Gigs

[Rudi]

Before setting off, ensure you have all your equipment. Use a checklist. Your equipment should include a ‘personal alarm’ unit and earplugs of an industrial standard.

Arrive at gig. As you ferry your equipment to and from the van/car, lock the car every time leave it. You might think you will only be a moment, but chances are someone will engage you in conversation and you will forget about the car. Place your gear in the staging area & try to ensure no one will interfere with it.

Once inside, spy out the power sockets. Get first bagsies on the one you want. Try not to overload any one socket. Refuse to share your socket with more than one bandmate. If necessary, use a long extension lead from another part of the room. Gaffertape this carefully so nonces don’t trip over them. Also gaffertape the switch & socket to discourage jokers turning you off.

If a DJ or another band is already installed and has monopolised the power supply, delegate the most diplomatic and personable band member to negotiate power sharing.

Stake your personal territory in the staging area. Isolate & fortify this with instrument cases, amp, microphone stands etc until you are set up.

Plug amp in, cable everything together. Protect floor level jackplugs from careless feet by positioning a microphone stand (or guitar stand) over them.

Remove guitar from case at the last moment to minimise risk of damage/abuse/accidents during the commotion that is ‘setting up’. Plug instrument in, volume down. Switch on power. Volume up.

Never allow children on stage. If they are persistent, get the parents on the case. If parents don’t care, you have no option other than to frighten the children convincingly. Ie: Tell them about your terminal infectious disease.

Never let anyone ‘have a go’ on your guitar unless you know them personally. If you do, expect them to drop the guitar, pull the jackplug out before isolating the amp, turn the tuning keys when the nut is locked off by the Floyd-Rose system, stick lit cigarettes between the strings, hand it to their mates to try out too, etc.

After gig, power off. Put guitar into case first to minimise risk of damage/abuse/accidents. Remove leads from the end furtherest away from you first or risk bandmates standing on them when you are trying to gather them up.

Never coil instrument cables, fold them. When they folded to about 3ft in length, tie them in a loose knot (coiled cables twist, induce lateral tension, and they will knot up).

When all packed up, you have to face drunk people loitering in doorways etc. Forget saying “excuse me please, may I get past?” This will not work. You are carrying heavy equipment, and cannot fanny about trying to sidestep around people.

Insert your earplugs & switch on your personal alarm just before heading for the door burdened with amp etc. This will clear a path for you. It works.

[Nightwolf]

Very comprehensive list there Rudi. A lot of these tips I use already. Good post

[john]

Hey Rudi

Good list.

In my gig bag I always had a set of spare strings x 2, set of snips, a polishing cloth, spare leads, screw drivers and sometimes a soldering iron! Oh yes and spare batteries for any active components, and a power supply breaker.

Cheers

John

[Rudi]

You're better prepered than me. I didnt venture into the gig bag. I'll think on it.

[Donna]

Thanks Rudi!

[Steve]

Before setting off, ensure you have all your equipment. Use a checklist. Your equipment should include a ‘personal alarm’ unit and earplugs of an industrial standard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Insert your earplugs & switch on your personal alarm just before heading for the door burdened with amp etc. This will clear a path for you. It works.

[john]

Hey

you don't have a blue flashing light on your head too do you?

[Rudi]

Hey

you don't have a blue flashing light on your head too do you?

Of course not. That would be ridiculous.

[Alistair]

Also...

Estimate how much time it will take you to set up...and then allow at least twice as long!