tips for no break gig

[Max Mentzer]

so i got an audition coming up for a duo of drums and the other guy plays piano sings and walks the bass lines. ive seen the show with other drummers and its pretty interesting.

1. they never stop and play 3 straight hours unless a 4 hour night is booked where theres a 30 min break or theres a bathroom break

2. in 3 hours they cover 80ish songs in 4 hours 105ish

3. thankfully (lol) we dont need to know any of the cover tunes we play ranging from 1920s-now mainstream pop hits all we do is improv them all and have to bring the energy to the music

4. there is no setlist

5. they play a variety of venues from bars to weddings and business stuff

6. they use a number of drummers because the main guy plays out a lot and for drummers that time is a lot

so im wondering if any of you have tips, suggestions, or recommendations for this gig and audition. ive talked with the manager and im meeting up with them beginning of august for a quick hour audition to see if i have what it takes. im curious if maybe going to see some of the shows and jotting down song names to get an idea of the songs they run which ranges from knowing 150(at beginning)-1000(after years with this guy). thoughts?

[opentune]

well if you find it interesting go for it. but i myself can't imagine playing 3 straight hours, no break. depending on the material, could be quite hard on the body...I don't think that is wise.

[caddywumpus]

I've played a few casual "whatever the leader pulls out of his hat" gigs. Are you good with following a leader? Do you pick up on bodily cues well? Can you find the groove of a song quickly and enter and exit gracefully? If so, it should be no sweat. As for the "3 hour" part:

1. Go to the bathroom 30 minutes before going on stage. If you go right before you go on, your body might not feel "done" when your nerves kick in. Waiting 30 minutes before being put in the hot seat will allow your body to relax a tad and not feel the urgent need to relieve yourself mid-gig. If you're still uncertain of this issue, there's always Stadium Buddy!

2. Have your drinks lined up, or have a friend planted who will order for you.

3. Don't think about past mistakes or the uncertain future, but concentrate on the moment. 3 hours is a long time to focus, but if you focus on how the music makes you feel, and your playing is an outward expression of that inner feeling, the time will just fly by before you know it.

[rogue_drummer]

Wow, that's why DW rocks! Always something new to learn, no matter how long one's been playing.

Excelllent advice, Caddy!!!

[Dr_Watso]

We used to play a 3 hour each week and generally did not break during the set. As Caddy says, bathroom, water, essential needs...

Also:

-Stay relaxed. Don't hold your breath, don't tense.

-Arrange the set list so that there aren't huge strings of stressful songs in a row, be they difficult to play or just fast and brutal, it's best for you to break them up with things that you can "rest" while you play.

-Have a good throne. This should always be the case, but if you have to sit there, twisting and playing drums for 3 hours, your butt and back will thank you if you spend enough for a really good seat.

-Keep enough sticks to allow for breaks, drops, etc.

-Don't forget to bring a towel!

-See if you can setup the kit ahead of time. I feel much more relaxed when I can setup the kit and go have a drink before getting on. I hate feeling rushed and having to sit right down and play ASAP, it's sometimes how it has to be, but no harm in setting up early other times.

[Spreggy]

All I can say is this gig better pay pretty good.

[longgun]

Originally Posted by Spreggy

All I can say is this gig better pay pretty good.

+1.....and an extremely comfortable seat........but it does sound like fun

[brittc89]

Arch Hooks????? Good luck, Max- slay it buddy!

[JimmyTheMonkey]

Also, make sure you practice playing at home at longer and longer interviews. Just like with running, you cant go from running 1 hour at a time to running 3 hours at a time without monumentally increasing your chances of injury. You have to work up to playing that long and putting that much stress on your body. You might feel ok after a gig, but before you know you have a long term injury.

I would also put some granola/cliff bars on stage in your stick bag that you can grab between songs to keep the energy up. If you want to be hardcore, you can look at marathon runners food, but that stuff is grossss

[Anthony Amodeo]

Originally Posted by caddywumpus

I've played a few casual "whatever the leader pulls out of his hat" gigs. Are you good with following a leader? Do you pick up on bodily cues well? Can you find the groove of a song quickly and enter and exit gracefully? If so, it should be no sweat. As for the "3 hour" part:

1. Go to the bathroom 30 minutes before going on stage. If you go right before you go on, your body might not feel "done" when your nerves kick in. Waiting 30 minutes before being put in the hot seat will allow your body to relax a tad and not feel the urgent need to relieve yourself mid-gig. If you're still uncertain of this issue, there's always Stadium Buddy!

2. Have your drinks lined up, or have a friend planted who will order for you.

3. Don't think about past mistakes or the uncertain future, but concentrate on the moment. 3 hours is a long time to focus, but if you focus on how the music makes you feel, and your playing is an outward expression of that inner feeling, the time will just fly by before you know it.

this^

(plus fifteen characters)