New band, first gig.

[The Geoff]

Well, just came in from the first gig of The End of the Line Blues band and am sitting here with a glass of Dalwhinnie Single Malt in my hand mulling it over. This is one of the bands I started when my affiliation with a guitarist/singer/bassist fell apart in the summer - as we played some pretty good stuff, I was pretty pissed. However, I digress (the other is a middle-of-the-road band with a female singer, sax/vocals, guitar, drums - same guy - & me on bass/vocals)

 

It was a gig local to the guitar player who got the pub to take us on on spec, with no promise of payment.

 

The guitarist hasn't gigged before, & the drummer hasn't gigged as a drummer - but he used to be a gigging bassist.

 

The singer is a bluesman & harp player from way back, but has just come back to it. I'm on bass.

 

Since the drummer used to be a bassist, he & I can get really tight, as he has the abilty to watch my fretting hand & tie in with the rhythms I'm playing.

 

Anyway. Lots of nerves - played the first few numbers a bit too fast & didn't leave any time between songs.

 

4th song was a bit of an oops as the guitarist started it in the wrong key, but Dave (singer) came in on harp on the correct key & it all righted itself, except I forgot we'd changed it from A to E & took 2 verses to figure it.

 

Anyway, we were more than OK generally & a guy came up at the end & booked us for a full payment gig.

 

The pub gave us £100 amongst us, which was better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

 

Another 2 or 3 gigs & we'll be up to speed.

 

No pics or sounds. Set list follows.

 

White Room

Tore Down

Johnny B Goode

Hi Heeled Sneakers

Help Me

Stormy Monday

Born Under A Bad Sign

Lets Work Together

Cross Roads

Sitting On Top Of The World

 

Break.......

 

Black Magic Woman

Alabama Train

Shake Your Money Maker

Tell Me How You Like It

Thrill Has Gone

Need Your Love So Bad

Got My Mojo Working

Fade To Black

White Room

Tore Down or Sitting On Top Of The World (or both again, depends on the audience

reaction to us)

 

G.

 

 

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

High Heel Sneakers.

 

Rock on!

 

See a lot of Cream on that set list.

[The Geoff]

2 numbers a lot?

 

 

G.

[The Geoff]

In fact the only original Cream number on that is White Room.

 

G.

[The Geoff]

and it's just to please the guitarist........

 

 

G.

[Bartholomew]

For the last couple of years I've been doing ALL material in the originals keys only - which solves the problem but might be tough for vocals depending on who is singing. Also many tunes will only sound right in the original key - just my personal feeling on the matter.

 

I remember hearing "Strange Brew" on tape in Felix's basement in NY, after he finished producing it. He told us Cream would be the next big band to hit Billboard USA.

 

Good-Luck with the group - hope your guitar player has good time and feel.

[The Geoff]

I agree with you about some numbers only sounding right in the original key & we do that where possible.

 

Guitarist has talent but it is yet raw.........

 

 

G.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

G,

 

Not including the fact that White Room is on there twice...

 

I know they have covered (at least) Crossroads and Bad Sign.

 

And, I happen to like Cream, so I'm not complaining.

[GreySeraph]

whoa you guys had a pretty long set! keep it up and get some videos up here so we can cheer you on

[jlrush]

Nice going Geoff, keep up the good work.

I like it that you guys played long sets. We have several venues that feature three hours of music a night instead of four and we will often play two long sets per night.

[Phil W]

Sounds good Geoff. I hope to see you play sometime. Neat set.

[The Geoff]

whoa you guys had a pretty long set! keep it up and get some videos up here so we can cheer you on

 

I don't know about long sets.... we did the 1st set in 40 mins. - I think 1st Night Nerves played its part, we played them a bit too fast (Johnny B Good bass part in double time at a fast rate was fun - NOT!!). We didn't leave any time between numbers for the audience to natter to each other.

 

2nd half was slightly better & we managed to fill the hour.

 

We need about 10 more numbers.

 

G.

[The Geoff]

Sounds good Geoff. I hope to see you play sometime. Neat set.

 

Thanks Phil - actually, I think I'd learn playing a bit with you - I'm at the stage where I think I need to look a bit more at the technicalities. Maybe bump into each other some day.

 

G.

[Phil W]

That would be very cool.

I'm not very good at the technicalities though - self taught bad habits. I had to relearn a lot of technique when I had carpal tunnel.

[Richard W]

How are these sets "long?" I count ten songs each. Isn't that standard? Also, you say you "didn't leave any time between songs." I'm interested in what people think is the right amount of time between songs. If you've got people up and dancing, I think you should have just a few seconds between songs.

 

Looks like a great list of tunes--happy to see you working Let's Get Together. Love Canned Heat.

[Eric VB]

It's long if you have a wanky guitarist that turns "White Room" into 10 minutes of "look at me".

 

With the dance band we'll do 40-44 songs a night. With the classic rock/jam band we only need about 35.

 

It's nice to have an extra song in your pocket in cases like this where you end early.

 

At my last gig I picked up my acoustic guitar and performed solo (by request) while the guitarist replaced a string. (I have a couple of solo bass songs for those times when all I have is a bass.)

[The Geoff]

We don't allow the guitarist more tha 24 bars on principle.

 

 

G.

[GreySeraph]

whoa you guys had a pretty long set! keep it up and get some videos up here so we can cheer you on

 

I don't know about long sets.... we did the 1st set in 40 mins. - I think 1st Night Nerves played its part, we played them a bit too fast (Johnny B Good bass part in double time at a fast rate was fun - NOT!!). We didn't leave any time between numbers for the audience to natter to each other.

 

2nd half was slightly better & we managed to fill the hour.

 

We need about 10 more numbers.

 

G.

 

if you need 10 min, just learn to calm down and banter a bit or find some way to introduce songs rather than just play. Be entertainers not wallflowers You guys got a TON of songs; it was actually eyepopping to see that you only got 40 min outta the first set. On any regular singer/songwriter jam, I take like 4 songs and I pull through 40 minutes lol. Did you guys really spend short of 4 minutes a song?

[b5pilot]

It's long if you have a wanky guitarist that turns "White Room" into 10 minutes of "look at me".

 

With the dance band we'll do 40-44 songs a night. With the classic rock/jam band we only need about 35.

 

If you've got a REALLY wanky guitarist you can get by on a lot less than 35 songs.

40 songs sounds about right to me for a night although you may not need them all. If a song is filling the dance floor you can always extend it a bit to keep the party going. Hopefully though not with a lot of guitar wankery. unless of course that's what the crowd is in to.

[J. Dan]

Granted our music is a bit different, but we try to leave no space between songs - keep em on the dance floor dancing. We generally do about 47 songs per night - 12-14 songs per set (3 1hr sets). But some of them we run together.

[Basshappi]

We don't allow the guitarist more tha 24 bars on principle.

 

;)G.

 

I admire your ethics!

Congrats on the successful gig.

[The Geoff]

We don't allow the guitarist more tha 24 bars on principle.

 

;)G.

 

I admire your ethics!

Congrats on the successful gig.

 

Thanks - long time no see - you OK?

 

G.

[picker]

Well, just came in from the first gig of The End of the Line Blues band and am sitting here with a glass of Dalwhinnie Single Malt in my hand mulling it over.

 

What, no Lagavulin?

[The Geoff]

Well, just came in from the first gig of The End of the Line Blues band and am sitting here with a glass of Dalwhinnie Single Malt in my hand mulling it over.

 

What, no Lagavulin?

 

Naaahhh - I don't go for West Coast malts - too much peat & iodine - taste like cough medicine!!!

 

I prefer the East Coast whiskies.

 

 

G.

[Basshappi]

We don't allow the guitarist more tha 24 bars on principle.

 

;)G.

 

I admire your ethics!

Congrats on the successful gig.

 

Thanks - long time no see - you OK?

 

G.

 

Yes, I am doing better. Glad to see this year end and am hoping that 2011 will be a good one. I have a new band (finally!!) and that is a very positive and rewarding situation as you know yourself .

 

I wish you and your band all the success in the world!

Cheers!

 

Edited to note that this is post #3000 for me!

WoooHoo or as one young man would say - wOOt!

[The Geoff]

We don't allow the guitarist more tha 24 bars on principle.

 

;)G.

 

I admire your ethics!

Congrats on the successful gig.

 

Thanks - long time no see - you OK?

 

G.

 

Yes, I am doing better. Glad to see this year end and am hoping that 2011 will be a good one. I have a new band (finally!!) and that is a very positive and rewarding situation as you know yourself .

 

I wish you and your band all the success in the world!

Cheers!

 

Edited to note that this is post #3000 for me!

WoooHoo or as one young man would say - wOOt!

 

Good for you!! I'm so pleased to see you posting again. As for *that* young gentleman, I think there are some here who know what happened to him..........

 

G.