Poll: There is NO STAGE

[leonard]

I don't mind. I often use a sturdy music stand to prevent the dancers hitting my mic stand. There's no sheet music on the stand.

 

[retslock]

Done hundreds of gigs with no dedicated stage. And plenty where tables and chairs had to be moved. Last gig was exactly one of those.

Yep been there. When you’re doing it for a living you just set up, play and take the money and run. How about on the floor between the ladies and gents toilets. I’ve done that too.
One time (this is with a stage), a buck’s-night crowd doing a pub crawl rolled in. The groom-to-be had a blow-up open mouthed doll attached to his back. He climbed on stage and did a somersault over the monitor back to the dance floor. He didn’t land well but I think the alcohol lessened his pain. Luckily they moved on fairly soon to the next unfortunate pub.
In Australia we have this quaint custom at returned servicemen’s clubs called the “meat raffle”!!! Yes, you get to win a tray of assorted meat donated by the local butcher. Sometimes you don’t get to play until the meat raffle is over. Sometimes, as I have done, you win some meat and the bbq is at your house on Sunday afternoon.
Oh well...it’s a living.

 

[mellowinman]

Yeah I've done it. Most of them were swanky private affairs. But true occasional club doesn't have a stage. It's not my favorite. But I make it work.

Jist be kind to the bouncers while you set up. And just before showtime, ask one of them nicely to help sweep the riffraff away if they get "on stage".

No bouncers? Use your microphone. It's the most powerful tool in the room.

"Hey, does anybody belong to this guy? He needs a ride home and says he doesn't have enough money to pay his tab. Anyone? Anyone? Sorry, pal. I gotta go back to work. Thanks for coming. Now step back and let us play the next song for the rest of these nice folks."


.....all over the PA. Works every time.

Once my keyboard player in a former band held his hand out like he had a note in it. He squinted and said "You really want me to read this? OK, buddy. Honey, she didn't mean anything to me. I'm sorry."

There was no note. He just wanted the guy to go away.

Another reason I don't play gigs like this anymore; I tend to use low, unseeable kidney punches to express myself to people who abuse my space. Sooner or later, that will end up badly.

 

[redwingxix]

One of our regular venues has a nice sized stage about 20" off the dance floor. I think that's the perfect balance of having a defined stage boundary and still being able to interact with the crowd. Sometimes the singer or I will go on the floor and dance a little during a song. Plus if you fall off it's not a three story drop.

 

[two fingers]

Another reason I don't play gigs like this anymore; I tend to use low, unseeable kidney punches to express myself to people who abuse my space. Sooner or later, that will end up badly.

If I'm ever fortunate enough to be in the same room with you, you'll have to teach me that technique. I've never been able to master the unseeable punch. Just saying it sounds ominous.

 

[MegaSwing]

The stage is where the light is. That’s all you need. Without the light, you have nothing.

 

[Jimmy4string]

Great thread!! love the replies!
Like @TheReceder said -sometimes no stage is better! I remember this particular itty bitty stage that would cause our gear to fly up when i jumped around like we were in an inflatable bouncy house of rock and roll!!
However, I scouted out the scene before hand and knew of said packing crate. Hey life is an adventure right!! I live to relay these stories to TB!

 

[Last Rebel]

I've had one too many times where a drunk stepped over the monitor to talk to me while I was busy PLAYING AND SINGING A SONG!

And that same drunk probably has a beer or open drink hovering over a pedal board

 

[electracoyote]

If the pay and perks are fair, I'll play on the floor as long as we can squeeze into the space, even if it means a little creative down-sizing. I just let management know that the smaller the space, the smaller the show. And we've gotten pretty good at keeping the riff raff out of our space. Outlining our safety needs up front and making friends with managers and bouncers helps.

Also, the competition for decent paying gigs is pretty fierce in my neighborhood, so we have to be careful about imposing too many limitations and expectations on the talent buyers.

But the whole concept of waiting for tables to clear so the venue can spontaneously create our space is frustrating. My band plays a couple of places where we never have any idea when we can access our "spot" to begin setting up. But they always expect a prompt downbeat come hell or high water.

Sometimes it's table revenue, tips, and hungry thirsty patrons / band. The things we do for the love of music and entertainment.

 

[SactoBass]

"All the world's indeed a stage"

-Rush

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

My first exposure to live music was Mary Wells and the Temptations (two separate acts) at a little amusement park in upstate NY (freedomland - long gone by now I guess). They all set up right on the walkway - you could walk right over and tell them how great they were (and they were). A great experience.

 

[eriky4003]

Mellowinman retiring? First it's Bootsy, now it's you!
Your new (2-3 yrs old?) Rickenbacker DESERVES to be played live. I say you tape the stage with your protected space (a la Les Nesman) and warn all others to stay away.

 

[lavmonga]

What are you in Aerosmith or something? "Would I play if there's no stage?" what kind o question is that to ask amateur musicians? If I ever had a bandmate that refused to play for any pretentious reason like that, they'd be pulling a headstock out of their a$$ afterwards.

 

[EricMordus]

If you "require" a stage to play on then you're kidding yourself, get over it, set up and play your stuff!

 

[micguy]

I played at a frat party once. The party was in their basement. Legal fire code in that place was probably 200 people. Attendance was probably 600. It was so crowded that when I walked up to your mic to sing, there was a guy who’s face was...8 inches or so from mine.

The whole gig was a bit odd, but a there was a lot of energy, even though there was literally no room to dance or anything.

 

[Richland123]

Just put up some caution tape.

 

[buldog5151bass]

If we could only play places with permanent dedicated stages, there would be a lot fewer gigs (and gigs are precious enough as it is).

I much prefer stages. I much prefer venues with their own PAs and sound persons. I much prefer groupies provided gratis.

 

[madbass6]

Host: we need to wait until the people at that table leave, and then we'll move it, and that's the stage.
Me: Who booked this? WHO BOOKED THIS???? HEEEYYYYY!!!! AAAUUUGGGGGHHHHH!!!! WHO BOOKED THIS?????
Host: Is there a problem?

Hey a gig is a gig stage or not !
as long as I'm paid what we agreed the stage is just a bonus!

 

[dalkowski]

what is this thing you call "stage?" I'm more concerned that power outlets are in reasonable proximity.

 

[GBBSbassist]

wait, so you're NOT mellow?

I think MellowinMan is perpetually mellowing out more and more, but since we don't know how opposite of mellow he is, we may never know if he's mellow....or not mellow or whatever.