Pet Peeve - loading in/loading out

[ToneMonkey]

Other bands being slow to set up and tear down...especially tear down. You finish your act, you move your ass as quickly as you can off the stage...THEN you start milling about and bullpoopieting with people.

Bands bringing a complicated rig to a poopiehole venue for a free gig.

Bands bringing amplifiers that outdo the P.A. OK...so you actually WANT your band to sound like crap?

Noodling, excessive testing, taking forever to set up your pedals, etc. Get that stuff squared away OFF the stage, so all you do is pipe a cable in and a cable out of your board.

Playing along with the house music...especially when you don't know how to pay the damned song.

Drummers who won't share their kit...yet also take their sweet-ass time setting up and tearing down.

Bands who pack up *completely* while still on the stage. NO! You shuttle everything off the stage as quickly as possible, then you wrap up the details off to the side. You don't stand on stage wrapping up your cables, pedals, putting your amps into cases, removing and packing your cymbals, etc. No cases on the stage, and no assembly or disassembly of your rig/kit on the stage.

Set lists left on the stage.

Drinks left on the stage.

Spills left on the stage.

Load-in times that are idiotically early.

Bands that play encores without sufficient demand for them.

Bands that push the start time because "nobody's here yet." Too bad! Go on on time!

I see you're from L.A. Have you ever played the Whiskey? You get 15 mins between bands. That's 15 mins total for the previous band to get their stuff off the stage and for the next band to set up (including mic placement). They don't take no BS there. It's kind of refreshing actually.

 

[retslock]

Back in the day, when I used to play Irish bars on Union Street in Boston (near Faneuil Hall), this was pretty common. It was common to see a group of glasses with coasters on top while the patrons went out for a smoke.

Back in the day when my wife and I did a duo, there was a regular gig where they stuck us on the floor, no stage, between the men’s toilets and the gambling machines. Prestige huh! Makes your gig so much nicer when they give you that “special” feeling.

 

[retslock]

When I'm coming in or out through a crowd with my two 2x10s I holler "Lady with a baby, coming through! Hot baby!" Some places there's an actual doorman, to whom I'll always say "This is the part we get paid for."

That’s my line too - The music’s free, you pay for the lug!

 

[BtaylorTheRogue]

Corporate events- I do my job

D.J. walks in and does his job.

He's getting paid the same as the band!

Good. I'm glad they aren't stiffing him.

 

[BtaylorTheRogue]

Horn players who set their stuff up in 15 minutes and then proceed to noodle for the next 2 hours while we're setting up. You know..."warming up the horn(s)".

I notice you live in Alabama, but up north, especially when outside, warming up the horns is a thing. It's done silently, though.

 

[The Bass Clef]

It really bugs me when my band thinks they’re being efficient by just getting everything on the stage as fast as they can, and putting it in a big pile right in the middle, but then we have to move everything around 2 or 3 times because everything is in everything else’s damn way!.. Instead of just putting each amp, speaker, drum, etc.. where it supposed to go in the first place as we bring it all in. No matter how many times I’ve tried to tell them how to do it, the next gig it’s just a big pile to sort thru again. They’re lucky they are good musicians, haha.

My other pet peeve is well-meaning fans who want to help us pack up and carry out the gear, but they don’t know what goes where, and they’ll take bags to the car that still have cords or other stuff to be put in them... then on the next gig, we’re searching for a speaker cable or something because it wasn’t put back in its normal spot.

 

[acleex38]

My other pet peeve is well-meaning fans who want to help us pack up and carry out the gear, but they don’t know what goes where, and they’ll take bags to the car that still have cords or other stuff to be put in them... then on the next gig, we’re searching for a speaker cable or something because it wasn’t put back in its normal spot.

When I see bands/musicians and have chatted with them, I always offer to help carry things or wind cables.
1.) 90% of the time, they decline because "they have a system." Total respect for that.
2.) The other 10%, I take no action unless specifically directed by the person in charge.

But I feel like I should offer.

 

[Jakeman]

It drives me nuts when the other guys in the band don't even consider stage real estate. I once played a gig at a relatively large theater where the drummer set up in the middle of the stage, as is common, and I set up right next to him. Next thing I know, both guitarists and keyboard player are set up on the same side as me in a total cluster. I ended up unplugging and moving to the giant open space on the other side. I just don't get it.

 

[Jason Hollar]

Played a big east coast club a few years ago. Got there last, but not late. Plenty of parking out back, stage door access, nice easy ramp all the way up to the stage, guitarist’s amp set up right in front of the gate. No way around.

 

[Arknark]

• Preceding band that can’t clear the stage quickly.
• Following band that stages gear in front of your band’s cases.

Hey everyone! And yeah, I'm definitely with you on that one, or bands that take a half hour to set up, and then play a short set.... *shakes head*

 

[QORC]

Singer divas not helping anyone out, especially with load-out. I've experienced this multiple times. what was funny was that one band complained that I wasn't helping everyone else -- when the singer never lifted an effing finger. She came late after everything was set up, then left right after the show before the stuff was loaded out

 

[QORC]

Here's a load-out pet peeve. Often times, we are playing late at night and maybe far away. I simply want to go home after I'm done. but if I'm expected to help do load out for the drummer, the PA, etc, why are these people off having drinks right after the show for 30 minutes before breaking down? How about everyone breaking down immediately, THEN getting your drinks? some of us want to get home before 3:30 am

 

[Kragnorak]

Being in a band with a drummer with a setup worthy of Keith Moon, a keyboard player with a cockpit worth of keyboards, a guitarist with two double 24” boards worth of pedals - and having the BL look at my floor tuner, 2U solid-state head and cab and ask if I really “need to be bringing all that gear.”

I was in a progressive metal band once where the guitarists brought their entire Space Command Module rack setups to small gigs. It was very embarrassing to me if our gear was stuck in a corner and STILL ate up far more floor space than the audience!

There is a second part to that story. Sometimes one of the guitar amps would cease to make sounds. Rather than plug straight in, these gear addicts would troubleshoot the issue in the middle of a set for extra mortification.

Even though I'm a guy that likes effect pedals and sound-sculpting, that experience caused me to play stripped-down for a decade!

 

[Flamingo21]

What was funny was that one band complained that I wasn't helping everyone else -- when the singer never lifted an effing finger. She came late after everything was set up, then left right after the show

Incredible!

 

[trailer]

I notice you live in Alabama, but up north, especially when outside, warming up the horns is a thing. It's done silently, though.

I'm aware of that...it gets cold enough (too cold for me sometimes) down here to cause issues for "horn stars" from time to time.

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

Singer in my current band is of the no-finger-lifted variety. Whatever, my gear is sufficiently light. But the other day during rehearsal he put his lyric sheet stand right in the space where my bass' head is. I told him to move it. He said: "no it's fine here, no worries"... I just placed my headstock smack over his lyrics. He got the message.

I look forward to our first gig, cos aside from not helping, he picks the least convenient spot to stand, and stays there while we tell him to get out of the way. Every damn rehearsal...

 

[Stinsok]

I can't really complain. It's reached the point where complete setup (subs/tops/ everyone's personal gear/mic's run/ light truss rear/ 2 minibar 4's out front can be done in about an hour. Teardown usually runs longer because everyone is tired, people talking to the band, etc.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Singer in my current band is of the no-finger-lifted variety. Whatever, my gear is sufficiently light. But the other day during rehearsal he put his lyric sheet stand right in the space where my bass' head is. I told him to move it. He said: "no it's fine here, no worries"... I just placed my headstock smack over his lyrics. He got the message.

I look forward to our first gig, cos aside from not helping, he picks the least convenient spot to stand, and stays there while we tell him to get out of the way. Every damn rehearsal...

I would have a talk with the band. If he's not willing to help, he shouldn't be in the band.

 

[Oddly]

Here's a load-out pet peeve. Often times, we are playing late at night and maybe far away. I simply want to go home after I'm done. but if I'm expected to help do load out for the drummer, the PA, etc, why are these people off having drinks right after the show for 30 minutes before breaking down? How about everyone breaking down immediately, THEN getting your drinks? some of us want to get home before 3:30 am

This one used to really get me... and in fact was the final straw for me giving up playing for a long time
Like many here, I was the band sound guy/driver too, so I never drank at gigs.
I also worked early shift next day at the time.
Repeatedly asked the rest of the band to get their gear loaded with varying degrees of compliance after every gig.
I finally had enough one night about 100 miles outside Dublin at a dancehall in the middle of nowhere.
I'd got my gear and the PA loaded, and the rest of them were still drinking.
I just said screw it, and left them there.
It gave me some considerable satisfaction watching them run out of the venue after me as they realised I was driving away.

Apparently they had to spend the night in a very cold damp barn, and spent the night's takings on a taxi home the next day.
There was a 'frank exchange of views' a couple of days later which resulted in me leaving the band...ohh, also breaking the singer's jaw with a well-thrown punch.

 

[marmadaddy]

Corporate events- I spent three hours putting up a p.a. lights, drum riser. I'm packin' $40,000 worth of gear-
The D.J. walks in and says- Cool...I'll just patch into your system, and all he has is a laptop. He's getting paid the same as the band!

"That was not included in our contract, but I can let you do it for $150 payable in advance, thank you."