Live gig last night with the Albert Lee and "another guitar!!"

[Spudmurphy]

So the sequence of events goes something like this ... " Spud, errrr our guitarist has broken his wrist - gonna be about 6 weeks to heal and we have 6 gigs - fancy depping? We were thinking of asking **** ******** (session player with Ray Davies - Kinks or *** (ex musical director of Van Morrisson). We fancied you as we didn't want them to errrrr take over and they would probably want more money " The band is called "Jack the Biscuit" bass, guitar, drums and vocalist (gob iron player)

Yeah I said "why not, can you send me information on the songs" - so he sends me mp3's of 28 songs - bluesy jazzy fleetwood macky swinging type songs. I knew about 1/3 of them and got down to practice them all.

Wednesday night, the vocalist pops over and we retire to my man cave (loft) - starts off well and we hammer through the first 6 - no real problem. Then soon after we start the 7th we stop, and I say to him "got the right key gob iron? - 'cos it sounds terrible." He confirms that he has , then goes on to inform me that they don't play it in the key of "G" we play it in "E"!!. and that incidence occurred in several more numbers Grrrrrr.

Now I'll make an admission here, I can pretty much easily transpose to B G D Bb .. but E makes me shudder!!! That "nut" gets in my way - yeah I know I should practice to get over that foible!! Any way 2.5 hours later we call it a day. He says he will pick me up at 7:00 the next day. I decide on using my MM RP65 112 - fantastic amp. A Mooer green mile overdrive, flashback delay and a compresor (name escapes me!)

Guitar ? Well it has to be the BCB Albert and what else as a back up? Well I like to rotate my guitars and I took a (China) Fender Jag Modern - p90's and my home made guitar for slide - made out of a beer drip tray!!
I bet there's not many guitars like this about? | Charlie Hall & Friends

The gig was at the Boat, Monmouthshire - tiny tiny venue - about 60 - 70 punters and a dog!!
Gallery

First set goes fine - I use the Albert.

Second set - I swop over to the Jag.

The guitarist with the broken wrist was in attendance and he said that my sound was sooo much better with the "Strat guitar" - I put him right of course!! He said that I should have played it all night.

Oh well - I should have known better!!

Feel better today now I got the first one under my belt.

Roll on next week!!

 

[KevinUK]

depping can be a bitch.............and its not only the key changes but sometimes complete structure changes, I played 3 gigs on 3 consecutive nights with 3 different bands last year and they had 3 or 4 numbers number that appeared in all bands, easy I thought no that well. Superstition was a real gas in E Eb and A !!! luckily though a different key each night

 

[Spudmurphy]

Eb !!!
Oh I'd have a guitar tuned down for that.

Don't start me on the arrangements! There was a number that had 2 really nice chords in the bridge,it made the number more expansive and dynamic. So I learn't it that way. During the rehearsal with my mate he said - "oh, we don't bother with them!!!"

I should have done alot more of this over the years - makes you practice and keeps you on your toes!!

 

[KevinUK]

Stevies original was in Eb, ok for keys players but on guitar not ideal !!!!

Yes leaving out the Tricky chords is often the case for average bands and material looses voicing.

Keep rocking

Kev

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I love depping! I used to do a lot of it in England, but my contacts are more limited here so I don't often get the chance. Living on the edge musically is a challenge that I enjoy!

 

[banjoplayer]

great story, but the pics ?
Yeah you should've played your AL all night long.
I find it's a very cool experience learning numbers to jump in existing bands. Did this twice the last two years (with a few less numbers) and always felt that was musically a very intense time that I enjoyed retrospective. I´m still in both bands but the learning curve is steep in the beginning... not now anymore.