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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
blues harmonica gig tag
blues harmonica gig tag
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kudzurunner
4836 posts
Aug 03, 2014
5:51 AM
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A "tag" in contemporary parlance is a certain kind of video in which self-identified groups of people answer a specific set of questions. Search YouTube for "boyfriend tag" and you'll see what I mean.
I'd like a thread in which those of us who play blues harmonica on gigs respond to one particular prompt: "Please describe, in any amount of detail--i.e., from compactly to extensively--what you actually do from the moment you start getting ready to leave the house for a gig until the moment when you return home."
I'm about to leave my own house right now for a Sunday morning run, but you have my promise I'll do this later.
My tags will include packing for the gig, arriving at the gig, loading in, soundchecking--everything prior to the moment I play the first note of the first song. I'll be thinking of a specific happy-hour bar gig that I've got at a place called the Lamar Lounge. I will then talk briefly about the two and a half sets. And I'll talk about breakdown.
Because I carry and set up not just my harp rig but a small PA and my percussion rig, I've got a lot of extra work. But I'm sure I'm not alone in that!
This is a weird thread, I know, but these mechanics of professional life are interesting, and although they're extremely important--i.e., if you fail to take care of some important element of setup, or fail to bring along a power strip, you're in trouble--we never talk about them. They're the heart and soul of actually making a living with the instrument. I hope you'll indulge me, those of you who play gigs, and participate.
Just pick one specific (perhaps recent?) gig, or pick a typical gig. Or, if you prefer, pick a typical studio session, if that's something you do. Alternately, pick a weird or unusual or particularly demanding or challenging gig--an out of the ordinary gig.
And then describe it here.
If you feel like just talking it into a video, that's fine, too. Do that, post to YouTube, and upload. Title the video "blues harmonica gig tag" or something like that. But a written description is just fine, too.
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The Iceman
1885 posts
Aug 03, 2014
7:22 AM
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Haven't done many gigs recently, but thanks to my BOSE mind set, I'll describe briefly how I would arrive, set up, sound check, etc.
Arrive at gig...time spend bringing in equipment - 15 minutes.
Time setting up BOSE...5 minutes.
Hooking up effects, mic....5 minutes.
Turn on system. Sound check....5 minutes.
Play gig.
Break down at end of night....dismantle BOSE and put away effects, cords, mic, etc...10 minutes.
Time to carry to car...5 minutes.
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The Iceman
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kudzurunner
4837 posts
Aug 03, 2014
9:37 AM
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For a happy hour gig at the Lamar Lounge in Oxford, MS (6 - 8:30 PM):
Make some coffee around 4 PM. Assemble gear for load-out to car. Gear includes the following:
--harp attache case with harps, mic, Boss DD-3, adapter, cables
--two amps: Kay 703 and Masco MU-5
--mic bag with Sennheiser e906 (2) for harp amps, Audix D6 plus stand for kickdrum, and a vocal mic; all mic cables; cables to connect PA head to speakers; PA power cable; two power strips; cable for Mouse. (I won't mic the amps or pecussion today, but I always carry the gear.)
--small PA (two small speakers, one of which contains PA head), in a 28"" suitcase.
--large piece of carpet for percussion gear
--28" suitcase containing all percussion gear
--shoulder bag containing CDs
--tip bucket
--two mic stands w/booms
--sign that reads "The Blues Doctors of Oxford, Mississippi"
--Mouse amp (which serves as stage monitor)
Load everything out to car. Depart for gig at 4:45
Arrive at Lamar Lounge at 5 PM. Load everything into club and onto stage.
Roll out carpet and put chair into place. Take Tuki coves off amps and place amps behind chairs. Find two spare chairs, bring onto stage, open PA suitcase and put PA speakers on chairs. Plug power strip into wall and plug in both amps; turn on both amps. Hook up mic/DD3/cables/adapter and blow a few notes. Set up mic stands. Connect PA to PA head with two long cables. Plug in Alan's mic cable; assemble my mic and cable and plug into PA. Connect Mouse to PA head w/cable and set provisional levels. Unzip percussion case and assemble complete setup, which includes kickdrum, tambo pedal, and snaredrum, plus pedals for kick and snare.
Take deep breath. Get a beer from the bar. Hang with Alan. At 5:55, get onstage and set harps on top of harp case. Glance at setlist. Quick soundcheck after Alan comes onto stage. Ask him to turn down slightly. The room is all hard surfaces and we'll be playing to a sparse dinner crowd. Decide on a softer rather than louder song, and decide not to use snare in first set.
Play first set of about 45-50 minutes, take break. Work hard during set to play softly while maintaining good groove.
During gig (and just before), drink a total of two beers and two Maker's Mark bourbons on the rocks, the second one a gift between the second and third sets from some friends of Alan's, one of whom is getting divorced, rides a motorcycle, and is there with a woman 25 years younger than him.
When gig is finished, pack everything up in reverse order, collect my pay from Alan--he divides the amount, an odd-dollar figure to give me the extra $5--talk briefly, and shake hands. It was a good gig. We tried a couple of songs a bit faster than usual; one of them worked great, the other was too fast. We're feeling like a team after a recent 1800 mile trip out to Midland, Texas and back.
I drive home. Definitely in a better mood than before the gig. Arrive home at 9:45.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Aug 03, 2014 9:39 AM
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Frank
5011 posts
Aug 03, 2014
9:55 AM
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Good God Almighty Adam... - How in the heck do you do all that - maintain a music career, run a household, hold a job and lord knows what else your able to fit in your schedule in between. Your like a friggin "ironman contestant" - The energy and dedication you possess is extraordinary in my opinion - you are surely a MOTIVATED individual :)
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Barley Nectar
469 posts
Aug 03, 2014
10:25 AM
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Adam can tear down his drum kit in 98 seconds! I timed him...LOL
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Ugly Bones Ryan
105 posts
Aug 03, 2014
10:29 AM
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1. Drink too much caffeine
2. Brush my teeth.
3. Get my wallet, phone, harps, mic, and cable.
4. Drive from New Canaan to Rowayton Pizza in Norwalk
5. Plug in and play with Murray the Wheel. Try hard not to blow to hard and let him be the center of attention.
6. Close with Voodoo Child and blow like a madman.
7. Carry Murray's gear to his car (with his help of course) and get my share of the tips.
8. Enjoy the free pizza.
9. Drink two Mountain Dews because of the exhausting three hour set.
10. Drive home in the dark.
11. Get home, watch Law and Order SVU and go to sleep.
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LSC
665 posts
Aug 03, 2014
6:18 PM
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1. No PA on this gig and I haven't played the place before so I start early so I can have plenty of time to sort out what needs doing when I get there. Haven't had to use my PA in quite a while so go through the check list of required cables and load them into the bag.
2. Load truck with PA - uber-small AER powered cabs & little Mackie ProFX8-, mic stands, cables, harp case, HG1, Deluxe non-reverb that I loan to the artist we back.
3. Shower and dress for gig - black jeans, black shirt, grey shoes.
4. Arrive at gig 8: and go in for recon before load in.
5. Meet day manager who puts me in the picture as to where we set up. We have to wait for customers to clear the tables which staff will move when the customers leave, so I sit and wait. Talk to a regular who is ex-military and been to all the places you really don't want to go to. Places filled with folks with hostile intent. He lives within walking distance, nice guy whose good at the joking back and forth, smiles a lot, quite humble in his way, but you look in his eyes and there's a whole lot of pain behind them. He comes back later and stays for the night drinking and having a good time.
6. Guys drift in one by one. Put them in the picture. Meet general manager, who does the booking, and sort out how we'll be paid, cash/check, and any tab or food/drink deal. Normally I do this at time of booking but I couldn't hear him over the background noise so just did the basics of time, place, money. Real nice guy who buys our first round and hangs with the band for a little while.
7. Space is cleared by staff but due to customers in no hurry to leave we're now running a little late. I set up PA and dial in a sound while the guys carve out their individual space. Three time Handy award winner W.C. Clark strolls in. He's been a friend of Matt, our front man, forever.
8. Start first set. Going well when half way through my harp mic starts cutting out. Been having this problem before and just can not figure out exactly where the problem is. Every time I think I have the answer I don't. Finally, get it to work right but still not sure exactly where the problem is. It comes and goes like a ghost. Kind of throws me off for a little while. Manager puts out a tip jar and drops a $5 bill himself. Like this guy.
9. The band is playing great and we're going down a treat. W.C joins in with some killer soul vocals on a slow blues to finish the first set then splits. He could have left earlier so I guess we didn't suck.
10. Making new fans during the break. Passing out cards and getting email addresses. Despite being a corporate chain place I'm digging the atmosphere. Much more like a neighborhood bar that it's okay to bring kids if you like.
11. 2nd set. Harp rig seems to be holding up without problem. During the break a guy challenged Matt to play a song by 3 artists he'd name. He picks Albert Collins, James Brown, and BB King. Fool put money on it. Matt calls them out 1-2-3 and collects. Guy who introduced himself to Matt during the break gets called up. He takes out a flute and plays some really sweet stuff on a slow blues. Nice surprise.
12. 3rd set, fairly short, and we're done. We're the first live music under new ownership. Manager says he'd like us at least once a month. Meeting with the bosses during the week and he'll get in touch.
13. Chat with some folks. Get paid. Pay the guys. Tear down. Pack up. Load the truck. Get some apps to take home which the manager comped. Earlier he told us to run individual tabs for the night and he'd sort us a discount. Rare to be treated so well.
14. Drive home 2am. Unload truck. Eat. Watch some TV. Fall asleep in the chair. Wife wakes me up. I go through my closing the house routine and reflect on what was a pretty good little gig. The band played very well and everyone had a great time. Got to meet W.C. Clark and hear him sing. Made some new fans. Quite possibly will get a monthly residency out of it. It's only 10 minutes from my house and a decent payer. Go to bed 3am a satisfied man.
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LSC
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Last Edited by LSC on Aug 03, 2014 6:26 PM
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jbone
1721 posts
Aug 03, 2014
10:56 PM
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We've begun preparing for tomorrow's 2 sets at a pizza joint. We chose the material and set up a songbook. Tomorrow I will get home from work a bit early and we will load the truck with guitar, harps, amps, small p.a., and mics for my tube amp and vocals as well. We arrive at least 30 minutes early and I get our stuff set up. We start at 6 on the nose and do about 45 minutes, then take a break for a while, and do about 45-50 minutes more. Our host will want to sit in and I am going to ask that he wait until the second set. Jo and I need to establish our sound and groove right away.
We will play 2 sets, get paid, break down, come home, unload the truck in about 5 minutes.
For a busking gig it's simpler: Load truck with instruments, chairs, and one tote bag holding our license plate we hang off the music stand(Jawbone and Jolene), a music stand, some cd's both the $10 and the $5, a songbook. We arrive and unload, I park the truck, and when I get back we set up in our usual spot. Chairs, music stand, and guitar case out front for tips and cd display. I sit on Jo's right side always. It's maybe a 10 minute process since we go acoustic. We play a couple hours' worth, then break down and I bring the truck up. We load, head home, unload, count our tips and cd proceeds and put it in the recording fund.
Now if we have an out-of-town date it's more involved. We choose and pack clothes, make a room reservation, gas up, and stage everything before we are slated to leave. I try to hit the road with time to spare to get to our room and then hit the club early and set up. Post-gig we load up, head for the room, bring everything in, and crash. If it's more than one night we spend the next day looking around, maybe visiting if we know anyone there, and also looking up new places to maybe get a gig at. Then we head back to the room to relax for a while and do the second night the same way. I have been known to throw in fishing rods and tackle if there is any good water we can hit on the way out. I will say this, the Little Sunflower River did not disappoint when it came to catfish a few years back! Several 5 lb+ hit my bait one afternoon.
Then it's head home, unload, unpack, and prepare for the next week at work.
A word about the jitters: for me, I used to be a real rigid ass when it came to prep, loadup, and leave time. I found I needed to relax and make it a fun time when we hit the road for a weekend. Keeping it easy but still timely and focused can be tricky but that's how it works best for us. Even after many years of playing live I still occasionally have some nerves, but it's never interfered with getting it going and once the first note is struck, everything is about that moment and all else slips away. The result is, we have a good time and do quality, and it rubs off on the crowd. When you are relaxed and natural, and you have repoire with your audience, it's a much higher quality experience all around.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7La7yYYeE
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didjcripey
785 posts
Aug 04, 2014
3:34 AM
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I start by checking and rechecking all my gear; make sure its all working and all there. Then I check and pack all my backup gear; backup mic, cables, harps etc the only thing I don't have a backup for is my amp, although I have a lone wolf effects pedal which I would use through the PA if I needed to.
I'll try and get a power nap in the afternoon. During which I'll do some self hypnosis, positive affirmation, whatever you want to call it 'Tonight I'll have fun, I'll be confident and relaxed, I'll play better than I ever have before' etc etc.
I am a firm believer in the power of auto suggestion.
I'll have a big late lunch and some strong coffee. Then its shit,shave and shower. Get dressed, making sure I'm looking sharp.
Get to the gig usually a couple of hours early. Check out the stage. Figure out where we are all going to stand. Say G'day to the sound man and be real friendly. I know he can make or break our gig. I make sure he knows what gear I'm using and find out how I can make his job easier. Communicate the preferences of the band re foldback. We usually play short gigs between other bands so its a quick setup and soundcheck on the fly.
Then I check out the crowd. Press the flesh with supporters and organisers, especially our local blues radio hostess who is a fan. Most of our gigs are put on by Blues club committees and I thank them for their hard work and for having us.
By this time other band members are arriving and we might grab a beer and chill for a while, checking out the band before us, and supporting them. The scene up here is pretty small, we don't need to head cut and its all friendly.
About half an hour before we go on I try and do some warmups, either 'gussing' with the band thats on, far enough away so that I can't be heard, or of that's not possible I'll go and do some scales and Adams warmups (minus over blows) in my car. Do a few stretches and deep breathing to calm the nerves. Sometimes there might be some herbal attitude enhancement around, and I'll have a taste; just a taste, all you need is just enough.
Then its on to the stage, being sure to congratulate the band we are following on a great set (they always are). Plug in, set up and quick sound test. 5 to ten mins is about all it takes. When I'm set I see if the rest of the band is OK and if I can help. When we're all ready to go, a little flask of Jack gets passed around; just a taste, for lubrification.
Then its the magic carpet ride of a band working together and having a ball.
Five mins to pull down, off the stage. Thank any supporters for their support and graciously accept any compliments/appreciations/criticisms.
Hang out with the band, have a cold beer or two (no more, we are always driving home and the roads are full of bullimen), enjoy the band that follows us if there is one, then out with the band for a Thai meal.
Its tough being a modern bluesman.
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Lucky Lester
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