Gig Tips

TNA

Senior Member
I have just begun playing with a band that has regular gigs (once a week), this will be my first time really playing at at a public place. Before I have only done school battle of the bands, or friends parties. So can anyone offer any tips, or important things to remember for someone starting to play gigs.
 
Try to play the same way as you rehearse, is probably the best tip I can offer. So often, bands spend countless hours in a studio getting it all down, making careful note of tempo's, changes etc etc.....only to have it all fall apart on gig night becuase they don't listen to one another. I know it's often hard to hear and nerves and adrenelin kick in and the like.....but if you try and keep it as organised and as relaxed as a practice session.....watch each other, make eye contact with the other players etc, it'll do wonders.

Above all.....make sure you're enjoying yourself. Energy and vibe transfer, this includes through the crowd. If YOU'RE having a good time....the crowd see it and it in turn becomes infectious. Don't forget to have fun mate!!
 
1) Eat right. Greasy food can wear you down.

2) Hydrate! Stage lights can be hot, plus the excitement, you may find yourself sweating more on stage than in rehearsal.

3) Hydrate!

4) Get to the gig early. If there are multiple bands and every drummer is using a different kit, stake out the best place to store your kit for when you're not on stage.

5) Be prepared for questionable acoustics, having a hard time hearing the band, or otherwise not playing in the comforts of your rehearsal space.

6) Hydrate.

7) Duct tape is your friend. Always have some with you.

8) An extension cord comes in handy more often than you might think. Especially if you bring a fan with you. Which I recommend.

9) Did I mention hydrate?

10) Have a collection of spare drum keys, cymbal felts, wing nuts, and an extra snare drum head, in addition to more sticks than you think you'll need. Better to be prepared them realize you're stuck without something important.
 
Good advice regarding enjoyment and listening from PFOG.

Really there is so much to say it is hard to encompass it all in one post. Something I always do is take spares with me. I always have a spare snare, spare pedal, tool box, spare parts such as springs, hi hat clutch and other bits and pieces. Also a spare bass drum batter head. And of course a full stick bag.

As time goes on you may find yourself playing venues of various sizes, small medium and large. I have several pieces of equipment to choose from to suit conditions. For small quiet venues such as bars, I use 12 or even 10" spalshes for hats, a 12" snare and small bass drum. When people are munching on tapas with their date the last thing they want is a mighty snare drum crack from the drummer. Always think of your audience. ALWAYS. And your band mates. Don't treat a gig as a drum practice session. Play appropriately.

I recommend you read through the forum as well. Most of this has been covered.

Good luck.
 
try to practice the same way you will be playing a few times before the show. pretend you are playing to an audience and everybody is facing forwards. this will help you get used to the sound of playing live.

I try to keep the bass player close to me and have his amp next to me if possible.

try to spin off extra excitement and energy before your set. I usually hit the pad 30 minutes before the gig and get warmed up so I can control my adrenaline during the show.

have fun and don't sweat the little things. go into it with an open mind and be ready to adapt to the situation. you will get excited and have an idea of how you the show will go, and things never really go as planned. just roll with it and have fun.

GOOD LUCK!
 
I agree. I would say that listening is one of the most important things to develop, and sometimes it can take a while to be able to properly do. You said this is a weekly (house?) gig, so it will develop rather quickly as the gigs come and go. The most important thing is to get out there and have a good time. Like stated, you may have nerves, but that will quickly subside as you'll be doing this every week so eventually it'll be second nature. (Again not sure how often you play out)...

If I could give you gear and playing advice, it would be to pace yourself and try not to burn out. How long are your sets going to be? Try to bring a really comfy kit that isn't too large to start out with( I would just say not to bring gear that you don't need). Also, make sure you have your back-ups in place(if you're going to play a 3-4 hour set have another snare/snare head) make sure you can hear everything if you have time for soundcheck and monitor mixing...you want to be as comfortable and "at home" as possible.

Really...just be smart with gear, be comfortable, pace yourself, relax, and have a good time! I had worries taking my first gig and learned some things the hard way...but now I love it. Hope it helped.
 
Forgot to mention taking a metronome and recording the tempos on your set list. You can check the tempo before you count off the tune so you know how fast the song is. Find a metronome you can program tempos into.


Oh, and never, I repeat NEVER count a song off in this manner "Ready set go!" as I did as a naive 18 year old. :)
 
Hi TNA,

A couple things to consider:

1. The venue. Have you been there? How large is it? Are you going to be playing through a p.a. system? Is there a stage? How much space is available for your drums? Will your kit fit in that space? If the venue is small, you'll need to keep an ear on your dynamics (as will the whole band).

2. Gear. When you start gigging regularly you'll notice more wear and tear on your kit, especially the hardware and heads. Make sure to keep these things in order. Bring extra sticks, gaffer tape, hi-hat clutch, and even a spare kick and snare head (batter). If you break either in the middle of the gig it can be a show-stopper. I even suggest you bring a spare kick pedal if you have one.

3. Food/booze. Eat healthy foods before the gig (complex carbohydrates) and avoid alcohol. Drink lots of water instead!!

Good luck, and as Pocket said, have fun!!!


P.S. I wrote an entire e-course that includes everything you need to know about playing live gigs. Check out http://www.thegiggingdrummer.com for more info. ;-)
 
A couple more things:

Be prepared to play another drummers kit, if you are not the headlining band. You will at least need to bring your snare, pedal(s), and throne, and maybe cymbals. Find out beforehand if you will be playing your own kit or not. If not, be ready for anything.

Second, bring a rug!!!
 
Thanks to everyone that has posted, all great stuff so far. I have some more specific questions I guess. Let me explain my situation a bit more first. I have now played 3 shows with the band. First off our set is very short around 30-40 minutes. Second, we usually play at clubs/bars with multiple bands on the bill. Which forces us to load and get set up on stage very quickly. This also gives almost no time for sound adjustments, I usually get my kit set up, and the sound guy mics everything, and does all the eq's. First time we played I could hardly hear anything in my monitor and it messed my playing up pretty badly. The next two times I could hear fine. But with a limited amount of time, I don't really want to spend a lot of time making sure everything is miked exactly right.

1. Many of you have said to bring lots of extra stuff. However, since we have limited time/space I usually don't bring any backups. I make sure all my heads aren't very worn, and I have extra sticks/felts and thats it. As smart as it may be I just don't have the space in my car, or on stage to bring extra heads,pedals, snares etc..

2. Since I am only 20 I am not allowed in the venue until right when we are loading. This gives me very little time to unload, or check anything. And I don't really have a place to warm up, unless I want to sit down on a bench outside or something? Any suggestions on dealing with this?

3. I also seem to be getting in this habit of "being in the moment" and trying to play more than what is needed. I'll try and throw in more fills, or add something extra while on stage. I know the song structure and know when there is time to do a fill, but since I do not practice those exact fills in practice they sometimes don't fit in or I'll play them a little long. Is it better to just try and get through the song without screwing up, or try and put on a show?

4. Our next gig is at the Whiskey a go go, anyone played there, know how it is? I've never been there, just driven past.
 
3) Hydrate!
6) Hydrate.
9) Did I mention hydrate?

I heard that many years ago......shoulda told me at the time it didn't mean beer!!....lol

Like stated, you may have nerves, but that will quickly subside as you'll be doing this every week so eventually it'll be second nature..

Funny one that.....20 odd years (not regular the last 5 though).....and I STILL feel some degree of nervousness. Not enough to hinder, but enough that I know it's there.

Oh, and never, I repeat NEVER count a song off in this manner "Ready set go!" as I did as a naive 18 year old. :)

Ha....good one Wy! No one heard the gun shot, so no one started??

3. Food/booze. Eat healthy foods before the gig (complex carbohydrates) and avoid alcohol. Drink lots of water instead!!

P.S. I wrote an entire e-course that includes everything you need to know about playing live gigs. Check out http://www.thegiggingdrummer.com for more info. ;-)

Again.....where were you 20 yrs ago.....no one told me no booze......I'm claiming ignorance!

BTW, I checked out your site......a great tool for just this situation....excellent idea and best of luck with it. Unfortunately like most here, I had to find it all out via trial and error. I wish we had drum forums back then!

Our next gig is at the Whiskey a go go, anyone played there, know how it is? I've never been there, just driven past.

As in the Whiskey in L.A??? As a boy from Melbourne THAT is but a dream!!

Some excellent advice offered here TNA. There's not a single point made that doesn't apply. Some you'll need this week, other's you'll need next week. You'll learn a hell of a lot more as you go too......playing live music is a fabulous feeling.....enjoy the ride dude!!
 
They just looked at me. :)

TNA you do not have to take the spare heads on stage. :)

True, but I have also never broken a head ever playing. I usually change them before they are anywhere near being close to breaking. Maybe I'm a light hitter?

And to pocket-full-of-gold, yes the Whiskey in LA, and yes it is a dream come true for me too! I've had a Cream at the whiskey a go go poster in my room the last 5 years.
 
True, but I have also never broken a head ever playing.

There's a first time for everything. Imagine, second song into the set, the band is into it....and the snare head breaks. The band looks at you...................
 
4. Our next gig is at the Whiskey a go go, anyone played there, know how it is? I've never been there, just driven past.

I've played there. Although it's been a while.

The club is a good size. They host many national and international acts, so the sound system is top notch.

The dressing room gives you this amazing sense of history, knowing how many legendary players have used that room. It's all pretty gross, when you think of how many groupies have been, well, let's say, it doesn't look that clean.

The stage is awesome. Again, you can just feel the history of all the great bands that have played there.

Unless it's been replaced, the drum riser is NOT level. It's sort of leans to the back.

The worst aspect is when you're done, they open the side door and your gear goes out to the street. They don't care if you planned to stick around, they don't care how many fans are inside waiting to meet you, they don't even seem to care if you planned on spending your life savings at the bar. Once you're done, you are done and you have no choice but to go outside with your gear and pack up and leave. Most of the staff treats the bands like the bands are the problem, not the reason people actually came out.

Oh, and like all the Sunset strip clubs, they have no parking on there own. So it doesn't matter if you're in the band, you have to pay to park at one of the near by lots.

Thus, the bands I've been in tended to avoid actually playing there.

It was a life long dream to play there, I'm glad I can say I did it, but in reality, it's not that great of an experience.
 
Awww.....you're killin' me Drum. I've fantasised about playing at that joint for years......now if I ever do, all I'll be doing is worrying about Hollywood parking restrictions!!
And TNA....one of your first gigs is at the Whiskey?!?!?.......man, I was born in the wrong part of the world. Wish I could say I played at a venue where the 'who's who' of popular music cut their teeth. Enjoy it indeed
 
I've played there. Although it's been a while.

The club is a good size. They host many national and international acts, so the sound system is top notch.

The dressing room gives you this amazing sense of history, knowing how many legendary players have used that room. It's all pretty gross, when you think of how many groupies have been, well, let's say, it doesn't look that clean.

The stage is awesome. Again, you can just feel the history of all the great bands that have played there.

Unless it's been replaced, the drum riser is NOT level. It's sort of leans to the back.

The worst aspect is when you're done, they open the side door and your gear goes out to the street. They don't care if you planned to stick around, they don't care how many fans are inside waiting to meet you, they don't even seem to care if you planned on spending your life savings at the bar. Once you're done, you are done and you have no choice but to go outside with your gear and pack up and leave. Most of the staff treats the bands like the bands are the problem, not the reason people actually came out.

Oh, and like all the Sunset strip clubs, they have no parking on there own. So it doesn't matter if you're in the band, you have to pay to park at one of the near by lots.

Thus, the bands I've been in tended to avoid actually playing there.

It was a life long dream to play there, I'm glad I can say I did it, but in reality, it's not that great of an experience.

Thank you for the great insight. So do you remember how/ when you get to load your gear in? If there's no parking is there at least a place to unload? and will I have time to unload and then go park, or should I bring someone along to park my car for me? Also, so you're saying you don't get to see the other bands playing before and after? I'm really excited about playing there, but have heard that the staff is not too friendly to the bands.
 
Thank you for the great insight. So do you remember how/ when you get to load your gear in? If there's no parking is there at least a place to unload? and will I have time to unload and then go park, or should I bring someone along to park my car for me? Also, so you're saying you don't get to see the other bands playing before and after? I'm really excited about playing there, but have heard that the staff is not too friendly to the bands.


By the sounds of it you may be better off just taking a tambourine! :)
 
Awww.....you're killin' me Drum. I've fantasised about playing at that joint for years......now if I ever do, all I'll be doing is worrying about Hollywood parking restrictions!!
And TNA....one of your first gigs is at the Whiskey?!?!?.......man, I was born in the wrong part of the world. Wish I could say I played at a venue where the 'who's who' of poular music cut their teeth. Enjoy it indeed

From what I have heard from other forums it is not actually that difficult to get a gig there. They have many bands playing each night, so it's relatively easy to get a spot earlier in the lineup, the later you go on the bigger your band is. Have you attempted to get a gig there, or are you still dreaming? According to our bass player he just called them up, and they called back the next day and said we got a spot opening for Adema. This will only be our 4th show together.
 
Regarding spare heads:

I throw the spares in the cases with the drums. That way you don't have to carry any extra stuff.

If you're only playing single-set gigs, changing heads won't be an option. In your case I suggest you bring a spare snaredrum. That way if you break the head you can quickly swap out the drum with minimal interruption to the show. If you keep up with your other heads and change them often you're likely to be fine. However, as someone else said in this thread, there's a first time for everything, and I'm willing to bet the first time you put a beater through the kickdrum head you'll be in the middle of a gig. ;-)

Regarding warming up:

If you can't bring a pad with you just find somewhere to sit for 10-20 minutes and do rudiments on your leg. It's better than nothing. Also, make sure you stretch out before you go on.

My quick-and-dirty warm-up routine is as follows:

1. 5 minutes of double strokes
2. 5 minutes of flam rudiments
3. 5 minutes of single stroke exercises
4. 5 minutes of stretching

I always stretch my fingers, arms, shoulders, neck and back.

(FYI: My e-course includes a video on stretching.) :)

You also mentioned playing extra fills and such. Just remember to always play for the music, not for yourself. Also, playing onstage brings about a rush of adrenaline that takes some time to get used to. Don't let it affect your playing negatively; enjoy the moment but be mindful not to overplay.

I played The Whiskey a few years back. Great room. Have fun!!
 
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