What do you always forget to bring to a gig?

Some of the old 1960s Guilds had a built-in stand:

Guild’s S-100/S-200 “Kickstand” Models

 

I've forgotten to print out and bring a set list a couple of times recently.... guitarist had a spare but he does his in very small print / font and I can't read it without glasses
when I do my own set list I make sure the font is big enough so I can read it without glasses - even if it is on 2 pages!

one time over 20 years ago Singer collected the gear from his work - where we rehearsed and stored the gear... and he arrived at the gig (45 mins away) without my small suitcase that had all my leads, tuner, microphone, spare strings...etc... in...... and he refused to go back and get it.
I managed to borrow a lead from guitarist so I could plug into my amp, but I couldn't do any BV's (kind of important in a covers band).....

 

Excuse me, what are BV's?

 

Backing Vocals.... sorry I thought that was a common term

 

Backing Vocals is of course a common term, I just didn't think of it.
And yes, they're important. I'd be unhappy, gigging in a coverband, if I couldn't supply any BV's.

 

Forgot my stage clothes. Was wearing shorts and running shoes. Found a local clothing store near the venue and bought some decent duds. Stress!

 

Backing vocals:

 

Sounds great.

 

Not exactly backing vocals, since he apparently did it while driving forward. I saw Leo Kottke at the El Rey Theater in Chico, CA. He said that one day he was driving and another driver pulled into his lane in front of him. He said his two year old daughter stood up in the back seat and shouted, "get out of the way, you a$$h$$$. He decided that he needed to modify some of his driving habits. I Yell At Traffic:

 

I have definitely forgot a guitar stand more often than I remember to bring it until I got a mini stand that fits in my gig bag. Recently, I've been finding myself wishing I had an extension cord more often than anything.

 

My ego.

I try to play bass and sing in the most ego-centric way possible, but I sometimes forget and leave my ego at home. I hate it when that happens.

 

What do you always forget to bring to a gig?


My skills.

 

I don’t always play with a pick, but when I do, I sometimes have to borrow one from the guitarist lol.

 

I am just the opposite
I bring more than a bass player should
Lol
I carry extra everything including a set of drum mics and cables
It’s pretty hard for me to forget things as the PA, Monitors, & lights are mine
And before our next gig the whole system it setup , checked out, cables cleaned and wound up correctly
Cables are tested with a cable tester and anything that looks the least bit suspicious is replaced
Oh
And the same goes for my bass rig
And yes I know I am very anal about my gear
Duke

 

My talent...

 

I’ve forgotten one of everything at some point in my 40+ years of gigging. Amp, guitar stand, mic, cords, mic stand, speaker stand, picks.....you name it. I almost forgot my ax once, but my wife saw it and ran out to the car as I was leaving....

 

Nothing. I had a gig bag 30 years ago and it’s the same and stays packed. God only knows, I even carry extra guitar strings, drum sticks and 9 volt batteries for those “ musicians” who can’t take care of themselves. I HAVE forgotten a bass stand a few times, so bought another one and it stays in the car “ just in case”.
of course, Guitarists borrow it frequently...

 

I usually leave a few good notes at home; but I always seem to have some mediocre notes I can throw in in their place.

 

I'll stick to being labelled as OCD, but I understand the sentiment.

I also own/haul the PA and lights so I'm very "demanding" about how and where things get packed so they are in place and won't get forgotten or lost. All the gear gets stored in the same way at home every time so I can tell if anything is missing with a glance. And at gig time I can look in one spot and see that I've got it all.

My confidence is probably the most often forgotten item.