Do you have any pre-performance rituals your band mates would prefer you stop doing?

MrPockets

Gold Member
Do you insist on eating 10 White Castle Sliders before the show? Blasting rudiments on a hard surface? Completely disappear right before the show?
 
Our guitar player/band leader is a bit OCD about show days. He won't take calls from his girlfriend, arrives at the venue super early and is all about the "perfect set up" before the show starts.

I do a series of stretches and rudiment warm ups before the show just to get loose. Something many other musicians do regardless of instrument.
He thinks it's a distraction for the audience to see me doing that as it's "giving away my chops" before they see it in a musical setting.
We talked about it and he's backed off a bit, but when I first heard it, I was lost for words.
 
Our guitar player/band leader is a bit OCD about show days. He won't take calls from his girlfriend, arrives at the venue super early and is all about the "perfect set up" before the show starts.

I do a series of stretches and rudiment warm ups before the show just to get loose. Something many other musicians do regardless of instrument.
He thinks it's a distraction for the audience to see me doing that as it's "giving away my chops" before they see it in a musical setting.
We talked about it and he's backed off a bit, but when I first heard it, I was lost for words.

Ask if he will buy you a privacy tent.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZPZ7NL...t=&hvlocphy=9019612&hvtargid=pla-362828142887
 
Our guitar player/band leader is a bit OCD about show days. He won't take calls from his girlfriend, arrives at the venue super early and is all about the "perfect set up" before the show starts.

I do a series of stretches and rudiment warm ups before the show just to get loose. Something many other musicians do regardless of instrument.
He thinks it's a distraction for the audience to see me doing that as it's "giving away my chops" before they see it in a musical setting.
We talked about it and he's backed off a bit, but when I first heard it, I was lost for words.

I have to say, I'm kinda with the guitarist on this one.

It's a bit like a guitarist playing the first few bars of Smoke On The Water before the song starts.

You need to maintain the mystique.
 
I have to say, I'm kinda with the guitarist on this one.

It's a bit like a guitarist playing the first few bars of Smoke On The Water before the song starts.

You need to maintain the mystique.
Mystique aside, any playing in front of an audience before the show starts is something to be avoided IMO. Ok, sometimes you have no choice but to soundcheck in front of an audience, but warming up is a no in my book. If a warm up is needed, then use a pad somewhere away from the audience.
 
It's a bit like a guitarist playing the first few bars of Smoke On The Water before the song starts.

EXACTLY!!! What is with that? I've played in two bands where the guitarist would play the intro to each song. I hated that and complained but I guess when you are the guitar player you do what you want. :(
 
EXACTLY!!! What is with that? I've played in two bands where the guitarist would play the intro to each song. I hated that and complained but I guess when you are the guitar player you do what you want. :(

If you are in a band where your bandies can't see that something like that is plain wrong, even when it's been 'splained to them, you need to move to a band with peeps who get it.

Being a technically better musician is difficult, being a more professional entertainer should be easy to achieve, and is just as important.
 
What winds my band up is me being the last to turn up and leaving very little time between setting up and sound check. I do this as the one thing I really hate at any show (regardless of whether I'm playing or watching) is hanging about and waiting for people to get their act together or the sound man waking up. Sometimes I would even get the guitarist (who arrives uber early) to phone me when the sound man is ready to start sound checking as once I arrive, setting up is 10 minutes tops so no time is wasted.


Thanks,

R
 
If you are in a band where your bandies can't see that something like that is plain wrong, even when it's been 'splained to them, you need to move to a band with peeps who get it.

We parted ways years ago, in which I no longer had to listen to in-between banter that sounded like a bunch of thirteen year olds telling fart jokes.
 
I would not be bothered by what a guitarist thinks is appropriate, in general they have no clue as to what is physically involved in playing even just a 1h set let alone a 2h set.

The warm up level I require to play well really depends on the intensity level of the gig at hand. I do a 5 min pad warm up and then an additional 2 min of stretches. This routine makes a huge difference to my comfort level during full on gigs. But all this is done behind the scenes not out front.

If it’s a mellow gig it’s fine to go in cold.
 
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