Do you play around the kit when setting up?

In my opinion that's a no-no. Playing the drums while others try to work or talk is just rude, and I think other musicians (mostly guitarists) need to learn this as well. Set-up time or soundcheck is not the place or time for practicing or trying to impress other musicians or chicks.

I know my kit well enough to just put everything where I need it to be (or close enough) and then a single hit on each piece of the kit will tell me if it needs tuning or if something is loose or similar.

On soundcheck, keep it to a minimum. Slow single strokes until the engineer is happy and a simple groove if he needs to balance the whole kit, and that's it (...now let the guitar wars begin...).
 
Many many years ago, in the days of stone knives, bear skin rugs and mylar cassette tape recorders, I would try to learn from the practice sessions by recording them. Back then it was novel, now it is typical. But, listening to my noodling around the set between songs was a real eye opener as to how annoying it would be to other people in the room. Now the only time on stage I would play between tunes is when the sound engineer requests it for a check.

If you happen to do it now, record your noodling around the set and play it back and you to will become a convert. No noodling between tunes.
 
If you went to the theater, would you want to see an actor going, "To be or not to be, be, b, b, bee-BEE, yeah baby!" before the play started? That's what noodling around the set sounds like to most audience members.
 
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Guitars and drums should be tuned before getting to the venue,

You can't, at least not with guitars.
Relatively small changed in temperature and humidity affects tuning.
Amps sound different in different rooms as well.
Guitarist need a few seconds to pull a sound and tune up.

Tuning can be done silently, however- but it needs to be done in the same room as where you are going to play.

I once did an outdoor gig in the middle of winter in Sweden- moving forward and back a few feet (from the stage lights) was enough to knock the guitars out of tune- it was a nightmare.
 
i personally do not play when setting up, unless i'm able to get a very early load in. and even then, it's very minimal playing.
 
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