Nick Beach Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I just got home from playing a show. I'm supposed to be taking time off to chill. But one of my friends called me up saying his guitar player broke his wrist and they needed a guy to play the last date on their tour, and since the date wasn't even an hour from me and I've played with the band before and I know all their songs they asked me to fill in. He said, "Dude I know your taking time off but we need someone, this show is going to be huge" Now by huge he meant long, but didn't tell me that. So it's a punk band and I jumped up and down and up and down and banged my head up and down and up and down, for 3 AND A HALF HOURS. Next time someone tells me it's a big show, I'm asking how long. We played all their songs at least twice. I can say I'm used to playing live, and jumping around and banging my head. But I'm used to doing it for an hour, not three and a half. But really I'm laying in bed and I can't feel my legs. Looks like I'm going to have to start working out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myspace.com/jessenoah Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 its a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwness Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I just got home from playing a show. I'm supposed to be taking time off to chill. But one of my friends called me up saying his guitar player broke his wrist and they needed a guy to play the last date on their tour' date=' and since the date wasn't even an hour from me and I've played with the band before and I know all their songs they asked me to fill in. He said, "Dude I know your taking time off but we need someone, this show is going to be huge" Now by huge he meant long, but didn't tell me that. So it's a punk band and I jumped up and down and up and down and banged my head up and down and up and down, for 3 AND A HALF HOURS. Next time someone tells me it's a big show, I'm asking how long. We played all their songs at least twice. I can say I'm used to playing live, and jumping around and banging my head. But I'm used to doing it for an hour, not three and a half. But really I'm laying in bed and I can't feel my legs. Looks like I'm going to have to start working out.[/quote'] Just part of being 50 years old. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Sucks getting old don't it? Oh well guess it beats the only alternative which is - DYING YOUNG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Beach Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 I'm 18. I hope it's not age. I'm just guessing it's because I've been home for nearly a month without playing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 18 yrs old then no complaining allowed - why when I was your age we played 32 hours straight and our guitars were made of iron painted to look like wood they weighed 83 pounds and we had to stand in the snow . doesn't that sound like a old man story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwness Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I'm 18. I hope it's not age. I'm just guessing it's because I've been home for nearly a month without playing out. I know was just giving you a hard time. It is hard getting older first the eyes go. I don't need glasses to drive but I sure need them to read now. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I'm 18. I hope it's not age. I'm just guessing it's because I've been home for nearly a month without playing out. Pah' date=' kids today! When *I* was your age, I was 19! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Whatever. You can't feel my legs either......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibsonAlmighty Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Well...as they used to say, No Pain No Gain. ROCK ON :- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 "A mule kicked Uncle Bob once. Broke his ribs. He punched it in the face. My point? You have an ingrown f***ing toenail. Stop *****ing." "A scar ain't 13 god damned stitches. I'll introduce you to men with REAL scars, then we'll all laugh at your f***ing 13 stitches together." S*** My Dad Says Seriously though, you have to be in shape to play energetic rock and roll like punk. I'm 43 and have rehearsal once per week for three hours and, I gotta tell ya, I'm beat the hell up afterward and the next day I feel like I got run over by a train. And that's just rehearsal! I really need to get in better shape. So there you have it - start jogging or something. Edit: Actually, don't start jogging, that's... not manly. Lift weights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Pah' date=' kids today! When *I* was your age, I was 19! :- [/quote'] When we were his age, Pluto was still a planet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Pah' date=' kids today! When *I* was your age, I was 19! :- [/quote'] Good one...hehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 My dad used to say, "I've had bigger cuts than THAT on my eyeball." And the old stand-by, "If you keep messin' with me, I'll knock knots on your head faster'n you can feel 'em with both hands." Gotta go now and get my pedicure...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Nearly every bar band I ever played in from 1966-84 had to play at least 4 hour gigs (9p-1a) and most of the time, with encores, etc., it went longer than that. The only place I ever played where bar gigs were less than 4 hours was Kansas, where the bars had to close at midnight, and outdoor gigs, which were mostly multi-band gigs and we only had to play one set. The son of one of my friends plays in one of San Francisco's long-time bar bands (Arno-Corps) and I don't think he's ever played more than 90 min. Since Day 1 they've tagged-teamed their gigs with at least one other band, sometimes two. I keep telling him he doesn't know how easy he's got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 All kidding aside... The hardest physical work I've ever done in my life was playing four-hour rock gigs when I was 20. And that's including 8-10 hour manual ditch digging and even longer days of tossing hay bales. Part of it was that it often was dragging stuff to the trailer, a two-hour drive followed by an hour of setup, then a little bit of rest, then BANG! Then the hard part, the tear-down and drive home, then hauling stuff out of the trailer because -20 is hard on equipment. The four-hour gig was more like 10-12 hours. But yeah, 4-hour gigs were always a standard around here regardless of style. Still are. That's why I'm into sitting on a stool nowadays to get the same altitude as if standing. I dunno if it's necessary to be so wild even nowadays unless you're a lead singer type. In retrospect, I think I coulda done 90 percent of the real playing in my "wild rock" days on a stool. But then... I'm not sure I'd do it if I got a bunch of years pulled offa me and I was back playing rock. Something about the hot blood of youth. <grin> m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I hear ya, Milo. Whenever one of our friends would say "you guys got it easy. All you do is play music 4 hours a night. Why don't you try working a real job"? we'd say "OK, you're coming with us this weekend". Once they figured out that, like you said, that '4-hour gig' could end up being a 16-hour day of some heavy physical labor they would change their tune real quick. Our PA stacks were about 12 feet tall. I guess they figured those things just put themselves up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Actually my easiest gigs in ways were three nights a week playing country in the same saloon in the town where I was living at the time. Left the equipment there set up. Took the guitar home Saturday night after the gig. Maybe a get together during the week if we were gonna add some material, but we were three guys who knew each other pretty well and new material was pretty much "standard" stuff. Like get some old guys together today and you likely could nail "Me and Bobby Magee" almost well enough to record with just makin' sure you were in tune with each other and what key you'd do it in. So... Rock and movin' equipment to different towns and stages was hard work by any criteria. I remember some gigs where the dance floor and stage were literally on the second floor. Sheesh. Good crowds and actually warmer in winter. But... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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