Thread to discuss rehearsal food!

[HolmeBass]

Rehearse at my house, but from 8 or 8:30 pm to 11pm, so no food, everyone BYOBs with some sharing of beers. Some folks don’t like to eat before they sing, or have to do it hours before hand. Also vegetarians and other food restrictions make it tricky to have food everyone can eat that everyone also enjoys. It’s usually about all I can do to make and eat my wife’s and my dinner before rehearsal.

So no food.

I rehearse regularly with 3 bands, and sometimes I have 3 rehearsals in a week. So I can’t really afford the money and especially the time it would take make food for that many people that frequently.

So no food. People can BYOF, and on occasion people do.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Nothing wrong with hanging out after rehearsal. But rehearsal time is work time.

 

[Hundred proof]

Rehearsal ... what is this rehearsal you speak of?

 

[40Hz]

Nothing wrong with hanging out after rehearsal. But rehearsal time is work time.

Precisely.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Tim & Shawnette always fix a light dinner for the 3 of us after rehearsal after the other guys leave. It allows us to kvetch, scheme, and blow-off steam in private. We've kept the project together for 13 years and it's gonna stay that way.

Riis

 

[HertzWhenIPlay]

Sub sandwich platter. Either from grocery deli or Jimmy Johns.

 

[two fingers]

I’ve clearly been going to the wrong rehearsals all these years. Never brought, offered or have been offered food during rehearsal. Usually grab a bag of chips at the gas station afterwards.

you and me both we need to gate crash two fingers rehearsal are you with me

No need to crash. Let me know you're coming and we'll make sure there is plenty to go around!

 

[Chad Michael]

1) I am all in for something that makes rehearsal more enticing...
2) Booze can be a walking a tight rope, although we used to open a little bit of it
3) Anything that can get smooge on my instruments makes me shudder, lots of hand - washing
4) Dirty dishes are best when they are the disposable type

 

[soulstew]

@two fingers--I seem to remember you saying numerous times that you NEVER do rehearsals I'm glad to see that you're willing to make exceptions, and it looks like they're worth the trouble, regardless of what gets accomplished musically. I love food and drinks at practice, but, alas, when either of my bands practice, it's after supper on a weeknight and we have limited time. The classic country band usually consumes a lone sixpack of

, a regional brew that is perfect for practices: not so good that you want another, but not so bad that you'll refuse altogether. The drummer and steel player are up at 4:00 a.m. for their respective jobs, so more than one beer and they'd be nodding off behind their instruments.

The jazz combo will sometimes go upscale with a nice IPA for each of us, but that's about the extent of it. We're always working on new repertoire, and I usually have to be at work the next morning, so we usually don't have time to get luxuriously bogged down in food and beer, nice as that is. I wish I played in your band, though!

 

[MJ_Sotti]

I'm in Chicago. So pizza. Good pizza.

 

[MJ_Sotti]

Vegan Pizza

eew

 

[juggahnaught]

I usually whip up some fresh guacamole and put out some quinoa chips.
My wife (bless her) shows up about an hour into rehearsal with buffalo chicken dip and pita chips and celery for dipping.

Our female singer runs a bakery out of her house, making cakes for weddings or cookies for baby showers and whatnot. She usually shows up with a couple of plates of amazing cake slices or cookies.

Weather permitting, we have actually grilled some burgers before we jam.

Dude...like....what?

I have come to a revelation. It is now quite obvious that I have been gigging with the wrong musicians. Apparently it is time for me to rethink my entire approach to vetting players. To think that I could have feasted like a king for these past ten years...

Man, I'm envious. I'm gonna grab some takeout and think about my life choices.

 

[LBS-bass]

IMHO, eating during a rehearsal is a complete waste of time. And time is money.

I think a lot of this depends on why people are getting together in the first place. Some bands really are social units and their primary purpose is for the members to socialize and have fun. I was invited to a jam/rehearsal by a friend of mine and the first hour and a half we all spent eating snacks, drinking wine, and waiting for the host to finish a stew he was making. Then we ate stew, then we played for a couple of hours. It was fun, but more like a party/jam than a rehearsal. That's what works for that group though, most of them are friends from work and this is an excuse to get together and have fun once a week.

My rehearsals are different; we all have weird schedules and getting us together is a monumental task, so when we get together we like to get down to business because there's usually limited time, and a gig to prep for. We do have fun, but that usually involves chasing squirrels around the room (playing songs we don't really know) instead of food. We're there to play, so that's what we do.

 

[wildman2]

Could make a crock pot of shredded chicken for sandwiches season with salt white pepper curry and turmeric with onion buns. For carrots use either baby carrots or carrot sticks boiled till still a bit crunchy drain cool a little bit then bag them in 1 gallon ziplock baggie and just coat with italian dressing refrigerate overnight turn a cpl of times while in frig.Serve with ranch dressing dip with some minced horseradish in it to tase.
I don't play in a band but if I did they would be eating well..Or my Italian grandmother will rise from her grave and slap me silly on the back of my head.
That said I'd prolly fire up the smoker (keep grandma happy)and do up some pork tenderloins or chicken breasts with my home made rub. Along with 3 different types of home made BBQ sauce Hawaiian,hot and spicy or Kansas city style. With smoked corn on the cob.Usually have plenty of booze if needed Glenfiddich,151,tequila,voda plain and flavored, several bottles of home made whiskey that a guys makes about 8 miles from me or wine red,white,rose' or Guinness.They'd prolly not be able to play though from being in a food induce coma lol. Aint nobody going to call off on a rehearsal when its at my house. Bored cant u tell. Lots of baby wipes.

 

[Humbled]

See.

Everybody's different.

 

[mcnach]

No food.
We may meet earlier and eat before, or may go after, but not during.

 

[two fingers]

@two fingers--I seem to remember you saying numerous times that you NEVER do rehearsals I'm glad to see that you're willing to make exceptions, and it looks like they're worth the trouble, regardless of what gets accomplished musically. I love food and drinks at practice, but, alas, when either of my bands practice, it's after supper on a weeknight and we have limited time. The classic country band usually consumes a lone sixpack of View attachment 3586617, a regional brew that is perfect for practices: not so good that you want another, but not so bad that you'll refuse altogether. The drummer and steel player are up at 4:00 a.m. for their respective jobs, so more than one beer and they'd be nodding off behind their instruments.

The jazz combo will sometimes go upscale with a nice IPA for each of us, but that's about the extent of it. We're always working on new repertoire, and I usually have to be at work the next morning, so we usually don't have time to get luxuriously bogged down in food and beer, nice as that is. I wish I played in your band, though!

Your memory serves you well. My priorities shifted a tiny bit. And I have managed to find something I didn't think existed.... a middle ground between a pro band and a garage band. We rarely get together.... maybe every 5 to 6 weeks. When we do, it's a marathon for two reasons. We're great friends AND we want to accomplish a lot. We will knock down 10-15 new songs easy in one rehearsal.... and we do some involved vocal harmony music. But we also catch up on each other's kids and personal lives. And we eat.

But we will also email each other new songs and run them in soundcheck and then play them that night.

Make no mistake. This band means business gig day.

But, yeah, I've relaxed some. This band's only "goal" is to kick the bar's @$$ every single time. We set up lights. We have a great, pro, PA. We look the part. Yada yada yada.

 

[Auspuff]

Rehearsal Food?

Beer, duh!!!

 

[juancaminos]

We hate to "rehearse", we are a live performing band, first and foremost. But when we do it's a long one so there are snacks, beer, water, soda and sometimes even a pizza. I have been in bands that rehearse a lot with no food or drink and others that rehearse only when needed with drinks and food. The later is usually due to a very busy band schedule so the rehearsal is also a little bit of a get together to break things up. I'll take the later any day. I am a little surprised by those of you who only practice 2 hours? So I think I'll start another thread about that.

BTW, although I am not a vegetarian, I do love a good veggie pizza.

 

[Timmah]

My bands usually rehearse post-dinner hours on weeknights, so we'll usually have a beer or two during, but any snacking is generally reserved for post-rehearsal time. Generally, that's my famously low-effort taco dip, which usually gets made after about two beers too many. We figure that we have a limited amount of time (usually 90 minutes to two hours) os we might as well use it wisely. If we're lucky enough to carve out a day during the weekend, though, all bets are off (and to be honest, we usually accomplish about as much as we would on a weeknight, no matter how long "rehearsal" goes).