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What is your Gig day preparation?

#61
Depends.

On a workday, like Fridays, I try to take off the day and do some light chores, practice a little, rest. Otherwise I try to take a half day and practice an hour or so, load up and rest. If I can't do that, I at least leave by 4pm, go home, load up.

On Saturdays, if I had a gig the night before, some light chores and rest. If I didn't, some light chores, some practice or just fooling around with equipment, rest, load up.

In both cases, I also use that rest time to come up with a set list and print it out
 
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#62
bassbully said:
Anyone go over their setlist day of show? Maybe a tricky song or new ones the band added recently?
Click to expand...

Nope, I learned this back in my twenties and found at that point it's too late to get it chiseled into your brain and I would just panic. I don't do any review on gig day at all.

As far as gear prep, I always have a pre-stack ready to go. I WILL forget things otherwise. The gig stack is either out in the garage, so I can just back the car up, load n' leave, or by the front door, same thing, or already in the car if it's on a workday, just bring everything in the car and leave everything in there but the bass. And I plan on getting to the gig 90 minutes before showtime at minimum. More if bringing PA. Because something always goes sideways and my others guys will be there 60 minutes before, and I want to be there with them. Work, a wife and a young golden retriever do not permit pre-gig naps, so I've resigned myself to giving that up.

I tend not to eat pre-gig. If you get some bad food, even if you don't get actually sick you'll have a bad gig. I drink water like mad, however.
 
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#64
My only prep is that I figure out what time I have to prepare in order to leave the house on time.

Example:

  • 8:30 gig
  • I need to be there at 8:00
  • I need to leave the house at 7:30
  • I need to prep at 7:00.
  • At 7:00 I make sure I have my bass, head, cabinet, cables, clothes ready to go.
  • I'll go through it mentally; I have my bass, have the cord to plug into the head, have the head, have the power cable for the head, have the speaker cable, have the cabinet (and at least one spare for everything except the cabinet), have an extra shirt. It usually doesn't take 30 minutes so when I'm done I relax until it's time to load up. I run through everything again as I'm loading and then I'm off.
I've forgotten items twice in about the last 30 years (that I can remember) and both times I skipped this ritual.
 
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#65
Bunk McNulty said:
Absolutely. Beyond that, the usual: Gas up the car, make sure I have batteries, strings, cords, picks, etc., pick out what I'm going to wear, put on my gig shoes (cushy APICS NYC Marathon souvenir running shoes), pack the car with amp, pedalboard, powered monitor, mic stand, two guitar stands, two basses, the all-important rug (I feel classy when I'm standing on my rug), and hit the road. And if I'm going someplace new, make sure I have the address loaded into the GPS.
Click to expand...
Careful with a GPS. If you're not sure where a venue is, Bing or Google Maps will be a better choice. If it's a long haul to a strange place, print the maps out and bring them with you.
 
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#67
lfmn16 said:
My only prep is that I figure out what time I have to prepare in order to leave the house on time.

Example:

  • 8:30 gig
  • I need to be there at 8:00
  • I need to leave the house at 7:30
  • I need to prep at 7:00.
  • At 7:00 I make sure I have my bass, head, cabinet, cables, clothes ready to go.
  • I'll go through it mentally; I have my bass, have the cord to plug into the head, have the head, have the power cable for the head, have the speaker cable, have the cabinet (and at least one spare for everything except the cabinet), have an extra shirt. It usually doesn't take 30 minutes so when I'm done I relax until it's time to load up. I run through everything again as I'm loading and then I'm off.
I've forgotten items twice in about the last 30 years (that I can remember) and both times I skipped this ritual.
Click to expand...
Does forgetting the times you may have forgotten count?:cool:
 
#68
Sunday, I had a 6 AM call time, at a church about an hour's drive away. With snow, etc, I got up at 4:40, showered, packed the car, and drove. That was the entirety of the prep that day.
 
#69
Apologies, as this likely won't be of much help.

After my usual day I'll eat a decent dinner then rest for 1/2hr.- an hour. Get dressed, bag up my bass and go do the gig. It helps that both of my weeklies aren't far- I even walk to Tuesday's and roll my bass on a cart.

It was a much bigger deal with the gear when I mostly played slab. These days it's a breeze.
 
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#72
I play in more than one band, so my gear is a) strewn all over the place while b) the gigging essentials are always at home.
Gigging season equals super busy work season and I work every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so a gig day is a normal work day. I usually have my stuff ready the night before and just drive from work directly to the gig.
This is no big deal for me. Setting up and getting ready I am as calm as one can be while hauling cabinets.
I usually start getting nervous when the room fills, not before.
 
#74
Well it all starts the day before - I like to do rock climbing. Really destroys your forearms and makes playing bass an absolute pain.
Then, day of, I consume salt tablets and hard alcohol. If you don't cramp while you're playing, you can't really feel the blues. And pain = the blues.
Also, during the gig, encourage the audience to toss rotten food at the band.
Did I say toss? I meant heave. Heave it at the band with all your anger.

Remember - stress, dehydrate, and disappoint!

Just kidding. Lots of lounging around, eating filling meals, and drink lots of water. Nothing too special.
 
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#75
Man GPS is the one thing i forgot that i do (I screenshot the directions incase i lose service in the boonies).

I cant imagine doing much more than grabbing my gear and going. These item line check lists just seem nuts to me (no offense meant. Whatever works for everyone is fine for them).
Im usually the one with the most reliable gear in most bands ive been in.
 

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