Members Chicken Monkey Posted January 22, 2014 Members Share Posted January 22, 2014 That is, staggering each band member's breaks so that you're filling the entire night. My bass player just went to Nashville and said all the bar bands are doing it this way, rather than going back to the jukebox every hour or so. I wouldn't do it on a really dancey night, where we'd want to keep the energy up the whole time, but there are a lot of things that we could do as a duo or trio (with some minimal instrument trading along the way) while band members sat out individually or in pairs. Any tips, or red flags? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kevin T Posted January 22, 2014 Members Share Posted January 22, 2014 Whats next waiting on tables ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dan88z Posted January 22, 2014 Members Share Posted January 22, 2014 My hippy band did that at our recent show that was more of a concert than a club gig. 3 hours with no breaks, but there were drum/percussion solos that let us take a pee break, and there were keyboard/bass interludes that let the drum guys get a break too. It worked out well. I couldn't see doing it with my dance band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceNorman Posted January 22, 2014 Members Share Posted January 22, 2014 I suppose we could do if it were absolutely a necessity - but I'm not sure I'd want to as a regular practice. Virtually all of the material we do is arranged for a full band - and while some instruments could sit some - guys like the drummer and bass player need to be IN on virtually every tune. Putting tunes in that allowed everybody a little time away from their instruments would really require that we change up our setlists - and deviate so far from the energy that gets us hired that it would likely be counterproductive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted January 22, 2014 Members Share Posted January 22, 2014 Pour a bucket of water over your head and pee on stage like Ozzy does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted January 23, 2014 Members Share Posted January 23, 2014 Nothing new. I read an interview with Molly Hatchett in Guitar Player Magazine back in the early 80 s and they talked about playing 6 hour club gigs with no breaks, just guy in the band rotating in and out periodically. I got used to playing 90 minute to two hour festival and concert sets, so I just transferred those over to bars. With the band, I might take one break in a 4 hour gig, playing a two hour set at first and then a 100 minute set to finish. Solo I rarely take a break, since I'm sitting down anyway and the gigs are only two to three hours. Whatever works. Everyone is different in stamina and ability to "hold it" for bathroom breaks. Venues are different (some I've played specifically outlined set times so they could turn over tables) and crowds are different. I occasionally take two breaks with the band if it's a slower night or someone in the band needs it. It ain't carved in stone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted January 23, 2014 Members Share Posted January 23, 2014 SpaceNorman wrote: guys like the drummer and bass player need to be IN on virtually every tune. Sometimes a guitar-and-vocal or piano-and-vocal only ballad is a nice change of pace in the set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted January 23, 2014 Members Share Posted January 23, 2014 Our breaks are about 15 mins. Time to go to the bathroom, have a smoke (for those that do (our drummer lol)) grab a drink and then we are pretty much back at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ski219 Posted January 23, 2014 Members Share Posted January 23, 2014 A cover band I was in a few years ago considered tisi strategy. The only reason is to try to prevent losing crowd during breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flemtone Posted January 23, 2014 Members Share Posted January 23, 2014 We always take time for breaks - not so much for us, but for the audience. It gives them a 'quiet time' to actually converse with each other without having to yell over the band or incur the wrath (or gratitude) of other patrons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeff42 Posted January 23, 2014 Members Share Posted January 23, 2014 flemtone wrote: We always take time for breaks - not so much for us, but for the audience. It gives them a 'quiet time' to actually converse with each other without having to yell over the band or incur the wrath (or gratitude) of other patrons. we usually do 15-20 min breaks but 2 of the new rooms we have played recently want 3 sets- 1hr music 1/2 hour off (during which music or DJ is played over PA)I'm OK with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted January 27, 2014 Members Share Posted January 27, 2014 Chicken Monkey wrote: That is, staggering each band member's breaks so that you're filling the entire night. My bass player just went to Nashville and said all the bar bands are doing it this way, rather than going back to the jukebox every hour or so. I wouldn't do it on a really dancey night, where we'd want to keep the energy up the whole time, but there are a lot of things that we could do as a duo or trio (with some minimal instrument trading along the way) while band members sat out individually or in pairs. Any tips, or red flags? Yup..NO BREAKS here in nashville..If you want to take a break, you get someone to come up and sit in (TIP: this is how you start to make connections and network in Nashville people!! You sit in and this is exactly what this system fosters!!)..It's usually no problem for singers to take a break but everyone else can have challenges from time to time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kramerguy Posted January 27, 2014 Members Share Posted January 27, 2014 Part of what makes playing bars locally is simply what I call "low expectations". We're not an agency band. They aren't an "A" club. They don't expect us to have a $20,000 light show, and we don't expect them to have a $20,000 PA system, if one at all.I like to have a few beers and a good time. For that, and other lower expectations, we get paid enough to play there on a marginal rotation, but we certainly aren't paid like rockstars.My point is simply that if they want to pay us like a signed band, then we will perform like one, but that's not gonna happen at Joe Americas corner pub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted January 30, 2014 Members Share Posted January 30, 2014 I often tune right after the set, before I walk off the stage for a break. Then it's done, and I'm ready to go. We have a couple "straggle up to the stage" songs. One is "What Kind of Love is This" it works with one guitar and 2 singers. Then we can add the other guitar, more harmonies, and drums to fill it out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted January 30, 2014 Members Share Posted January 30, 2014 StratGuy22 wrote: I often tune right after the set, before I walk off the stage for a break. Then it's done, and I'm ready to go. We do it that way too. It seems like the crowd is more antsy if we're up there tuning before we begin the set, even if we're technically a few minutes away from our break ending. They don't know we're still on break. All they see is that the band isn't ready yet and they want to hear some songs. Since we now have two guitarists, we share a rack tuner so we're tuned to the same pitch. If we use our individual tuners, we always sound a little off from each other. We just plug into it for a minute or two after the set ends and that saves some time. Otherwise, the break would probably be closer to 25-30 minutes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted January 30, 2014 Members Share Posted January 30, 2014 I think you'll be much happier in your new project WynnD. Get people all on the same page and have some fun. The other project seems like a lost cause, they are who they are and try as you might you just couldn't change it. Onwards and upwards brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted January 31, 2014 Members Share Posted January 31, 2014 StratGuy22 wrote: I think you'll be much happier in your new project WynnD. Get people all on the same page and have some fun. The other project seems like a lost cause, they are who they are and try as you might you just couldn't change it. Onwards and upwards brother.We parted ways tonight and my Hammond X-5 is laying in the back of my van. (OK for rehearsal. Can't trust it at a gig.) My BP should be lower tomorrow morning. Probably add a couple of years of life. New project is about 92 dbc onstage and that is such a pleasure. That won't work for outdoors, but we have enough equipment to handle that situation too. Most of the clubs are pretty small out here. (OK, there is the Fillmore. We won't be playing that for a long time.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted February 1, 2014 Members Share Posted February 1, 2014 I always bring a spare. I've used it a couple times in the last couple years. Broken string. Strap the spare on and I'm good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted February 2, 2014 Members Share Posted February 2, 2014 My bass player has carried along an extra bass for years that he's never used that we've always kidded him about dragging along. "You never know!" was always his response. Last gig his input jack starts cutting out and causing problems and after the gig I asked why he didn't just use his backup (which is always on stage on a stand). "I don't like playing it", was his response... :face palm:-------------------------------- Haha EPIC!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted February 2, 2014 Members Share Posted February 2, 2014 I don't ever take a spare keyboard. I do have a pvt supply of cords, etc that typically end up being the problem. If I was going on the road for an extended period of time I would haul along the backup board. With keys most of the risk you have that you can control is from damage. I have good ATA cases for both keyboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceNorman Posted February 2, 2014 Members Share Posted February 2, 2014 On the topic of spares and contingency plans - one thing that I DO carry with me to every gig are the user manuals for every piece of electronic gear in my rig. This includes everything in my PA as well. I've downloaded PDF copies of all the documentation for each piece of gear in the rig - and have loaded it onto my iPad. Sure, I'm familiar enough with how my gear works that I don't need to read the manual for any of the things I need to tweak or adjust on a regular basis. However, having it handy as a reference in case of a catastrophe (like maybe the need to perform a factory reset, or answer questions regarding the specifics of how signal is routed through a device) - has come in handy once or twice. Having it loaded on the iPad makes it extremely convenient if/when I ever need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 2, 2014 Members Share Posted February 2, 2014 SpaceNorman wrote: On the topic of spares and contingency plans - one thing that I DO carry with me to every gig are the user manuals for every piece of electronic gear in my rig. This includes everything in my PA as well. I've downloaded PDF copies of all the documentation for each piece of gear in the rig - and have loaded it onto my iPad. Sure, I'm familiar enough with how my gear works that I don't need to read the manual for any of the things I need to tweak or adjust on a regular basis. However, having it handy as a reference in case of a catastrophe (like maybe the need to perform a factory reset, or answer questions regarding the specifics of how signal is routed through a device) - has come in handy once or twice. Having it loaded on the iPad makes it extremely convenient if/when I ever need it. Good idea! I never really thought of doing that. (I don't carry manuals with me.) But it certainly makes sense since it would be so simple to do so with the iPad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted February 3, 2014 Members Share Posted February 3, 2014 I store most manuals on my phone as well. http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z398/robare99/09013569-BFDC-4922-BB5D-D2E0AB387DA5-964-000000960D00F23A_zpsa47e59a0.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wesg Posted February 3, 2014 Members Share Posted February 3, 2014 I carry a Roland VR-09 in case my organ or Leslie ever fail..I also carry a complete, tested, spare set of tubes and enough tools to adjust the motors in the Leslie. But that's part of the price for playing ~40-year-old gear. The VR-09 is actually a good candidate for a spare for a lot of guys IMO. They cost $999, weigh 12lbs and take up about the same space as a Nord Electro 2/61. The UI is extremely insanely easy to use to select patches and set up duals/splits. It covers organ extremely well (Leslie sim, drawbars) and does a competent job of pianos, brass, strings, etc. I would not want to play a full piano gig on one but I could if I had to. One feature I really dig for spur-of-the-moment patch tweaking is that the drawbars become attack/decay/release sliders when you're playing a synth voice (e.g. strings, brass). Wes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3shiftgtr Posted February 4, 2014 Members Share Posted February 4, 2014 Gear wise, I have contingency for every piece of gear I take to a gig. Gotsta. Been burned by laziness. But regarding the 4 hour show thing....I do it occasionally....and I fargen HATE it. Look, I'm a play your ass off guy. I don't just sit up there and regurgitate songs. Every song is an opportunity to kick ass. So is every solo. Playing for 4 hours straight means you have to pace yourself. FULK THAT. I just played a 4 hour gig Sat. Great musicians, decent venue (bbq joint in a college town), decent pay. 2 vocalists front men/bandleaders (1 played acoustic) bass and drums and me. Every solo in every song for 60 plus songs. And it was mostly country and some classic rock, so I had to do all the fills too. And unless it was a classic solo, I improvised all night. Trick bag was completely empty. Used every thing in the book. I don't give a damn who the guitar player is or how amazing the playing or many textures and whatever he uses, it just gets old. At least a 15 min break gives the ears a chance to rest. 4x 45 and 15's? Cool. 2x 90's and one long break? Fine. 3x 60's with 20 min breaks? Fine too. But How do you give it 100 percent on every song when you have to play 60+ songs back to back? It's bucking pick up gig and it's brutal and I hate it. And this isn't the well rehearsed band....this is the Nashville-pickup gig thing. The music suffers cuz it forces the musos to even it out, to pace themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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