Playing in the Rain?

[_Some Dude]

I’ve recently moved to a much wetter climate and the weather today has me thinking, what do you guys do when it rains?

Today it’s overcast with some on again, off again drizzle. Not the kind of stuff people would cancel an event over or run away from. I’ve seen pictures of bands with plastic over their electronics, now I’m wondering what they do with their instruments?

 

[wvbass]

I live in a fairly wet climate, and do shows outside. We don't play in the rain. If it rains, protecting PA gets top priority, amps second, instruments third. If there is just "water in the air" but it isn't really raining, just make sure you clean/dry your instrument afterwards.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Either a tent with lots of room around the equipment, or its not happening. I saw an idiot with a beer destroy a few thousand dollars worth of pedals at a zep tribute gig I did a while back. Shorted out the PA too. Thankfully he was a very kind idiot, who could afford to pay for damages and did. If rain does that kind of damage, rain won't pay .

Here's a clip of my band a couple of years ago. It was a beautiful day, and just rained for about an hour.

 

[wvbass]

Either a tent with lots of room around the equipment, or its not happening. I saw an idiot with a beer destroy a few thousand dollars worth of pedals at a zep tribute gig I did a while back. Shorted out the PA too. Thankfully he was a very kind idiot, who could afford to pay for damages and did. If rain does that kind of damage, rain won't pay .

Here's a clip of my band a couple of years ago. It was a beautiful day, and just rained for about an hour.

Yep - outdoor stages have lids around here. That's why PA gets addressed first - that is the thing most likely not to be under cover already.

 

[godofthunder59]

First sign of rain basses back in the cases and into the van, rig gets disconected, tarped and and bungghie corded, if I have time I'll also put my tube amps in the van. Water and electric gear do not mix, anyone who tells you to keep playing ignore.

 

[DWBass]

I do not play in the rain. Ever.

 

[dangevans]

Bring tarp to cover things just in case. I played in the rain one time, and let the band leader know how stupid he was to keep playing. Over $10,000 in our personal and band-owned equipment luckily didn't get damaged. It never happened again!

 

[Jazzkuma]

nope. If whoever hired you or the band is not willing to put up some sort of tent or pay for damaged gear then I would not do it. And gear is not the only concern, I feel you all would be at risk of getting shocked.

 

[JW56789]

I lived along the Gulf Coast half my life, and am always a bit disappointed it's JUST as humid in Nashville most of the time, albeit with less rain and no salt in the air.

I've never had any real issues with solid body instruments in those climates, while I have indeed seen more than a few older acoustic instruments real have issues (with their far-lighter construction) in those conditions. Newer glues and finishes just deal with it better than old hide glue and lacquer: This is why you buy Takamines for this sort of thing, they're like Timex watches. Leave the 50's D28 or 60's Dove at home in the AC !

For any kind of new or relatively modern solid-body bass (again, ya might want to leave your '59 Precision at the house), I never had a bit of problems, and normal upkeep and cleaning were all that was needed.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

If the venue doesn't have a covered stage / tarp whatever, and it's raining, it should be a cancellation.

 

[Skip Chucker]

I suppose it depends on the gig.

To quote Prince: "Can you make it rain harder?"

 

[ahbradot]

Sometime ago I was at a Rod Stewart concert. It was outdoors at the Jones Beach amphitheater Long Island New York. The theater is actually sitting in Zack‘s Bay. Water separates the small theater from the stage. At least in those days it did.
Anyway, it started pouring rain. I thought the concert was over, instead Rod Stewart walks to the edge of the stage and sat down, feet dangling over the water and Rod Stewart just breaks into Otis Redding‘s,“Sitting on the dock of the Bay”. The audience when berserk. All of a sudden we didn’t care that we were all soaking wet. It was very exhilarating.

 

[mongo2]

Never outside in rain.

Last night we played outside with a forecast of rain for the second half of the show but we got lucky and the rain held off until just after I got home.

 

[ac100X]

I'm in California.....What this rain you speak of?

 

[pglaser01]

Even if it’s not raining immediately, I always carry a rolled up 4x6 rubberized work mat to put down if needed.

Home Depot sells them for about $36 last I saw. A nice thing to have and not always need than the other way around, plus it fits in the car and isn’t hard to carry.

EDIT: Rubberized may or may not be a real word…..but the mat is indeed a rubber mat

 

[Goatrope]

We just book fewer and fewer venues that don’t provide adequate cover. When I joined this band, many years ago, I told them I wasn’t risking thousands to earn a hundred.

 

[micguy]

I'm in California.....What this rain you speak of?

Every person I know that lives in California will say (when I visit) that "they've been in a drought for 4 years". Apparently Californians think that when it doesn't rain for 4 out of every 5 years, those 4 years are a "drought".

It isn't. You live in a desert. Every 5 years or so, it rains a little.

I have, a couple of times, finished a song when a light rain started. But that's about as brave as I am when it comes to playing an electric instrument in the rain.

 

[two fingers]

It's a tough call. I always err on the side of caution. My band mates don't always see it that way. They really want to play.

I tried to put my foot down a couple of years ago. They wouldn't have it. We played. The rain held off until we out the last piece of gear in out vehicles.

The show was pure magic that night. We were on fire. The crowd was insane. I'm SO glad I didn't stick to my guns.

But, again, I try to talk my band out of an outdoor show with even a 40% chance of rain. Sometimes I win. Sometimes I lose. That night I won when I lost.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Had one gig where there were clear skies and I got a DarkSky alert, checked radar and there was a small but intense cell that popped up out of nowhere headed our way. We had tarps and the heads up averted disaster. Really quick shower and then we were back at it. Since then I try to keep my amp on something that will let water flow underneath and keep a tarp on hand to cover my stuff. I also look at it like the oxygen masks in the even of a cabin depressurization, I'll take care of my stuff first and then help those seated next to me. Had a few gigs during questionable while using pedal board / DI / ampless and for those I would have preferred to go wireless to give air gap between anything electrical and myself but that was not permitted - NFL game day, all frequencies are under close scrutiny to avoid disruption to the broadcast, probably reasonable since they're paying billions for the rights. Anyways, for those I would put the pedalboard in an oversized ziploc bag which kept everything dry. Not submersible, but dry for even a garden hose spray.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

I’ve recently moved to a much wetter climate and the weather today has me thinking, what do you guys do when it rains?

Today it’s overcast with some on again, off again drizzle. Not the kind of stuff people would cancel an event over or run away from. I’ve seen pictures of bands with plastic over their electronics, now I’m wondering what they do with their instruments?

I'm not sponsored by anyone so playing in the rain ain't gonna happen.

I have played outside, under a large roof while the crowd was getting wet.

One of the occasions caused me to move towards the center of the stage along with a quick tarp over the backline to keep the sideways rain from getting anything wet.

We all have wireless rigs in case this happens.

Instruments don't get wet but equipment is left in an area once the job is over, that both heat and dehumidification is utilized to make sure no adverse effects occur.

If you don't know or can't trust your electrical feeds, pass!