Poll: There is NO STAGE

[HolmeBass]

I voted “Heck Yeah!” but it’s more like, “Hmm. Ok.”

Much prefer a stage, even 6” or a foot higher helps create the image of a real band.

I used to play at a place in Richmond that was a meat market, and we played on the floor amidst the ferns and plants. It really sucked. Not only did jerk weasels regularly cut across the band set *while we were playing* to cut through the crowd more quickly on the way to the bar, we got a lot of drunk people engaging us inappropriately while we were playing.

 

[lfmn16]

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!

That happened to a guitar player I was playing with several months ago. A drunk d'bag stepped on his foot so he couldn't back up and he wound up falling into the empty fireplace at the back of the stage. I don't know how he did it, but he fell in slow motion and played all the way down. It was actually kind of funny to watch, in a slap-stick comedy sort of way. The drunk was really apologetic and the guitar player was OK.

 

[mapleglo]

There's one bar we play that has what some would call a stage.

Most of the other places we play on the floor. When I first booked that one bar, the guitarist excitedly said "Wow, a stage!" Yikes...

 

[Jakeman]

How about when they won't even let you move the tables? This one was right IN FRONT of the bathrooms.

 

[Uncle Hanky]

Sounds like someone has never had the pleasure of playing a house show.

 

[mellowinman]

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.

1. I think it's safe to say you and I will never be bandmates
2. TRY IT!

 

[mellowinman]

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.

I'm mellowin', man.

 

[Mugre]

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

If said outlets are wired correctly that's a plus. Provided that, I could even forgive only having domestic (big brand) beers on the taps.

 

[Spidey2112]

I’m at the point in my life where the unexpected has become the norm- if that makes any sense.

It does.

 

[trevcda]

... do a recon visit as civilians prior to playing a completely unknown venue and get a feel for the house vibe.

Exactly. If not in person, then at least virtually followed up by a phone call. It's 2019, FFS. If you can't be bothered to check some pictures out online to see what the standard procedure is for music nights at a venue you've never been to, then that's on you. Follow it up with a phone call or email to the person representing the venue, that is qualified to answer any questions. This won't necessarily be the first person to answer the phone. Ask about stages. Ask about patrons dining in the performance area. Ask about power at the stage. Ask about load in issues such as stairs, parking, security, stage access. All of this is called "Advancing the gig". Properly done it will make your night, the buyers night and the patrons night, all go much better. It's all about keeping the surprises to a minimum.

 

[Medicine Man]

I'd rather play a good sounding room with no stage than the acoustic death trap with one I'm playing tonight. I've done a ton on gigs for the new owner at his main club, and just begged him to throw up some panels when he was remodeling last month. He didn't.

 

[HolmeBass]

Man you got me all riled up remembering how we went through every stupid drunk engaging while we’re trying to play BS scenario:

- Girl is right beside BL/lead singer talking to him while he is singing. Of course he ignores her. She pouts, stamps her foot, turns to me and yells in my face “Why is he ignoring me?!” I yell back “we’re busy PLAYING MUSIC you idiot!”

- Dude comes up to ask if his buddy can sing a song with us. Mind you *while we are playing a song*. I say no. He launches into how his buddy is a great singer and do I know <some Bro country tune>. I tell him no we don’t know it. Then he’s like “oh c’mon it’s easy blah blah blah”. I tell him doesn’t matter because we don’t know it. He freakin persists- “he’s really good man”. So I say he should get his own gig then. He looked offended but finally walked away, right as the song was ending.

- Girl comes up, at least between songs, and asks if she can sing with us. I tell her to ask the BL but I don’t think so. Then she says she can play the tambourine, where is the tambourine. This is a complete pet peeve of mine, I feel the tambourine is a very powerful instrument and if played badly really trashes a groove. Fortunately we don’t have one and I tell her so: we don’t have a tambourine. Song starts. After the first verse I look back at my rig and she’s rifling through my gig bag looking for a freakin’ tambourine! Of course that’s where my wallet, car keys, and phone are so I get real sore at her and really yell at her to get the F out of my bag and go the F away. “I’m just looking for a tambourine!” “I F’n told you we don’t have one!!” The nerve of some drunks! And she was cute, too. I guess she was used to getting her way, and getting away with that kind of BS.

In my experience even 6” of height creates the separation needed to prevent these kinds of hideous interactions.

 

[groooooove]

those of you who won't play without a stage need to go have a carrot.

 

[mdogs]

I played a gig once in a huge tent that was absolutely packed with people, which was cool because the weather had not been that great that day, but it was supposed to be a beautiful night. So, we setup and relax for a few before we are supposed to go on. About 10 minutes before we are to go on a huge thunderstorm comes basically out of nowhere, the wind is unreal and so is the lightning. So, everyone under the tent has to find some sort of shelter that is better than the tent. Unfortunately, 99% of the people went to their cars instead of going inside the bar that was sponsoring the event, and left never to be seen again. Long story short, the weather blew through, we played for about 45 minutes to about 10 people and the owner of the bar shut it down. Paid us our money and we packed up and left. Owner was not too upset, he was charging a pretty high cover and everyone who left had already paid it. He missed out on I sure what would have been some pretty heavy drink revenue, but we can't always win. Anyway, there was a great stage, great setup. I never had to protect my equipment during the torrential downpour, did put my basses in their cases, but that was it.

 

[mellowinman]

those of you who won't play without a stage need to go have a carrot.

It's different in New York. I will play without a stage in New York.

 

[Big Hoss]

Just section off an area, set up and go for it. I have played more than a few where the "stage" was someone's driveway. Pretty typical for block party gigs...

 

[Knavery]

Playing is playing. I'd take it any chance I could.

 

[Beersurgeon]

"All the world's indeed a stage"

-Rush

Good quote.
mine is,
"All the world's a stage"
William Shakespeare

 

[Dr. Love]

I'll take no stage any day over an odd shaped stage that no conventional band can arrange logically on like the 3 foot deep L shaped corner riser that no drummer can actually fit a kit on, or the ones built around structural elements of the building like a big column right were someone would need to stand.

 

[Ostie]

When the club tells me that I just politely let them know that it takes an hour to set up and instead of play from say 9-12:00, we'll be playing from whenever we finish setting up until 12:00. We do set up as quickly as possible, but we don't try to set any records. I've never had a club complain or not ask us back.

A venue that we played at kept doing this to us. I finally said to them, “well, we are booked to play until midnight, and that’s when we’re done, so that means more money for us, so I guess I’m ok with it.” It never happened again.