Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I sent this to a friend recently and thought I would go ahead and post it for all to enjoy. Hopefully this advice can help keep a spontaneous problem from ruining your evening.



My golden rules for gigging:

ALWAYS have, or have instant access to:

-an extra cable

-a second extra cable for the (fill in bandmate's instrument) player

-a mic clip (assume the club's will not fit your mic)

-an extra .010 and .013 string

-string winder and clipper (clipper optional for punk bands)

-a power strip

-a fresh unopened 9V battery

-CD's to sell

-business cards (optional if your band sucks)

-cash, preferably small bills to make change and/or tip with (cash is especially handy in NYC where credit cards are apparently non-existant)

-a checklist of all the gear you'll pack before leaving home and pack up after you're done (one copy stays at home in case it is stolen with the gear)

-a tire pressure gauge (this is wise even for non-musicians)

-about a dozen paper towels (trust me, you'll know why when the time comes)

Is that all? You should see my gig bag, , , , and the bag I keep in my car's trunk. Good starter though, and obviously not something universally considered even among the experienced.

I have a butane powered soldering torch in my bag, for example, along with solder, flux, wire, and a bunch of tools I can fix guitars or amp stuff with. . patch cables, batteries, sets+ of strings, fuses-oh, and if your amp uses fuses, I suggest taping a package of them inside the cabinet of the amp. I also keep extra AC cables-the kind that plug into the back of the amp, and into the wall; I keep spares in my pedal board, my gig bag, and in the back of each amp. It's not plaid, but I call my gig bag, "Felix's magic bag." I keep a spare rectifier tube and one of those SS cap substitute thingies, though it's not a Weber copper cap.

Extra ear plugs too.

jdogric12 wrote: -a mic clip (assume the club's will not fit your mic)

Huh? Why would you need that? Oh, you haven't heard me sing, huh? Nobody ever gets a mic near me after they try it once...

jdogric12 wrote: -an extra .010 and .013 string

What do you use those for, fixing your cheese slicer?


OK, it is a pretty good list. Really...
+1 on the ear plugs...

What? No Cocaine and Jägermeister?

Have you never been to a gig?

collin wrote:What? No Cocaine and Jägermeister?

Jägermeister ? This sweet herbs liquor from Germany ? Is it famous over there ? You get awful headache from (ab)using too much, something for the hardcores...

I'm hanging out for a gig in Munich, Alex..... preferably in an Augistiner venue! Then I can drink beer to my heart's content.

Good list, Jdog.

I also pack an extra strap, tool kit, amp fuses, spare stand (in case another band member has a brain fade), couple of mics and sundry cables - including good length XLR and Speakon cables. I've had a punter ruin a speaker cable during sound check and the venue didn't have a spare!

Some venues have ******, beaten up mics too.

Oh... and a spare guitar - much easier to grab and plug in than change a string!

Always have an extra SM-58. You may not need as a mic but they can also be used as a hammer to hit down loose nails on the stage floor or prop up a speaker bin or amp. The only thing that seems to kill them is 25 years of solid use...

Eden.

xpitt wrote:

collin wrote:What? No Cocaine and Jägermeister?

Jägermeister ? This sweet herbs liquor from Germany ? Is it famous over there ? You get awful headache from (ab)using too much, something for the hardcores...

Well, in other countries Jägermeister is very famous. The younger people in Germany like that, too. Ice cold as a shot.

All other Germans know that from typical parties of their parents in the 70ies. Or from a typical "Schützenfest". It has got the the image of a bitter sweet end and a bad headache at the next morning.

Back to topic: good list!

What about plecs?!! - One in every pocket and a few in the case take away every possible stressful situation.

ozover50 wrote:I'm hanging out for a gig in Munich, Alex..... preferably in an Augistiner venue!

Yeah , maybe in the big Augustiner beer tent these days at Oktoberfest ! Good to hear you remeber Augustiner !

Jdog, for your list : maybe a tuner and...mmmh. maybe a sleeping bag in case the agent says after the gig with innocent face : "Oh, sorry, forgot to book your hotel room!"

Extra mike stand.

I'd forgotten about the time guitarzan forgot his mike stand,actually left it at the last gig.He waited until setup on the next one to see if drummerman had packed it up with his pa rig.
He was stuck with having to tape the mike onto a mop handle,leaning out of the mop bucket.That did ok until they needed the mop to clean up after a puking patron.

Great suggestions everybody!

Oh, one important stuff we all forgot:
I do not know if You are real Rock'n'Rollers and I do not know if You look good, but I would pack some johnnies (condoms), too...

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paologregorio wrote:
I have a butane powered soldering torch in my bag...

That's cop trouble.