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Where's your gigs?

Where's your gigs?

  • Large Venues Arenas

    Votes: 3 1.5%
  • Theater sized

    Votes: 17 8.3%
  • Outdoor festivals

    Votes: 16 7.8%
  • Gymnasium gigs

    Votes: 8 3.9%
  • Large Bar gigs >500 people

    Votes: 12 5.9%
  • Medium Bar gigs >150 people

    Votes: 67 32.8%
  • Small Bar <150

    Votes: 48 23.5%
  • Coffee House limited volume

    Votes: 5 2.5%
  • Yard Parties

    Votes: 3 1.5%
  • Don't Gig

    Votes: 25 12.3%

  • Total voters
    204
  • Poll closed .
Med bar, sm bar, also large parties on a sound stage. But, way back when, (the 80's) I played in a band that doubled as a house band for a monthly "open mic" nite at a local bar. We opened, we closed, and then sat in for numerous singer songwriters. Just loved learning the song on the spot, and trying to keep up. Always used a large rig, still do. Big sound = big rig, no compromise.
 
I'm scratching my head here and wondering why everybody is so critical about "Heavy Gear".

A very heavy portion of the gigs I've done allowed me to back up either to a loading dock or roll into a garage type dock and wheel my gear right onto the back of a stage.

Same here. All the clubs and bars I've played at, I've been able to pull up to a side or back loading door. All of our cabs have wheels so I don't actually carry them, and with the heads I only have to walk about 10-15 yards from the door to the stage. I also own a dolly if needed, but the only club we played that had an elevetor to the 3rd floor, provided load-in/out with those long lumber carts like you see in Home Depot.
 
Basements! I love when the crowd is right up in your face. Sweaty and musty!
Amen brotha!

My old crusty hardcore band always played on the floor of clubs because we loved the connection with the audience.

On an additional note, one of Pg. 99's last shows was in a basement in the middle of summer. It was so sweaty and musty that the sweat was collecting on the celing and LITTERALY raining back down on us...

Q:And punk? A: And punk!
 
I have a question for you, Bob (rbonner). Where are you playing that requires all those Ampegs you have?? And what do you drive to cart those things around? :)

B4DL, I lived in CANTON right across the street from the Plymouth Airport on Lilley between Warren and Joy.

Currently playing in my livingroom, However, everytime I turn it on the cops show up. I just found out from the ex cop on the other side of my neighbor lady that my wife and I were abducted and different people were placed in my house possibly by witness protection. She said to me, that same day... Well you know what goes on in there don't you? Pointing at my house. I said, no, what?

The transportation system? I have a small fleet of vans, pickups and enclosed trailers. :cool: My insurance Agent loves me and my wife hates me.

I build stuff as therapy, it keeps me from doing really bad things. Idle hands you know the rest.

BOB
 
Almost all of my gigs have been musical theater for the last 20 years or so. The theaters range from regional professional, to community to college and high school. They range in seating capacity form 100s to 1000s. Before that I played pretty much everything else on the list. I'm in to the light weight stuff because: a) I don't need a lot of volume in the pit, b) I do need good tone and reliability and c) I'm an old fart (57) and just don't want to be carrying anything more than I have to. I can usually make it in one trip - GB Shuttle 6.0 or Neo-Pak, one Berg HT112, fretted and fretless over the shoulder, gig bag and music stand. Two trips if it is a DB gig.

Cheer,
Dennis
 
I fall right between the small and medium bar slot. Weight isn't a big deal to me. I'm fairly sized (about 5'10" 160lbs) and turn wrenches for a living. and my drummer and guitar player are both lurch sized, they too turn wrenches for a living. Whatever I can't move, they can, including my '64 merc when it stalled in the middle of the street the other night.
 
i do a weekly church gig, but there's a backline provided. it's just me my bass and maybe a pedal or two. i'm also in a jazz/funk group which requires my own gear. my gear is pretty heavy (110lb hlf cab) but every ounce of it is worth it because i've finally found my sound. i've owned a few setups over the years, played through tons of different backline setups and i can honestly say i don't mind the setup involved. if i made serious money in the coffee house scene i might invest in something smaller, but that has yet to happen.
 
Ranges from small bars to theaters/festivals. There is typically easy load in access. The worst load ins by far have been a club in worcester, ma, which has a tiny back door leading into a cramped hallway which goes up a two flights of stairs turning in between to the bar on the second floor. Last time we played there I had to carry my 6x10 up myself. Huge pain.

Other than that, the loading stairs at the middle east downstairs in cambridge, ma can be a pain moving large objects if you don't have adequate help.
 
I did a tour of those retirement condo theaters in south Florida earlier this year, and you'd be amazed at how they all have staircases from the parking lot to the stage entrance. There are also a lot of deadlifts from loading docks to stages. It's the worst thing I've ever seen. I love using an SVT, but that's about where I draw the line. I bring a B-15 for them.