Just got home from 3 weeks on the road

mcbike

Silver Member
I just got home from three weeks on the road, only had 3 days off, and played 2 shows on one saturday. I'm got sick on the last two days with some kind of cold, but I think it's passing. Just thought I would share some insight on my experience.

I wish there was a nationwide smoking ban! I always forget that they don't have an indoor smoking ban everywhere, and I'm amazed that people still smoke in places where a pack of smokes is almost $10! I don't think I would have gotten sick if it wasn't for places like virginia, north carolina, and florida. yuck!

This tour was all about adapting to fit into any situation. I had a ton of weird shows and all of them were successful and entertained the crowds we were given. It's especially hard on us drummers becuase we don't have a volume knob and it's hard changing dynamics drastically from night to night. I had two club owners walk right up to me looking really nervous as I set up my drums and asking if I had brushes, or if I could keep it down. Not a problem! I don't want to be too loud or scare off your crowd.

The weirdest show was in manhattan, our van had to go into the shop and they gave us a minivan so we had to downsize. I played a show with a hi-hat, tambourine, and a snare drum. The best part was that I got compliments from some musician friends in attendance. They didn't really notice anything missing in the sound. I had to stomp my foot on the stage and the bass player would thump out the missing kick drum parts on some of the drum breaks. It actually bonded our rhythm section that night and we have never been tighter. The next night I was in hoboken, nj at a club with a full p.a. and sub's and 4 monitor mixes hitting as loud as I could.

If I learned anything from this tour it would be to practice your songs at all dynamic levels keeping the tempo and energy the same. It was actually more of a workout to play quiet and fast than it is to play loud and fast.

By the end of the tour I actually changed my grip and got really consistent and efficient with my strokes. I usually hold the sticks way back compared to most drummers but I found myself moving the grip more towards the center to a more balanced position.
 
I had two club owners walk right up to me looking really nervous as I set up my drums and asking if I had brushes, or if I could keep it down. Not a problem! I don't want to be too loud or scare off your crowd.

Quality.

I played a show with a hi-hat, tambourine, and a snare drum. The best part was that I got compliments from some musician friends in attendance. They didn't really notice anything missing in the sound. I had to stomp my foot on the stage

I did that at the band practice before I bought a stomp box - just playing hats, snare and crash/ride. It hurt a lot after a while! Might be ok on a wooden floor with live acoustics tho'
 
This tour was all about adapting to fit into any situation.

The weirdest show was in manhattan, our van had to go into the shop and they gave us a minivan so we had to downsize. I played a show with a hi-hat, tambourine, and a snare drum.


Glad you had a good tour.

I like the set up you used here. I strongly recommend drummers learn the pandeiro. It's a drum kit in one small package.

Here's one of mine.

IMGP5113.jpg



Here's a link to pandeiro.com http://www.pandeiro.com/
 
Sounds like a killer time, Glad you had fun.
It's always interesting walking into a new venue and looking around going, "ok, what can I and can't I get away with on the kit tonight".

I think it's fun, it's certianly challenging, and honestly some venue's are so bright and loud you don't even need to play much to fill the room. Polished concrete floors and glass walls can make the rooms so loud.
 
virginia, north carolina, and florida.

I feel your pain. I can't stand it. NC will require any establishment to be a private club to allow smoking as of Jan. 1st. It can't come fast enough!

Where in NC/VA did you play? Sorry I missed it.
 
I feel your pain. I can't stand it. NC will require any establishment to be a private club to allow smoking as of Jan. 1st. It can't come fast enough!

Where in NC/VA did you play? Sorry I missed it.

shennanigans in rva
connolly's in charlotte

I shuddered when I drove past the phillip/morris headquarters. ugh.
 
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