Band Playing to a New Low...
My band hit an all time low mark this Friday's gig. Some of you know that I live in Northern Minnesota, up here in the sticks about 5 hours north of Minneapolis. Anyway, we were scheduled to do an outdoor gig this weekend in a big tent. We are having a really cold September this year, and gig night was no exception. We could see our breath before the gig even started, and the temp only dropped from there.
We played 4 hours in 45 degree weather. I don't think I have ever been that cold playing guitar in my life. Despite the venue's promo and efforts to make it a fun night, the weather really dampened the turnout. It was so cold outside, that the patrons who did show up bought their beer in the tent and took it inside the restaurant to drink. You know it's got to be cold when the die hard drinkers have to take their beer inside to drink.
Despite the cold, the band was hot. Personally, it was probably my best vocal performance to date (I only sing lead vocal on 2 songs). But the other guys in the band really were having a good musical night also. I had my 16 track recorder running all night, and I hope we get some good tracks out of the gig.
Unfortunately, our lead singer's voice gave out on him in the 4th set and we had to cover for him with some other songs. Too cold, too long, I suppose. Anyway, we made it through the night. Now I'm talking to our lead guitarist about coming up with other songs that he and I can sing just in case our lead singer ever gets sick or his voice gives out on him during a gig. Our lead guitarist is a great vocalist and can step up more. We talked about making up a lyrics book for him just in case....
I will be working on a few more songs myself, but I find it harder to play bass and sing just by the nature of my bass lines on many of our songs. It was easier for me to sing and play guitar back in the day. Sometimes playing bass takes all my limited mental ability because the bass line moves around the vocals. It's just different playing bass, compared to guitar, and trying to sing. Many songs it just won't work for me.
It's now Sunday morning and I'm still recovering from our Friday night gig in the cold. Sore throat, runny nose, can't sleep, etc... Oh well, it's all Rock 'n' Roll and memories.
Hope to recover soon because we are scheduled for yet another outdoor gig on Oct. 9 in a nearby small town. However, the management has assured us that they have a big tent with big heaters, so we should be warm. They have a big annual pig roast event scheduled and if the weather is good, it should be a fun festival. If the weather gets really bad, they do have an indoor event room as a backup.
Anybody got some similiar stories about gigging in bad weather? Best wishes.
We played 4 hours in 45 degree weather. I don't think I have ever been that cold playing guitar in my life. Despite the venue's promo and efforts to make it a fun night, the weather really dampened the turnout. It was so cold outside, that the patrons who did show up bought their beer in the tent and took it inside the restaurant to drink. You know it's got to be cold when the die hard drinkers have to take their beer inside to drink.
Despite the cold, the band was hot. Personally, it was probably my best vocal performance to date (I only sing lead vocal on 2 songs). But the other guys in the band really were having a good musical night also. I had my 16 track recorder running all night, and I hope we get some good tracks out of the gig.
Unfortunately, our lead singer's voice gave out on him in the 4th set and we had to cover for him with some other songs. Too cold, too long, I suppose. Anyway, we made it through the night. Now I'm talking to our lead guitarist about coming up with other songs that he and I can sing just in case our lead singer ever gets sick or his voice gives out on him during a gig. Our lead guitarist is a great vocalist and can step up more. We talked about making up a lyrics book for him just in case....
I will be working on a few more songs myself, but I find it harder to play bass and sing just by the nature of my bass lines on many of our songs. It was easier for me to sing and play guitar back in the day. Sometimes playing bass takes all my limited mental ability because the bass line moves around the vocals. It's just different playing bass, compared to guitar, and trying to sing. Many songs it just won't work for me.
It's now Sunday morning and I'm still recovering from our Friday night gig in the cold. Sore throat, runny nose, can't sleep, etc... Oh well, it's all Rock 'n' Roll and memories.
Hope to recover soon because we are scheduled for yet another outdoor gig on Oct. 9 in a nearby small town. However, the management has assured us that they have a big tent with big heaters, so we should be warm. They have a big annual pig roast event scheduled and if the weather is good, it should be a fun festival. If the weather gets really bad, they do have an indoor event room as a backup.
Anybody got some similiar stories about gigging in bad weather? Best wishes.
Comments
Add more Beatles tunes!
Depending on the song choice, some Beatles tunes have some serious movement in bass lines. Compare some 80's rock bass lines. Not near as out there are some of the stuff in the 70's and before that.
I had an argument once and said I think Gene Simmons has more bass line movement than most 80's metal and especially some of the modern rock. Our bassist disagreed until he listened to old Kiss tracks and compared them to Godsmack, Live, and other bands.
I concur with this statement, but alot don't. Are you saying P.M is under rated as a singing bass player?
Actually I just came off a surf session. Where I was checking out all the old beatles video footage I could find. You know when they were actually musicians playing their music for the fans on stage. Before they became professional PR personalities..
That's why I had Beat-les on the mind an mentioned them.. :twisted:
Just got done watching Beatles at Shea Stadium (circa 1964?). Anyway, totally live. If Lennon or McCartney backed off the mic, their volume dropped off right away. Compared to today's \"live\" artists who seem to sing at the same volume both in front of the mic, and three feet away with their back turned!? I was amazed to see some \"live\" acts where the singer is crystal clear even if he was bending over to tie his shoe. And I'm not a lead guitarist, but I'm pretty sure that your fingers need to be moving around the fret board playing those solo notes and note just holding down a fake barre chord.
Oh well, as a gigging musician, I'm just able to appreciate a good live performance for what it is, in the moment, occassional bad notes and all.