Watching certain band members owe the bar $$ rather than taking home $$ at the end of the gig cured me of any desire to indulge.
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Double Bass No drinking while performing. Anyone else do this?
- Thread starter Low Key
- Start date
On four-hour gigs, I was getting pretty tired/negative early and found that staying dry really helped me stay focused, which made my technique better, which made me less exhausted physically, which made me less exhausted mentally.
Now, I'll often have one drink before the last set to celebrate getting through the first four and loosen up a little
Now, I'll often have one drink before the last set to celebrate getting through the first four and loosen up a little
I’ll have exactly one drink before the show, and exactly one drink after. That’s if we’re playing a bar or other venue where liquor is served. If they’re not serving drinks, I don’t even think about drinking.
During the break? Sorry, just the water—need to stay hydrated. If I have drink tickets, I treat them like a marketing tool: buy drinks for the most enthusiastic members of the audience.
During the break? Sorry, just the water—need to stay hydrated. If I have drink tickets, I treat them like a marketing tool: buy drinks for the most enthusiastic members of the audience.
One before, during setup, and one between sets. It was more when I smoked. I drink a lot less since quitting smoking. My herb intake has risen but never at gigs. I tend to get giddy and belligerent.
I just have to avoid beer, especially if it’s hot. My body has changed over the years and I have had violent hangovers from 1 freaking 20 oz beer sometimes It’s mostly due to the physical exertion I put into my performance. I can deal with liquor a little bit better it seems, but I still have to be careful. I have only had a few minor buzzed flub moments, usually much less than the other band mates, so for me it’s a health issue more than a performance issue.
I wanted to thank folks for your thoughts here. A few things I took away from this conversation helped me.
1. Many of the settings that I play in are “sound on the fly” . No sound person, small PA, bring your own amp and dial in. In these settings, one just can’t expect things to be ideal. We can just do our best to heart ourselves, make sure band mates can hear us and pray the audience can too.
2. Leaning the amp back helps a lot. It makes it more like a monitor and I can adjust my sound on the fly.
3. Using my preamp as a boost pedal is great for solos. My band mates can HEAR what I’m playing so they’re much more impressed with it. And sometimes I leave the boost on when my hands start to get tired, playing at a lower volume (this cuts fatigue)
4. (Dangerous statement) it’s ok to turn up the amp until you really hear yourself. If you can hear yourself, so can the band.
5. It gets loud in rooms and it’s hard to hear the bass. Accept it, listen hard and stay relaxed.
1. Many of the settings that I play in are “sound on the fly” . No sound person, small PA, bring your own amp and dial in. In these settings, one just can’t expect things to be ideal. We can just do our best to heart ourselves, make sure band mates can hear us and pray the audience can too.
2. Leaning the amp back helps a lot. It makes it more like a monitor and I can adjust my sound on the fly.
3. Using my preamp as a boost pedal is great for solos. My band mates can HEAR what I’m playing so they’re much more impressed with it. And sometimes I leave the boost on when my hands start to get tired, playing at a lower volume (this cuts fatigue)
4. (Dangerous statement) it’s ok to turn up the amp until you really hear yourself. If you can hear yourself, so can the band.
5. It gets loud in rooms and it’s hard to hear the bass. Accept it, listen hard and stay relaxed.
On gigs where there's food, I usually have a two beers with my meal before a gig, then switch to water while playing. In fact the only time I partake anymore is when I go out to eat.
In my younger days I'd drink 'em as fast as they'd bring them. Most places I played back then furnished bands pretty much all they wanted so I took advantage of it... but the years have changed that, among other things I used to do.
In my younger days I'd drink 'em as fast as they'd bring them. Most places I played back then furnished bands pretty much all they wanted so I took advantage of it... but the years have changed that, among other things I used to do.
I think he meant for it to be in the "Drinking while posting on TalkBass thread.".
So Anyway, I usually don't drink at a gig, but it's not a hard & fast rule. Since a couple of the BLs I worked for did it for their sole source of income, I wanted to do the best job I could for them. And if I have a couple of beers in me and a bass in my hands, I think I'm a lot cuter than I really am.
Several of the guys I recently played with had lost part of their liver function or gut lining to the 'free drinks' during 50 years of bar gigs. There was a time when some BLs would take less money in order to have free drinks....which weren't really free. And since there was no limit, they felt entitled and even obligated to overdo it. Glad I was able to avoid that.
Several of the guys I recently played with had lost part of their liver function or gut lining to the 'free drinks' during 50 years of bar gigs. There was a time when some BLs would take less money in order to have free drinks....which weren't really free. And since there was no limit, they felt entitled and even obligated to overdo it. Glad I was able to avoid that.
If I’m playing in a venue that has alcohol, then yes, I do imbibe at a leisurely pace.
I’m there to have a good time, just like the audience. (Hopefully).
I have been in bands with individuals who definitely could not do this, but a little light consumption has never hindered my body/mind/abilities.
I do also have a light meal beforehand usually.
I’m there to have a good time, just like the audience. (Hopefully).
I have been in bands with individuals who definitely could not do this, but a little light consumption has never hindered my body/mind/abilities.
I do also have a light meal beforehand usually.
I’m perfectly happy to have one beer around an hour before I play a gig but I don’t really like drinking it any closer to the start time than that and I definitely won’t have two. After we finish playing I might have one or two more…. or not.
As a bass player, one beer before the gig.
If I am the vocalist, getting to the "feel good" point makes for a good show. People also buy you drinks as a vocalist. I only had one dude buy me a drink as a bassist....it was after I played some Rush and Mr. Big. I guess he was a bass player. LOL
If I am the vocalist, getting to the "feel good" point makes for a good show. People also buy you drinks as a vocalist. I only had one dude buy me a drink as a bassist....it was after I played some Rush and Mr. Big. I guess he was a bass player. LOL
What about church services where they serve wine for communion?
I'm not a big drinker, and don't particularly enjoy it. So I will beg off drink buyers with that explanation and if they persist, ask them for an iced or hot tea, which I do enjoy.
However, I am a fan and proponent of the herb. But it does me no favors musically, affecting as it does that very fine line between an A performance and a B performance. So I always wait until after. Even at home, it waits until after my daily practice session.
It wasn't always this way. I had to learn this through trial and (lots of) error.
However, I am a fan and proponent of the herb. But it does me no favors musically, affecting as it does that very fine line between an A performance and a B performance. So I always wait until after. Even at home, it waits until after my daily practice session.
It wasn't always this way. I had to learn this through trial and (lots of) error.
I get quite annoyed when band mates take pauses between songs at rehearsal to do shots. What’s worse is they drink awful fruit flavoured crap liquor. Thry wonder why I never partake. Maybe if they drank some decent bourbon I’d have a few. I see them using jamming as an excuse to drink anyways, as is the case with lots of musicians.
