Unprofessional

[basscapes]

First things first- you owned up to it and realized your error!

Some of us do not. They stumble. They fall. That is the result of their own misadventure!

Luckily, I am NOT one of those kind of people (I don't drink OR smoke ((anything)).

I do agree with one other poster- maybe you need to find some form of "centering" like breathing exercises or similar.

 

[Gravy4001]

As everyone has said, learning experience, you know what not to do. It becomes not fun struggling just to hang on. I've learned that generally 2 double IPAs during the show is about the most I can handle without getting sloppy.

 

[arbiterusa]

4-6 drinks over several hours really isn't a lot

4-6 drinks over several hours would render utterly unable to function at all. As in "can't walk, talk or stand"

 

[JimmyM]

this gets a little dicey so.....,

I did the most unprofessional thing I have ever done this weekend.

I had a really late show,1:30 AM. Had a couple adult beverages with a friend before going to practice and loading out. Got to the venue at 10:00 for scheduled load in. Sipped on a couple more drinks and next thing I know, without even feeling it coming, I was trashed. Bad.

I stumbled out to my truck and got the spins when I closed my eyes. So I kept them closed to make myself throw up.

The guys started texting me ten minutes before we were supposed to go on. I didn't think I was gonna make the show until then.

I made my way back inside, played the show and played pretty well according to patrons and the other bands.

I have never done this before, ever. I have tremors and actually need to mellow myself out a little or else the Adrenalin makes it worse. Usually this means one maybe two drinks or else I shake to the point of it impeding my playing.

I shouldn't have started at 6 for that late a show and it's bugging me. It all ended okay but hopefully I've learned a valuable lesson,

If the worst you ever do was get a little too hammered but still played the show fine, then you are doing pretty well. I've seen people get so hammered they literally couldn't play and they ruined a show. I appreciate you learning a lesson from this, but in the grand scheme of things, it's small potatoes so don't flagellate yourself over it.

 

[blubass]

The fact that you're self-aware is great. Most talks about drinking too much are usually met with defensiveness and denial.

My band/s in the past had rules about not drinking or smoking before the set and load out. Everyone was understanding and it benefited us financially and physically.

As a side note, I have been dieting to get myself back in shape for shows. I hadn't drank in 3 months, and after half of my "usual" amount, I was trashed bad. Decided the recovery time wasn't worth the enjoyment so I stopped.

There's no reason to beat yourself up over it, just learn from your mistakes and drive on.

 

[dtripoli]

Live and learn. I did that twice in a very successful band in the early '80's.
2nd time I did it they immediately dropped me from the line up.
Next band did the same thing at a show, they in turn fired me before I was even done packing my gear from the show. A few months later after hating on those bands, I came to realize, I would have fired me under the same conditions.
Don't drink and drive and don't drink heavily and expect to play exceptionally. There is a fine line between being slightly relaxed and gradually getting sloppy.

 

[Kro]

As everybody else said, it's a learning experience, and good for you being self aware enough to recognize it.

Even though it was many years ago, I still vividly remember the last time I drank enough prior to taking the stage that it negatively affected my playing. Like your experience, it snuck up on me, but it was a great, painful lesson.

 

[RichardW]

played pretty well according to patrons and the other bands.

One can only imagine their critical abilities at that hour.

Sounds like you need a break from the fire water. See the thread from yesterday about "first non-drinking rehearsal."

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

Been there.

At least you managed to do the gig.

A few years back I had a gig where the front man/BL came to a stop and sat down on stage in the first set.
It seems that in addition to his normal joint and a White Russian pre show prep
he decide that was a good time to take some new pain meds.
He might have gotten away with it, if he hadn't taken two...

 

[grillman]

Happened to me a while ago with a different substance and with my guitarist.
Got much more hammered than we expected.
I did my best so that the drummer wouldn't notice otherwise he would freak out. Fortunately our spot was moved from second to third that night and those extra 40 minutes allowed us to put the pieces together. The show went fine. We told the drummer a week later and he did freak out.
Now I only allow myself 2 or 3 drinks before a show and I save the party for later.

And of course no driving.

 

[redwingxix]

4-6 drinks over several hours would render utterly unable to function at all. As in "can't walk, talk or stand"

Very doubtful unless a person were about 140 pounds or a total non-drinker. According to his timeline (and if his count is accurate) that's roughly one drink an hour. OP stated that he does drink regularly and his profile pic indicates a pretty average american male body type. I'm not saying that's it's okay to overdrink before a show, I'm saying that I don't believe he did in this instance and there is another issue at play here that should be examined so it doesn't happen again. I'm hoping it's a simple matter to correct and not a serious health issue.

 

[bkbirge]

I would examine the premise that a couple drinks is necessary to "mellow out" before a show. That's the kind of thinking that can lead you down a path you don't want to walk. That said, and as others have said, don't beat yourself up about it, learn from it. You didn't kill yourself or anyone else and you made it through the gig with I'm going to assume a raging hangover the next day. There are far worse potential outcomes.

 

[micguy]

Two things:

If this experience prompts you to come up with a "never again will I" rule (and you enforce it on yourself), then it'll be a good learning experience.

If you feel the need for alcohol before playing - whatever the symptoms are that it helps with, I'd suggest there's an issue you should work on, and that alcohol probably isn't the best solution.

 

[Kro]

Very doubtful unless a person were about 140 pounds or a total non-drinker.

That very much depends in the drinks in question.

Wasn't a show, but at one point my band was doing a photo shoot at a trendy lounge that was giving us free unnamed pitchers of beer (it was during the day and the lounge was otherwise closed to patrons).

We were drinking no more than the moderate amount that we otherwise would, but we all became surprisingly tipsy - and much quicker than we expected.

We later found out the pitchers contained Golden Monkey.

 

[arbiterusa]

Very doubtful unless a person were about 140 pounds or a total non-drinker.

Doubt all you like. I'm 230 and a daily (one) drinker. One makes me sleepy. I like one beer after work, spread out over a couple of hours (warm is fine). Two makes me an idiot. Three will put me down for the night and I'll be pretty hungover the next day. Four and I'll barf, and will be calling in sick to anything I had planned the next day. I can go straight to "idiot" in one if hard alcohol is involved.

Not everyone handles alcohol the same. My bandmates can handle more than I can, and so can my wife.

 

[TxRick]

Maybe there's an alternative to alcohol?

Yes, yes there is... Something from the Cannabaceae family might do the trick. But only in CO and CA

 

[dragon68]

I can go straight to "idiot" in one if hard alcohol is involved.

Not everyone handles alcohol the same.

I grew up with a guy who was alcohol intolerant. He became a drunk, blithering idiot after half of a beer. Fortunately, I think he only did that twice.

 

[generalduncan]

Considering you are the bass player, probably no one noticed you were wasted

It's always good to eat something before drinking. And lots of water between each drink... It's possible to save the day if you do the right thing.

 

[electracoyote]

Let's see, you inadvertently tied one on, the room spun, you took it like a man and forced an upchuck, did what was required to shake it off and play the show without drawing negative attention to yourself...

I call that pretty damned professional. No one else was inconvenienced over it, only you.

And a great learning experience, as I'm sure it's not the kind of thing you'd want to make a habit of.

 

[DoctorZee]

One makes me sleepy. I like one beer after work, spread out over a couple of hours (warm is fine). Two makes me an idiot. Three will put me down for the night and I'll be pretty hungover the next day.

Same.