JDL Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Mine was at the Meow Meow club(18 and under club, no drinking) in downtown Portland. Man, we sucked. how bout you? JDL on Purevolume Bird\'s Eye View on Purevolume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanYmaL X Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 My first gig... was in college, a million and a half years ago, in a campus-housing townhouse at a kegger. I don't remember if we sucked or not... don't think anyone cared. But I'm not sure that that counts, 'cuz I was primarily a guitar player then... can't remember when I first gigged with a bass... I know I did it a few times back then, but its all a blur. DX Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe Pod X3 Live Roland Bolt-60 (modified) Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10 Acoustic 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 1964. A block party in the street in front of the drummer's house. Police were called. We were awesome. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattC Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 My highschool, the year after I graduated. T'was a terrible show, but only because the soundguy did not know what he was doing. (has anyone ever seen All the LEDs on a mixing board and power amp go into the red? that was this show). And from all accounts, the bass drowned out every other input on the console. He mixed the show through headphones that monitored the input, not the RL output- but I degress... ...think funky thoughts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 First Gig (maybe 20 years ago) ...... My friends (drummer and guitar) had a little "basement band." I guess. We had a "gig" playing at the Boy Scouts annual something or another. The drummers dad was involved with scouting. My cousin was playing in a pretty popular cover band at the time and they let us use their big PA. Armed with the big PA (we didn't know how to and didn't use half of it but we set it all up to look cool) we went to the armory to do our first gig. We did three songs - Takin Care Of Business, Another One Bites The Dust and a third I don't recall. We played the shit out of them. There was some polite applause, and we packed up all that gear and left. I don't think we got paid. We just did it for fun and exposure. 20 some years later.........still humping my own gear, making a little money, and having a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibescotty Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 The Side Pocket, pool hall and Biker "club house". Rough crowd. They loved us.... Double Posting since March 2002 Random Post Generator #26797 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebrownbass Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 I sang the solo on "Fairest Lord Jesus" age 6. Played Ventura Highway for a performance in 9th grade...then on guitar. Many other college gigs over the intervening years, perhaps 200-300? Then, my first paid gig...FUMC in Carrollton at Christmas. 3 days of "Messiah" by Handel. Made enough money to buy my tuxedo AND shoes. "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chromos Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Started out with somewhere between 20/30 recitals when I played piano in the 7-12 age range, then standard school concerts from 6th to 12th grade playing bassoon. Also played on the marching bass line during game seasons (didn't let double reeds march...too quiet). Played several school gigs (mostly parents, a few contests in there somewhere) on bass in the jazz band, which wasn't all that impressive. First gig with my rock band was at trees in deep ellum, followed by a slew of shows at the galaxy club. Not much of a turn out back then, but those house p/a systems are NICE when they knock you on yo ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Besides playing for school events in both high school and college, my first "real" gig was in a coffee house playing with a jazz combo. We played well from what I recall... I'm sure my solos sucked ass, because I hate soloing and those bastards made me do it anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.P. Non-Prod. Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Besides two open mic performances that really don't count because I was playing guitar and they aren't actually gigs. The first gig was at a bar over two years ago with the same mates I'm playing with today(maybe for not much longer because of all the band drama we have going on, we may need to find a more driven drummer). We were Nemesis, playing covers by tool, deftones, stp and some others. It was a good time we brought in a lot of our friends to a bar that usually no one goes to. A friends band with more experience and original music opened up for us and we even got paid. Maybe $20 each after paying the sound guy. It has been over two years since we played out so this next one is going to feel like the first time all over again. "Don't Ask Me I'm Just The Bassplayer" UBP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addix Metzatricity Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Battle of the Bands 1996, Las Vegas, NV. We actually came in first on the first day (of three days). We came in far from first overall, but it was a bunch o' fun! I was jumping around so much that I accidentally stepped on the guitarists cord and unplugged him! He was a bit irate. At least it wasn't during a solo... "Bass isn't just for breakfast anymore..." http://www.mp3.com/Addix_Metzatricity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 Approx. 1986. My high school's gym. Was a great gig and we played a really wide range of material. Got to plow my way thru the bass solo from the Violent Femmes' "Please Do Not Go." At the time I thought I aced it, and I still believe that, so don't you dare stomp on my beautiful memories! I think my next gig was at the high school Valentine's Day Dance, when we shared the bill with a couple of other bands. We got to play 5 songs -- we played a fantastic Smithereens' tune (the name of which I've now forgotten), the Dead's "Alligator," Led Zep's "Ramble On," Steve Miller's "The Joker," and Cream's "Strange Brew." Not the most romantic set ever (except for the Smithereens' tune), but hey, we kicked ass and I got to sing "Strange Brew" -- come to think of it, "in her own mad mind she's in love with you...what you gonna do?," has a special romance to it. Still brings tears to my eyes when I hear it on the radio. Peace. spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cup Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 The Fly Belfast, playing to a bunch of friends (many off whom came to watch us fall flat on our faces) and a lotta yuppie wanna-be's from local work places. First song, I stood on my lead going into a pedal....no bass, me looking around me (some friends weren't disapointed ). Sound guy fixed the lead...and I stared at my feet in shame for the rest of the gig. We played O.K. I also signed some (in years to come) worthless auto-graphs, I still shudder to think! Now if I mess up, I smile, jump and keep on rockin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg and Sterling Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 I played several school battles of the bands and the like but what I count as my first gig was in a seedy sports bar for about 15 people. Wish I could say I've gone on to better things hehe. I'm out my league like Jordan was in baseball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDL Posted February 7, 2003 Author Share Posted February 7, 2003 Oh yeah, i forgot that maybe the first place my band played at, was plaid pantry, the clerk guy there liked our stuff but he didnt invite us back because we fought about which songs to play while we were there now, i can look back and laugh JDL on Purevolume Bird\'s Eye View on Purevolume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Gollihur Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 VFW Hall in Rahway NJ in 1963 or 64. Four Seniors grabbed this freshman String Bass player and away we went. Piano, Sax, Trumpet, Bass, and Drums, doing "standards" from fake books. No amplification, of course, and boy did my hands hurt by the third set. I played a lot more gigs with them-- back then you could go to a tux rental place in Linden and buy a used white dinner jacket (slightly yellowed) for $15, so we all just wore black slacks, white shirt and black bowtie, and boy were we snazzy - the piano player had an old 50's Caddy limo, with a trunk so big it could swallow the entire drum kit, and the bass could lie on its side across the back. Was fun for the five of us to pop out of that big black car, all dressed up, at the Stewarts drive-in for an after the gig munch. 1000 Upright Bass Links, Luthier Directory, Teacher Directory - http://www.gollihurmusic.com/links.cfm [highlight] - Life is too short for bad tone - [/highlight] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 I played at the World Cup. Well, across the street from it, anyway. When the World Cup came to Palo Alto, CA, my ska band (The Jays) set up at the Town & Country shopping center across the street and played for about 30 minutes before the owner of the complex shut us down for not paying for electricity. Here's a picture of me playing my '78 P-Bass at age 16: http://www.benloy.com/YoungBen.jpg It was not one of the good ones from the 70's, let me tell ya. It weighed a ton and sounded all muffled and woofy. But its neck played pretty well. I developed most of my "speed chops" on it... Once I bought my Stingray, though, there was no looking back. I sold it a couple years later... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebrownbass Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 Originally posted by BenLoy: I played at the World Cup. Well, across the street from it, anyway. When the World Cup came to Palo Alto, CA, my ska band (The Jays) set up at the Town & Country shopping center across the street and played for about 30 minutes before the owner of the complex shut us down for not paying for electricity. ...I traveled to France and played "across the street" from the World Cup as well...1998. In the 1994 World Cup (here in Dallas) I was the facility manager at the hotel that housed the headquarters of the World Cup (4 Seasons) So I got to chat them up then as well. "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mro Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 It was an outdoor gig, at the "hatshell" in Medford Ma. 1975. It went ok. I had a 74 Precision going thru an Acoustic 370. That amp was on 1 and it cranked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soupster Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 At my school it wasnt paying but ....well we played for the first tim eiwht an actual audience. We've had a couple parties but they were all our friends so it didnt count. Our actual song we worked on kicked ass so......it was pretty motivational. less is more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWBass Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 June of 1977 at Mount Vernon (NY) High School. The band was called J.P.T. (Just Put Together). Tony Cintron/Drums (Spyro Gyra, Dave Valentin, Unlimited Touch) and Phil Hamilton/Guitar (Luther Vandross, Vanessa Williams, Roberta Flack, Unlimited Touch) were also in that band. www.myspace.com/thefunkfather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaerty Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 I was 17 (about 1990) our band was asked to play by the local Rotary Club for some highschool international exchange students. Because I knew the guy who contacted us i asked him what we would get paid. He said he would hire us a PA and I asked him for beer as well. It was in some hall in Dubbo near no1 oval. Because we were all aged 16-17 and they gave us the beer first we all had a can or 2 between sets and gradually got drunker/worse at playing as the night wore on. I remember because I left the internal light on on my 56' model Morris Oxford and had to push start it like 5 times, also had to wake a friend up 5 times to help me. It was a blast and we definitely sucked. Providence over serendipity any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNC Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 My first public appearence was at Billy Bob's Texas in Ft Worth (yeah, thats the kind of name you would expect in TX ). It was Thanksgiving when I was a freshman in highschool. My teacher plays with there for the anual Thansgiving jam, and I was invited to come play. I wasn't great, but held it reasonably well, considering I was busy staring at the 1000 people staring at me My first PAYING gig was exactly one year later with my band playing an opening set, got about $30. We were much better than I was the first time. Ahh, the good old days; now its just calc,physics, physics, calc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie Z Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 October 2000. Greater Baton Rouge (Louisiana) State Fair. "Louisiana Songwriters Association Night." The Entertainment Director supports LSA very nicely, and always lets us have a night to play our original music. That year, the LSA band needed a bass player. It was not only my first gig, but my reason to learn to play bass. When I joined the band in July, I had never played a note on it yet. My band mates were awesome and very helpful. The gig went fantastically well, especially cause we had an awesome female singer, who has since moved to Nashville. She sang my songs for me, and I was in heaven. Playing bass and hearing my songs was a truly awesome experience. We performed 13 songs. Thanks for asking that question... it was fun to reminisce. ... Connie Z "Change comes from within." - Jeremy Cohen The definition of LUCK: When Preparation meets Opportunity! http://www.cybergumbo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earljam Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 i must be close to the record for oldestperson at first gig, 41. played banjo with a bluegrass group at the cobden peach festival. crowd liked it but we weren't very good. when the local bluegrass scene became banjo heavy i was drafyed to play bass "because you look like a bass player" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike H. Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 The first "real gig" that I can specifically recall was at the Air Force NCO club. We opened up for another heavy metal act and had about 30 people there. I think I was 18-19 or so at the time. I can remember watching the video we recorded and shaking my head in embarassment. http://www.identity5.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 Every 4 years my highschool interupts normal classes to host a huge arts festival called Focus On The Arts. They invite musicians, artists, and media professionals to speak and perform for students and members of the public. They also invite students to be involved as performers or speakers. My first band was formed for the express purpose of playing Focus. They had several student bands play during lunch periods in a room connected to the cafeteria. It was me, a senior, and four freshman. (No pun intended!) We had a blast! It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobT Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 July 1977, joined a band started that a guitar playing buddy down the block started. Our first gig was high school birthday party. I thought I stunk but the crowd liked the band. Haven't looked back since. RobT Famous Musical Quotes: "I would rather play Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve" - Xavier Cugat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hepnurecords Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 Oh, sometime in '79. Church basement spagetti dinner talent show. Appropriate as it was a disaster of biblical proportions. Being the pros we were we tuned two hours ahead to a different piano. D'oh! And that was the least of our problems. All up from there, never looked back. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFLA Posted February 8, 2003 Share Posted February 8, 2003 At the "Filling Station" in Detroit, 1973. 3 piece - 6 string and 12 string acoustics and bass. We played Cat Stevens, CSNY, Jim Croce.... They were established as a duo, and I was too naive to be nervous. Great times! Jim Confirmed RoscoeHead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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