What "stuff" do you bring to every gig?

[baba]

Obviously we all bring basses and some of us bring amps. I'm curious what other non-instrument things you all bring to gigs. You know, the utility things just in case something goes wrong. I'm setting up a gear bag to take to gigs and here's what I'm planning on putting in it. Some of the stuff is in there because I own the PA as well, so I've got to support that too.

- Spare 50' mic cable
- Spare 25' instrument cable
- Spare 50' speaker cable (1/4" ends)
- 1/4" to Speakon converter
- Roll of gaffer's tape
- Roll of neon orange duct tape (it's how I mark all my stuff like cables, stands, etc.)
- Fresh 9v batteries (4-8)
- Pack of fresh AA batteries
- Spare bass strings (1 or 2 sets)
- Spare acoustic guitar strings (1 or 2 sets)
- Spare electric guitar strings (1 or 2 sets)
- Leatherman multi-tool
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Sharpie marker
- Pens
- Legal-size notepad
- Business cards with band contact info
- Copies of demo CD
- Medicine pack with decongestants, dayquil, advil, antacids, pepto-bismol, etc.
- Couple band-aids
- $20 bill hidden inside (you never know when you need cash and will be out)

Yikes. I understand the need for some of this due to being the guy with the PA. I'm him as well. But...

medicine pack?
pens/notepad?
leatherman + screwdriver?
2 sets of strings?
4-8 9V?

With all due respect, this is madness. Simplify in everything you do.

 

[4bpauly]

if you're going to the trouble of making a seperate case, you may as well have plenty of stock.... for the whole band

i know it isn't your job...but it has made the show go on in my own personal history.

 

[GreggBummer]

...Simplify in everything you do.

I agree with the sentiment, but I am pragmatic in the way I approach life. A "tool box" or "gear bag" stuffed with things you may or may not need is a good idea.

If we had a gig planned in NYC (a good two hour ride), then we would bring the kitchen sink. Especially if we are playing a venue none of us have played before.

If I am playing the coffee house down the street... I can bring the guitar, extra strings, and a few goodies for the case.

It just depends on what you are doing.

G

 

[Jefenator]

I have noticed a little preparedness can go a long way for your reputation. A few people think I'm some kind of superhuman who is ready for absolutely anything when all I ever did was lend my spare guitar cable.

 

[LowDown Hal]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned
lawyers, guns, and money

 

[bassninja7]

bass
amp/cab
3-20' cables
4-10' cables
wireless system
pedal board(tuner, sansamp, patch cable and a onespot)
power strip
50' extention cord
2 other tuners
duct tape
3-5 power cords
8-20' mic cables
2 mics
a three plug-to-one adapter
2-three-to-two prong adapters
xlr - 1/4
pens/pencils
3 flashlights
stand
set of strings
pair of sticks
gripmaster/stress ball
mic clips
9v(8)
AA(10)
drum mics(yes, i know... i DID buy them, my drummer has not paid for them yet )
pedal that goes to my amp. never use it...
xlr - USB
moniters(2)

three trips from the car, one: bass on back(P) or in hand(thunderbird) bag over shoulder, and pedal board in other hand. two: head three: cab
i could have someone grab the other handle and place one hand on the head and carry the cab, but we are our own roadies now

 

[Jehos]

i know it isn't your job...but it has made the show go on in my own personal history.

This is why I do it. Plus my "role" in the band is co-leader, "the money guy", and "the guy that owns the PA". Somebody's got to be the responsible one in the band and it's not like one extra laptop-sized bag is that much to bring when you're already lugging PA gear.

 

[GreggBummer]

I care too much about my gigs, mostly because they don't happen too often. I would hate to fail over a lack of preparation or leaving some kind of doo-dad at home. So I bring extras. Screwing up a song is one thing... not having a working xlr cable to DI my bass into the PA is larger problem. But that is just me. Some of you pros out there may have more confidence and travel light.

 

[bergerXL5]

Couple of add-ins: Crazy glue. It can even be used to close up that slice in your finger!
Fuses for the amps. A spare wall-wart with adjustable voltage settings and plugs. a spare IEC power cable (that three-wire thingy that connects all of our toys to the wall). No one has mentioned a vise-grips?

Not usually necessary, but REAL nice to have if on the road: a spare set of tubes for tube amps, a soldering iron, solder, and a solder sucker, and plate resistors for the power tubes, plus a small VOM.

In the big racks, we used to also carry a small halon extiguisher. It does lots less damage to the amps than the sound tech's beer, but that isn't something I'd carry in the go bag.
===============================================================

The official tool kit consists of Duct-tape, WD-40, and vise-grips. If is supposed to move and doesn't, use WD-40. If it isn't supposed to move, and does, use duct-tape. The vise-grips are for everything else.

 

[Jehos]

I care too much about my gigs, mostly because they don't happen too often. I would hate to fail over a lack of preparation or leaving some kind of doo-dad at home. So I bring extras. Screwing up a song is one thing... not having a working xlr cable to DI my bass into the PA is larger problem. But that is just me. Some of you pros out there may have more confidence and travel light.

I suspect a lot of the real pros have support teams that handle this sort of thing. I would imagine that the big stadium acts have whole cases full of the spare stuff, it's just split up between the guitar tech, the sound and lighting teams, etc.

Nobody is going to play to multi-thousands of people and have the show not go on because the battery in the bass is dead and there's not a spare.

 

[GreggBummer]

I suspect a lot of the real pros have support teams that handle this sort of thing. I would imagine that the big stadium acts have whole cases full of the spare stuff, it's just split up between the guitar tech, the sound and lighting teams, etc.

Nobody is going to play to multi-thousands of people and have the show not go on because the battery in the bass is dead and there's not a spare.

+1

I just have the "boy scout" attitude from my Army days. I used to be Psychological Operations guy... so we these large loud speaker systems mounted on Hummv's to convince the enemy to surrender... or convince them to do something stupid.

The Army issued a crap load of cables for the thing... but no spares. So if something stopped working (and it always does in the desert) then you were in trouble. So I ended up scrounging everything I could. I got pretty good at finding and trading things. So, I have been stuck many times without the right part... but have always managed to get by. Lessons learned the hard way tend to be the ones that stick with you for life.

 

[Jayce Bass]

A spare set of used strings...(already stretched)
AND
A bottle of bourbon Whiskey...in case the bar owner is a cheap ass.

I prefer "Ten High" bourbon for all my gigs.

Can I get an endorsement, now?

 

[hbarcat]

I always bring an SPL meter and it almost always gets used.

 

[Clammy]

In no particular order:

20' cable (in case my wireless goes down - which it never has. On the other hand, I've had wireless systems supplied by the promoter go down on me)
roll of black duct tape
spare 9v batteries
Imodium (especially when traveling to foreign countries - you just never know how the food/water will affect your stomach)
mini mag-light
bag of picks
band-aids
tylenol/advil
spare strings
camera
Sharpies
paper
side cutters
needle nose pliers
adjustable pliers
screwdriver
power converter (for European gigs)

Probably a few other things I'm forgetting.

Cheers!

 

[ihateusernames]

your list is very similar to mine - i have no use for a couple of the items (acoustic strings for example)

i've always got a spare sm57 along, two mic cables in case the sound co. falls short (and he did last show!)

two extended length instrument cables, an extra mini mic stand, a couple of a/b boxes, and one or two spare di boxes.

used to carry extra power strips until they ended up in group rotation and now i don't even have one (other than the rackmounted one and the permanent install in my private practice space.

spare shoes, pants, undies, socks, and shirt always along for the ride too - i've had my share of spilled beer/mixed drinks/food, falls in slush, walks through a deep puddle....you learn.

 

[Jim Carr]

I could tell a few "saved the day" type stories, but let's just say that I have needed or used every single bit of this gear over the years.

Stuff I take besides me, vehicle, and gig clothes/towel:

cell phone
directions
GPS
set lists
manuscript paper
business cards
spare hearing protection for friends
musicians ear plugs

bass & spare bass
4-space rack (2 pre-amps and a power amp)
2 cabs
spare bass head
2 small tuners
paraDI and/or CM type 85 DI
bass strings
guitar strings
spare strap

2 Mics & 1 Stand
2 spares for each type of audio/speaker/mic cable

2 prong standard AC connectors
60 foot heavy duty power cable
2 power strips
2 smaller extension chords
AC 2 prong adapters (2)
Outlet tester
fuses
flashlight & batteries
Zoom H4
SD cards
Tripod
camera
large screwdrivers (2 with assorted heads)

9v adaptors (2)
spare batteries (AA and 9v)
spare 12Ax7
aspirin & bandaids
cash

simple tools:

 

[ihateusernames]

oh yeah, extra earplugs! carry 100 pack until they're almost gone, then buy more.

 

[bass12]

It might sound funny, but I like to have a nail-file with me. I can't stand being on a gig and then realizing that I've forgotten to cut my plucking-finger nails. I don't particularly like the sound of my nails clicking on the strings with each pluck...

A bottle of New Skin can also be handy if one is prone to developing blisters.

 

[Kevan Campbell]

I have a small toolbox that I take to every gig and practice. Though I'm always adding to it, it currently contains:

-Spare strings (for guitars and bass)
-Lots of extra AA, AAA and 9 volt batteries
-Drum key
-2 sets of Allen wrenches
-Exacto knife
-XLR cord
-Patch/pedalboard cable
-1/4 to 1/4 instrument cord
-Guitar strap
-Korg CA-30 tuner
-Neon green duct tape
-Gorilla glue
-Spare fuses
-Sodering iron
-Screwdrivers and vise-grips
-Minty chewing gum
-Wind-up flashlight
-Zip-ties
-Post-it notes
-Extra pens and Sharpies

*While not stored with the above supplies, I always have a clean, plain black T shirt, underwear and socks packed away.

One very important rule that I have is that if someone needs anything from my "GigBox", they HAVE to pay for it, and in most cases, return it. I don't ask for batteries or gum back, but cables and strings can get expensive to replace.

 

[Kindofblue]

Bass and Equipment and iphone is sort of obvious.

Strap
Cable for Amp and Input
Intellitouch tuner
Extra Strings
Realbooks/music
Ear Plugs

thats about it. I play moslty jazz/funk stlye gigs alot of the stuff people bring is mostly for a whole band but I figure if they cant remember it, they are retarted.