Hey Folks---rookie poster here. I just played my longest, nonstop gig last night---3 hours and 15 minutes. 55 years old and feeling it this morning. Just wondering what some of you think about this marathon?? Am I being a whimp?? Is our Guitar/vocalist too gung ho?? Thanks for the feedback.
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Longest Gig you ever played???
- Thread starter TexasGopher
- Start date
A few years back a band we knew played a 4 hour 5 min nonstop gig at one of our favorite clubs and made a big deal out of it. We just couldn't be outdone so we had to one-up them. We went 4 hours and 35 min. We played 52 different songs (including the ones contained in medleys). We even ordered pizza from on stage. I clearly remember tapping out a bass line with my left hand while eating pizza with my right. The club owner knew we were going to pull it off. She had a nice plaque made up and presented it to us afterwards. She just had the engraver add the time and mailed it to us later. I should figure out who has that thing at get a pic of it.
I was in my mid 30s at the time but I still felt it a little the next day or so. That's a lot of notes without resting. I also sang 15 songs that night (which is about 10 more than I usually do) plus backups and my throat wasn't very happy about it either.
Edit: There's really no good reason do play nonstop every single show. If you "lose crowd" during the breaks (as many claim) then you aren't exactly knocking them dead to begin with. Your guitar guy should calm down and have some fun. Get a beer during the break and relax. Hug some women and shake some hands.
I was in my mid 30s at the time but I still felt it a little the next day or so. That's a lot of notes without resting. I also sang 15 songs that night (which is about 10 more than I usually do) plus backups and my throat wasn't very happy about it either.
Edit: There's really no good reason do play nonstop every single show. If you "lose crowd" during the breaks (as many claim) then you aren't exactly knocking them dead to begin with. Your guitar guy should calm down and have some fun. Get a beer during the break and relax. Hug some women and shake some hands.
2fingers---that was the thinking "we would lose them." But I am with you in that there is something to be said for leaving them wanting more.
Set up and played two 90 minute shows with a break in the afternoon at a college in New Jersy. Packed up, drove into the city, set up again and played two 90 minute shows warming up Peter Rowan at the Lone Star Cafe that evening. Technically not the longest gig but, for me, the longest day.
Hmmm, I'm not sure how long my longest set would have been but I'm pretty sure I've never done three hours without a break. Two yes, maybe even two-and-a-half. Depending on the music it can be very draining. I've done a lot of weddings where, in addition to playing we stand on stage while people give speeches. That, to me is even worse (my legs start to get very uncomfortable). So yeah, three hours and a quarter is long. Do you have only one lead singer? Most of the time I've found it's the singer who, more than anyone else, needs a break (and with good reason).
7 hours. I used to practice between 4-9 hours a day when I was a teenager so the 7 hours at that time wasn't that big a stretch.
If I tried that today, oh god. I'd have another cardiac event.
If I tried that today, oh god. I'd have another cardiac event.
We once did five hours of playing in two back to back gigs. We played for about two hours then made tracks to a nearby club, set up our gear very hurriedly and played for the rest of the night there. Exhausting but fun. The second gig was really killer because we were so pumped from the first one.
Five 45 minute sets.
On a deck, at the top of the north slope of a hilside,
in winter, with a strong north wind.
There is just something speicial about have a cold wind blowing up
at your nether regions. ;^(
On a deck, at the top of the north slope of a hilside,
in winter, with a strong north wind.
There is just something speicial about have a cold wind blowing up
at your nether regions. ;^(
After taking a five year break, i'd say our last practice (at least it felt like it).
I think in the past we played five or six sets in a night.
I think in the past we played five or six sets in a night.
Did a 5 1/2 hour gig at a winery once with only two breaks,, last set was a solid two hours long, but nothing like 3 or 4 hours straight, that's crazy! I just lose focus without a break at least every 90 minutes or so.
The hardest gigging I've ever done was playing two big shows in the same night with two different bands. 6:20 to 8:40 with one 10-minute break in an outdoor pavilion for ~1200 people, then actually walked down the pedestrian mall here in our home town to a theater gig for ~400 people that started at 9:15. They did a couple acoustic numbers while ate a sandwich in the green room, I was on stage by 9:30 and did two set, the first an hour and 15 minutes, the second an hour and a 1/2. I was cramping up in my plucking hand by the end of the second set, unfortunately.
The hardest gigging I've ever done was playing two big shows in the same night with two different bands. 6:20 to 8:40 with one 10-minute break in an outdoor pavilion for ~1200 people, then actually walked down the pedestrian mall here in our home town to a theater gig for ~400 people that started at 9:15. They did a couple acoustic numbers while ate a sandwich in the green room, I was on stage by 9:30 and did two set, the first an hour and 15 minutes, the second an hour and a 1/2. I was cramping up in my plucking hand by the end of the second set, unfortunately.
Played over four hours straight last summer. People would not stop dancing. Myself (bass) and the drummer were the only ones in the band who did not take a potty break.
I did a 12 hour gig on bourbon street , New Orleans during Mardi Gras week. We started at 12pm and ended at midnight before the next band started. Sets were 45 min. with a 15 min. break each hour. It was fun, people were trashed all day long and the crowds were always revolving so you could play the exact same set back to back and no one would be the wiser. We did that gig three days in a row, the first day we were excited and partied just as hard as the crowd all day, big mistake. It's sounded fun drinking ALL day but truly it was hard by the 9th hour. We learned to keep it to a minimum during the day, let the crowd do their thing, then step it up at night. I was about 22 back then and would have slept on the streets to play a gig, we were all hungry musicians. I still would love to play that gig simply for the shear fun of it all, but I would do it sober this time around.
Yeah, an we did that three days back to back, but like I said , we were in our low to mid 20's and it wasn't really a problem. I remember (same band) when we would play 3 different shows in one day. We played an afternoon wedding, then rushed to a river bar and played there , then finally rushed to the club an would play there. We were sort of the "new" band in the area and in demand because we had a huge number of friends that would come to see us each night , once the club owners caught wind of it, we were booked solid. I once played 31 days in row. That's my longest stint.
Okay, this goes back a few years. Private party at the Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC in the eighties. Everett Bennett Williams law firm had just wrapped up their final arguments defending AT&T in the great anti-trust case. They held a party that was booked as three hours minimum with an hour OT, all continuous. When we reached the four hour mark, the boss kept us going for two and half more hours. We only quit when hotel guests started complaining about the noise. It was a week night as well!
Quite a party and, of course, the suit was lost and AT&T was broken up.
Quite a party and, of course, the suit was lost and AT&T was broken up.
The longest non-stop was only about 2 hours, but the longest day was certainly june 13 2011:
We played 4 one-hour sets at an afternoon outdoor event with a partyband (thus moving a lot, and it was hot weather!). Just when we had finished and loaded our gear, quite exhausted already, I got called by my wife to inform me that her water broke. Drove home, and then to the hospital. Then I experienced the entire process of the birth of my firstborn son. Finally I passed out on the bed late at night...
It was a great day and one to remember, but I'm glad it won't happen every weekend...
We played 4 one-hour sets at an afternoon outdoor event with a partyband (thus moving a lot, and it was hot weather!). Just when we had finished and loaded our gear, quite exhausted already, I got called by my wife to inform me that her water broke. Drove home, and then to the hospital. Then I experienced the entire process of the birth of my firstborn son. Finally I passed out on the bed late at night...
It was a great day and one to remember, but I'm glad it won't happen every weekend...
Played a Saturday afternoon show where we were supposed to be one of 5 bands (in the middle.) Other bands kept dropping out and the organizer would ask if we could cover their slot. The day of the show there was only us and the headliner remaining. We went on at 1, took a 15 minute break around 3, then went back on until 5. After the switch the headliner played for 45 minutes.
We then packed up our stuff and headed out to our regular Saturday night gig which started at 7. I was pretty tired that night when I got home.
We then packed up our stuff and headed out to our regular Saturday night gig which started at 7. I was pretty tired that night when I got home.
