Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Anyone who's been gigging longer than a week or so has gone through this. You have a show scheduled, and you wake up that morning hacking up copious amounts of lung goo, or have a fever that feels like you could fry an egg on your forehead. Or a headache that makes you weigh the possibility of beheading yourself to alleviate the pain. The old saying, of course, is "the show must go on". And in this age of modern miracle medicine, there are plenty of pills you can pop that will momentarily give you the illusion of not feeling like hell. But in the meantime, you're expected to put on a show. Now, that's hard enough to do well when you're in tip-top shape. Dong it when you're not quite sure if you're going to spray the first three rows with vomit during the next verse is hard, really hard. What do you do when you've got a gig you really want to/need to play but feel really sick? I usually just hope that the adrenaline will override the illness for long enough to make it through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 I just usually do it anyway unless I just can't physically do it. I've gigged while on Oxycontin because my back was all jacked up several times, and I've gigged while really sick. I just go out there and do it and then collapse. And oddly, it's come off well, with people complimenting me on the show afterwards. I don't bother to tell anyone in the audience that I'm ailing so I don't draw attention to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 I just go out there and do it and then collapse. Yeah, that seems about right. And oddly, it's come off well, with people complimenting me on the show afterwards. I don't bother to tell anyone in the audience that I'm ailing so I don't draw attention to it. Yeah, that's the other question: volunteer excuses or not? I think I'll wait to see if I sound like I'm gargling when I sing. If so, I may alert them of the civilization of bugs that are living in my lungs at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rabid Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 This is why I could never be a singer. It also reminds me of one of my favorite stories to tell about band days and being sick when the show had to go on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 I vowed never to drink an entire bottle of cough medicine with codeine in it again. Probably good advice regardless of the extenuating circumstances. I enjoy my rather new role as a solo singer/songwriter. I have a good voice under normal circumstances, and am confident in my ability to do a good show. But you're right: voice is a whole other thing to worry about, and at the moment, the idea of singing tonight is on parallel to my playing with three broken fingers. Yikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 At times when I can't even imagine singing because my throat is so screwed up, two things seem to fix it for as long as it takes to do a gig, two things seem to work pretty well: 1) honey and lemon, and 2) Corvoiseur. Seriously. For the honey and lemon thing, just take a tablespoon of honey, squirt some lemon juice on it and eat it. I probably don't need to tell you what to do with the Corvoiseur. There are probably other cognacs or brandies that would do the trick as well, but that works particularly great for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Lee, that sounds like a great idea. I was planning on doing my tea with LOTS of honey before my gig tonight. In actuality, it's more my lungs at the moment than my throat bugging me. I'm coming off a grueling three-week work period with very little rest, flying from coast to coast, working a trade show, and having a young man with bad bronchitis in my house. Between the germ immersion and general exhaustion, I'm not exactly sure why I feel like death warmed over, but I find that I'm too tired to even analyze it. So yeah... ibuprofen, honey, vitamin C, and maybe a little brandy. That'll be a nice combination to hurl on my large diaphragm condenser mic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rockerdiva Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Ah, never mind. I'll delete the post that later got picked on. Honestly I did count my gigs because I was so insecure when I started doing this years ago. And I'm proud of my work record ... the show must go on - drink tea and honey and play the gig as long as you can still play and sing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 I'm trying to remember... but I don't think I've EVER cancelled a gig. Then again, I've never been in labor, to the best of my recollections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Iamtheblues Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 I have played before when I felt like heck. Golly gosh darn, feeling like heck sure isn't swell at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dean Roddey Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Back in my bar band days I had a couple of really bad ones. Not because I was sick, but because of excessive self medication the previous day(s). But, of course, in my 20's I had a massive tolerance for pharmecuticals, and considered them an important part of my day for the most part. But in a few cases, like after coming back from a trip to the beach just in time for a show, I was just completely wiped out. I leaned back against my amp the whole show just trying not to throw up, and half asleep. Interestingly, the very next night was one of the most bangup shows I ever did, and the Muse was smackin me all around. Over the course of a couple years I never missed a show. Though we only played two or three nights a week so that's not as impressive a record as it might sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 I just did an acoustic thing last month with Carolyn. We both take turns on lead vocals. I had been suffering from the throat/chest crud, but thought "What the hey, I'll give it a shot"... Carolyn sang a few...then I thought I'd do something easy. It wasn't there. At all. Barely half a notch above laryngitis. I struggled my way to finish the song, then Carolyn sang the rest. Good thing, it was just a couple hour set, not a full night. The only gig I've missed due to illness was a wedding reception. I had pneumonia, and like a 104 degree fever. That was a long time ago. I hope I never get that sick again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 I struggled my way to finish the song, then Carolyn sang the rest. I've got a solid hour and a half all by myself tonight. Wish me luck. Cough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Oh, and I'm doing all Neil Young covers, which are out of my comfortable range on a GOOD day. I'm going to record the show, just for {censored}s and giggles. Speaking of {censored}s... ah never mind. Don't want to jynx myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted October 12, 2007 Moderators Share Posted October 12, 2007 In the 80's I was gigging 5 nights a week minimum. After a while I just learned to not sweat the fact that I was sucking if I was sick. It just is... so you do it... then it's done. But I'll tell how you get your voice happening. Sing. Really. Lightly, and I mean very lightly, warm up all day. Soft humming of scales right in your comfort zone. Very gradually stretch the comfort zone closer to your real range. Take your time though or you will blow it out. Go slow... and you'll have a voice by night time. This is what opera singers do when they're ill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 But I'll tell how you get your voice happening. Sing. Really. 100% agreed. I found this to be true yesterday, doing some warm-ups. Started off croaking like a frog, but once it clicked in, I was fine. It took about five songs, though. I usually only start getting my voice ready about an hour before the gig, but I think today, I'll start, like, NOW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rabid Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Well Jeff, you can always fake it the way the pro's do. But, if the urge hits and you have to run remember to hit the stop button first. I would hate to see you on one of those shows that love to catch singers messing up when faking it in front of an audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Well Jeff, you can always fake it the way the pro's do. Nah, I'm the anti-fake. I'd rather have them hear real coughing than fake singing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rabid Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Darn it Jeff. I was hoping to see you on one of those shows that likes to catch people faking it in front of an audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Billster Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 In actuality, it's more my lungs at the moment than my throat bugging me. I'm coming off a grueling three-week work period with very little rest, flying from coast to coast, working a trade show, and having a young man with bad bronchitis in my house. The cigarettes had nothing to do with it? :poke: My solution: Instrumentals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 Now my ears are spontaneously closing, one at a time, or both if they overlap. I think I have bugs living in me. I mean, I know I'm attractive real estate and all, but there are literally BILLIONS of other people in which they could choose to reside. I mean, not to say I'm better than every single other person on the planet in any way, but I'd appreciate it if they'd voluntarily leave, like, now. The alternative is for me to visit some kind of medical practitioner who will be all too happy to write me a scrip for some modern miracle of an antibiotic. I've had then all, and damn, they work great. Zithromax, Avelox, and a really frightening one called Biaxin XL. My doc said something interesting to me one time after prescribing good old amoxycillin to me: if you go to something stronger, there's nowhere to go from there, and you're screwed. Of course, the bugs laughed at the amoxycillin (I heard them laughing; it was a small and evil sound coming from my own chest area), and I had to take the Avelox anyway, later on, when the amoxycilln didn't do anything. It had all the effectiveness of a Pez dispenser But still, good intent. I actually only turn to the antibiotics as a last resort. It's my gift to society. Instead, I suffer and complain constantly. You're welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted October 12, 2007 Moderators Share Posted October 12, 2007 Do you know any Tom Waits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted October 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 The cigarettes had nothing to do with it? :poke: Of course not, other than making me more susceptible to the infection in the first place, and causing it to hang around longer. But now, I figure I can smoke the bugs out. Unless, of course, the little bastards like Marlboro Lights. They probably do. Man, I am feeling genocidal toward these germs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Billster Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 It's my gift to society. Instead, I suffer and complain constantly. You're welcome. No wonder you are enjoying doing the solo singer/songwriter thing. What's the difference between a singer/songwriter and a whining dog? The dog stops whining if you give it food. What's the difference between shooting a singer/songwriter and euthanizing a sick, old dog? People feel sorry for the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rabid Posted October 12, 2007 Members Share Posted October 12, 2007 I suggest you eat a BIG, greasy cheeseburger to speed things along. Get sick now and maybe you will feel better by show time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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