saturn Posted December 14, 2019 Author Share Posted December 14, 2019 Had an interesting gig tonight. Crappy weather and hectic drive. Venue was a nice restaurant/bar. We've played there before and I've played with my previous band there too. Parking lot is always crazy and load-in is a *****. Have to wait for dinner crowd to thin out before we can even set up. The stage is very cramped also. And on top of that, our bass player, who also runs sound had to work late. His real job is for a sound company called RCI, and he had to do sound for some mega church Christmas play. A friend filled in on bass the first set. Main problem was, even though he left instructions and made charts of how to set up the PA, it was still a cluster @#&* . Somehow we fudged things enough to get a first set in. Then Gene arrived and got things straight and played bass next two sets. It was actually a really good gig despite the bad weather and late start. Crowd was awesome. Had a good time watching them dance. Took the PRS tonight and it did great. I can't believe I'm still up at 2:45am. { played a Christmas party Wednesday night, went to Ravens game Thursday night, and played gig tonight, all while still going to work every morning after. Going to a Bourbon exchange party Saturday. Getting a head start with some Woodford Reserve now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 (edited) Xmas party gig last night at a village hall in Wiltshire. We were booked a few months ago. But 4 days before the gig, our new singer couldn't make it as his son was suffering from migraines, took him to hospital last Tuesday and they found a tumour behind his eye. This has turned out to be benign - or as benign as these things ever are. They were operating on him on Friday AFAIK. We managed to get our previous lead singer at only 3 days' notice; flurry of emails, set lists, song sheets. I drive 40 miles to gig in our new climate-changed weather; dark, cold, hammering with rain as usual. In the last 3 months I can count the sunny, rain-free days on one hand, mostly now in my part of England this time of year it's 100% cloud cover and raining nearly ALL the time, day and night. I'm an old moanie but it's true. Before we even start one of the p.a. speakers stops working, then the bassplayer has a problem either with his lead or the battery in his active bass. The lead singer has brought his wife who decides to go home; she leaves in his car so the harmonica player will have to take him and his gear home which means there isn't room for the p.a. in his little car. All a bit chaotic as we'd not seen this singer since last New Year's Eve, but we got through it ok. The audience loved it and they all danced. I played ok but forgot all of my best intentions and ideas, with all the hassles and problems. The 2 Xmas numbers were a shambles but it didn't matter.....one of these (the Slade song) was a good clear chart and I checked it with the original on Youtube, all good. Except I ignored the "Capo on 4th fret" written at the top of the chart in big letters, as I don't use a capo and the chords matched perfectly with the original version. Only when we started playing did I realise that he was playing G shape but as he was capo'd at 4th fret it was coming out as B....bassplayer looked grim and after a minute or so decided to sit that one out! Got out midnight +30 and started back. After half a mile the narrow country road disappeared under water, and I was driving through a long, shallow lake....all the way home there was a LOT of standing water on the smaller roads, several times I had to go into the oncoming lane to avoid the floods. As I get older, I find driving in the dark and rain more and more stressful - and dangerous. That is what will stop me doing this; not the fact that perhaps I didn't enjoy a gig, or there was hassle, or I didn't play as well as I'd like - it's the travelling which does me in. Home around 1.30 a.m. I left my slide behind on the stage somewhere. Damn. Next gig is a jazz one on Jan 3rd. Rehearsals for this keep getting cancelled so I've no idea how that will go. TBH I have been seriously thinking about jacking it all in for the moment - the blues band lurches from one crisis to another, the jazz group is all but a non-starter, and the travelling - as everyone reading this knows well - is a pain. Then again I got there, did it, and got home in one piece so in truth, I was lucky -again. Happy Xmas and best wishes to everybody! Edited December 15, 2019 by jdgm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 (edited) Second gig for the year (about the normal rate then) on Saturday at pub rock venue in local city. Old school dark smallish room with proper cramped stage full of gear, the old style coloured lights/heaters hung above us, and it's about 100F/35C temperature in the room and the aircon's dead. People are taking up smoking just for an excuse to duck out to the cooler night air it seems. A proper originals rock gig ....sweating alt rock oriented crowd, door b!tches on duty and merch table of goodies. We are middle of the 3 bands for an hour set and the PA is feckin superb, with sound guy working a massive desk...can tell from the opening act we will sound the best we possibly can. All good on stage except for copious sweat meaning hard to hold pick and fear of electric shocks from mics. We aren't perfect - never are, it's live rock after all, but more than adequate, well received, and heaps of fun! Final band is awesome - total pros, so good to ease back over a beer or two and take in their rocking set. Home around midnight. Sweet deal. Rock n roll! Edited December 16, 2019 by 'Scales ps jdgm we'll take some of that rain please - send down as much as you can spare mate! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 (edited) played a St Judes Hospital benefit at a bar on the boardwalk in Ocean City , Md. the Lucky Anchor. was a nice gig. afternoon , so was home at a decent hr. name of the band is Both Barrels. use to be a 5pc. keyboardist quit. currently a 4 pc. thats why I noted it as 4 barrel ... sometimes try to come up with silly names Edited December 16, 2019 by Karloff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted December 18, 2019 Author Share Posted December 18, 2019 On 12/16/2019 at 3:53 PM, Karloff said: played a St Judes Hospital benefit at a bar on the boardwalk in Ocean City , Md. the Lucky Anchor. was a nice gig. afternoon , so was home at a decent hr. name of the band is Both Barrels. use to be a 5pc. keyboardist quit. currently a 4 pc. thats why I noted it as 4 barrel ... sometimes try to come up with silly names Good stuff. Some time I'm gonna be down OC when you play and I'll be sure to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 2 hours ago, saturn said: Good stuff. Some time I'm gonna be down OC when you play and I'll be sure to check it out. Jay, that would be cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted January 25, 2020 Author Share Posted January 25, 2020 Played my first gig using my new PRS amp tonight. I'll give a little update the amp review for Karloff in m NAD thread tomorrow.For now I'll just post the set list since it's been awhile for that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Good stuff! Seeing Dancing in the Moonlight reminded me that my previous band used to play a rocking version of a completely different song by the same name - Aussie aboriginal band rock at its best and great fun to play. Check it out: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 14 hours ago, saturn said: Played my first gig using my new PRS amp tonight... Nice! Been to the one up White Marsh for a couple of belts. Nice set list. rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 (edited) 20 hours ago, rct said: Nice! Been to the one up White Marsh for a couple of belts. Nice set list. rct Damn. Just saw a FB post (someone sceenshotted it to me since I'm not on FB) that the the day we played there was the last day of business for them. Bar Louie abruptly closed 30 locations and that was one of them. 😲 Apparently White Marsh is staying open. We also play the Hunt Valley location. Haven't heard about that one. Hope our check clears from Friday night. Edited January 26, 2020 by saturn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 WTF? That's American business for you. Man that sucks. rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 (edited) I got to play last night with a guy - Wallace Coleman - who played for a guy - Robert Jr. Lockwood - who played with Robert Johnson. 😁 Edited February 2, 2020 by badbluesplayer 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky Forrest Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 1 hour ago, badbluesplayer said: I got to play last night with a guy - Wallace Coleman - who played for a guy - Robert Jr. Lockwood - who played with Robert Johnson. Very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Sounds like fun. Would that be 3 degrees of separation then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 On 2/2/2020 at 2:31 PM, Twang Gang said: Sounds like fun. Would that be 3 degrees of separation then? That's it! Here's me jamming. I built the two tweed amps there on the backline but I'm playing my '11 335 thru a Deluxe Reverb. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted February 8, 2020 Author Share Posted February 8, 2020 Played a nice acoustic gig tonight in Stevensville Md. . Really good crowd. We ended up getting sent shots of Tequila, Jagermeister and vodka at separate times throughout the night. The only problem was having to cross Chesapeake Bay Bride during heavy wind advisory and terrible traffic. to get there. Drive home wasn't so bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted February 29, 2020 Share Posted February 29, 2020 (edited) Blues band played again tonight in Salisbury, nearly a 100-mile round trip for me through the usual darkness and endless driving rain. England is currently suffering the worst floods in living memory, enormous rainstorms every weekend and rain all week. The ground everywhere is completely sodden and soaked, some rivers are overflowing higher than since records began, whole towns and villages flooded out, water now pouring off the flood plains which have turned into lakes - and the rain just keeps on coming.* Add the inexorable advance of the coronavirus and there is a very real possibility that an awful lot of live music venues will close in the next few weeks and months. And on a personal level - our 'new' singer has given in his notice. So if the band continues we are back once again at square one, assuming we will have anywhere to actually play. This evening was rough in places, we all fooked up at various points (the drummer most of all) but the good bits were very good and I was extremely pleased with the tones from my Vintage V100 PGM (Peter Green Model). The pickups on this guitar are easily some of the best I've ever used. And the singer lent me his Fastfret - I'm converted! I got there, I did it, I got paid and I got home. I can tell you that was good going for tonight. A cup of tea then bed. Goodnight all. * Morning after Edit - it has stopped raining now, here in SE England and the sun is even shining! Edited February 29, 2020 by jdgm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky Forrest Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 Well it's good to hear that it stopped raining. The weather certainly has been strange. Good luck finding a new singer and some venues. The stock market here in the USA had a fantastic rally today. They say it was because of lessening Coronavirus fears. I hope they're right. I had a really busy day taking care of my disables son. I spent 3 1/2 hours in the car taking him to different appointments. He's doing pretty well, thank goodness. I'm pooped and about to call it a day. Goodnight all. Peace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 Marky, your gig is a LOT harder than any of mine. My very best wishes to you. johnM 🎸 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky Forrest Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 4 hours ago, jdgm said: Marky, your gig is a LOT harder than any of mine. My very best wishes to you. johnM 🎸 Thank you, John. Much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 It will be nice if this thread starts to get hits again. Although it wasn't an official gig, I played my first public even Saturday night. We set up outside on the front porch of a condo unit in Kent Island facing the community center parking lot. Neighbors from the community came out with chairs and "refreshments" and we played two sets. Everyone kept their distance. The crowd got a lot bigger as the sun went down, but we had a good 20 people or so when these clips were recorded. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted May 31, 2020 Author Share Posted May 31, 2020 Got our first real gig tonight since before St Patrick's Day. We had this booked for a few months, but just assumed it wouldn't happen. But they opened up outdoor seating in restaurants and bars this weekend in Maryland. Place is called Big Owl Tiki Bar and it's completely outdoors and on the water. I played this place about 10 years ago with another band, but it this bands first time. They added a floating pontoon stage, and we are the first band to ever play on it. 😎 It was a beautiful day, but of course their were rules we all had to follow. Had to observe distancing and wear face mask when walking around. He also asked us not to play anything that would make people dance. Other than being a little strange, it was a great day and they want us back. Especially since some of their regular bands can't risk being around each other. Here was our stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Pulled a crowd of 8 to our rehearsal today....can't ask for too much more than that at the moment....rock n roll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 On 5/31/2020 at 9:10 AM, ghost_of_fl said: I get exhausted just looking at those set lists. 😄 Reminds me of the days of playing until a bar closes at 2am. I miss it - and I don't. Yeah we played until 1am that gig. Then Bar Louie filed bankruptcy the next day and our check bounced. 🤬 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 It almost felt like a pre-pandemic weekend. Played a band gig Thursday night, acoustic Friday and another full band gig tonight. Tonight was almost rained out because it was outdoors at a winery. Luckily weather cleared up and it turned out to be a beautiful night and a big crowd. We're a little rusty, even after a few rehearsals, but we still did pretty good and everyone had a great time. Best thing is that on all these gigs people were just there to have some fun. No divisive crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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