Dep Gigs thread

John_P

I thought it might be interesting to share our experiences of doing dep gigs and how we manage them.

Last night was a fairly typical gig, I got a call about 3 weeks ago asking if I was available, I always ask for a setlist, times and location then agree a fee.     Setlist arrived by email on Tuesday,  I've played with this band before a couple of times - 8 piece function band with brass so lots of standards. 

Thursday night I went through the set and made my own setlist with notes,  they have music stands so as much as I hate them I know it's ok to just write out some songs and read them instead of learning them fully.    I focus on songs that I start and pick out the most important riffs and melodies that would be obviously missing.   Saturday afternoon print my notes and spend an hour wizzing through them to check I'm ok with the key parts or songs I haven't played before.  About 30 songs Steve Wonder, Abba etc 

Saturdays gig was a function so get there just after 6 and set up - for deps I use simple setup,  at the moments thats an ax8 into a friedman asm12   with my old dg stomp sat nearby so I'm covered if the amp dies they could route my signal into the monitors and if the pedal dies I can swap it quickly.   Used the prs cu24 with a les paul on a stand just in case a string goes. 

Sound check and then get a copy of the setlist to check it's the same.   Last night it had a few revisions including two extras so I pop out to find somewhere quiet I can google chords and listen - rolling in the deep and unchain my heart.   Write some notes and play along enough times to feel half confident.     

Gig goes great as it should - a fun band playing classic pop and soul songs to a couple of hundred drunk revellers.   

Finish playing not long after 12 and pack up and around 1 leave to head home - I make a point of helping sort their gear and offer to carry things as I'm convinced I get calls from being helpful and organised rather than any play ability.    

As dep gigs go that one was a lot of fun as they are nice people - some bands make you feel part of the gang and some less so but it's always good to play with different people and do songs I might not do otherwise.   

ESBlonde

I like dep gigs too. It means I can network a little, play material I might not otherwise tackle and sometime visit venues and be with social groups far removed from that of my white middle class background. Doing sound production used to be the same from that point of view. Sometimes just playing with different people makes you listen to everyones input (including my own) more critically and assess what to play and leave out. Being second guitarist in particular means adopting a style that adds depth without girth and percussion and counter melody to fit the song/band. Familier hooks and riffs are needed by both the audience and the band to navigate the song easily. There is something very familier and comfortable about your own band but I recomend pushing the boundries once in a while.

koneguitarist

Typical one for me, get asked to play on morning of gig, check whether it's on bass/ rhythm or lead, type of band, availability and money . If all ok, agree time, and turn up. It's nice when I get the full info like set lists( in right key) and I know the band, but quite often, one member might know me and recommend me. Had one a few years back where I was asked to play down in Okehampton with a country band reforming for a special reunion but bassist had died. Got there and band was all onstage and said can we go on soon as I was ready. Tuned up bought a pint, no setlist as it was whatever singer thought of doing or was requested we did. I tell you what though, hard to catch the eye of a drummer for fills and stops when he's blind but no one tell's you!

Danny1969

I tend to dep on guitar or keys or front of house sound. Last Thursday was a dep gig, brought in to liven up and provide some backing behind their (quite frankly astonishing good) guitarist. Took a Fender HRD and a home made Telecaster somebody made for me out of free parts. Got there at 7 and helped set up PA,  then I go to the bar to be informed the first few drinks each are free!! Happy days I think. After that good start the gig was great and pretty tight .... I don't make any notes because frankly my eyes are shit and I'm too vain to wear glasses ... so I rely on my very good memory and I use a lot of eye contact. That's the most important thing, keep your head up and look at the other members if your not sure what's coming next. 

I think the things that help you get lots of dep work are being a generally easy going person to work with and having good recognition of intervals, to the point you know what the chords and  notes are gonna be even if you have never played the song and it's a key dependent skill. And knowing a lot of people helps enormously, running 2020 Studios for 5 years put me in contact with hundreds of muso's in countless bands, many of which are now friends and fellow band mates  

Got paid in cash straight away, can't think of a better way to spend a Thursday night 

benmurray85

I had a solid stream of dep work a few years back. Absolutely loved it! All the fun with none of the responsibilities (promo, booking, posters etc) Would echo the comments above about being helpful with loading and packing up etc. I always make sure I'm the last to leave. It'd be easy to piss off as soon as my amp is in the car but that doesn't sit right with me at the best of times, more so when your doing someone a favour/helping out

John_P

Another one last night with the same band as last week.    I had planned to have sat night off as I gigged on Wednesday and Friday nights but they rang me on Friday to say the keyboard player couldn't make it - so I did a very similar set but playing alongside the regular guitarist trying to cover the keys parts.   

Turned out to be an easy fun gig at a wedding in a big marquee and a good chance to compare gear and playing styles with the guitarist - I took the ax8 and Friedman asm, had a drri and a ton of pedals.  Was the first time I've used my organ style presets live and they worked really well in a full band mix.  

Danny1969

I have 2 gigs today at festivals with 2 different bands but have agreed to dep for another band this evening. I gigged last night so that will be 4 gigs in 2 days 

happy days 

John_P

Danny1969 said:

I have 2 gigs today at festivals with 2 different bands but have agreed to dep for another band this evening. I gigged last night so that will be 4 gigs in 2 days 

happy days 

Nice work!

How are you managing the gear for those?    The same ht5 rig for all gigs?    Just thinking that I like a minimal fast setup for festivals and you're going to be very busy moving between shows.

Danny1969

@John_P ; 

I'm using a borrowed HRD amp with the GT10 in the loop for tuner and some effects. I use my own Dr Watson IEM box which gives me control of my vocal and guitar in my ears completely independent of the soundman so I'm travelling light and good to go. 

Last night for Superheroes we used 3 different Dep singers as Matt our normal singer has just had heart surgery. It's dep everything at the minute 

Danny1969

Just had the offer to dep for another 3 gigs this month which I've accepted, those on top of everything else brings July's gig total to 17 gigs .... which is nice and busy for me
Got a dep gig lined up on bass for early August, I haven't gigged on bass for a long time so will have to get practicing for that 

John_P

Danny1969 said:

Just had the offer to dep for another 3 gigs this month which I've accepted, those on top of everything else brings July's gig total to 17 gigs .... which is nice and busy for me
Got a dep gig lined up on bass for early August, I haven't gigged on bass for a long time so will have to get practicing for that 

Nice work - I invariably get frustrated when playing bass full time in a band but dep gigs on bass are a great chance to do some. 

I've got a dep tonight with a band I play with every couple of months or so - two guitars and bass and I dep for any of the 3.  It'll be a mix of classic/glam rock with a few modern indie tunes so an easy and fun gig - only two miles from home as well    
I think I'll have done 8 or 9 gigs in July,   17 would wipe me out!!