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COVID reaffirms my disdain for outdoor playing


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I've never been a fan of outdoor gigs from a player's perspective. Too hot, too cold, too sunny, rain, wind, all the annoyances really make me uncomfortable. Most times (pre-COVID) when asked to play outdoors it's under controlled or planned situations. The band is usually accounted for with adequate roofing, building a decent stage, all the nice amenities that make it more joyful to play. I've been fortunate that a couple of the bands that I play in have played well over a dozen shows this summer and continue through at least Halloween with outdoor bookings. For that I'm grateful, it beats sitting at home and not playing out. However (you knew that a but was coming...) I can't say I've enjoyed any of the shows that I've done so far this summer. Our first outdoor show in July under COVID we setup outside in back of a building directly in front of 4 large dumpsters on hot blacktop. It was hot outside and it stunk to high heavens. No stage, no overhead protection. Can't see the keyboard screen at all due to sunlight and no overhead protection. The last 4 shows I've done it's rained and we never completed any of the shows; two shows ago I got drenched pretty bad and luckily I had a tarp that pulled over the equipment. I'm frantically trying to get the keyboard and my mixer into protective cases and rushing them into my car. The last show we had problems with our main audio mixer and it sporadically worked, probably due to having gotten wet from the previous show (it got pretty drenched). That same show we had a large downpour when we arrived; when the storm passed the stage was soaked. We had to get mops to dry the stage because there was no roof. The drummer went off and the owner through him off the property; I had to call a backup drummer who arrived late. When I approached the owner about the drummer situation he said that it was my fault and I should have kept the drummer's mouth quiet (as if I have control over him). I don't want to play under these conditions but I'm being outvoted by everyone else. We are playing a private party Saturday and the forecast is rain that evening. I just found out that we might be setting up on lawn (which could be wet). I'm being advised to bring tarps and rugs to setup over. I really can't wait until it gets too cold to play outside (it is supposed to go into the low 50's Saturday night) and with our Halloween show being one month away it will surely be in the 40's. The clubs built tiki bars this summer for the patrons so that they stay dry and out of the sun, so far not a Gxd Dxmn thing for the musicians at any of the clubs. They want music but just aren't prepared and frankly don't want to invest in outdoor stages and adequate roof protection because they figure that COVID will be over and everything will return to normal and back indoors we go. My fellow band members are not pushing back because they are of the mindset that when the weather gets too cold we'll be shut down maybe until spring. They want to "get it while we can". If we don't take the gigs someone else will because there aren't enough gigs to go around. What an f'in mess.......

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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I've been doing this since 1975. Over that time I've played what seems like a million outdoor gigs. I can count the ones I really enjoyed on one hand, and have a couple of fingers left over, for all the reasons you list......

 

As far as "too cold" I don't know.....played an outdoor gig a few years back on Black Friday. It was something like 35 degrees.....good times......

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Wow, different perspective here. I've played some mind-blowing outdoor gigs. One that sticks out was on an island off Seattle -- I think it was Bainbridge but I just remember we took a ferry. Private party, hundreds of attendees in an amazing natural amphitheater. Felt like I was floating towards the heavens. You just can't get that same experience indoors.

 

But lots of sh#t ones too. Post-covid, I played where I was set up under a huge tree. Beautiful setting but then the wind start blowing and tons of small debris start falling from the branches. Little stuff that easily slipped between the keys into the body of the keyboard. Couldn't stop obsessing over it. Audience may have thought I was doing some new palm smear technique but I was trying to brush detritus off before it could fall in.

 

Then there's the more typical stories of rain, roasting sun, etc

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I'm with you Dave. There have been some memorable outdoor gigs with perfect weather, crowd, etc. but for the most part, I can't stand them. I remember one gig years ago at a club called the Roundup in northern Kentucky. There was an indoor stage and an outdoor stage. We were booked on the outdoor stage. In the winter, the club owner would put a big tent over the outdoor patio and stage and had a big firepit in the middle. There were a couple of rips in the tent up by the band and wind and snow was ripping through there throughout the night. I cut the finger tips our of my gloves so I could wear them while playing. For that gig, do to space limitations, I was using a Hammond M3/Leslie 145, one Mellotron, a Korg Poly Ensemble S, a Minimoog and a Wurlitzer EP. As cold as it was the mechanics of the M3 and Mellotron were useless. The analog circuitry in the Korg and Moog couldn't settle in on a tuning. So the only thing that was reliable was the Wurlitzer, and I played very gently for fear that the tines would crack apart for being overly brittle. Ah, the good old days. ;)

Wm. David McMahan

I Play, Therefore I Am

 

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Yeah, outdoor gigs have been among my best and my worst. There's nothing that reminds me why I do this more than playing one of our local downtown concert series shows, or a big outdoor stage at a festival. But those outdoor bar/brewery/club gigs... those tend to reek of "we'll rake in the bucks if we hire a band!" as exlaimed by business owners who neither understand nor care about the logistics of hiring a live band. I have watched a friend power down his amp and put his guitar away in situations like that when the weather turns bad -- his opinion being that if the stage isn't protected from rain and the venue doesn't have a plan B, it's not worth the price of his equipment to stick it out. I have to agree with him there.

 

Most of my projects simply aren't playing in front of people right now to avoid exactly this; my friends who are still doing these kinds of gigs have had mostly decent experiences but the bad ones are so upsetting that I don't feel like I'm missing out. Still, I'm dreading the long winter here. I miss the audiences, but I can carry on without them if I get to keep playing with other people... but that's still a challenge. In one of the groups I've been playing with that's been semi-active (two shows and one cancellation this summer), the singer desperately wants to set up an outdoor show on Halloween, and the full-time members of the band are trying not to get on her bad side while clearly expressing concern about putting it together with potential weather issues and diminishing returns/high ticket prices as far as the audience goes (New York has a strict limit of 50 people on gatherings, and that would include the band). And of course, once jamming outside isn't a possibility, we have to trust four or five households to stay Covid-free if we plan on rehearsing. Tricky.

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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Yeah, outdoor gigs have been among my best and my worst. There's nothing that reminds me why I do this more than playing one of our local downtown concert series shows, or a big outdoor stage at a festival. But those outdoor bar/brewery/club gigs... those tend to reek of "we'll rake in the bucks if we hire a band!" as exlaimed by business owners who neither understand nor care about the logistics of hiring a live band. I have watched a friend power down his amp and put his guitar away in situations like that when the weather turns bad -- his opinion being that if the stage isn't protected from rain and the venue doesn't have a plan B, it's not worth the price of his equipment to stick it out. I have to agree with him there.

 

Have the sun beat down on todays keyboards can have all kinds of bad results. Or rain or just moisture from evening air. It's beyond me how people, even other band members can't seem to understand this.

 

Most of my projects simply aren't playing in front of people right now to avoid exactly this; my friends who are still doing these kinds of gigs have had mostly decent experiences but the bad ones are so upsetting that I don't feel like I'm missing out. Still, I'm dreading the long winter here. I miss the audiences, but I can carry on without them if I get to keep playing with other people... but that's still a challenge. In one of the groups I've been playing with that's been semi-active (two shows and one cancellation this summer), the singer desperately wants to set up an outdoor show on Halloween, and the full-time members of the band are trying not to get on her bad side while clearly expressing concern about putting it together with potential weather issues and diminishing returns/high ticket prices as far as the audience goes (New York has a strict limit of 50 people on gatherings, and that would include the band). And of course, once jamming outside isn't a possibility, we have to trust four or five households to stay Covid-free if we plan on rehearsing. Tricky.

 

Just curious, does the female singer have any investment in equipment other than maybe a microphone?

Wm. David McMahan

I Play, Therefore I Am

 

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Just curious, does the female singer have any investment in equipment other than maybe a microphone?
The new band van that they bought in January (if that isn't bad timing I don't know what is), and she's married to the guitarist, so technically all of his gear, I suppose. Honestly, in this instance, the concern is more about Covid and being fined by New York State than the weather, though the drummer is clearly trying not to be the one who says "I don't want to play outside if it's 30 degrees." When I was playing with this band regularly back in 2015, we played outdoors at a winter festival in December in a "heated tent" (you can imagine how well those outdoor heaters worked). I was well-served by my fingerless gloves, but I recall that the Leslie was having a really tough time changing speeds at that gig... at least that one belonged to the band, not me. :wink:

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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I'm with you all... now just imagine you live in the tropics (Hawaii for me), where every convention/wedding/party wants to be outdoors because we have beautiful scenery. So many gigs that are set up ocean-side. And not one of the common venues has any protection for the bands. The number of gigs where they at least set up a tent for us/the guests to be in are in the finger-count range. Sometimes there's a stage, sometimes we're asked to set up on grass. And certain of the common locations are areas that are known to have passing showers almost every evening. None of the agencies/people in charge will offer to build a structure or put up an awning/tent because of "insurance reasons" in case wind knocks it down. Wouldn't want to hurt the guests. So they sacrifice the musicians and their gear instead.

 

Yes, I always bring a large tarp for my keyboard rig, and contractor garbage bags to put over my QSC speakers, but still - I don't dare let moisture/rain get onto my Kronos... I was playing a function at the Four Seasons where the party area is a level below the infinity pool. Yup, my rig is set up with my back to the pool. And a number of times a guest-made wave has come spilling off the pool down to me.One time I got hit squarely, and my Casio PX-5S would only play full-velocity over a region of the keyboard until it dried out.

 

The worst location on the island I have finally told all the bands I play with that I refuse to play there any more. So they sub me out. Someone is always willing to take the gig... so nothing changes.

 

Jerry

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Just curious, does the female singer have any investment in equipment other than maybe a microphone?
The new band van that they bought in January (if that isn't bad timing I don't know what is), and she's married to the guitarist, so technically all of his gear, I suppose. Honestly, in this instance, the concern is more about Covid and being fined by New York State than the weather, though the drummer is clearly trying not to be the one who says "I don't want to play outside if it's 30 degrees." When I was playing with this band regularly back in 2015, we played outdoors at a winter festival in December in a "heated tent" (you can imagine how well those outdoor heaters worked). I was well-served by my fingerless gloves, but I recall that the Leslie was having a really tough time changing speeds at that gig... at least that one belonged to the band, not me. :wink:

 

So she's real band member, very cool. I've been lucky enough to have worked with several vocalists like that. Then again another one used to make her boyfriend carry her equipment, consisting of a mic and stand and would show up at 5 minutes prior to gig start.

Wm. David McMahan

I Play, Therefore I Am

 

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Playing outdoors has never been my favorite thing in general, but in these bizarre times I've started doing fairly regular outdoor gigs in a specific situation that I really enjoy: Piano On a Truck gigs.

 

It's what it sounds like: a piano in the back of a pickup truck. There's a guy in town who buys, sells, repairs and tunes pianos, but doesn't play. And he mounted a 5'8" off-brand instrument into the back of his truck, parks it somewhere, and hires various players to come play it. People hire it for things like socially-distanced parties where guests hang out on the front lawn while the truck is parked on the curb or in the driveway. Or sometimes we'll just do a public show somewhere and livestream it, and between tips from people showing up in person and watching online, it ends up being worthwhile. We were doing shows out in front of the Maple Leaf for a while, but the crowds got too big and we had to stop. But we seem to have found a solution by doing them in a park, where there's more room for people to spread out. I'm doing one tomorrow in fact. Of course we're always at the mercy of the weather, but if it's cooperative, the experience is generally really good. We pull a decent-sized crowd of appreciative listeners who are starved for live music, and they really dig it. So I'm gonna keep milking that for all it's worth until it gets too cold.

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I really enjoy the outdoor gigs, especially to larger crowds. Although our act is not loud, it's nice to not get the dreaded, "Can you turn the volume down?" request when we're outdoors. I can share a bad outdoor experience from 20 years ago. We played at a private pool party in August. As the sun went down, the mosquitos came out and were overwhelming. The hostess offered the guests and us bug spray which we put on ourselves with our hands, usually every break. The next day when I unloaded my equipment from the cases, I saw that my Korg keyboard had black streaks on most of the middle white keys. Apparently the bug spray had a solvent that dissolved the black keys, I didn't notice it in the dark. I replaced over a dozen keys, thinking nobody would buy it when I wanted to sell it. The guitar players acoustic Takamine's finish was damaged where his bare forearm rested against the guitar. Lesson learned.

 

Although most were cancelled, the few outdoor gigs we've had this summer there was some mandatory social distancing, some mask wearing. The masks all seemed to come off when the dancing started. Our next gig is in a barn, so there should be plenty of ventilation. It's the New Year's Eve one (indoors) I'm wondering about.

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I remember this one gig like 4-5 years ago where there was a sort of local town festival going on with multiple bands and we got pushed into this crappy semi-covered rooftop stage. The weather was borderline all day, then it started misting/light drizzling when we got a couple songs into our set and never stopped.

 

Being the keyboard player, I'm always set up to be out of the way, which meant my rig was partially exposed. I remember toweling off my still-newish SV1 between songs and my blood just boiling during the entire situation. I remember being paranoid about potential damage to the keyboard for months after that gig. I told the band I'd never do that again, I'll stay the f--- home if the forecast is questionable and I got some dirty looks. I believe I then sarcastically compared the cost of my equipment to the $100 of pocket money I was paid.

 

Now that I'm not in a band, I really don't miss the gigging process. There was always SOMETHING that went wrong or the venue absolutely screwed us over. Once we were told after we set up that our 4-piece rock cover band was restricted to acoustic decibels (they complained at us to turn down further all night), another time the drunk wife of the house party we played at pulled our primary power mid song and my keyboard stopped working for half an hour.

 

Maybe in a couple years I'll give things another go, but I'm really burnt out on the experience.

Keyboards: Nord Electro 6D 73, Korg SV-1 88, Minilogue XD, Yamaha YPG-625

Bonus: Boss RC-3 Loopstation

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Here in FL they are dicey due to heat and tropical storm weather that tends to roll in almost every evening. No amount of roof can save your gear from some of the storms, it comes in sideways and we are the lightning capital of the world.

 

Ironically I have frozen my butt off playing outdoors here in the winter too.

 

Beats a smoky bar though, thankfully we graduated up out of most of those. Nothing like opening your gear case days after a show and having a strong smell of nasty smoke hit you in the face. I've probably taken time off my life playing those kind of joints.

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My experience with outdoor gigs have been largely favorable. I really enjoy the biker events.

 

However I can report a recent bad experience... do NOT stand for 3-4 hours on a concrete floor like those in pavilions in cold weather. The chills will propagate to your legs through the feet, despite dressing warm enough for the weather. The following day I was chilly all day and I had leg cramps three times that night.

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I did six outdoor gigs over the summer. For the most part the experiences were good. Five were on the water, which is a setting I enjoy. Also, I like how it sounds outdoors. Weather-wise we got lucky. A total of 20 minutes of rain and we were under a nice roof so my gear stayed dry.

 

Forget about playing in the cold. I"ve done that and my fingers struggle to move. So so frustrating that I hate it.

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On the whole, I like outdoor gigs. Some bad experiences but overall good.

 

The country band does one tailgate a year in Lincoln and it"s usually a great gig. Not this year though. Thanks Big Ten!

 

The first year we were scheduled for a September game, but some conflict arose so we played a November date. It got moved to an 11:00 kickoff. It was about 30 degrees when we"re setting up to play at 9:00. I did think to bring a propane heater so I was reasonably warm.

 

The next year was the opening game and 90+ degrees. Probably well over 100 on the asphalt parking lot. My observation was that, on average, we had perfect weather! The following year was a 6:00 night game and 70s. The woman I had seen twice from match.com who wanted to stop by and ended up falling down drunk is a story for another time!

 

I"ve done six outdoor gigs this summer and all have gone well. I"m certainly not willing to spend six hours in a crowded bar until this virus thing settles down.

aka âmisterdregsâ

 

Nord Electro 5D 73

Yamaha P105

Kurzweil PC3LE7

Motion Sound KP200S

Schimmel 6-10LE

QSC CP-12

Westone AM Pro 30 IEMs

Rolls PM55P

 

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Outdoor gigs certainly run the gamut. It's not too hard to see that the enjoyment quotient is directly related to the level of gig. Well-organized events with a real production staff, stage & sound crew (and a budget to match) and we're usually much happier, aren't we?

 

Of course weather is the great equalizer. A while back I posted about my laptop shutting down during sound check at the Levitt Pavilion in Denver when they ran out of sun shields and my equipment was baked nicely. Or the time the band rented a few minivans to drive from New York to Toledo Ohio to play outdoors on a stage with no covering. Our gear was set up, we were ready to go on stage, and it started drizzling. Our gear was loaded out (quickly!) and we went back to our hotel and that was that. The next morning we got in our vans and drove 9 1/2 hours back home. Fun times!

 

All in all I guess indoor gigs are less prone to surprises, but when everything comes together outdoor gigs can be a lot of fun. Given a choice between one or the other I'll stay inside, thanks.

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We had a total of 6 outdoor gigs this summer, if you count May.

 

The first one was terrifying even though most people kept their distance from us for the most part.

 

The other 5 were delightful, great weather (not something you can count on here on the coast of NW WA.

Nice people, good food (GREAT food at a couple of them), generous tips on top of wages, dancing etc.

 

That's probably it for 2020, we are not booking any indoor gigs and in Stage 2 they are prohibited anyway.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Outdoor gigs are kind of like the "included meal" at private events: it can be the same glazed salmon with mushroom risotto that the guests are getting, or it can be rubbery chicken fingers and potato chips while the guests have lobster. Going in, you just don't know, and you can never really tell how it's going to end up. That's the good and bad part: there's always some promise there, and also it's not surprising when it sucks.

 

I am going to play on my roof tomorrow. That's as close to an outdoor gig--or almost any gig--as I get right now. Now I think I'll cook some salmon in advance.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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I've always liked outdoor gigs, both as a performer and in the audience, in spite of all the associated problems and travails. There's something about the way the sound opens up and permeates the surroundings that just doesn't happen in an enclosed space, no matter how large or well treated acoustically.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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I also like outdoor gigs, assuming the weather is decent and the logistics aren't too difficult. But then again, I'm a geologist who has always loved nature and the outdoors.

Gigs: Nord 5D 73, Kurz PC4-7 & SP4-7, Hammond SK1, Yamaha MX88 & P121, Numa Compact 2x, Casio CGP700, QSC K12, Yamaha DBR10, JBL515xt(2). Alto TS310(2)

 

 

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I've never been a fan of outdoor gigs from a player's perspective. Too hot, too cold, too sunny, rain, wind

Heck, that's why I'm not much of a fan of the outdoors PERIOD.

 

But to add to your list of potential outdoor gig issues...

 

Power can come from temporarily set up generators which are prone to delivering low voltage that gear doesn't like. Powered speakers and keyboards can just shut down. And related, you not only have to try to keep out of the sun yourself, but your PA speakers should be kept out of the sun as well, especially if they're black. And of course, sun washes out the displays you're trying to read on many keyboards.

There's also the possibility of having to carry gear up and down hills or fashioned stone steps and the like. Weather, power, terrain... All in all, it's just the sheer increase in unpredictability.

 

And you often have to bring more PA gear (yeah, I have to bring the band's PA, too). You don't need to mic up drums in most indoor venues, but otdoors, it's pretty much a must (the bass drum is the first thing to disappear), which then means bigger/more speakers...

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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A very good summation! This thread is apropos for me as I have my 2nd gig since March tomorrow, outside under a tent. Temps will be 59 - 62 F (15 - 17 C). Here in the northeast USA there's not much time left for outdoor gigs â the only kind allowed right now. I know I should be happy to have any gig â and right now, I am â but in general, there are a few too many downsides to a satisfying outdoor music-making experience, imo. It's mostly about logistics and weather.
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We played at a private pool party in August. As the sun went down, the mosquitos came out and were overwhelming. The hostess offered the guests and us bug spray which we put on ourselves with our hands, usually every break. The next day when I unloaded my equipment from the cases, I saw that my Korg keyboard had black streaks on most of the middle white keys. Apparently the bug spray had a solvent that dissolved the black keys, I didn't notice it in the dark. I replaced over a dozen keys, thinking nobody would buy it when I wanted to sell it. The guitar players acoustic Takamine's finish was damaged where his bare forearm rested against the guitar. Lesson learned.

 

Did the tour of the Gibson factory in Nashville a couple of years ago. The guide mentioned that the finish on guitars can be ruined by bug spray. I mentioned this to the guys I play with and all but one, who had a really nice guitar somewhat ruined in this way, were not aware of this.

 

I had not heard of bug spray dissolving the finish on black keys however. Good to know.

aka âmisterdregsâ

 

Nord Electro 5D 73

Yamaha P105

Kurzweil PC3LE7

Motion Sound KP200S

Schimmel 6-10LE

QSC CP-12

Westone AM Pro 30 IEMs

Rolls PM55P

 

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