what?
I never had that. Ever. That's pretty weird... I had one sound guy asking me to boost the high mids onstage, but that's about it, and I didn't anyway.
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Pet Peeve - loading in/loading out
- Thread starter dheafey
- Start date
what?
I never had that. Ever. That's pretty weird... I had one sound guy asking me to boost the high mids onstage, but that's about it, and I didn't anyway.
true!
It helps to play in an 8-9 piece band... we cannot be ignored easily, but it still happens sometimes.
That too!
So many times I've had to stop someone and fight my murderous urges to stay friendly while explaining that if they wait a couple of minutes and give us room, we'll get out of there a lot faster. They generally take it well and even act surprised like "hey, that's a great idea" while I smile and think "idiot".
Stages or bands areas with TV screens behind them.
I've had girls that appear to be mesmerized with my playing only to discover
they are watching the TV behind me.
Or had guys start waving their hands, motioning me to move over slightly during an exciting sports event.
I always ask the barkeep to turn off the TV if it's directly behind us. Some just aren't willing or don't know how.
I've had girls that appear to be mesmerized with my playing only to discover
they are watching the TV behind me.
Or had guys start waving their hands, motioning me to move over slightly during an exciting sports event.
I always ask the barkeep to turn off the TV if it's directly behind us. Some just aren't willing or don't know how.
I have no complaints. My servants do a good job with the load in/ out and set up.
Load in: When the drummer leaves his gear right where you're going to put your amp.
Load out: When the drummer takes his sweet time packing his gear and leaves only enough time to get in the van and go to the next gig, no time for food or gas station stop.
Load out: When the drummer takes his sweet time packing his gear and leaves only enough time to get in the van and go to the next gig, no time for food or gas station stop.
Load in. other bands showing up late for load and in not being mindful of other bands at venues where there’s not a lot of space on stage to backline or having gear all over the place backstage making it a pain for other bands to get on or off.
Load out. If it’s multiple bands playing when your set is over get your gear off the stage immediately so your aren’t holding up the show, dont go order a beer. Don’t go talk to fans. This is something every national band I personally know absolutely hates and is the main reason many big national bands won’t allow a local opener. If you’re not loading your gear into you vehicles again be mindful of other bands in the backstage area. Put your gear in an organized fashion so there’s room for other gear and people to walk through
Without tripping on stuff. Cabs stacked if you have two. Drums should be broken down before the following band is done with their set
Load out. If it’s multiple bands playing when your set is over get your gear off the stage immediately so your aren’t holding up the show, dont go order a beer. Don’t go talk to fans. This is something every national band I personally know absolutely hates and is the main reason many big national bands won’t allow a local opener. If you’re not loading your gear into you vehicles again be mindful of other bands in the backstage area. Put your gear in an organized fashion so there’s room for other gear and people to walk through
Without tripping on stuff. Cabs stacked if you have two. Drums should be broken down before the following band is done with their set
When the set is over and instead of moving his crap off the stage to make room for the next band, Johnny Rockstar wants to walk around and hobnob with all of his "fans", go outside for a smoke, or check out everybody's crappy cellphone video of his "performance".
Usually, this describes the guitarist of the band immediately preceding mine. Sometimes, the drummer, too, especially the one who brought his mondo-mega-Neil Peart wannabe kit that takes 45 minutes to set up and break down.
Usually, this describes the guitarist of the band immediately preceding mine. Sometimes, the drummer, too, especially the one who brought his mondo-mega-Neil Peart wannabe kit that takes 45 minutes to set up and break down.
Ouch. Reminded me of:
Load out: sober female vocalist who is supposed to be watching the truck while we carry gear is a block up the street flirting with drug dealer.
yeah it only happened once, but it's still way up my list
When they forget that I actually need a spot on the stage
Back in the day, though, musicians actually got some dough, so maybe you could justify it. These days, I say you're on your own unless you got a Nord or something.yes, back in the day I had to help a keyboard player haul his full-on Hammond and Leslie rig into/out of gigs. At least back then, we were often doing week long stands, so it only happened at the beginning and end of the week. Of course, that band also had all its massive PA mixer and power amps in steel cabinets (!) and the PA mains were massive Voice of the Theater style cabs that could only be moved with 2 people. So happy that great gear is so much lighter these days
These days, I am once again working with Hammond player, but he has cut down the keyboard so significantly that hauling it is pretty easy.
I love the sound of a Hammond in the hands of a good player though, so I am willing to put up with helping.
I'm not too crazy about drunk patrons who absolutely insist on helping you load up your gear at the end of the gig. They often take things out in the wrong order and put them in the wrong vehicles. I once found half of the club's Karaoke system in the back of my truck.
Another time I watched a man stumble around the parking lot carrying the bass drum like the Energizer Bunny trying to figure out what car it should go in.
Very helpful.
Another time I watched a man stumble around the parking lot carrying the bass drum like the Energizer Bunny trying to figure out what car it should go in.
Very helpful.
Drummer goes in first on the stage and spreads every case all over the
stage. No room for guitar amp , gotta move drum cases, no room for bass cab,gotta
move drum cases, no room for harp amp, gotta move cases.
Geez, it's the same feffin set up every gig, you would think he would figure it out.
stage. No room for guitar amp , gotta move drum cases, no room for bass cab,gotta
move drum cases, no room for harp amp, gotta move cases.
Geez, it's the same feffin set up every gig, you would think he would figure it out.
Oh yeah, I just remembered something else that drives me nuts. Happened recently.
The band putting the show together has bands asks the bands to share a back line to facilitate scheduling so that the night can move quickly and everybody can have as much playing time as needed while still meeting cutoff time. And the gear is good enough quality that anybody should be happy with it.
And then the 2nd band decides they're too cool to backline and brings their own kit and 8x10", thereby negating all loading advantages. And they didn't bring any fans, either. Oh, and they play too loud and everybody is on smoke break for 45 minutes while they're on stage. And they don't talk to or acknowledge any of the other bands.
Yeah. Not cool.
The band putting the show together has bands asks the bands to share a back line to facilitate scheduling so that the night can move quickly and everybody can have as much playing time as needed while still meeting cutoff time. And the gear is good enough quality that anybody should be happy with it.
And then the 2nd band decides they're too cool to backline and brings their own kit and 8x10", thereby negating all loading advantages. And they didn't bring any fans, either. Oh, and they play too loud and everybody is on smoke break for 45 minutes while they're on stage. And they don't talk to or acknowledge any of the other bands.
Yeah. Not cool.
Arriving late to load-in period, usually due to someone being late to call or the BL scheduling call so that we have no “cushion time” if issues or traffic happen.
When half of the band sets up theirs own stuff and spend time tone-hunting while the other half of the band sets up their stuff AND the FOH/IEM board/lights.
When the band sets up their stage plot so that the bass (me) has the tiniest corner in the back right next to the crash cymbal while the melody instruments and singer(s) have tons of stage estate each.
When there’s not enough power outlets or the power outlets are inconveniently placed many feet from the stage area and the venue doesn’t work with the band to find a solution.
When audience members try to play my bass for me while I’m walking around the venue during the show. Not really load-in/load-out related but grinds my gears anyway.
When a band member decides to leave his/her stuff set up and go party after the show is over while everyone else packs up and loads gear, thereby making us all wait on said (now drunk) band member (only in circumstance where we travel together, when I travel separately I leave as soon as the main gear is loaded and I’m paid).
When everyone in the group is supposed to take turns driving on overnight drives but half of the band gets drunk and passes out in the vehicle, leaving it up to the sober half to share the drive.
When half of the band sets up theirs own stuff and spend time tone-hunting while the other half of the band sets up their stuff AND the FOH/IEM board/lights.
When the band sets up their stage plot so that the bass (me) has the tiniest corner in the back right next to the crash cymbal while the melody instruments and singer(s) have tons of stage estate each.
When there’s not enough power outlets or the power outlets are inconveniently placed many feet from the stage area and the venue doesn’t work with the band to find a solution.
When audience members try to play my bass for me while I’m walking around the venue during the show. Not really load-in/load-out related but grinds my gears anyway.
When a band member decides to leave his/her stuff set up and go party after the show is over while everyone else packs up and loads gear, thereby making us all wait on said (now drunk) band member (only in circumstance where we travel together, when I travel separately I leave as soon as the main gear is loaded and I’m paid).
When everyone in the group is supposed to take turns driving on overnight drives but half of the band gets drunk and passes out in the vehicle, leaving it up to the sober half to share the drive.
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My band is pretty good about keeping cases off stage. A few months back I was on stage at a gig and the BL from the following band shows up--while I'm playing--and deposits his guitar case and a cooler of beer on the stage, just next to my amp. I was about to kick his crap off when I looked over to him and we met eye to eye. I mean, I'm onstage a foot off the ground and his eyes are LEVEL with mine. I am 6 feet tall. His gear stayed where it was...
Better yet, just go all acoustic and see how he really sounds singing to that. Indeed.
You know, the more I look at the responses to this post, the more I think it's more of an awareness issue. Just tell the singer, drummer (like he doesn't have enough to move), guitarist, keyboard player, background singer, mixer man, light guy, whatever, etc... that they need to help our with the gear. There is really no reason why anyone associated with the band should not be included with helping with moving the gear around. It is, however, up to the guys that know where the gear needs to go to give some guidance on this stuff. Not everyone knows where a power amp, snake, mixer, bass cab, guitar cab, microphone stand, drums whatever, needs to go. We need to teach our friends what they need to do, no? If they don't after that, they are lazy asses and not really interested in making music. Period. Indeed.
I'm female- I own the 12,000 watt three way p.a. System. I show up first, and set it up. Then I set up 36 DMX par lights, and program chases, and scenes for them. Then I set up a dozen or so smart lights....then I usually have time to eq the room, 4 monitor mixes. Then....the sound man shows up, and I set up my bass gear, play, tear down...repeat.
Yup, useless.
OK- Gig Load Pet Peeves:
#1- Constant Drum check for 1.5 hours. Seriously, whatever customers this place may have are going to leave when they hear you bang the same drum 20 times in a row until it sounds "just right" in your monitor"
#2- Getting nasty looks when I show up 30 minutes before the gig and set up my entire rig in 10 minutes and am ready to play.
#3- Inadequate parking or load in ramps at venue.
#4- Crappy power outlets.
#5- Douchebag BL trying to make a love connection instead of collecting our pay after gig is over.
#1- Constant Drum check for 1.5 hours. Seriously, whatever customers this place may have are going to leave when they hear you bang the same drum 20 times in a row until it sounds "just right" in your monitor"
#2- Getting nasty looks when I show up 30 minutes before the gig and set up my entire rig in 10 minutes and am ready to play.
#3- Inadequate parking or load in ramps at venue.
#4- Crappy power outlets.
#5- Douchebag BL trying to make a love connection instead of collecting our pay after gig is over.
