What are the must haves for gigging?

MaryO

Platinum Member
Now that I'm going to be doing a few gigs here and there (he he, that still sounds crazy to me!) what are the absolute essentials I need? I know I'm going to be buying a cymbal bag for transport but what else? Do you carry a drum rug with you wherever you go? I won't be using a mic on the kit so I won't need anything having to deal with that.

Please keep in mind that for right now I just want to buy what I really need...moneys short and who knows how all of this will turn out. Don't want to spend a bunch of money on things I really don't have to have.

Thanks!
 
Yes, always take a drum rug. I also always take an extra bass drum pedal and snare because they are the two things that are most likely to break, and one cannot play without them too well. Extra sticks are kind of obvious. A towel and whatever you like to drink are good too. The best thing to take is an excellent attitude. I never fuss in any kind of way at a gig, even when I have every right to fuss. You will learn something at almost every gig. Peace and goodwill.
 
I've been through enough rolls of gaffer tape over the years to know that keeping one on hand is always beneficial. Brilliant for so many applications.....from taping your set list in place to quick fixing a broken tilter to get you through a gig.

Spare snare or at least snare head is always a bonus too. More often than not you won't need it......but if you do, it's a godsend.


no alcohol.

What is this strange concept of which you speak?
 
Also a drum key. Fat lot of good the extra snare head will do if you haven't got a drum key, right?
 
Well, first tell us what you have, including everything, so we can tell you what you still need.
 
Right, here it goes...

- spare sticks
- spare heads
- spare knickers (especially for the first ever gig, you never know...)
- spare drum key (you always loose the other one)
- towels
- perfume, lipstick and mirror (for the male fans, again, you never know...)
- spare leopard shirt (if you sweat a lot)
- gaffer tape
- condoms (and again, you never know...)
- spare glasses
- handcuffs (if you get a date with the male fan, you never know...)
- a recording device for us to see the gig at a later date

You probably have all these items Mary, so it won't break the bank.

Good luck, you and the yammies will be killers
 
In addition to the cymbal bag you should buy a hardware bag and drum bags for those beautiful new drums that you recently bought.
I use Galaxy brand bags because they are inexpensive and durable. I have been using them for years now. I own 25 Galaxy bags is assorted sizes. Not one of them has ever failed. Not even a zipper failure.
I use inexpensive 15" X 36" Gator soft hardware bags. I currently have 4 of them and none of them have failed.
 
make sure you take an extra kick drum head
spare kick pedal
spare snare, or at least a spare snare head

These are essential.

Bring a drum key. I keep one on my keychain if I forget my drum key.
You need a drum rug. You never know where you will have to set up.
Anything else breaks and you can make do, but these are deal breakers if they break.
A mini flashlight comes in handy

I like bringing a spare key for my vehicle, on my person.

Make sure you have a nice throne.

I like having a spare hi hat clutch too.
I keep a set of spare tom heads, but they are not essential, you can get by without your toms
I don't carry spare cymbals because you can get by with a broken cymbal

A fan might help to keep cool.
I like having a pen and paper too.
 
I keep a drum key in my stick bag but my bass pedal also has one attached to a clip under the footboard.
I bring a spare spring for my pedal and a spare snare batter head.
Not much else in the way of spare parts. I have only broken a snare head once since 1970.
I also bring a screwdriver that switches the bit from flat blade to phillips head and a small pair of channel lock pliers.

I always bring munchies like granola bars and bottles of sports drinks to help prevent cramping.
 
Right, here it goes...

- spare sticks
- spare heads
- spare knickers (especially for the first ever gig, you never know...)
- spare drum key (you always loose the other one)
- towels
- perfume, lipstick and mirror (for the male fans, again, you never know...)
- spare leopard shirt (if you sweat a lot)
- gaffer tape
- condoms (and again, you never know...)
- spare glasses
- handcuffs (if you get a date with the male fan, you never know...)
- a recording device for us to see the gig at a later date

You probably have all these items Mary, so it won't break the bank.

Good luck, you and the yammies will be killers


The boyfriend had a few issues with your list. :)
 
Buy a small fan with a clip so you can attach it to a cymbal stand. Good when playing stuffy places with no circulation or an outdoor summer gig.
 
I have a pair of needle nose pliers in my stick bag. When I tear down my hi hat stand, the rod can sometimes unscrew from the base rather than in the center where it should. grabbing it with the pliers when disassembling prevents that annoying problem. Not all hi hat stands are like that, but the last two I've had have had the problem.

It also helps to have some plumber's tape for hi ht clutches. A small flashlight is a must for most venues when setting up. If you have one in the car, that's good enough.
 
I always have something extra in my wallet. So far it's only come in use a couple of times...

I cannot stress the importance of having duct tape in your bag. It holds together the British Army, it can hold anything long enough to get a set out. Although you have a wonderful new Yamaha kit to take out and Yamaha hardware is rock solid, the one gig you don't take the tape will be the gig where you forget something. In my case, it's usually cymbal arm sleeves that go missing during transport.
 
Be sure and bring the boy friend. Oh, while you are bringing all this stuff, why not an extra drum kit (you never know) and maybe a spare car just in case your car breaks down (you never know) and a dozen roadies to lug all this stuff (after all, they can ride in the extra car). I always take a rug and my stuff. That is all I need.
 
Right, here it goes...

- spare sticks
- spare heads
- spare knickers (especially for the first ever gig, you never know...)
- spare drum key (you always loose the other one)
- towels
- perfume, lipstick and mirror (for the male fans, again, you never know...)
- spare leopard shirt (if you sweat a lot)
- gaffer tape
- condoms (and again, you never know...)
- spare glasses
- handcuffs (if you get a date with the male fan, you never know...)
- a recording device for us to see the gig at a later date

You probably have all these items Mary, so it won't break the bank.

Good luck, you and the yammies will be killers

Great list, Henri!!!

heres mine:

1) stick bag
2) drum key
3) moongel
4) towel
5) Bass drum/snare/ 2 toms/ ( great if you could do with just 1 ideally.. ) pedal & hi hat
6) 2 cymbal- ( a ride and a crash )
7) drum throne
8) rug
...

Try and fit everything in 3 cases/units, that you could move easily/quickly

...
 
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