Double bill - a first for me - what could possibly go wrong?

Andy

Honorary Member
This summer, I'm booked on the same festival stage on the same day with two different acts. A first for me, & I'm just trying to get my head around any potential issues with that (audience perception, etc). Anyone else done this?
 
Anything that might go wrong, you will fix. You're Andy friggin Crosby. You got this covered.

I bet that feels good right, that you're doing double duty with different bands.

I've done that at a bar gig, not at a festival. Got paid twice too.

Knock em dead!
 
Different hair, and a different frock. Not rocket science, dahling!
 
I bet that feels good right, that you're doing double duty with different bands.
Yeah, it feels great Larry, but it's a totally new thing for me. At current standing, the two acts are only separated by one act in between. I'm thinking that's a bit close.

I am playing a little up close & personal gig this afternoon though. That feels good too, because I haven't gigged for a while :(

Different hair, and a different frock. Not rocket science, dahling!
Hahaha, of course, I'll break out the frock selection immediately.

Are you using the same drum kit for both shows?
Good question. Yes, I could use a kit change to offer a fresh audience perspective. Great suggestion :)
 
You're the drummer.

You'll be buried at the back of the stage behind the,er, you know ... musicians...nobody will even notice.

It's sad because it's funny because it's true.
 
I'm sure after both gigs are done, both bands you drummed for will collectively put you on their shoulders, and bandy you about to great cheers from the crowd, while you interlock your fingers and shake your hands over your head.

Bras, panties, room keys and paper airplanes with phone numbers written on them will all come flying your way.

They will then proceed to guide you to a tent, where there will be 7 beautiful women hot with desire for you who will mouth every part of your body while you just lie there and savor all the the reward you have earned.

You will then be knighted and given a palace where you may continue your life's work, with a full complement of butlers, staff, personal concierges, mistresses and worker drones who are at your beck and call 24/7/365/366.

Plus a key to your own personal bank.

So it should be pretty cool.
 
Thank you for deflating the very beginnings of a modest ego burst :(

Sorry Andy.

My post was informed by having just checked out the pics that Mrs JustJames took at a gig my band played yesterday afternoon. Even with a biased photographer on the job, it was hard to see the drum kit, let alone the drummer.

The Truth will lie somewhere between my previous post and Larry's, and I'm fervently hoping that it lies close to the Larry end of the spectrum!
 
So it should be pretty cool.
Pretty cool? You've been inside my head again haven't you Larry ;)

In my youth dreams perhaps Larry. Unfortunately, that's all about as likely to happen as me patenting a bearing edge profile!

The Truth will lie somewhere between my previous post and Larry's, and I'm fervently hoping that it lies close to the Larry end of the spectrum!
So am I, but like that's ever going to happen to me :( I'll take any one section of it though :)
 
I have actually done this before and trust me, with the exception of those people there to watch you, nobody will even notice. The one time I played a double bill it was with a house kit so I didn't even have the uniqueness of my own kit being up there twice.

The only advice I can give is to get yourself into the right frame of mind before the second set to be as energetic as possible. As soon as the first set was done I got with the guys in the second band and tried to feed off of their energy. I had a couple of beers with them and tried to forget about the first set. Bring a clean shirt to change into, it seemed to help.

Just my $.02 worth.
 
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I'm sure after both gigs are done, both bands you drummed for will collectively put you on their shoulders, and bandy you about to great cheers from the crowd, while you interlock your fingers and shake your hands over your head.

Bras, panties, room keys and paper airplanes with phone numbers written on them will all come flying your way.

They will then proceed to guide you to a tent, where there will be 7 beautiful women hot with desire for you who will mouth every part of your body while you just lie there and savor all the the reward you have earned.

You will then be knighted and given a palace where you may continue your life's work, with a full complement of butlers, staff, personal concierges, mistresses and worker drones who are at your beck and call 24/7/365/366.

Plus a key to your own personal bank.

So it should be pretty cool.

...and then you will wake up.
 
I've not played for two different bands in a night, but I've done several double nights where we played an early show, packed up, went to another venue and played a late show. It's a lot of work, and the second show is usually a bit lower energy unfortunately.
 
I did a double bill a few weeks ago. I've done them only a couple times in the past and was never quite comfortable with the idea of it becoming the "Mike show" so I usually avoid it.

But this last one was different. Some old friends from another town, and label mates from a past life, got their band back together for a few shows and booked a show here in Seattle and were having a hard time filling out the bill, so I offered up one of my bands, and when that wasn't enough, offered up the other one.

It was the first show for both bands as both were new, but most significantly, I was the bass player in one of them, and had never played bass in a band before so that had me pretty freaked out. Both bands were back to back, too, so once I finished drumming in one, I had to make the mental shift to play bass in the other, which was tough since I went from relative expertise in one to relative hack in the other.

Good times!
 
Bring a clean shirt to change into, it seemed to help.
Good plan! Did I mention I'm also running sound for the whole event (but obviously not while I'm playing). Guess I'm going to be a busy boy (& getting paid 3 times ;)

...and then you will wake up.
Oh, must I?

It's a lot of work, and the second show is usually a bit lower energy unfortunately.
Yes, I'm very conscious of running out of steam. I'm not exactly in the full flush of youth :(

was never quite comfortable with the idea of it becoming the "Mike show" so I usually avoid it.
This is one of my concerns. Not from some ego fed POV, just more from a looking desperate angle than anything else.
 
Ok, this situation just solved itself.

I've been cut loose from the Ria solo gig, in the nicest possible way, but still disappointing. Ria is facing some challenges outside of music & is having to put things on the back burner for some time to come. Never mind, it took me outside of my comfort zone, & if nothing else, I proved I'm not just the one trick pony I thought I was.

My quandry now is wether to go headlong into starting up my dream band, or not. I live in an area with a very limited musician pool, & my dream band requires some pretty special players to make it worthwhile. I have the Fired Up gig to scratch that live gig itch, so I suppose I shouldn't grumble.
 
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