Whaddaya do when the gig is going really great?

[cnltb]

You know nothing about my technique. You have no business opining about my technique.

...hence the word 'guess' in my post.

 

[bbh]

My band never breaks, ever.

Crowds tend to thin out when the music stops so if we play for 1 hour or 4 hours we never stop to break.

Ouch!

 

[Alzimerz]

Here in ireland we drink on the job so needing to pee is a factor so breaks are good but keeping it going is usually best.
Whats worse is the brass are usually pushing to keep going but its easier for them as they have down periods they can run off stage. Us poor bassists are usually foot to the floor at all times. No respite for us

 

[foolforthecity]

In South Texas a lot of bar gigs are four-hour slots. A while back I saw a band from Austin play a local Victoria bar and they bore down on it for four hours straight, packed their stuff and scooted back to Austin.

Impressive display of stamina, I tell ya

 

[Topkat13]

Uh, enjoy yourself, be happy?

 

[mikeoso]

Whaddaya do when the gig is going really great?

Fire the drummer.

 

[Crazy_Jake]

When this happens for us we tend to play longer sets with short breaks. ie 10 minutes People will leave if the band is not playing so we try to keep the train rolling

 

[obimark]

I mean incredibly great!

The band is sizzling, the dance floor is full. And you've been playing an hour+ (actually 90 minutes when I first checked).

Do you stop and take a break, or ride the energy and keep it going?

We played a wedding last night and went with the 'keep it going' option. Played another 60+ minutes and wrapped it up. Crowd loved us. They. Never. Stopped. Dancing.

I think if we had taken a break, it would have been hard to get the energy back up to where it was. Absolutely amazing show.

I guess my bathroom breaks would be a problem, because 2 hours is pushing my max in between...

 

[SAlcott]

...hence the word 'guess' in my post.

I've been at this for over 50 years, so I'm guessing my technique is fine. The best technique in the world won't prevent repetitive use injury caused by absurdly long sets. Abuse yourself now and pay for it later.

 

[dalkowski]

I wake up.

But if I ever found myself in that situation IRL, I'd def keep playing. Those are the best gigs. +1 to leg bags.

 

[jcerio]

I always vote to keep playing. In one band I'm in we go 4 hours straight. The crowd never goes away.

 

[cnltb]

I've been at this for over 50 years, so I'm guessing my technique is fine. The best technique in the world won't prevent repetitive use injury caused by absurdly long sets. Abuse yourself now and pay for it later.

there is that.

 

[tekhedd]

I completely agree with this...but there's one problem. If they don't leave, after four hours you've been playing, well, the equivalent of a five hour gig with one 15 minute break and one 5 minute break.

What do you do?

Actually, I wish I could play one 2+ hour set in a bar.

When it's one it's fine. When it's two, it's not.

I think we all agree, long sets are great for keeping dancing people dancing. But the question remains: how do you keep them when you do have to take a break?

 

[Wasnex]

I think we all agree, long sets are great for keeping dancing people dancing. But the question remains: how do you keep them when you do have to take a break?

I been on enough gigs, where there is a DJ and a band to know that it's not going to kill the night for the band to take a break. The DJ needs to be ready to go when the time comes...and if there is no DJ, I am sure the band can figure out how to play some appropriate music so @JimmyM can take a pee and I can shake out my hands.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Read the situation. Sometimes a quiet break is good, or just pop some tunes into the PA (softer than the band, of course).

 

[JimmyM]

...really bad idea in the long run, I'd say. -when musicians think they owe the client to go beyond what's agreed ,just because they have managed to negotiate a fair rate of pay for a gig.( not saying you belong to this category, but it does sound like it a little )
Not good for morale either. The client knows what they are getting when booking the band. No need to bend.
Of course one can always re-negotiate ,when it comes to it.

You're hardcore! I call it "playing a little ball," and don't really mind doing small things that aren't contracted but make the client happy as long as I get a little warning. Except for staying longer than the contracted time. That will cost extra every time.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I'll do extra tune if the crowd is really into it. More Than that will cost them. I've had a drunk patron cough up $100 for some more tunes.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

We'll play up to two hours straight, but I'm not in good enough shape (in the hands or the body) to go longer without a rest.

 

[cnltb]

You're hardcore! I call it "playing a little ball," and don't really mind doing small things that aren't contracted but make the client happy as long as I get a little warning. Except for staying longer than the contracted time. That will cost extra every time.

I think I may come over a little more hardcore than I actually run what you describe comes rather close to my reality too... see the fat in the quote.

 

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

We've been performing 2 long sets (1 hour 20 minutes each) and 1 shorter set in bars. This past Saturday night we started at 9pm, took a break at 10:20pm. At 10:30pm about 50 people from a wedding party came in. We went on 5 minutes later and proceeded to play straight through for the next 2½ hours! Made a boatload in tips too. The dance floor never emptied and we even snuck in 2 slow dances.