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Why it's always good to be early...
- Thread starter Joe Nerve
- Start date
Yikes! Good on you for being early Joe.
I like technology, but I try not to rely on GPS too much. It's very common to end up in the wrong place - see it all the time at work. I still have a map book in my truck.
I like technology, but I try not to rely on GPS too much. It's very common to end up in the wrong place - see it all the time at work. I still have a map book in my truck.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
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- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
HaHa... yes! Absolutely. First song I had to play was Isn't She Lovely. It was about 10 degrees in the hall on top of everything else, so my hands were frozen too. It was the first time in years that I felt like a complete newbie on bass. Not fun.
I'll add that I just realized my crappy yesterday is continuing into today.
I own one suit. I rarely wear a jacket to gigs (just a vest), but wore the suit jacket yesterday for no good reason. Since I'm not used to bringing or wearing a jacket and didn't while I was playing....
Yes.
I'll be going back there yet again. If they put it aside for me.
Good job, Joe!
I always say, it is best to give oneself two types of cushions: a time cushion, and a money cushion. Life turns out to be so much easier and more enjoyable that way!
You have to realize our JoeNerve cruises on adrenaline and professionalism. All in a day's work for The Man!
I have a regular gig in the heart of Hollywood — an easy 30 minutes for me without traffic. On a Saturday night with Hollywood Bowl, Ford Theater, Dolby Theater, Pantages Theater, Chinese Theater, various street closures and the regular Hollywood Blvd. tourist traffic, I have spent an additional hour to an hour and a half stuck going nowhere just a mile or two from the venue or navigating small side streets (yes, there are small streets in L.A.). Leaving early, for me, is a must.
My R&B band had a banner weekend of screw ups. First, our Friday night gig commute was interrupted by......and I'm not kidding here......cows on the interstate. Much earlier in the afternoon, a truck full of cows tipped over on a major 4-lane expressway. Took them hours to clean it up and herd the remaining cows.
On Saturday we played a small club on a road called Old Hickory Blvd. That's important to note because there are about 4 Old Hickory Blvds in the Nashville area, all in different parts of town. Our trombonist put the address in Waze, but put in the wrong zip. She ended up in a different part of town, and was a bit late. Luckily, playing without a trombonist isn't quite as impactful as playing without a bassist.
On Saturday we played a small club on a road called Old Hickory Blvd. That's important to note because there are about 4 Old Hickory Blvds in the Nashville area, all in different parts of town. Our trombonist put the address in Waze, but put in the wrong zip. She ended up in a different part of town, and was a bit late. Luckily, playing without a trombonist isn't quite as impactful as playing without a bassist.
I'm glad you made it in time. There is nothing worse than that feeling of total hopelessness, helplessness, and panic when that happens. I have had it happen at venues that closed and never called us.
A couple years ago, we had a guitarist who went to a different private club (a V.F.W.) across the street from where we were playing (a Moose Lodge). He called and asked where we were since he was already at the venue. I asked where is was and he replied that he was at the club I told him, the Ebensburg V.F.W. I said I never ever said the words V.F.W. and told him the Ebensburg Moose Lodge. Thankfully, he was across the street.
A couple years ago, we had a guitarist who went to a different private club (a V.F.W.) across the street from where we were playing (a Moose Lodge). He called and asked where we were since he was already at the venue. I asked where is was and he replied that he was at the club I told him, the Ebensburg V.F.W. I said I never ever said the words V.F.W. and told him the Ebensburg Moose Lodge. Thankfully, he was across the street.
Sure beats having to use the old "I was abducted by aliens" line.
Excellent habit to get into Joe! I spent decades in sales, and did well (retired younger than you are now). Being on time was always rule #1. Being early was no problem. I could do paper work, explore the hood, take a little walk in the park, listen to some tunes, whatever! I NEVER lost a sale by being on time. My competitors sure lost a bunch by NOT being on time, or so I was told by my customers. I've also never been late for a gig either, but close a few times (pre-GPS days). Hope the young guns are heeding your message!
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I live by the "Panic early and avoid the rush" rule. When things start to go sideways, they all go sideways, too. Thank goodness it was your suit jacket and not something sure to be stolen or put out with the trash. I find that the more paranoid I am about screwups, the less reason I have to be paranoid.
Good story for the grandkids someday, though. Lots of stories is one of the perks of living long enough. Repeating them is one of the downfalls, but that's somebody else's problem.
Quit calling me every half-hour. I told you I'll be there in 5 minutes!
I love reading stories like this because it helps me justify my borderline-neurotic tendency to leave 1-2 hours early for gigs! That feeling when you pull in the parking lot and the place is empty... that’s the worst.
Also, Joe’s tip about using the actual street address is spot on and applies to ride-sharing apps as well. I played weddings in the NJ/NYC area for years before moving to Chicago recently, and there are a bunch of venues with multiple locations under the same name or with slight variations.
Also, Joe’s tip about using the actual street address is spot on and applies to ride-sharing apps as well. I played weddings in the NJ/NYC area for years before moving to Chicago recently, and there are a bunch of venues with multiple locations under the same name or with slight variations.
If I'm 15 minutes early, I'm on time. On the other hand, being late can be good too...
The other advantage to being early is that "things will go wrong or break". I can't tell you how many times being early has been a benefit when something goes awry with P.A. gear, amps, cables, vehicles, traffic, weather, etc. Having time to fix things, replace things, or just getting to the gig safe and sound is very important. It is not good when the band is late and the venue owner or manager or the audience members are upset that you don't start on time.
madbass6
Inactive
- Jan 13, 2009
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As a side (still GPS related) note, have you older guys noticed how many people is totally unable to read an actual printed map? I've seen some youngsters not even have the minimal "map abstaction" to figure out when you're going down on a map left is right and right is left. It's always good to master the city you live in without a map. I know some cities are HUGE but it's still doable if you learn it by sections (I did back in Buenos Aires, where I've lived the most -also biggest city I've lived at-). Moved to Madrid (population around 7M) in 2003 and I could reliably go anywhere without a GPS within 3-4 years.
