M
Drinking beer at a gig
- Thread starter Merlin5
- Start date
Frank
Gold Member
I recently returned to gigging. 2 so far. No drinks yet.
Years ago, I would go slow and sip a few - limiting it to one per hour.
Since I have been back, I'm kind of afraid to have any alcohol during the gig. I don't want to drag the music, and, I'm feeling a stamina challenge, so I'm thinking alcohol is not a great idea anymore. But, I wouldn't mind a couple. I think I would enjoy it.
Years ago, I would go slow and sip a few - limiting it to one per hour.
Since I have been back, I'm kind of afraid to have any alcohol during the gig. I don't want to drag the music, and, I'm feeling a stamina challenge, so I'm thinking alcohol is not a great idea anymore. But, I wouldn't mind a couple. I think I would enjoy it.
M
MasterBlaster
Guest
One normal size drink per hour never hurt anyone.
williamsbclontz
Silver Member
So I can drink a couple of beers during a gig, but if I have a cup of coffee I can barely play...
Red Menace
Platinum Member
I'm pretty spoiled at the College bar gigs with my originals band these days. I like a nice hoppy beer before I play and then drink tall cans of cheap stuff while I'm playing. Only one other member of the band drinks so we split the drink tickets between the two of us.
I'm always the driver at gigs so rarely drink and play.
I might have one, but its pretty rare, not that I wouldn't have one, but I just don't ever seem too. I'm not the type to get tanked at a gig.
My former bandmates however... my old originals band were a bunch of wreckheads (we were all around 18 so I was the odd one out) and could play gigs fine absolutely wasted, no so great at functioning as people but the gigs were good ebough. I was in a covers band too around the same time and the singer was a barely functioning everything-aholic, I left that band in the end because it was embarrassing the second half of every gig sounded awful and he wouldn't sort himself out.
I might have one, but its pretty rare, not that I wouldn't have one, but I just don't ever seem too. I'm not the type to get tanked at a gig.
My former bandmates however... my old originals band were a bunch of wreckheads (we were all around 18 so I was the odd one out) and could play gigs fine absolutely wasted, no so great at functioning as people but the gigs were good ebough. I was in a covers band too around the same time and the singer was a barely functioning everything-aholic, I left that band in the end because it was embarrassing the second half of every gig sounded awful and he wouldn't sort himself out.
Sebenza
Member
I'm in England and am currently drinking this. Potent enough for me. Though it's french beer. Very nice though. And the fries are tasty and they're british.
The reason it's "very nice" is because it's a belgian beer, not french. The frogs know about wine making, but zilch about producing a decent beer. For that, you'll have to go a bit up north where the world champion brewers are
On topic, one of the reasons why I'm religious with the 'don't drink and drive' thing, is because I very quickly learned through drumming how much even a small amount of alcohol will impair your reflexes and mind-body connection. One or two beers, and I already experience some kind of delay between what my mind tells my body to do and when my body does it.
So I never drink when I have to drive or play drums!
SquadLeader
Gold Member
Being lucky enough to have a motorhome these days, one of the great pleasures in life is going the gig with the bandmates and having a drink before, during, and after the gig (and crashing over wherever we are playing).
Does it effect our playing...quite probably. But everyone seems to have a great time, including most importantly our audiences. So, bollocks to it, we're enjoying it whilst we can.
A friend of our band died last week. 49. Just dropped dead. Heart failure. A drummer friend out of another band died yesterday. Cancer. Under 50 years old also.
Live life...it's no rehearsal. Take whatever you can out of it is my mindset these days.
Does it effect our playing...quite probably. But everyone seems to have a great time, including most importantly our audiences. So, bollocks to it, we're enjoying it whilst we can.
A friend of our band died last week. 49. Just dropped dead. Heart failure. A drummer friend out of another band died yesterday. Cancer. Under 50 years old also.
Live life...it's no rehearsal. Take whatever you can out of it is my mindset these days.
Sorry to hear that, my sympathies.
Another take on this is to actually tone down a bit and take it easy(er). Stack the odds in our favour if you will and take the chance to actually make it to a venerable age. Prevention is often the best remedy, or at least can't hurt.
eclipseownzu
Gold Member
It usually depends on who the other bands are. Some bands we are great friends with and we tend to party a little more. Other shows, especially with national headliners, we tend to focus more on the playing and maintaining at least a modicum of professionalism. Our last show was with a band from Boston who insisted on doing Jager shots before, during and after the show. As the direct support band we had done about a dozen shots before we hit the stage. Thankfully the show went off without a hitch, and more importantly all of my gear made it back into the van, although I am still not sure how.
On a side note I can play the drums in just about any state and pull off a passable performance. But a couple drinks and my guitar playing goes to hell, so I have a pretty strict no drinking at gigs policy with that band.
On a side note I can play the drums in just about any state and pull off a passable performance. But a couple drinks and my guitar playing goes to hell, so I have a pretty strict no drinking at gigs policy with that band.
PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
I don't drink before or during a gig. I'll have a beer or two whenever I get home to help me wind down. Heck, even after music practices at church, I'll have a couple when I get home to settle my mind.
With the band I'm in, I'm not afraid of practicing while I have a beer. I usually have one while we rehearse because I'm already at home. Even when we play gigs where alcohol is served, I never drink anything because I'm afraid of getting sleepy on the way home.
With the band I'm in, I'm not afraid of practicing while I have a beer. I usually have one while we rehearse because I'm already at home. Even when we play gigs where alcohol is served, I never drink anything because I'm afraid of getting sleepy on the way home.
MustangMick
Senior Member
Drinking alcohol during a gig just looks unprofessional to me.
No-one would turn up to their day job and drink beers
Each to their own though
Mick
No-one would turn up to their day job and drink beers
Each to their own though
Mick
eric_B
Senior Member
I think there are (too) many variables to give one answer: paid gig vs just playing for fun, location, setting, occasion, audience, expectations, etc.
If I would come to a formal wedding and would see the band drinking more than the guests than I would seriously question their professionalism.
On the other hand: there are some local parties out in the country over here where the band is expected to join the festivities (even be offended if they didn't) and nobody cares if their playing gets sloppier - they wouldn't even notice. Those bands are even in demand because they get a party going.
When I was gigging we all would drink one beer before the gig and one during a break (and maybe a couple afterward but that's not relevant for the gig). It helped us to relax but stay focused as well. We were just playing for fun although we took it serious to perform well and got paid (a little) for some gigs.
In general I would say: the more professional and paid for: no drinking vs the more for fun, the more acceptable (until it sounds like crap or you can't stand/sit straight up anymore).
That being said: there were and are famous musicians filling stadiums being stoned as a frog and still perform and the audience loves them.
Not one answer...
If I would come to a formal wedding and would see the band drinking more than the guests than I would seriously question their professionalism.
On the other hand: there are some local parties out in the country over here where the band is expected to join the festivities (even be offended if they didn't) and nobody cares if their playing gets sloppier - they wouldn't even notice. Those bands are even in demand because they get a party going.
When I was gigging we all would drink one beer before the gig and one during a break (and maybe a couple afterward but that's not relevant for the gig). It helped us to relax but stay focused as well. We were just playing for fun although we took it serious to perform well and got paid (a little) for some gigs.
In general I would say: the more professional and paid for: no drinking vs the more for fun, the more acceptable (until it sounds like crap or you can't stand/sit straight up anymore).
That being said: there were and are famous musicians filling stadiums being stoned as a frog and still perform and the audience loves them.
Not one answer...
Last edited:
mmulcahy1
Platinum Member
philrudd
Senior Member
Of course. I have a shot of tequila before practice and before gigs; I saw a documentary on how Mexican bronco riders would take a shot before they mounted the horse, in order to 'smooth their muscles'. Works for drummers, too, it turns out.
And I have a few beers during. Never so many that I get tipsy (that's for afterwards), but I've always got a cold one next to my throne. I'm the high-strung type, so a drink or two beforehand can be really beneficial in keeping tempos from speeding up. And I seem to sweat out the alcohol so fast, it's almost impossible to get drunk during the gig.
To be honest, I can't imagine gigging without booze. It's all a big party to me. Having a drink while playing drums just seems celebratory: 'a set of drums, a jug of wine, and thou...' (with 'thou' being a good-looking woman).
And I have a few beers during. Never so many that I get tipsy (that's for afterwards), but I've always got a cold one next to my throne. I'm the high-strung type, so a drink or two beforehand can be really beneficial in keeping tempos from speeding up. And I seem to sweat out the alcohol so fast, it's almost impossible to get drunk during the gig.
To be honest, I can't imagine gigging without booze. It's all a big party to me. Having a drink while playing drums just seems celebratory: 'a set of drums, a jug of wine, and thou...' (with 'thou' being a good-looking woman).
No matter how experienced a substance user you are, you can pass the point of functional deficit without meaning to.
Short of addicts who need the substance to come up to a 'normal' level(who should be admitted to an inpatient recovery program immediately), I would say it is a potential detriment, at best, to anyone's playing and not worth the risk.
Any substance...including over the counter medications.
Its a matter of professionalism.
Same for practices and business meetings.
You wanna potentially waste your own time...sure...but when other people are involved that count on you...derp!
Short of addicts who need the substance to come up to a 'normal' level(who should be admitted to an inpatient recovery program immediately), I would say it is a potential detriment, at best, to anyone's playing and not worth the risk.
Any substance...including over the counter medications.
Its a matter of professionalism.
Same for practices and business meetings.
You wanna potentially waste your own time...sure...but when other people are involved that count on you...derp!
M
MasterBlaster
Guest
Heck yea!
Everyone knows horsepistols are inexpensive and have plenty of empty beds to welcome them!
Everyone knows horsepistols are inexpensive and have plenty of empty beds to welcome them!
ottog1979
Senior Member
Except that, at most of the gigs I play (and I would venture the majority of others here on DW) our job is to help the bar SELL beer/drinks. So whether you're actually doing it or not, making it seem like a party is one of the reasons the band is there in the first place. Weddings, full-on concerts, etc. excepted.
I have a beer, maybe two over the course of a 3-4 hour gig. A little bit of sugar during the evening helps. Most of the time though, I'm so busy & engaged I can't get through more than one beer anyway.
