Screamingdaisy
Well-Known Member
The argument about drummers sharing gear and a technical drummer not being able to play on some random kit made me thing of this performance...
Live Show Etiquette
- Thread starter GunpointMetal
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
GunpointMetal
Well-Known Member
"Sound guys" who don't wanna do the job because they're having to, uh, actually do the job should be launched into the sun.
What really annoys me these days are bands that don`t stay around to check out the other bands. Arrive just in time to chug half a beer and do your set, load your stuff and leave while shouting `goodluck` to the band that`s just about to start their set. Way to not get invited to play again if you ask me. At least I won`t, even if you`re really good.
Depends on the scene obviously, playing with hardcore bands this never happened, every band was there to check every other band. Could be a long night, but defintely made new friends and landed more gigs because of this.
Depends on the scene obviously, playing with hardcore bands this never happened, every band was there to check every other band. Could be a long night, but defintely made new friends and landed more gigs because of this.
crushingpetal
SS.org Regular
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2022
- Messages
- 1,106
- Reaction score
- 1,471
That was fucking sick!
But I dunno, I think you proved the earlier point. Carey can "make it work" but it wasn't the same at all. IMHO. 2 cents.
wheresthefbomb
Well-Known Member
I'll never forget a guy I know telling me, after our hour-long set, "sorry I missed your set, I was outside smoking a cigarette."
Another local music dork was chatting me up about my pedalboard as he was loading up. "Oh cool, I like soundscapes too, I'll have to check out your set." *immediately gets in car and drives away*
It's fine honestly, for one I know my stuff isn't for everybody, and if those people don't want to support me I don't want them standing around out of some sense of obligation. I just don't play shows with them anymore. I agree with you, my own personal principles are that, yes, I stick around for the whole show unless I absolutely can't. But I've long since learned I can't hold everyone to that standard or I'll just be annoyed all the time.
TedEH
Cromulent
I've noticed a trend lately of promoters sort of reminding people to do the nice things of sticking around and tipping the bar, etc. Especially when there's drink tickets and low turnout.
wheresthefbomb
Well-Known Member
Is tip culture in Canada similar to the US?
In the US anyway, always tip the bar. Tip them if you're getting water. If I'm getting drinks comped, I tip whatever the drink would've cost me normally. Those folks work hard and you want to be on their good side.
You can not tip. You can also wait ten fuckin minutes for another beer. Choose wisely.
When I gigged I wouldn't even drink. More than a few times freaked my vocalist out by acting completely hammered right before our set, though. Good times.
When I gigged I wouldn't even drink. More than a few times freaked my vocalist out by acting completely hammered right before our set, though. Good times.
TedEH
Cromulent
It's very similar, as far as I'm aware. But we also don't have quite the same structure for minimum wages, etc.
Screamingdaisy
Well-Known Member
I agree, but the reality is the soundman still has a job and that band won't be hired back.
Whether that's right or fair is irrelevant.
spawnofthesith
Well-Known Member
Speaking of sound guys, listen to your sound man and be cool to him
I see such an inordinate amount of bitching about sound guys on forums, but my real world experience is that they're pretty rad 9 times out of 10. If I hear a story about guitarist vs. sound guy, I'm going to automatically be leaning towards the sound guy's side right off the bat
I see such an inordinate amount of bitching about sound guys on forums, but my real world experience is that they're pretty rad 9 times out of 10. If I hear a story about guitarist vs. sound guy, I'm going to automatically be leaning towards the sound guy's side right off the bat
TedEH
Cromulent
If you play enough shows, 1 out of 10 sound guys being non-rad is still a significant number of non-rad sound guys.
spawnofthesith
Well-Known Member
lol fair
GunpointMetal
Well-Known Member
He’s probably the only one getting paid at most diy shows. His job is to make the band sound as good as possible in the room, not dictate the gear on stage. I worked about 40 shows last summer, probably another 15 or so so far this year, and the only thing that’s ever been a problem is when someone with a 140dB tube amp won’t shut the fuck up. Drum changeovers were rarely an issue unless it was some guy with like 16 pcs of auxiliary percussion.
Agreed, for the most part. Even the ones that are dicks are usually cool if you don’t come at them sideways and communicate your needs before you’re on stage. But, that’s why it’s good to know who is actually in charge of the show because they likely don’t want to hire FOH that is pissing off the bands with silly shit like complaining about reclamping a few shell mics or making a band sound bad on purpose because they had to do very basic everyday sound guy stuff.
TedEH
Cromulent
I kinda feel like the "be rad to your sound guy" thing goes a bit both ways. If you're a sound guy, don't antagonize the band, the local venues, the promoters, etc. I recently encountered a guy who, while he was friendly and easy to work with as a sound guy, he made a point of rambling about how awful all the venues in town sounded. Venues that sound just fine, IMO.
wheresthefbomb
Well-Known Member
as a guitarist, I will always assume the guitarist is the asshole. I've played in very loud bands at very loud shows for years and most of the issues that people show up complaining about can be solved by buying the sound tech a beer or two and having a friendly conversation in the spirit of realistic expectations and a willingness to compromise. something along the lines of "we like to play really loud, what can we do to make that happen and also not be a pain in your ass?" nothing works every time, but I've had overall very positive results with this approach.
it me..... but I discovered this one simple trick where I just play solo and tell the sound guy it's up to them if they even want to mic my wall. the main guy working around here loves me.
TonyFlyingSquirrel
Cherokee Warrior
It’s all relationships and networking.
Then, you get on stage, you should actually “perform” and not just “loiter” while playing your parts. People paid to come see you, even if you didn’t get paid to play, so give them a show.
Then, you get on stage, you should actually “perform” and not just “loiter” while playing your parts. People paid to come see you, even if you didn’t get paid to play, so give them a show.
spawnofthesith
Well-Known Member
I suppose this probably belongs in the "unpopular opinions" thread, but I completely and totally disagree with the typical comments about "stage presence" vs "playing well". No, I would not rather see someone hopping around like a doofus instead of playing their parts well. In fact, I don't really want to see someone acting like a doofus on stage period lol. Ideally, performance quality and some sort of stage presence will be balanced, but at the end of the day I am there to listen to music and if I can only choose one, I'll take a good performance over some forced cringy "stage presence", especially if that comes at the expense of the music
YMMV of course
YMMV of course
JimF
Contributor
But realistically, with unsigned local bands you haven't heard of, playing songs you don't know... How will you know that their spin kicks are distracting from their playing? Obvious bum notes notwithstanding.
TedEH
Cromulent
Realistically, good instrumentalists are abundant. Especially given that youtube gives you access to bajjiions of expert shredders at any moment. I'm not paying for someone to prove they can sweep pick and stay in time, I'm paying for an experience. If you're sooooo good that just witnessing the craft is seeing something exceptional in itself, then sure. I'll watch Guthrie Govan for his chops, not for his stage moves. But you're probably not Guthrie Govan, so I'm going to remember the guy who almost kicked me in the face during his set long after I've forgotten the 100 bedroom shredders who stared at their knees and avoided eye contact.
It's your show, play it the way you want. But I make no promises as an audience member that I'll remember you two days later. I legitimately have seen so many bands and so many guitarists at this point that they all blend together into one amorphous blob of slightly bobbing long hair and so much gain that I couldn't tell what was being played in some random dive bar anyway.
It's your show, play it the way you want. But I make no promises as an audience member that I'll remember you two days later. I legitimately have seen so many bands and so many guitarists at this point that they all blend together into one amorphous blob of slightly bobbing long hair and so much gain that I couldn't tell what was being played in some random dive bar anyway.
