roll! I dare you!

 

[whero]

@whero Thanks! Larsen is feed back. I think the name comes after a physicist. For some reason, feed back always seemed to me to refer to a more ‘controlled’ effect than saying Larsen, which to me means an unbearable shrieking noise.
Probably because US and British guitar heroes and the like refer to feed back also as an ‘artistic’ effect, whereas where I’m from ‘Larsen!´always means everybody shut the power off!

Thanks for that - I have never heard that before. So not only did I get to read a great report from a fun gig, I also learned something new today! See - time on TB is time well spent!