Yeah, I Wore Shorts!

[agedhorse]

There were moments where I was worried about my rig... I had those Baggie S15X-D's up on a casterboard. A couple boats that came in close enough before they dumped the throttle kicked up a big enough wake that I had a vision of a big splash. Made me wonder if @agedhorse ever got that call... "say Andy, my D-800 just fell in a lake... is that gonna' be a covered warranty item, or uhh...?"

Nope, but we have had amps crushed in car accidents, lift gate accidents and ramp accidents.

Many years ago, I was the system provider for a 3 week long gig where one of the stages was on a small peninsula and the mix position was across about 50 feet of water. Had to run a copper 24 pair snake under the water (new quality cable was quite water proof back then if you buy the good stuff, not true today with the cable from China so don't try it) and the venue kindly provided a dinghy for us to get to the stage for set change. Otherwise, it was like a 1/4-mile walk around the lagoon. This was an IA (union) gig, and I ended up paddling back and forth because the FOH guy assigned to the stage by the union didn't swim and was terrified of the water. The acts were both surprised and appreciative of the effort. They could load in to the stage with their trucks, but couldn't get to our side. I had to paddle a few band engineers to the mix position, a first for all of us. The only real downer about this gig is that the union guy who was assigned to the stage ended up perishing in a car versus train accident later that year.

There was another gig I did, this one put the stage on a barge in the Sacramento River about 100 feet from shore. This was a little more difficult as there was a current to contend with. Fortunately, they provided a small "motor skiff" service to get us to and from the barge. The act that day was Ray Charles, and while the show went fine it became obvious that this was not a practical way to do things.

 

[Spidey2112]

I did Spidey, and bro, I really needed one last night. <high-five>

!

 

[Groove Doctor]

Shorts are fine, but honestly.... black socks with white sneakers?? What were you thinking!!!

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I'll wear shorts to a gig...in the winter! I don't give 2 craps what anyone thinks...

Me too, screw the haters.

Rock the shorts!

Looks like a very fun gig!

 

[lbbc]

Good. I don't care what anyone thinks or says...I ALWAYS wear shorts in the summer because all of my gigs are outside. I go for comfort, the heck with style, conformity and/or posturing. I play better when I'm comfortable.

 

[roller]

So... what's the story with you and Ms. Eden?

That's Right, my TalkBass Brothers & Sisters... I broke The Rule!

 

[CryingBass]

Nope, but we have had amps crushed in car accidents, lift gate accidents and ramp accidents.

Many years ago, I was the system provider for a 3 week long gig where one of the stages was on a small peninsula and the mix position was across about 50 feet of water. Had to run a copper 24 pair snake under the water (new quality cable was quite water proof back then if you buy the good stuff, not true today with the cable from China so don't try it) and the venue kindly provided a dinghy for us to get to the stage for set change. Otherwise, it was like a 1/4-mile walk around the lagoon. This was an IA (union) gig, and I ended up paddling back and forth because the FOH guy assigned to the stage by the union didn't swim and was terrified of the water. The acts were both surprised and appreciative of the effort. They could load in to the stage with their trucks, but couldn't get to our side. I had to paddle a few band engineers to the mix position, a first for all of us. The only real downer about this gig is that the union guy who was assigned to the stage ended up perishing in a car versus train accident later that year.

There was another gig I did, this one put the stage on a barge in the Sacramento River about 100 feet from shore. This was a little more difficult as there was a current to contend with. Fortunately, they provided a small "motor skiff" service to get us to and from the barge. The act that day was Ray Charles, and while the show went fine it became obvious that this was not a practical way to do things.

And thus the "aged" thing, eh?

 

[TheReceder]

Gel insoles. A holdover from back when I weighed 230.

Two ways to lose that kind of weight... Hard work, or Hard times... odd to say... but I hope is was hard work!
You look like a runner

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

So... what's the story with you and Ms. Eden?

Well, Barbara Eden is happily married, going on 88 years old next month, and still working too. She is the sole surviving cast member of IDOJ after Bill Daily passed away at 91 last year. I think they were pretty close, and occasionally made appearances together. A lot of folks don't know, but he really was a bassist, and would often use the bass as a prop on the show. He played all the way up until the end.

Now, the Girl in the Bottle... me and her go waaaay back. Barbara just introduced us.

 

[bdplaid]

That's Right, my TalkBass Brothers & Sisters... I broke The Rule!

Furthermore, I'm not sorry! It was hotter than dad-gummit here in Southwest Virginia yesterday evening, and I had an outdoor gig from 6:30 - 8:30 last night. Invalid Link Removed

Here's our guitar player, Josh, at load-in. Yeah, the stage is a floating boat dock. Show me the shade. Please.

View attachment 3482708

So I dutifully rolled my rig out that gangway, and set up... in the blistering sun. SPF 60, aerosol. Jeannie made me. I don't wanna' hear it.

View attachment 3482715

Brought along my '89 Alembic 5-string for the main ax:

View attachment 3482829

...and my partly Alembicized '67 Guild Starfire, for a switch-off or back-up:

View attachment 3482832

The shorts (if you're wondering) are a very comfortable, breathable fabric. I'm not nearly as brand-name conscious about them as I am about my bass gear, but I'll check for anybody who's interested. Alembic, Guild, Mesa, BagEnd, that's how I roll. Oh, the cap is from Nike... my Grand-daddy gave it to me. Oh well... another TalkBass fashion faux-pas.

The concert area for the show of course, is the water, but a good many folks set up along the shoreline too. I'm told that the music carries nearly a mile across the lake.

View attachment 3482858
View attachment 3482856
View attachment 3482857
All trolling and jokes aside, it was a pretty fun thing. We had maybe 75-100 folks out on the water last night to play for, a few more on the land, and had a fantastic evening to throw down the newgrass, Harwell-Grice Band style. The Harwell Grice Band

View attachment 3482877

View attachment 3482878

And thanks to a complete disregard of the TalkBass Code, I got through it just fine.

Go ahead y'all... lemme' have it! Flames?! Report to Mods?! Warning points?! Whatcha' got?!

STOP! You're scaring the fish!

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Two ways to lose that kind of weight... Hard work, or Hard times... odd to say... but I hope is was hard work!
You look like a runner

Both! C5-C7 diskectomy and cervical fusion last Fall after a lifetime of hard knocks. I got really bored sitting around for 12 weeks waiting for bones to fuse, so I started walking to kill time. About the same time, I started taking meds that control debilitating headaches. It worked great, but it also turned off the switch that tells you to go eat something.

Walk more, eat less. I went from 235 to 175. They told me to stop, and I didn't know how to. At 155, I got put on a special diet. What you can't see is the gather in the back of those shorts!

Here's a split screen of me with the same bass, roughly 6 months apart. (not shorts!)

July 2018 / May 2019

Wild, huh?

 

[James Willie]

I am the wolf.
Worn nothing but shorts for at least 10 years.
The wolf don't care when all the sheep complain.
And a 100 more year from now, no one will care.

Whose going to tell Eric Clapton not to wear shorts?

 

[J-Bassomatic]

That's Right, my TalkBass Brothers & Sisters... I broke The Rule!

Furthermore, I'm not sorry! It was hotter than dad-gummit here in Southwest Virginia yesterday evening, and I had an outdoor gig from 6:30 - 8:30 last night. Invalid Link Removed

Here's our guitar player, Josh, at load-in. Yeah, the stage is a floating boat dock. Show me the shade. Please.

View attachment 3482708

So I dutifully rolled my rig out that gangway, and set up... in the blistering sun. SPF 60, aerosol. Jeannie made me. I don't wanna' hear it.

View attachment 3482715

Brought along my '89 Alembic 5-string for the main ax:

View attachment 3482829

...and my partly Alembicized '67 Guild Starfire, for a switch-off or back-up:

View attachment 3482832

The shorts (if you're wondering) are a very comfortable, breathable fabric. I'm not nearly as brand-name conscious about them as I am about my bass gear, but I'll check for anybody who's interested. Alembic, Guild, Mesa, BagEnd, that's how I roll. Oh, the cap is from Nike... my Grand-daddy gave it to me. Oh well... another TalkBass fashion faux-pas.

The concert area for the show of course, is the water, but a good many folks set up along the shoreline too. I'm told that the music carries nearly a mile across the lake.

View attachment 3482858
View attachment 3482856
View attachment 3482857
All trolling and jokes aside, it was a pretty fun thing. We had maybe 75-100 folks out on the water last night to play for, a few more on the land, and had a fantastic evening to throw down the newgrass, Harwell-Grice Band style. The Harwell Grice Band

View attachment 3482877

View attachment 3482878

And thanks to a complete disregard of the TalkBass Code, I got through it just fine.

Go ahead y'all... lemme' have it! Flames?! Report to Mods?! Warning points?! Whatcha' got?!

Shorts are perfectly acceptable in this instance, a Speedo, not so much.

 

[MattZilla]

My gig vehicle is a 1993 Volvo wagon. I have to wear car-go shorts to everything now. If i don't, I can't even get out of my driveway.

I'm trying really hard to not like this.

 

[40Hz]

The Purple Mage saith: Yea for I say to you, if a man shall push an Alembic bass through a pair of Bag End cabs and too shall have a Broughton pedal on the floor before him, than he shall be numbered among the children of the gods, and nothing shall be denied him.

tl:dr - Go ahead. Wear yer shorts.

 

[alembicbones]

Bringing the Alembic absolutely cancels out any bad karma from wearing shorts.
Great to see someone happy to play out with the good stuff.

I whole heartedly agree that the Alembic clearly trumps the shorts thing.

Well Played,
Bones

 

[GretschWretch]

Gel insoles. A holdover from back when I weighed 230.

A member of the 220 club asking, if it's not too personal, how'd you shed the weight?

 

[dbsfgyd1]

That's Right, my TalkBass Brothers & Sisters... I broke The Rule!

Furthermore, I'm not sorry! It was hotter than dad-gummit here in Southwest Virginia yesterday evening, and I had an outdoor gig from 6:30 - 8:30 last night. Invalid Link Removed

Here's our guitar player, Josh, at load-in. Yeah, the stage is a floating boat dock. Show me the shade. Please.

View attachment 3482708

So I dutifully rolled my rig out that gangway, and set up... in the blistering sun. SPF 60, aerosol. Jeannie made me. I don't wanna' hear it.

View attachment 3482715

Brought along my '89 Alembic 5-string for the main ax:

View attachment 3482829

...and my partly Alembicized '67 Guild Starfire, for a switch-off or back-up:

View attachment 3482832

The shorts (if you're wondering) are a very comfortable, breathable fabric. I'm not nearly as brand-name conscious about them as I am about my bass gear, but I'll check for anybody who's interested. Alembic, Guild, Mesa, BagEnd, that's how I roll. Oh, the cap is from Nike... my Grand-daddy gave it to me. Oh well... another TalkBass fashion faux-pas.

The concert area for the show of course, is the water, but a good many folks set up along the shoreline too. I'm told that the music carries nearly a mile across the lake.

View attachment 3482858
View attachment 3482856
View attachment 3482857
All trolling and jokes aside, it was a pretty fun thing. We had maybe 75-100 folks out on the water last night to play for, a few more on the land, and had a fantastic evening to throw down the newgrass, Harwell-Grice Band style. The Harwell Grice Band

View attachment 3482877

View attachment 3482878

And thanks to a complete disregard of the TalkBass Code, I got through it just fine.

Go ahead y'all... lemme' have it! Flames?! Report to Mods?! Warning points?! Whatcha' got?!

I live outside of Richmond, have had two nasty gigs this year under awnings, underneath where we were playing was about 105-107 degrees and humid. I played both gigs in pants, totally dehydrated at the end of both gigs, even after drinking 4 large propels during the day of, and two more at the gig and finished the last half an hour with severe cramping. Both times it took me 3 days to recover.

I have one thing to say to the “No Shorts” crowd.. unfortunately it would be a severe violation. Glad you had a good gig. Looked like fun. Had a couple of similar gigs at the Honi-Honi in Deep Creek MD, where people show up with their boats.

 

[fhm555]

Since you were on the water, shorts are the wise choice. If you went in the water, trousers could prove to be an impediment.

 

[HolmeBass]

Your whole band wore shorts. You would have looked odd in golf pants. But I might have gone with sandals like a few of your band mates did.

Now that other photo where the cajon player is wearing long pants and no shirt - where does that come in on the TB dress-drama police spectrum?