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Seven @ the Bug Jar 3/15/18

Jay Corwin

Jay Corwin

Supporting Member
Jan 29, 2008
4,672
5,816
Sanborn, NY
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#1
I'm going Cliff style on a dive bar gig. Last night we played a short set at the Bug Jar, a dive bar mainstay in Rochester, NY. It's one of those local music bars that's been around a long time, and is so important for original music. You know the type - they ain't pretty but they support the artists.


The flier in the window.
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The lovely bathroom. Two of the bands I play in are displayed via stickers above the urinals. Look mom, I'm famous.
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Gear storage area which usually partially blocks the either the path to the ladies room, or the emergency exit.
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My rig. I'll also be adding a HPF soon. I really need to build a board at this point. The PF350 is just a power amp in this setup. It goes Paradriver - Bodyrez - PF350 FX return. The CMDI splits my signal to send to FOH and my amp.
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The inept sound guy didn't even know it was a bass cab initially. He had it mic'd, and asked him if he'd rather DI me. His answer was, "Oh I just saw two guitar cabinets back there so I mic'd them"......um I'm the bass player. "There's a bass cabinet back there"? I guess no ones heard of Ampeg. He also got the show off 40 minutes late.
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The guitar/banjo amp. The drum kit wasn't for us. We played as a three piece, pretty much on top of each other stuffed in the corner. It caused all kinds of sound problems for the bass player. Open note D felt like a concussion in the corner!
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The set list. Abbreviations and no keys needed at this point. I've been with them for almost three years now. ***Bonus points to anyone who identifies the cover on the list***
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Kick drum.....
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And a shot from the bass players view. Matt and were dodging each other all night. It's a skill you acquire playing upright. You're always in some one's way, and always have one hand on the bass.
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#3
Hi,

I love little places like this that have a lot of character. When the patrons are allowed to decorate the walls the "dive" gets a lot of personality and charm.

Sorry for your lousy sound guy. Did he at least say, "Gimme some kick drum"?

I feel like I'm always in someone's way too and I don't even play upright. It must be a bass player thing. ;)

Thanks for sharing! Hey, is driving and parking a hassle? Or is that only in NYC proper?



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#4
Cool little gig. I sure wish Tough Old Bird played around here. Love your sound.

Jay Corwin said:
The inept sound guy didn't even know it was a bass cab initially. He had it mic'd, and asked him if he'd rather DI me. His answer was, "Oh I just saw two guitar cabinets back there so I mic'd them"......um I'm the bass player. "There's a bass cabinet back there"? I guess no ones heard of Ampeg.
Click to expand...

I've experiencred a lot of substandard sound techs but that's a new low. :laugh:

Jay Corwin said:
We played as a three piece, pretty much on top of each other stuffed in the corner. It caused all kinds of sound problems for the bass player. Open note D felt like a concussion in the corner!
Click to expand...

I was on a stage like that a while back. I could barely touch the D on the A string and it was still loud but the C below it I had to pluck hard to have any volume. :woot:

Jay Corwin said:
And a shot from the bass players view. Matt and were dodging each other all night. It's a skill you acquire playing upright. You're always in some one's way, and always have one hand on the bass.
Click to expand...

Me and my long scale are always at risk of causing injury to poor unsuspecting band mates. :D

Jay Corwin said:
Kick drum.....
Click to expand...

Ha! Perfect!! :cool:
 
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#5
BassCliff said:
Hi,

I love little places like this that have a lot of character. When the patrons are allowed to decorate the walls the "dive" gets a lot of personality and charm.

Sorry for your lousy sound guy. Did he at least say, "Gimme some kick drum"?

I feel like I'm always in someone's way too and I don't even play upright. It must be a bass player thing. ;)

Thanks for sharing! Hey, is driving and parking a hassle? Or is that only in NYC proper?



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
Click to expand...

I live about 1.5 hours from Rochester. The drive is easy, and it's not that big of a city. Parking at this place is easy. There are other joints I've played there with no parking anywhere close. Buffalo is much worse. I took a 30 dollar parking ticket last weekend.
 
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#6
BassCliff said:
Hi,

I love little places like this that have a lot of character. When the patrons are allowed to decorate the walls the "dive" gets a lot of personality and charm.
Click to expand...

The Bug Jar is a cool place but was in danger several years ago of being shut down by the city. There was a shooting right outside the place (fight started inside and spilled outside after closing) and other incidents (including a knife being pulled on security), all within a short period of time.

Probably not unlike other dive bars in any other city. At least they cleaned up and stayed open. Right now the Bug Jar is one of a handful of places left in the area that consistently has live music.
 
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#7
Great job on the gig report, but if you want to be up to par with Cliff, you gotta get the date correct in the thread title...I honestly clicked on the thread thinking that you were plugging an upcoming show.

My 2 guesses on the set list are:

Lay Down Sally
Ramblin Man

?????
 
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#10
pjbassist said:
Great job on the gig report, but if you want to be up to par with Cliff, you gotta get the date correct in the thread title...I honestly clicked on the thread thinking that you were plugging an upcoming show.

My 2 guesses on the set list are:

Lay Down Sally
Ramblin Man

?????
Click to expand...

Lol yeah I fixed it. I was working on the OP after about 4.5 hours of sleep, no breakfast, and a strong cup of coffee. Clearly I was not ready!
 
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#12
Mike N said:
The Bug Jar is a cool place but was in danger several years ago of being shut down by the city. There was a shooting right outside the place (fight started inside and spilled outside after closing) and other incidents (including a knife being pulled on security), all within a short period of time.

Probably not unlike other dive bars in any other city. At least they cleaned up and stayed open. Right now the Bug Jar is one of a handful of places left in the area that consistently has live music.
Click to expand...
Truth be told, I've only been playing Rochester the last 2/3 years. So I'm not familiar with its seedy past.
 
#15
Jay Corwin said:
Don't you guys have a major music/performing arts school there?
Click to expand...

Yes, the Eastman Theater is in Rochester. For classical and acts like the RPO (Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra) I suppose you could do well in this city, for your average covers/originals bar type band, it ain't what it used to be.
 
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