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Gigging pet peeves

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Stealth bomber

Stealth bomber

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What are things that happen at your gigs that really tick you off?

Here are a few of mine:

1. The bands before and after you both really suck, but they all have much better equipment than you do.

2. Your kick pedal loses tension and the springs fall off in the middle of a song.

3. The drummer of another band forgets his cymbals and wants to borrow yours, then when you begrudgingly say yes, he promises to be gentle. Then when he starts playing he bangs on your ride cymbal like it's a crash.

4. No parking within four blocks of the venue.

5. Decibel meter on the wall that cuts the power off for 15 seconds if you exceed the ridiculously low threshold level that they set it to.
 
Originally posted by Stealth bomber


No parking within four blocks of the venue.
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Don't get me started on this! It really gets my goat that a lot of venues haven't even negotiated a loading zone with the local council to allow bands to load gear. Several times, I've had to double park while hauling amps and speaker boxes into venues (normally up or down stairs too which is a pain). There are exceptions (The Corner Hotel and until recently the Espy being the best) but in certain areas (particularly the CBD) it is hellish.
 
1. When your drummer plays so hard that his friggin' kit, including the rug it's on, keeps sliding forward, and he expects the singer who's too occupied with his ridiculous spasmodic dancing to push it back.

2. Drummers during soundcheck, who are asked by the mixer to hit the snare once or twice to fix the levels, yet they instead break out into a drum solo.

3. The miniature panic attacks, which come when your guitar cuts out, and it's not immediatly obvious as to why.

4. Sh¡tty garage bands, who have only been playing for a week, which drive the punters away.

5. When the gig ends the same time as the bar closes.

6. Playing in the rain

7. Other bands asking to borrow my gear.

8. Having to ask other bands if I can borrow their gear.

This list could go forever, but that'll do for now.
 

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Most of the time when I'm playing out, I'm sitting in with a band that has requested me. Usually, all I have to bring is a guitar. Sometimes, I'll bring my own stomp boxes or digital processor.

So the problems I have are the tuning. I usually bring my work-all axe, and it has a Floyd Rose. I tune it perfectly and lock it before hand. When I get there, the freakin' band is just a worble sharp or flat, and I have to adjust to them. :mad:

It's a lot harder to tune a Floyd than them just giving their stuff a slight twist. Yet as far as the audience knows, I'm a dork for being unprepared.

Another thing that really ****es me off is to have to pay for my beer. If the band is good, I'll sit in with them for free. It's almost a sure thing to pick up after a gig in a larger venue, and that makes the difference for the $. But I shouldn't have to buy my own beer.

Peace,
 
Originally posted by Stealth bomber
4. No parking within four blocks of the venue.

5. Decibel meter on the wall that cuts the power off for 15 seconds if you exceed the ridiculously low threshold level that they set it to.
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4. Yeah, that's bad. I haven't gigged in a couple of years, but I always preferred playing the smaller venues away from teh city because of that. Preferably the places where you just park a short walk away, no need to bother with a loading zone.

5. I've never seen this at any venues I've played in sydney (but then again as I said I haven't gigged in a while). What a pain!

To add to that...

- Having all your carefully set up effects / setup futz up on you early in the night, usually when it would cause maximum embarrassment. Many's a time I've had to just abandon my pedals and just get by on my amp's perfectly adequate 2 channels.

- Forgetting the words. I love music, but I've always had problems with lyrics, even the ones I've written.
 
1. Drinking the entire rider and then having to buy drinks

2. Gigs that are further than 10kms from home

3. That one p|ssed long-haired ******** who always comes up to you right as you've finished no matter which state or city you're in and decides he wants to have an hour-long conversation about guitars. Dude! I don't care about them! I only play them! Now leave me alone! I want to go home! (or away from you!)

4. Surprise feedback (that's it soundguy - you're sacked!)

5. Brass/horn players ridiculously loud foldback (that's it brass section - you're sacked!)

6. Gigs that finish after 1am

7. Managers that turn up to gigs (oh f*ck, the manager's here....)

8. Managers that don't turn up to gigs (WHERE THE F*CK'S OUR MANAGER!?)

9. Most DJ's

10. Underage gigs (where's the drink rider!?)

11. Support bands that play for too long and thus force our gig past 1am (and past my prefered "get the f*ck out of there" time)

12. Venues that give you crap vodka in the rider rather than the good vodka that you asked for in the contract

13. Driving to Cairns

14. Driving home from Cairns

15. Stopping everywhere in between

16. Driving to gigs and not being able to drink the good vodka that you always seem to get on the rider when you drive there....

17. Gigs


Hey - the actual playing part is great - pity the rest of it sucks. :p
 
Originally posted by Stealth bomber
5. Decibel meter on the wall that cuts the power off for 15 seconds if you exceed the ridiculously low threshold level that they set it to.
Click to expand...

:p

I had that once years ago! Last song of the first set - we'd been good until then, and then decided to try and set it off.

And it worked.

And we didn't even have to finish the song! :D
 
Originally posted by gPhonque
3. That one p|ssed long-haired ******** who always comes up to you right as you've finished no matter which state or city you're in and decides he wants to have an hour-long conversation about guitars. Dude! I don't care about them! I only play them! Now leave me alone! I want to go home! (or away from you!)

7. Managers that turn up to gigs (oh f*ck, the manager's here....)
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I don't mind the guys that want to talk guitar. It's one of my favorite subjects.

But speaking of annoying drunks and managers. How about the drunk sonofabitch who wants to be your "next manager?"

He's so ****ed he can't stand up straight nor speak clearly, and he's in your face promising that he can get you a recording deal and mondo venues. He's actually some numbnut office worker who hates his job, and his mind is so fevered with alcohol that he's dreaming of a new career for himself - and you have to listen to it all.

That sucks.


Peace,
 
Originally posted by gPhonque
3. That one p|ssed long-haired ******** who always comes up to you right as you've finished no matter which state or city you're in and decides he wants to have an hour-long conversation about guitars. Dude! I don't care about them! I only play them! Now leave me alone! I want to go home! (or away from you!)
Click to expand...

:D So true, I hate that guy!
 
Originally posted by Milkman
:D So true, I hate that guy!
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Hey....I'm starting to think it's Mooster... :eek: ;)



And yes Mooster - that manager guy is almost as bad as the guitar freak.

Although less common.

Which is why I can't stand the guitar freak - that bastard is EVERYWHERE! :p
 

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