J Dog's Golden Rules of Gigging

[(shamustwin)]

My last gig I packed:

My acoustic (strap inside case) and a cable, my electric (strap inside case), my amp, with guitar cable shoved in the back.

Nothing beats traveling light.

I bought a fender 15 watt amp just so I don't need a stomp box, just the volume knob on my guitar.

Don't want to bring the acoustic anymore, so all I'll have to carry is one guitar case and small amp.

[(collin)]

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...

Yep-- Jägermeister, or Jäger as it's affectionately referred to, is hugely popular with the Heavy Metal crowd, partly due to the tough German-name, high alcohol content and mostly due to this guy:

[(xpitt)]

I like his bass but not his necklace...

[(collin)]

I like his bass but not his necklace...

Unfortunately that is another icon adopted by Heavy Metal, albeit a much worse one with negative cultural implications.

[(Clint)]

Ouch, no love for the Kingdom of Prussia!

[(blueflamerick)]

I have a little suitcase I take to every gig packed with the following:

9 volt batteries
picks
duct and gaffers tape
6 foot instrument cables
short speaker cable
distortion pedal
earplugs
Hello Kitty guitar strap for the poor guy that forgets his
paper, pens, markers
deodorant
1 set of bass strings
1 set of guitar strings
string winder/clipper tool & mini tool kit
pocket knife
SM57 with clip and cable
power strip
lighter


Hotzenplotz, condoms are for sailors, not rock stars!

[(paologregorio)]

I have a butane powered soldering torch in my bag...

That's cop trouble.

I misspoke; it's butane-powered, but it has a soldering tip, rather than a flame; the butane powers the heating element. I picked it up at an electronics shop-cool stuff.

I do keep it in a bag with solder and wire, plus a few other tools, buried in my bag somewhere.

If that's still cop trouble, assuming the cops have reasonable suspicion (unlikely. . . wait, okay, well maybe, looking at me ), or probable cause, to look in my bag, they're going to have to dig through a pile of stuff large and small-did I mention the extra cables, mega extra sets of strings, power cables, instrument cables, tools, extra effects pedals (yes, believe it or not, I have more pedals than I usually keep stuffed in the world's third-largestt pedal board), fuses, tape, mic clips, flashlight (er. . . torch for you UK folks), and .. . well, you get the idea.

[(sloop_john_b)]

Paul, have you ever actually soldered something at a gig?

Jager is good, but for my band, it's a shot of Jameson 1 minute before showtime, without exception. Sometime we have to bring our own.

Hello Kitty guitar strap for the poor guy that forgets his

I am adopting this practice.

Unfortunately, ear plugs are NEVER at our gigs. I really need to learn how to sing with them in.

[(paologregorio)]

Paul, have you ever actually soldered something at a gig?

Jager is good, but for my band, it's a shot of Jameson 1 minute before showtime, without exception. Sometime we have to bring our own.

Hello Kitty guitar strap for the poor guy that forgets his

I am adopting this practice.

Unfortunately, ear plugs are NEVER at our gigs. I really need to learn how to sing with them in.

I like the Hello Kitty strap idea; will adopt and give credit.

JB-I actually have soldered something at a gig; on my fawn tolex AC30, the speaker terminals on the speakers were formerly located at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, and the vibrato footswitch or AC power supply cable. . . or something bouncing around on the side of the speaker cabinet, broke the speaker wire connection to one speaker or the other twice. The first time I managed to rig the connection with tape or something, but after that I bought the butane iron. The second time this happened, I was prepared; I quickly and tidily soldered the wire back in place. IIRC, I've repaired a guitar output jack or something on someone else's guitar before, or a busted cable. You should have seen the surprised looks when I volunteered that "I can fix that, let me get my soldering unit."

After the second the speaker wire broke the second time, a clever amp tech relocated the speaker terminal connections safely out of the way of things potentially bouncing around in the back of the cab by placing the terminals on both speakers in the 12 o'clock position. No problems since. . . .

[(indianation65)]

One main rule...carry your own weight, and help others in need. This goes for lead singers who believe they only need to carry a mic.

...wisdom

[(paologregorio)]

One main rule...carry your own weight, and help others in need. This goes for lead singers who believe they only need to carry a mic.

...wisdom

+1; the front men in both groups I play in are super helpful. We all are in general.

[(Hotzenplotz)]

But I also heard my old tube amp bouncing against a doorframe.

These are the moments I prefer to carry all of my things on my own.

[(jdogric12)]

re: bring a tuner:

---I bring two of them to every gig. They are permanently attached to either side of my head.

re: bring "johnnies":

---I'm married, thank you, I don't need any help with my drawers. (Jerky Boys reference)

*****

In an ironic twist, it looks like I'm taking an indefinite hiatus from live performance after my next two shows (MetroSongs 9/30 and Rene Moffatt 10/5). How about that for some timing?

[(jps)]

In an ironic twist, it looks like I'm taking an indefinite hiatus from live performance after my next two shows (MetroSongs 9/30 and Rene Moffatt 10/5). How about that for some timing?

You can become a consultant, now.

[(jdogric12)]

OK I may have spoken too soon. But I'm definitely done with the cover band. Especially after Friday night's gig!