I'm playing the Music As A Weapon tour...

[modulusman]

Thanks. We landed the gig because of our manager. I probably can't say too much about financials, but you do have to pay for opportunity.

Are you saying your band had to pay to get the gig?

 

[nightcityburn]

hey i just bought some tickets to that show last night. im sure you'll do fine. and while your in the back try to meet lacuna coil. they are one of my favorite bands. and now you have at least one bass player rooting for you. and feel lucky you get to play the same stage as disturbed and lacuna coil. tons and tons of people would kill for that experience.

Come check us out. My band's name is Wing's of Victory, and we will be on the second stage EARLY. Come say hey, it will be nice to meet some else from TB.

 

[nightcityburn]

Oh Fests... how i loath thee...

I've done side stages at Warped Tours before as well as a TON of other smallER fests, but still talking thousands of kids comming out. i hate them. I am a tremendously sociable person but fests are like sensory overload for me and i usually find myself hanging out at merch booths instead. This is also due to us getting wrongly booked about 95% of the time. All three of us in the band were straightedge, but we weren't "one of those straightedge bands". So we usually got booked on those kinds of fests that have about 13 hours straight (lol pun) of kids ninja kicking eachother. Then we would play and scare/tick off everyone... then sit arround some more... *sigh*.


As for fest playing tips:

1. Do NOT worry too much about your sound. At these big fests, and especially smaller stages, the sound people are primarily there to get you on and off as quick as possible. The last thing you want to do is harp over each minute sound for too long while kids grow impatient. Impatient kids = bad reaction.

2. Be energetic!!!! I can NOT stress this enough. As a musician and a fan, one of the things i simply will not tolerate are bands that are statues. Move around. Be exciting. Make eye contact with people. I don't know... maybe this is because i grew up going to shows like Jerome's Dream, Swing Kids, Antioch Arrow, Orchid, Pg99... but these bands REALLY got into it live and it just made the energy so wonderful.

3. Wander arround and talk to people before-hand. The only saving grace i found for fests is the ability to meet new and interesting people. Don't just chill out at your booth. Talk to other bands, talk to kids. Tell everyone to check your band out.

4. Don't be nervous. Cliche i know, but honestly, don't be nervous. Fest audiences are about the LEAST scrutinizing audiences you will ever play in front of, so relax and have fun!

5. If you are of the substance using persuasion... wait until AFTER you play. I hate seeing bands stumbling around while they play.



I dunno. I think that's okay for now. Just relax and have fun! I am sure you will do great. Playing metalcore in Florida is about as "preaching to the choir" as you can get. You WILL be well recieved, maybe just remember some of these things and you can surpass just "well recieved" and really stand out!

Good luck!!!

Thanks man. I am hoping it will be like taking candy from a baby. We should be good, its just nerve racking to get yourself together in 3 weeks, but it will happen, and we will be tight. We don't have a choice, ha.

 

[idoru]

I strung my Aerodyne with 115's last night (ridiculous for a 4 banger). I actually think I will have enough tension for Drop C, which is nice.

Give a .125 or .130 a go for the dropped C - the tension is close to a .105 E string, very taut and punchy.

I experimented with this when I was looking at auditioning for an established local metal band with national exposure, international supports etc. Sadly, the guy never followed through and left the project on the back-burner.

c-

 

[nightcityburn]

I strung up 115's on it on Thursday and practiced them Friday. They are right on. I adjusted the action to be a bit higher to compensate, but the tension is where I need it to be.

I tried a .125, and it was just a bit too heavy for me, plus I am afraid of putting that much tension on the neck. I don't want it to fold on me.

 

[idoru]

I strung up 115's on it on Thursday and practiced them Friday. They are right on. I adjusted the action to be a bit higher to compensate, but the tension is where I need it to be.

I tried a .125, and it was just a bit too heavy for me, plus I am afraid of putting that much tension on the neck. I don't want it to fold on me.

You'd be surprised. D'Addario has a pitch/gauge/tension chart on their website. Pick a gauge, pick a note to tune it to & it tells you the tension. A .130 string tuned to C is actually slightly lower tension than a .105 string tuned to E.

You're absolutely entitled to your opinion on the feel though - I just happen to like a low string that feels like anchor cable

c-

 

[nightcityburn]

You'd be surprised. D'Addario has a pitch/gauge/tension chart on their website. Pick a gauge, pick a note to tune it to & it tells you the tension. A .130 string tuned to C is actually slightly lower tension than a .105 string tuned to E.

You're absolutely entitled to your opinion on the feel though - I just happen to like a low string that feels like anchor cable

c-

Thanks for that, for sure. I needed something like that when I was stringing up my bass.

The other thing is my BAII needs to be drilled for a 125, and I am not motivated enough to do that, ha.

 

[CharlieDog]

Are you saying your band had to pay to get the gig?

I'm wondering this, too.

 

[nightcityburn]

I'm wondering this, too.

I honestly can't really talk the details of how we ended up with it. Just know that all those battle of the bands slots that are really battles, i.e. not internet voting, cost that promoter money to get that slot for the locals in area to win.

 

[rapturebass]

Cool. You'll be playing with Crooked X! (on second stage)

http://crookedx.com

 

[nightcityburn]

Cool. You'll be playing with Crooked X! (on second stage)

http://crookedx.com

They are babies. Wow.

 

[Doodaddy]

I'm headed to see that tour tomorrow. I'm pumped.

I wish I were playing on it.

 

[xgator4u]

I honestly can't really talk the details of how we ended up with it. Just know that all those battle of the bands slots that are really battles, i.e. not internet voting, cost that promoter money to get that slot for the locals in area to win.

as long as the "band" does not have to pay to play, who cares about promoters? Anyway brother, Have a blast.

 

[Doodaddy]

It was a great show, but the second stage was not there. At all. I was quite upset. They didn't say what happened. :-\

 

[jmac]

Congrats on this opportunity. I recommend checking out Lacuna Coil. Excellent band with a hot female vocalist. I don't like the rest of the bands on this tour, but was still thinking of purchasing a ticket to see them.

Please revisit this thread after the show to let us know how it went.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Deep breaths and a candy bar.


Or a couple shots.