The "Just got in from a gig" thread.....

[kidblast]

Friday night I worked my first acoustic solo gig in almost a year. 

A cool pub / restaurant a few towns over from where I live.

It was supposed to be an outside gig but it was hot muggy and generally very uncomfortable, and I'd have been in the sun for a 6pm start.   They suggested I just setup inside in a open corner next to the fireplace which was much appreciated.

Great people there.   Real friendly and accommodating, and the owner/chef running the place is a very cool guy.

They said they had a really good crowd most of the night.   I did have some family come out too.  So that helped I'm sure.

The music I was doing was pretty much right for the venue too.  They said they had a really good night.  Will be heading back hopefully.

It was a lot of fun to do that again.   I hope I can get back there a few more times in the coming months.  Pay was good too!

 

[saturn]

12 hours ago, kidblast said:

Friday night I worked my first acoustic solo gig in almost a year. 

A cool pub / restaurant a few towns over from where I live.

It was supposed to be an outside gig but it was hot muggy and generally very uncomfortable, and I'd have been in the sun for a 6pm start.   They suggested I just setup inside in a open corner next to the fireplace which was much appreciated.

Great people there.   Real friendly and accommodating, and the owner/chef running the place is a very cool guy.

They said they had a really good crowd most of the night.   I did have some family come out too.  So that helped I'm sure.

The music I was doing was pretty much right for the venue too.  They said they had a really good night.  Will be heading back hopefully.

It was a lot of fun to do that again.   I hope I can get back there a few more times in the coming months.  Pay was good too!

 

Solo? 🙂 Guess you're confident in your singing, or you did all instrumentals? I can play guitar all night, but could never do it solo.

Sounds like a good gig. Hope you get some more jobs from it 

[kidblast]

40 minutes ago, saturn said:

Solo? 🙂 Guess you're confident in your singing, or you did all instrumentals? I can play guitar all night, but could never do it solo.

Sounds like a good gig. Hope you get some more jobs from it 

I did 3 or 4 solo guitar tunes, the rest were cover arrangements where theres guitar and a voice. 

As far as confident with singing,.. I've been doing this for a while, so I know where my wheel house is, so I've got maybe 150 tunes,, possibly more,.. that I'm comfortable with.    I aint Billy Joel, but I get by!  🙂   ya learn to shake what God gave ya!

[Murph]

Did an acoustic duo last night with my old partner from many moons ago. We've done many over the decades, but this was our first in well over 2 years.

Cool club in downtown Paducah, Ky. called The Johnson Bar. There were supposed to be 3 acts, but one cancelled, so the opening guy (solo) and us got there at about the same time and decided to use my Bose L1-Compact to the front of the stage, and we used his monitors. He was up first so I got to walk around and listen while he played (acoustic guitar and vocals), for an hour and a half.

That Bose, with my Yamaha MG10XU mixer, is an incredible tone machine. It never ceases to amaze me the spread and projection that Bose can get out of their equipment.

Our 1-1/2 hours flew by, good friends, good crowd, all original material. We swapped out guitars, mandolins and I played some resonator and Owen played some harp. I wish I'd brought my iPad and recorded some, but it had been so long I didn't really think we'd "gel" as quick as we did.

Good times.

[saturn]

Played a wedding tonight at a historic old venue called Grey Rock Mansion. Although the place was really nice, it was a pretty casual affair. It was second marriage for both so they didn't mess around with a bunch of formalities like many weddings do.  

Only complaint is that we had to get there early to set up and then sat around for hours. By the time we finally got to eat we were all starving and we had to woof it down on a short break. But we got paid well and it was a great gig overall. The acoustics in that old house were great.  Toward the end when most people had left or were leaving, we just said screw-it and started jamming. We did a wild impromptu version of Mustang Sally (I know...) but it was actually cool AF. People leaving actually turned around and came back as we turned it into a completely different song. I never though Mustang Sally could be so fun to play. 🙂

Now I should get to bed cause I have an outdoor acoustic gig tomorrow (today), and it's gonna be  about 95F and humid as hell.  

 

 

[saturn]

Played an acoustic gig tonight at a place called Libby's on the Chesapeake Bay. It began with us sweating our asses off in the heat and humidity playing to almost no one but a few of our friends who came out to the bar. Then, to make it seem worse a storm started coming up and it looked like we would just pack it up and leave. But more people started arriving and we just moved our stuff inside the covered area. It turned out to be an awesome gig. The place got packed and we played with the backdrop of a raging storm over the bay with lightning and thunder and wind and rain just outside the window where we were set up. One of the highlights was a woman who came up and sang Angel From Montgomery with us. So, what seemed at first to be a total bust of a gig, turned out to be one of the most memorable nights we've ever had. I was going to post some photos, but Imgur seems to be having some issues with their site.   

[saturn]

Another Thursday gig at the gold course. Turned out to be one of, if not the best show this band has played. Individually and as a band we all played exceptionally well tonight. Plus the crowd was big and enthusiastic. Lots of dancing and interaction with the band. We even played some "new" songs for the first time tonight and they came out great. 

Whiskey time  

 

[saturn]

Gettin in after playing 2 gigs tonight. I got double booked somehow. Luckily one gig was earlier and the second was right along my route home from the first, So I played from 4-8 with one band. For the second one, my buddy Steve played one solo set until I got there to help him finish two more sets. 

Both shows went great. First was at a tiki dock bar in east Baltimore. Place was packed and we played great.  Lots of beautiful sights to see. 🙂

Second gig was at a little local bar near my house. Place was packed. There was some local Elvis impersonator who played earlier somewhere else and brought his whole crowd to this bar for the after-party. We had him come up and play a song with us. Not Elvis, but Johnny Cash,  Folsum Prison Blues.  Overall another great gig.

Now going to get to bed and be ready for some Football on Sunday. 

[jdgm]

I hope to be able to post in this thread again in 2023 as the harp player from my old band rang up and asked if I'd be interested in something new.  Though I said no before (pre-pandemic), I miss it so much now that I agreed.  Thing is, the energy crisis and soaring overheads mean pubs and live venues are finding it even harder now to exist.   I know I'll have to travel to play anywhere, so I should be moaning about that again if it happens .  

Let's hope all of us who want to work regularly or occasionally can continue to do so.

🎸

[saturn]

Getting in from another monthly gig at the golf course. Always a good time there, though tonight wasn't quite up to last month's show.  We have one more booked for October and then it's over at that venue for the year. 

I'll do something we haven't done in awhile. Post the Set List

 

[saturn]

It's been almost 6 months since I've done this.  

Played a St Patrick's Day (night) gig. I was worried, since we started at 8PM, that most people  would be partied out by that time. But it was a great crowd and we kept about half of them around for the third set. 

 

[Notes_Norton]

We've got 20 gigs this month, and 3 St. Patrick's Day parties (we call it our annual Patty Melt). We give them a discount if they hold their party before or after the official date.

After two years of zero gigs, it's like the floodgates opened, and people are trying to make up for lost time.

When a musician is gigging, life is good, and life is good today.

 

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

[saturn]

Well. I didn't mean to imply I hadn't played a gig in 6 months. Just haven't posted in this thread, 

I did use my PRS amp for the first time in over a year after getting it repaired. Man that was nice to be playing through a real tube amp again. I think it sounded even better than before. 

[Notes_Norton]

We have over 600 songs in our 'book'.

I tend to call the next song while watching the reaction of the audience to the song we are presently playing. I'm not clairvoyant enough to know what they will like and when they will need it at the beginning of a set.

 

Notes ♫

[saturn]

9 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

We have over 600 songs in our 'book'.

I tend to call the next song while watching the reaction of the audience to the song we are presently playing. I'm not clairvoyant enough to know what they will like and when they will need it at the beginning of a set.

 

Notes ♫

Damn. 600 songs! That's impressive.

[saturn]

It's 8:50am here and I literally just got in from a gig last night. 

I worked yesterday and was just about to leave when my buddy Steve texted me asking if I wanted to play that night in Kent Island. The Island Pub had a cancelation and they called us. I said let me check with my boss (wife).  She was cool with it but was concerned about me going over the Bay Bridge, as there was severe wind warnings.  I said "it'll be fine".  Famous last words!   I went home and changed clothes, grabbed my KokoCaster and headed out. The drive over the bridge wasn't bad.  The gig went good. Nothing too interesting to mention, other than as we were playing the 1st set and watching Os game on the TV. Os were winning 8 to 7 with 2 outs in the 9th inning and the last Boston batter hit a pop fly to Left Field. The whole bar cheered as they expected an Orioles win and a 2 and 0 record start of the season. But the cheer quickly turned to a groan as the Left Fielder dropped an easy fly ball. The very next batter smashed a two run homer for a walk-off Red Sox win!  That sucked the air out of the room for awhile, but life goes on and we cheered them back up as the night went on. Plus there was March Madness games also on to distract from the Os loss.

But, as I went to leave at the end of the night, I checked my phone and saw that they closed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge due to wind. I was stuck! I went back to Steve's house for the night. He lives only 5 minutes away from the bar.  At least now I could have a few drinks without worrying about driving home. And now, once again my wife can rub it in my face that she was right. 

 

 

[MissouriPicker]

Went to an “open mic” last night.  Ended-up running the thing.  They asked me if I could host it starting in May.  I’ll open it with 45 minute set and then the folks who weathered the sound storm can play 2-3 songs each.  Thank you Nirvana Coffeehouse, in Independence, Mo……I’m busier being retired than when I was working.  The difference is that I’m really enjoying it.

[saturn]

Played with the full band tonight. Playing tomorrow, Cinco de Mayo, with the acoustic duo.

Tonight was the first of the season at Mountain Branch Golf Club. We play one Thursday every month there from May-October.  It's always great there, as we have a big stage to spread out and there's plenty of room for the dancers. Always a great crowd with lots of regulars who come out to see us.  Set was about same as last one from above, but added a few "new" songs: Let It Roll - Little Feat. Everybody Wants To Rule The World and The Fire Down Below. They all came out great.

I may have been my last gig using this pedal board. I pulled the trigger on a Morley Multi FX pedal which arrived at my house today from Sweetwater. But I went straight from work to gig and didn't get to try it tonight. I'm gonna run it straight to PA at gig tomorrow night.

Tonight's pedal setup

 

 

[saturn]

Another thing from the gig above, which really has nothing to do with anything other than I found it interesting.

The sax/guitar/percussion player in the band has his own business importing and selling shoes to retailers. He travels extensively and meets many interesting people. He had a friend come to the gig who is originally from Australia and owns a company that makes wool shoes called Woolloomooloo or something like that. Real nice guy.  His mother-in-law is the widow of Buddy Holly. Again, it means nothing but kinda cool to meet the guy who's wife's mother was married to Buddy Holly and mentioned in the song  Miss American Pie.

[jdgm]

Just got in from a charity gig about 50 miles away.......but we got expenses (£40 GBP).  And free drinks (I had 2 half-pints of excellent draught beer) and a plate of tapas; foccacio, olives, hard cheese, humus dip.   I drove half-way to the sax player's house then we went on in his nice VW.

It was in a fine old decorated gothic church in Watlington.  Beautiful countryside - Oxfordshire.   We were 1st on and after our 1 hr set had to tear down as quick as possible so once we got the gear outside, we left 'em to it.  Next up was the local choir, the raffle and speeches then the other band who - if the soundcheck was anything to go by - were nowhere near our standard.

I'm pleased to say that by now I know well  how my guitar, pedals and amp all react to each other using a clean sound  - whichever control I turn.   The eq on the red-knob Fender Super 60 is very effective.   The church acoustic was typical; high roof, reverberant and muddy.  I forgot to turn on the delay for the one number I use it on but it didn't matter.

I enjoyed playing tonight; it was good and.....I got a lot of applause which was quite humbling, really. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by jdgm

[saturn]

Played first gig tonight with full band using my new Morley Multi FX pedal into my amp, not the PA. The pedal performed great and it was nice not having to chain a bunch of pedals together with jumper cables.  

It was a bar gig, but we were set up outside. The weather was perfect and the huge crowd was great. I got double booked, so my other partner Steve played the other gig with our  buddy Quinny. That gig was 2 minutes from my house, as opposed to the one I played which was a good hour drive. Oh well, I'm lucky to be doing this. 

Now time for a tequila and go to bed.

[sparquelito]

Just working on my 4th cup of coffee.

I had driven down to Destin, FL on Thursday for a weekend gathering/family reunion, and then drove home yesterday evening.
My brother and I entertained a large crowd of family and friends in the penthouse of the condo where everyone stayed.

We pushed guitars, bass, and vocal mic's into a small mixer, and then so into a single Mackie Thump powered PA speaker.
It was a good crowd and a good sound.  And a great practice for some upcoming gigs here locally in June, September, and December.

I played mainly my old Tele, and also an Ibanez acoustic electric.
(I really didn't relish taking the Les Paul BFG down there and subjecting it to salt air.)

A good time was had by all.
Well.
Except for that during my drive home yesterday, I hit a buzzard on I-65, just north of Greenville, and had to clean blood and $hiit off of the windshield.

And then, two hours later, I got pulled over and searched by two law enforcement types, somewhere near Montevallo.
They were apparently looking for somebody driving a white panel van who might have committed some sort of crime.
Or so I gathered.
But I wasn't the guy.

So there's that.

😐
 

[saturn]

1 hour ago, sparquelito said:

Just working on my 4th cup of coffee.

I had driven down to Destin, FL on Thursday for a weekend gathering/family reunion, and then drove home yesterday evening.
My brother and I entertained a large crowd of family and friends in the penthouse of the condo where everyone stayed.

We pushed guitars, bass, and vocal mic's into a small mixer, and then so into a single Mackie Thump powered PA speaker.
It was a good crowd and a good sound.  And a great practice for some upcoming gigs here locally in June, September, and December.

I played mainly my old Tele, and also an Ibanez acoustic electric.
(I really didn't relish taking the Les Paul BFG down there and subjecting it to salt air.)

A good time was had by all.
Well.
Except for that during my drive home yesterday, I hit a buzzard on I-65, just north of Greenville, and had to clean blood and $hiit off of the windshield.

And then, two hours later, I got pulled over and searched by two law enforcement types, somewhere near Montevallo.
They were apparently looking for somebody driving a white panel van who might have committed some sort of crime.
Or so I gathered.
But I wasn't the guy.

So there's that.

😐
 

Jeeze. Good thing you weren't carrying certain substances. Or were you? 

[sparquelito]

2 hours ago, saturn said:

Jeeze. Good thing you weren't carrying certain substances. Or were you? 

No sir.
I don't do certain substances.

But I am known to drink quite a few cold beers every evening, after I'm safely at home.

🙂

[IanHenry]

I had the privilege of seeing Aynsley Lister at a small club (60 people max) last night and wow, when you see a bloke like him play close up there playing is just unbelievable.

It was a three-piece band and almost every note ran out clearly, he did muff up a couple of notes in one fast solo but the guy has so much spare capacity he was able to angle his Strat up and jokingly look at it as though it was at fault.