Post-Gig Depression?

[Steve Dallman]

I used to drive a couple hours to do Friday and Saturday night gigs in my old home town. The weekend was a long party and a great time.

On Sunday afternoon I'd drive home in a deep, dark depression.

30 years ago I finally gave up drinking and that depression ended.

 

[MonkeyBass]

When I was in a touring band I got depressed after the tour for a few days. It just took me awhile to get used to not going 100 MPH all the time. But I don't get depressed after a gig. I don't really get nervous for shows anymore so that adrenaline rush doesn't kick in. So maybe that's it.

 

[walterw]

keyed-up, sure, to where i don't get to bed when i should. depressed, no.

as for this:

I once worked at a place that had a sign on the wall
"So you want to quit and you wonder how much you'll be missed when you're gone?
Put your hand in a 5 gallon bucket of water and pull it back out.
As long as there's a hole in the water, that's how long you'll be missed."

I always thought that was a great sign and more places should post it for employees to see, IMO.

sure, unless they want the employees to, y'know, take pride and do their jobs well

 

[iridiumrocks]

I'm always way too pumped up to sleep after a gig. Even though I may not get home until 4:00am after we load out and drive home, I am wide awake. Since I don't drink when I play, I have a few beers and upload the pictures from the show to the band website. The drunks from the show can look at the website the next day, see themselves in the pictures, and say "Oh crap, I really did that!"

 

[Bassic Playing]

The drunks from the show can look at the website the next day, see themselves in the pictures, and say "Oh crap, I really did that!"

That's been me every sunday since I turned 18 (the legal drinking age in Aus)

 

[Feral Feline]

Post-gig depression. Yeah, I get it, but it's not related to whether the gig was good or bad, alcohol, my home environment, pre-show nerves nor adrenalin... It also lasts longer than what other people have described in this thread.

It could be endorphin related, maybe. I'm still trying to suss it out.

The following, on the other hand, is even more depressing...

That's an interesting attitude. I'm guessing you must be self-employed.
I once worked at a place that had a sign on the wall
"So you want to quit and you wonder how much you'll be missed when you're gone?
Put your hand in a 5 gallon bucket of water and pull it back out.
As long as there's a hole in the water, that's how long you'll be missed."

I always thought that was a great sign and more places should post it for employees to see, IMO.

Yeah? That's an interesting attitude, alright. If the 5 gallon bucket is full, shove your hand in and the water displaced by your hand has to go somewhere, so it goes over the sides, what some people call "spilling". Now take your hand out. Notice how the water level in the bucket is now diminished? Even if the bucket isn't full, you put your hand in, the water level goes up. That water level is akin to the value employees add to a company. No employees, who's going to do the work?

Like anything in life, there's good, bad and a lot of average; good employees and bad ones, good companies and bad ones. Guess which category that company with the sign falls into?

IMO: $crew that company, $crew that dumba$$ $ign – I wouldn't work for any company that doe$n't "get" the value of employee$. Please give the name of the $hite company $o I can be $$$ure to never purcha$e any of it$ product$ or $ervice$. After all, it'$ all about the bottom line, right?

 

[Tx Basser]

I don't know if it was post gig depression or post gig pizzed off but after last night, I was ready to fire myself from the band I work with and hang it up.

We played a private party for a millionaire and about 100 well heeled guests.
The venue was outside and we began set up at 5 pm in the Texas heat.

Although the stage area was somewhat shady, it was HOT. I had prepared myself all day by drinking lots of water and sports drinks. But I was melting during set up. The the show starts at 8 pm and the Texas heat was intense. I even had a couple of fans blowing on me. But it was brutal nonetheless.

For some reason, I could not keep it together. I was missing notes, drawing a blank on some songs that I know by heart and just basically sucked in my performance.

On the way home, I beat myself up and was very disappointed in myself for not being spot on. And after playing for 40 years, this was the first time I have ever felt that way.

And no, I don't drink alcohol or consume substances of any kind. So I cannot blame my playing (or lack thereof) on that.

 

[seanm]

After a gig I come home, unload the truck, and put everything away. Then I sit in my chair in the dark and have a drink. It is probably the most relaxing thing I ever do.

 

[edpal]

Yup, same reason i feel let down if practice gets cancelled... i want my fix

True that! Ruins my day in a way..

I'm thinking it's an adrenaline crash in both cases, meaning you still love what you are doing.

 

[edpal]

That's an interesting attitude. I'm guessing you must be self-employed.
I once worked at a place that had a sign on the wall
"So you want to quit and you wonder how much you'll be missed when you're gone?
Put your hand in a 5 gallon bucket of water and pull it back out.
As long as there's a hole in the water, that's how long you'll be missed."

I always thought that was a great sign and more places should post it for employees to see, IMO.

Terrible sign, especially in a smaller business. A small business with THAT attitude will struggle to become a bigger business. Nothing is better than people who are so good you would miss them terribly. Successful employees learn to make themselves indispensable or at least respected for knowing what they should, which is more than that new person trying to fill the hole. Must explain why I have never been fired from a job.