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Long gig. Would you do it?
- Thread starter magic8161
- Start date
A 12-hour gig, outside, hours from home, $750 per, lodging not provided, not your normal book of tunes.
If this is really a gig your band has done for ten years, then either you aren't explaining it fully or we aren't reading your explanation right. Because only a bunch of idiots would do a gig ten times which sounds like you're describing this one. There must be something more to it.
Barring that - for clarity, is this a gig that your band is _considering_, or is it a gig that the band has already booked and you're deciding whether to refuse to play it? Probably different advice for either case.
If this is really a gig your band has done for ten years, then either you aren't explaining it fully or we aren't reading your explanation right. Because only a bunch of idiots would do a gig ten times which sounds like you're describing this one. There must be something more to it.
Barring that - for clarity, is this a gig that your band is _considering_, or is it a gig that the band has already booked and you're deciding whether to refuse to play it? Probably different advice for either case.
Cave Puppy
"Humph Bo, he's wond!" - John Lennon
Try practicing scales for 3 hours, with good even volume. I am guessing it will probably tear up your fingers. Is this a reading gig of 165 songs or mostly number charts?
The only people I know that can play 12 hours straight are drum and bass done live with no seqeuncers is Jojo Mayer (drummer) who with his band Nerve can do all night sets. but the operative word is night. Jojo is a freak even among athletic drummers for his endurance and Janek Gwizdala was his bass player and he is a monster in the endurance department as well and they did those sets when they were younger and there were probably helper drugs or they were up and up on their physical training.
I am not saying yes or no. Really depends on the physicality involved. There are 60 year olds that can do 100 mile bike rides in just over 4 hours or swim three miles everyday.
The only people I know that can play 12 hours straight are drum and bass done live with no seqeuncers is Jojo Mayer (drummer) who with his band Nerve can do all night sets. but the operative word is night. Jojo is a freak even among athletic drummers for his endurance and Janek Gwizdala was his bass player and he is a monster in the endurance department as well and they did those sets when they were younger and there were probably helper drugs or they were up and up on their physical training.
I am not saying yes or no. Really depends on the physicality involved. There are 60 year olds that can do 100 mile bike rides in just over 4 hours or swim three miles everyday.
If I was you, I wouldn't do it even if I was 30 - never in my life I've had the hand stamina to pull off 165 songs in one day with a week to prepare for it, let alone after a 80 song day. That's like a 7h set after a 3.5h set the previous day (and that's just assuming a very generous 2.5 minutes per song and no breaks in between)? I don't know in what kind of shape you are, but I would venture that at 60-something it sounds like a wonderful way of straining something in your forearms/wrists/hands, and having to pay with months off the bass for it.
I don't know that I'd even agree to just stand around while not playing for 7h with my heavy-ass jazz bass hanging off my shoulder in an air-conditioned venue. Too much strain on the shoulder. Outdoors in July? Hard pass.
I don't know that I'd even agree to just stand around while not playing for 7h with my heavy-ass jazz bass hanging off my shoulder in an air-conditioned venue. Too much strain on the shoulder. Outdoors in July? Hard pass.
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6 hour drive to a 12 hour gig for $750, and gas is on me? HELL no. And 12 hours Elvis hacks? Double the money and maybe I'll at least think about it before saying no.
To Make matters worst I just got a call to do a gig in Vegas that weekend. I turned it down with a tear in my eye. I agreed to do the gig and I will. Yes the band has done this gig 10 years in a row. In the heat and all. This will be my first time at tis show. I can sit all the time they said and have my huge fan blowing on me. Theses are a plus. They said we will do 3 Elvis guys then get a break and so on. The 80 songs on Friday before the big show might kill me alone. But if they did it for 10 years i can make it through one maybe. But I will let it be known that I will never do this gig again. I don't want to quit or get fired because the rest of the year is gravy. Hell they flew me into cancoon for a one night gig with 20 songs!!! In a all inclusive resort!!! So Ill give it a shot and let you all know how it turned out. If any of you are in Michigan stop in and say hello and your bringing the bass player some strings or something...lol Friday starts at 4pm Sat at 11am.
Wayne County Fairgrounds
10871 Quirk Rd.
Belleville, MI
Wayne County Fairgrounds
10871 Quirk Rd.
Belleville, MI
I have zero chance of playing a 12-hour gig. I have a hard enough time with a 4 hour gig. By the end of the gig I hurt all over and can barely move - I'm 71. Also do you guys have 165 songs you feel comfortable to play or will you do 80 twice? If I take 800mg. of Ibuprofen, I should arrive able to walk and unload my gear out of my truck when I get home...no other promises.
You know even when I was touring in my early 20's I wouldn't be playing a 12-hour gig. That's just nuts. That sounds to me like the promoter can't get enough people to take the price he's offering so he's requiring the band(s) he managed to get to play a lot more. And even if I was physically able to play that gig, I probably wouldn't do it. Performing for 12 hours? Who expects that??? and then...Who does that??
So me? NO, absolutely not. No chance I could complete it so I wouldn't commit to it.
How long can you play for before your fingers bleed ?
So a 6 hour drive, then play 80 songs (about a 6 hour gig) the night before, wake up and get ready to play a 12 hour gig, then a 6 hour drive back ?
It's physically not possible, you will be seriously injured, either from playing, or falling a sleep while driving.
But if you think it's worth $750 - $250 gas = $500 bucks for two long days work. Power to you !!!
So a 6 hour drive, then play 80 songs (about a 6 hour gig) the night before, wake up and get ready to play a 12 hour gig, then a 6 hour drive back ?
It's physically not possible, you will be seriously injured, either from playing, or falling a sleep while driving.
But if you think it's worth $750 - $250 gas = $500 bucks for two long days work. Power to you !!!
To be fair to the guys that have done the past ten years, gas expenses haven't ever been this high for them.
