Strangest gig ever

[adouglas]

Played last night at a very expensive country club in Westchester (Babe Ruth was a member).

We had to play through dinner, so we knew up front that we'd have to play an hour's worth of quiet music, things like Norwegian Wood, Daniel, etc. We even picked up several tunes to add to the stuff we already do just for this gig.

So we set up in the dining room, at the edge of the dance floor. We turned down to about two-thirds of our usual volume, which, combined with the quiet material, meant we were nice and mellow.

During sound check, the dB meter was reading in the high 70s and low 80s ten feet from the band.

The room fills up, and everyone was talking, so given the noise level, the material and our already-reduced volume, we figured we were fine.

After the first song, management came over and asked us to turn it down. No problem.

Then, after another few minutes, they came over and asked us to turn it down again.

It was so quiet we were having real trouble hearing ourselves play, and we were standing directly in front of our gear!

What they heck, they paid us and they said they liked us. I wonder how many people actually got to hear us during dinner.

We got to turn it up to a good danceable volume later on, though.

 

[MrMusashi]

i bet the drummer was really happy :lol:

MrM

 

[adouglas]

i bet the drummer was really happy :lol:

MrM

He didn't have a whole lot to say about it....

All of our drum tracks are recorded as wav files and stored in the pedal.

Beats feeding a drummer.

Seriously, I don't see how a drummer could play that quiet at all, unless using v drums.

I think what they really want for the dinner hour is something completely unamplified. We actually thought about going off mic.

 

[Big Poppa]

T BOne BUrnett the famous producer told me that the sucessful producers make music for people who dont like music.

THese gigs you could rolled in a barcolounger and put your ipod through your trusted bose lit a cigar and nobdy would notice or care.....


sometimes us musicians are just human wallpaper.

 

[AnthonyD]

Excellent point BP. We've played similar gigs, where we ask ourselves why there's "live music" when what they really needed was some piped-in muzak in the background.


Which leads me to an alternative thought - did you ever question yourselves whether or not to take the gig?

One thing we've discussed in my Band is not playing gigs that are outside our core or target environment. In another words, we wouldn't go off and learn a bunch of material for a particular gig - we would never play a wedding, for example, unless it was a non-traditional, informal, out on the golf-course having a party kind of wedding.

For the most part, I see my band as offering a particular product and we look for situations where our particular product is desired, and we do not look to re-invent our product based upon what the situation is calling for. Not that this is a bad thing per se, just not what I am currently doing with my Band.

Just a thought... I am curious about the motivations and/or desires of the Band. Was this a complete surprise? Did you maybe expect it? Sounds like you handled it well and made up for it in the end.

 

[bassmonkey]

The best gig I ever played was a wedding gig. This was a couple of months ago. We filled the dancefloor with tipsy 20-somethings who were up for a good time. That was such an amazing gig. We didn't play the dinner bit though. Wedding gigs in the UK also pay very well.

 

[asianjeff]

I agree with BP said about human wallpaper... some people just enjoy the thought of having a live band... not as much as live music... its sad... really sad...

 

[MrMusashi]

you know.. you become the intellectual alibi for the rich who envy the artists who are free to do what they love the most

if it puts food in your mouth (or satisfy your gas ) its ok.. heheh

MrM

 

[Aussie Mark]

CDs or an mp3 player over dinner is the best way to go in that situation. People want to eat and talk, but after the food and the speeches they want to dance and party on, which is when you earn your money.

 

[adouglas]

I agree with BP said about human wallpaper... some people just enjoy the thought of having a live band... not as much as live music... its sad... really sad...

I think that's spot on. There was a LOT of money in that room, and I think it's a safe bet that the club members felt they deserve a live band for all the dues they pay.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I travelled 5 hours one time to a gig that sounds the same as yours, only after getting low enough to the point where the drummer literally couldn't play anymore (we could hear ourselves whispering to each other on stage) they told us we were going home and they were only going to pay of 1/4 of what was originally agreed to. Long (kinda boring actually) story after that, but they had a crapload of cops with wagons and horses and all kinds of great stuff come to escort us away from the place.

 

[Big Poppa]

if I ever do a casual again (its been years) The Bands name iwll be "Human Wallpaper"

OR how about when "Uncle Marty is a singer and they insist that he sing one song and he sucks and wont get off the stage....

 

[bovinehost]

We've done a couple of wedding-related things, but they knew what they were getting.

We were told to turn down once or twice, and we made a great show of fondling our knobs but we didn't actually change anything.

Then we played "Sleepwalk" for about twenty minutes.

 

[starsky]

I must have played bass at hundreds of weddings over the years, they stack up to a shedload of great muso stories. Not done any for a few years now but I guess I kinda miss it.

An example:

Picture the scene, we're playing the bridal waltz at the start of the evening, all eyes are on the bride and groom as they dance gracefully round the dancefloor, all smiles.

Video cameras are all on, pictures are a poppin'.

Now you have to appreciate that in these situations the pressure can occasionally be a bit much for some, especially the aforementioned bride and groom. Suddenly a most unpleasant odour whafts our way on the stage (I'm sure it was the bride), the guitarist turns to me while we gallantly play on through the overwhelming stench, and he says to me "Who farted?".

At this point he realised his mouth was right beside his mic and the question had boomed out over the PA to the entire room...

 

[starsky]

We were told to turn down once or twice

Ah, the perennial problem...

We've been asked to turn down while tuning up quietly behind the drum kit before we even started the gig.

A useful technique we used successfully over the years in such 'can you turn it down' moments (especially when you know the volume is great and you're in the zone) is to actually turn it UP for a few numbers, then when they ask you to turn down again, you are back at the level you were at in the first place.

Works a treat...

 

[MrMusashi]

hehe.. reminds me of cerwin vegas slogan back in the 80ies.. if its too loud youre too old...
i just wish i was too old back then cause im half deaf these days

MrM

 

[hankSRay]

Hey adouglas, it wasn't at the Leewood country club was it? My aunt is a member there and I think Babe Ruth was member there. Personally I can't stand the place and its snobbery but I'd imagine they had to pay pretty good.

 

[Big Poppa]

Mushashi What did you say? Im friggin deaf too.....shoulda listened and now i cant

 

[adouglas]

Hey adouglas, it wasn't at the Leewood country club was it? My aunt is a member there and I think Babe Ruth was member there. Personally I can't stand the place and its snobbery but I'd imagine they had to pay pretty good.

Bingo. That's the place. Rumor has it that the little one-lane railroad overpass near the club entrance was built specifically because Babe Ruth didn't want to drive the long way around to get in.

They paid what we asked without flinching at all. In retrospect we probably should have asked a lot more, and next time around we will.

 

[hankSRay]

Bingo. That's the place. Rumor has it that the little one-lane railroad overpass near the club entrance was built specifically because Babe Ruth didn't want to drive the long way around to get in.

They paid what we asked without flinching at all. In retrospect we probably should have asked a lot more, and next time around we will.

I heard the overpass rumor too. Oh and definately ask for more next time, that is one pricey club to join so they have plenty of funds.