• 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.

Guests joining in

#21
I'm not a fan of letting outside people on stage. Rare exceptions to be made, like if you're an internationally famous musician, or a close friend of the band. And only if the situation's right for it.
Our guitar/banjo/vox guy will ask peeps he knows to jump in for a tune, it bugs the hell out of me when he does it without checking with the rest of the band. Tight stages, unknown players (to the rest of us) and guys that don't fit our style are things that make me say no fing way to sit ins. Add to that the problem of people who don't know when to get off someone else's stage Dude, if you got invited up, get off after the tune is done. There's one guy that comes out to a lot of our shows (used to be the BL in our guit/banjo guy's old band) and always jumps on stage and tries to take over the show. I wanna just punch the guy inna mouf. Figuratively of course. We're a fun, upbeat, nudge nudge wink wink scots/irish style band, and the other band is a brash, swearing, rough styled band. This guy just jumps up and thinks he's the new front man for the rest of the set. But John is the nicest guy in the world and feels bad that the old band doesn't get that many gigs at the better venues since we formed and doesn't want any hurt feelings or anything so he doesn't give him the hook. Last time he came out I asked him if he knew the arrangement we did the next tune in. He said yeah, why? isn't it the Planxty tune set? I said, yeah, but we usually try to sing in tune, think you can do that tonight? Then I kicked off the tune in G, which I know he has a hard time with. I know, jerk move.I just wanted to shut him down for the rest of the night and get on with our show.

Add to that guy is the harmonica player that grabs the fiddle players vocal mike (alto female voice) and wails into it like Elwood Blues the WHOLE STINKING TUNE and that's why I frown on sit-ins.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EddiePlaysBass
#22
We were playing a place called Uncle Bears who had a wedding rehearsal party come in. It was great, they were very engaged. The groom kept asking if he could sing a song, we said no. One by one everyone in the party came by to tell us how great he was. So our singer relented. The guy took the wireless mic and told us (the band) to take a break, he didn't need us. So we did. He proceeded to walk around the bar/restaurant rapping. He was good but the problem was that his lyrics were filthy dirty. The manager came to say make him stop and never do that again. We had to chase this guy all over the bar, he wouldn't stop. His friends thought it was funny, it got ugly but we got the $600 mic back in good order. Wew!
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassplayer2014
#24
I haven’t seen much of it where I am outside of blues. And most venues don’t seem to like it too much because it can get out of hand pretty quickly.

Most bands I’ve been in didn’t do it because they were 90% original music and our arrangements were usually super tight and carefully worked out.

On very rare occasions we’d have a female vocalist join us if we knew her, she was already in a band (i.e. experienced) and was familiar with the song she’d be performing.

I don’t recall ever bringing an amateur audience member up on stage to join us in any band I was in during a performance.
 
#26
juancaminos said:
Where I grew up in California if I went to a friends gig I was always asked to get up an play a song. If a friend came to see us they would be asked to play a song. It seemed like the way things were done. In AZ this is not the case although I have experienced it it is not a given like in Cali in the 70's.

So the first question: is this practise or courtesy alive in your area?
Secone question: When asked to come up and play or sing a song do you know when to leave (the stage)? I think one song unless you are asked to stay for another.
Click to expand...



No!

Not willing to take chance.

Even if they are our friends, they need to show up to a practice beforehand so it's not a "cold" walk on and play.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EdO.
#27
juancaminos said:
When asked to come up and play or sing a song do you know when to leave (the stage)? I think one song unless you are asked to stay for another.
Click to expand...

I try to never rain on anyone's parade, no matter how tempting, if it's not my gig. So I politely decline if the offer arises. As well, I'm not a big fan of others wanting to jump in and play bass at my gig, especially if they think they will be using my equipment. Not happening. Ever.
 
#28
Not common here in Central VA, but it does happen. The gig and the actual people involved have a lot to do with whether it happens or not, and the songs matter too.

But it also depends on the instrument. Horns seem like the easiest "sit in" instrument. Singing requires too much context shift if the sit-in person is replacing the normal lead singer for a number, and for harmonies/backup it can be tough unless the sit-in singer is really used to singing along with the band's singers. Guitar and drums run into equipment issues, lending gear to the sit-in person, as does bass. But bass is the hardest one. As a good friend put it to me once, "Bass isn't a good sit-in instrument."

One band I play with forbade me from ever letting anyone sit in on bass after I let a drunk friend sit in. I thought it went well, even though he didn't know the bassline, he's a funky guy and a good player, the crowd was dancing, seemed fine to me out front. But after the show I got an earful from all the other 3 members of the band!
 
  • Like
Reactions: EastCoastThump
#30
juancaminos said:
Where I grew up in California if I went to a friends gig I was always asked to get up an play a song. If a friend came to see us they would be asked to play a song. It seemed like the way things were done. In AZ this is not the case although I have experienced it it is not a given like in Cali in the 70's.

So the first question: is this practise or courtesy alive in your area?
Secone question: When asked to come up and play or sing a song do you know when to leave (the stage)? I think one song unless you are asked to stay for another.
Click to expand...
I say at least two! Unless asked to stay for more.
 
#31
We let people sit in if its not at a major venue. We have one fellow who really likes the band and hired us for two or three gigs at the RV park where he lives. We play once a month around the corner where he lives and he strums and sings Knocking on heaven's door with us at that venue. He comes out to two other venues and he understands that he can't always sit in. He buys me and one of the guitar players beers, too.
 
#35
juancaminos said:
Where I grew up in California if I went to a friends gig I was always asked to get up an play a song. If a friend came to see us they would be asked to play a song. It seemed like the way things were done. In AZ this is not the case although I have experienced it it is not a given like in Cali in the 70's.

So the first question: is this practise or courtesy alive in your area?
Secone question: When asked to come up and play or sing a song do you know when to leave (the stage)? I think one song unless you are asked to stay for another.
Click to expand...

Hi Juan,

I’ve been a working bass player in the Phoenix area for years and guests are often asked to sit in amongst the community of working players in the area. I think within this community, the invite often rests on how well the players in other bands know each other, and how comfortable they feel handing duties during a paid gig to another player. You should come to the open jam at Chars on. Monday or Tuesday night and introduce yourself!
 
#36
My band mostly does private and corporate work. When at at those type events, nothing kicks that party into high gear, like getting one of their own up on stage to do a number or two. But it is never as spontaneous and unrehearsed as we make it look. We know weeks in advance who it is and what they will be singing. They do a couple of songs and we keep that momentum going as they leave the stage. They get their fifteen minutes, however good or bad it may be, and we get a big jump start on the crowd for the evening. Anybody else that randomly want to come up? Not going to happen, unless we know them. Personally, I hate the get a bunch of people of to dance on stage schtick. It may have been fine when I was playing on crap equipment when I was younger, but when Drunk Joe Douche takes off into the crowd playing "air guitar" on my $2000 bass, I have some serious issues.
 
#37
faulknersj said:
Hi Juan,

I’ve been a working bass player in the Phoenix area for years and guests are often asked to sit in amongst the community of working players in the area. I think within this community, the invite often rests on how well the players in other bands know each other, and how comfortable they feel handing duties during a paid gig to another player. You should come to the open jam at Chars on. Monday or Tuesday night and introduce yourself!
Click to expand...
Exactly, If the person is known the invite is extended. Unfortunatly I work Nights now, another reason for the Fools Life Band Hiatus then the slight return every few months. For years I never missed the Sunday Rockett 88's jam at Warsaw's. Right now I have to make a living...
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: faulknersj
#38
juancaminos said:
Where I grew up in California if I went to a friends gig I was always asked to get up an play a song. If a friend came to see us they would be asked to play a song. It seemed like the way things were done. In AZ this is not the case although I have experienced it it is not a given like in Cali in the 70's.

So the first question: is this practise or courtesy alive in your area?
Secone question: When asked to come up and play or sing a song do you know when to leave (the stage)? I think one song unless you are asked to stay for another.
Click to expand...

SoCal is the destination for actress/model/singer/waitress/yoga instructors.
NorCal is the destination for weed growing/model/singer/MBA/coder/VC funder/biz titan/professional girlfriend/yoga instructors.

So yeah, most CA native dudes are multi talented in pursuit via the entertainment of women.
 
#39
It happens alot here on acoustic shows if another musician shows up we will get up and play and sing a song or 2 on full band shows not as much we as a band have been invited up by the headliner to do a big jam song at the end of the night that every one knows like working man blues or take it easy.
 
#40
Just to be clear, the OP is not talking about strangers ASKING to sit in with the band. That kind of thing is only for open mics. Unless I misunderstood, he's talking about musician friends of the band getting INVITED by the band to sit in. I think that's fine and can enhance a show by adding a little variety, plus any friends the invitee brought with them get excited to see their friend up there.

There should be some basic respect around; don't put someone on the spot, ask them during a break or before the show (if they're there that early) if they WANT to get up. They may not. Also, if they're going to be using anyone's gear, ask the person whose gear it is if they mind. If the person being invited is a known friend of the band, that presumably means they'll treat your gear respectfully and it shouldn't be a problem, but you have to allow them to say no.

I've done it on the last couple of gigs, both times when a female singer friend showed up that I KNEW could sing one of the songs we had on the list anyway. I have a male-POV version of Exes and Ohs we do in Six Cowards but if I can get a woman to get up and sing it the original way, so much the better.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back