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In this Discussion
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Keefy’s Guide to Kick-Ass Gigs
I realised the other day that I have been playing guitar in front of audiences for some 45 years, so I thought it might be an idea to share some of the ‘wisdom’ that I have acquired in that time. All of the following is intended to apply to live gigs of any type or description, and goes beyond learning, practising, and rehearsing the material. Feel free to disagree and/or chuck in your own nuggets - this is the Internet after all.
Case the Joint
If you haven’t been to the venue before, do what you can to check out things like access and parking. Google Maps and Street View are you friends, along with Parkopedia (website and app). There is a venue that I flatly refuse to play because there is nowhere to park legally within half a mile - once the pub’s 3 parking spaces are gone, you’re stuffed.
Go Equipped
With spares. It’s up to you how far you take this but at least have spares of things that are easily mislaid or broken eg plectrums, cables, strings.
Look the Part
I can’t dictate how you should dress for the stage, but I recommend you apply some intention to it. If you want to look like you just walked in after doing the weekly shop, no problem, at least you thought about it. You can never be too smart on stage, but it’s an uncomfortable feeling to be walking around a posh do where the guests are all better dressed than you.
Case the Joint
If you haven’t been to the venue before, do what you can to check out things like access and parking. Google Maps and Street View are you friends, along with Parkopedia (website and app). There is a venue that I flatly refuse to play because there is nowhere to park legally within half a mile - once the pub’s 3 parking spaces are gone, you’re stuffed.
Go Equipped
With spares. It’s up to you how far you take this but at least have spares of things that are easily mislaid or broken eg plectrums, cables, strings.
I can’t dictate how you should dress for the stage, but I recommend you apply some intention to it. If you want to look like you just walked in after doing the weekly shop, no problem, at least you thought about it. You can never be too smart on stage, but it’s an uncomfortable feeling to be walking around a posh do where the guests are all better dressed than you.
Defend your Space
You earned your place on the stage through hours of practice and rehearsal, and no-one should think they can just get up there and have a go. It’s also full of expensive equipment that you and your band mates paid for with real money (and may still be paying for). Consequently it’s worth taking a few steps to discourage audience members from attempting to join you there, and to protect your property. For example I always put my guitar stand well back and out of reach of idle hands, and sometimes use cases to ‘wall off’ edges where punters might otherwise be tempted to cut across the stage area.
Protect your Public
Drunk people will trip over anything (including themselves and each other) so make sure you don’t give them opportunity to trip over your kit - no cases or wedge monitors on the dance floor! Tripod speaker stands can be rendered (slightly) less hazardous by placing empty cases between the protruding legs.
Move
You don’t have to fill every moment with cliché rock poses, duck walking, and scissor jumps, but it’s generally not a good look to stand there like a statue (unless that’s part of your band’s thing). You will keep better time if you ‘entrain’ the beat by tapping your foot or whatever. It doesn’t harm to sing along off-mic too - you’ll be more involved and will look it too.
Smile
People have come to have a good time, and if you look like you’re enjoying yourself they are more likely do so too. Nobody wants to look at someone standing there with a face like a slapped arse. I’ve had gigs that I really didn’t enjoy but if you were in the audience you’d never know.
You earned your place on the stage through hours of practice and rehearsal, and no-one should think they can just get up there and have a go. It’s also full of expensive equipment that you and your band mates paid for with real money (and may still be paying for). Consequently it’s worth taking a few steps to discourage audience members from attempting to join you there, and to protect your property. For example I always put my guitar stand well back and out of reach of idle hands, and sometimes use cases to ‘wall off’ edges where punters might otherwise be tempted to cut across the stage area.
Protect your Public
Drunk people will trip over anything (including themselves and each other) so make sure you don’t give them opportunity to trip over your kit - no cases or wedge monitors on the dance floor! Tripod speaker stands can be rendered (slightly) less hazardous by placing empty cases between the protruding legs.
Move
You don’t have to fill every moment with cliché rock poses, duck walking, and scissor jumps, but it’s generally not a good look to stand there like a statue (unless that’s part of your band’s thing). You will keep better time if you ‘entrain’ the beat by tapping your foot or whatever. It doesn’t harm to sing along off-mic too - you’ll be more involved and will look it too.
Smile
People have come to have a good time, and if you look like you’re enjoying yourself they are more likely do so too. Nobody wants to look at someone standing there with a face like a slapped arse. I’ve had gigs that I really didn’t enjoy but if you were in the audience you’d never know.
Watch and Listen
Be aware of what your band mates are doing. One tip I picked up somewhere (in relation to depping in particular) is, ‘Watch the singer, listen to the drummer.’ A decent drummer will cue a stop or a verse/chorus transition with a fill, and singers usually back away from the mic when there’s a break in the vocal.
Be aware of what your band mates are doing. One tip I picked up somewhere (in relation to depping in particular) is, ‘Watch the singer, listen to the drummer.’ A decent drummer will cue a stop or a verse/chorus transition with a fill, and singers usually back away from the mic when there’s a break in the vocal.
I’m sure there’s more - we haven’t even touched on buffet etiquette - but I hope that helps someone in their gigging life!
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Comments
Look the part seems open to misinterpretation but I think it is simply just that, wether that's jeans and T shirt or a clown outfit depending on the band and gig. For me it was also getting into the right mindset. A pet hate is people who say you can't dress the part just because you are playing some tiny gig.
My nugget was always know where the toilet is - a last piddle before going on stage. Although Enoch Powell apparently preferred to deliver speeches with a full bladder to give him a greater sense of urgency so maybe I was missing out.
In all seriousness, very useful tips…doing my first gig in 18 months or so next weekend (no pressure, just my sisters wedding!) so always useful to refresh the memory on what the hell im supposed to be doing!
have some proper stage lights and don’t just have a one chase all bloody night effect.
Give each band member a job setting up and striking the stage, things go easier that way.
NEVER leave gear unattended either inside or outside, set up a shuttle system so someone’s always inside, someone by the vehicle and others carrying.
Check all your band mates cars start before disappearing into the darkness and abandoning them.
You are working, easy on the coloured water.
Have a spare jack lead coiled up on your amp or by your feet, if you or a band mate needs it there is no delay.
Ensure any defects or breakages are fixed before the next gig.
Pack away carefully so things are were you expect them next time.
Decide on your cable coiling technique, make sure everyone is doing the same or don’t bother “helping”.
Kyser capo goes on the amp handle on top of my amp behind me. ALWAYS.
I've been caught out a few times with our singer calling out a song I need a capo for - at which point cue me racing to my gig bag floundering around trying to find the thing amongst the junk.
It's the only thing that goes on top of my amp. Certainly not drinks.
AND... strap locks are a good thing. You don't know you need them till IT happens mid gig. They go on all my guitars.
New gigs: When speaking to a new venue or promoter, try to suss out what they'll be like to work for. If they seem like they're going to be overly demanding, indifferent or awkward about money, walk away. Your gut feeling is probably right.
Setting up/packing away: some people in the band are going to help more than others. It's best just to accept this. Sometimes you can give the non-helpy ones other jobs to do, but maybe not.
On stage: There's loads of practical things in your head before the set. Once your on the stage and started try to clear all that from your mind and focus on the music.
After the gig: Try to focus on the positives. It's good to have a bit of a think about anything that went wrong so you can improve. But try not to dwell on it and overthink it (I do this and I shouldn't).
Protect your hearing. Don't stand in front of an amp that's loud enough to fill the venue ... turn it down and mic it up instead. If you are gigging a lot then use IEM's. Use a dual cable, don't bother with the wireless unless your guitar is wireless too.
Spend the money on the PA and desk rather than spending a fortune on expensive guitars. I've played in all kinds of bands from hard rock to rockabilly and never felt I needed anything more than a partscaster superstrat or a Tele ... same with amps, there's plenty of cheap valve amps that sound fine.
If playing theatres or festivals when the whole bands on ears use a basic surfaceless desk and mic splitters in a rack. Then you can just give FOH a loom to plumb into their stage box. It's quick and easy, you get your normal great IEM mix and they don't need to get involved with anything other than mixing FOH
Don't go crazy changing radically different patchs on things like Helix's and other MFX ... it makes you unmixable in some situations. Try and keep the main amp sounds consistent in terms of EQ but you can have clean and various stages of gain and effects. If you start using different amps for different sections of a song then it just doesn't work.
Think about the arrangement ... if you are the only guitarist then you can't suddenly stop playing the main meat chords and play some little lead line because it's on the record, they will fall as flat as a witches tit. Work out a way of implying the lead line while still keeping the chords there.
For triggering sounds and backing sections use a Roland SPD on the floor and just hit the pads with your foot. There are many songs that will sound twice as big if you just trigger a couple of synth pads while you play.
Don't apologize for being onstage. Yes it's loud, people can't talk but it's meant to be loud as it's a gig. Charge as much as you can get away with and try and increase that fee every year. If you don't value yourself then why should they. Don't ever do weddings on the cheap. If they want you then charge a lot because a bride and groom that's paid out a lot for the band will make sure the band gets what they need and won't allow the band to be treated with the same casual disregard as the ice sculpture.
Take a £500 deposit when you take the booking. Get the balance on the day BEFORE you play .... otherwise you will be chasing some pissed up best man around the venues gardens at 12:30am
Take your own beer to the venue, it's cheaper and less time consuming. When pouring put the glass over the can and then turn both up the other way and pull the can out ... this way you can fill the glass quickly without a massive head forming.
Buffet wise avoid prawns, eggs and chicken ... these things can be left out hours before the buffet is opened and these things are high risk.
Know your music theory. Yes you can play in covers and original bands without knowing any but you are just making life harder for yourself. If everyone knows music theory then life is so much easier communication wise. You will make less mistakes and the ones you do make will still be in key so not that noticeable.
Listen to the band as a whole, don't just focus on your parts. Follow the drums and go with the drummer tempo wise but arrangement wise always go with the singer even if they are wrong. If they forget the 2nd verse is a double and go into the chorus too soon for example then go with them. Don't make an issue of it, just go with them and smack them later offstage.
Make sure the other bands see you watching at least some of their set, if they find out you've been in the burger place next door after you go up to them after saying "well played nice set boys" then its not a good look (more for original bands).
Always take spares, something will go wrong when you least expect and you literally have seconds to fix it if its on stage (broken string, pedal not working etc).
My contribution don't play too loud for the room. If it is too loud for comfort the people won't stay.
Agree timings up front and stick to them (I’ve a small clock on my pedal board). Nothing worse than pissing off the venue owner by starting late or running over.
Enjoy yourself, but if you aren’t driving, leave the drinking until after you’ve played.
Thank the people running the show, the sound engineer and the bar team as you are leaving. They may have input into future bookings.
Aseeeeeeed!
- Turning up on time wearing a nice shirt will get you more gigs than being able to play.
- Never be the first or last person drinking. If the bandleader isn't drinking then you aren't.
- Remembering a spouse or child's name is often more useful than being able to remember the bandmember's names.
As an addendum, my tour rules are as follows:
- If you're stopped, get out and stretch your legs. Don't be last back in the van.
- Never pass on an opportunity for a shit, a shower, or a sandwich; you don't know when the next one is arriving.
- The posted van call time is a lie so be in the lobby fully checked out with coffee in hand at least 15 minutes early.