Gig Etiquette

[njw]

Ok ok, so I may seem 'elitist' or 'snobby' or whatever you wish to call it, but I feel this is important. Feel free to argue but I feel reading this should be a good starting point for any band or musician just starting out, and perhaps some more 'experienced' musicians could take some notes too.

Lets start right at the start

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PLAYING A GIG - STEP BY STEP.

STEP ONE - PREPARE
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This step is one of the most important, and will ensure you have no problems later on. Aside from the obvious, where you should be prepared AS a band (do this in rehearsal), you can prepare yourself by making sure all of your gear is running smoothly. Check your instrument, check your cables, check your amps, make sure you have working spares.

STEP TWO - COMMON COURTESY
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Now you have left your house with all your gear, and you know it is all working. Now ARRIVE ON TIME. If you agree a time with a promoter, be there at that time. If you are late, prepare to make sacrifices, and work as fast as you can to make up for lost time. If you are going to be late, contact the promoter to let them know. When you arrive, load in as fast as you can and be ready to do whatever is needed of you. Elect a representative for your band and ensure they speak to the promoter and find out what is happening during the course of the night.

STEP THREE - GEAR
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BRING YOUR OWN GEAR. If you are missing a piece of gear, ask yourself why. "If I am a bass player, why do I not have a bass amp?". If you are going to show up without gear contact the other bands or promoter WELL IN ADVANCE of the show and ask what is acceptable to use. Dont EVER show up and assume its ok to use other people's gear, and if you need to and havent checked in advance, ask the owner of the equipment if you can use it. Week after week I find people playing with my band and plugging into my equipment without first asking if its OK, and without bringing their own. Some people put every penny they have available in their lives into buying their equipment, don't ruin this for them. If they pay for something nice, what gives you the right to abuse it or take advantage of it?

Ok, so now you have politely asked to borrow something, if the answer is yes, TREAT IT WITH RESPECT. If you want to change settings or use effects or whatnot, ask for help from the person who owns the equipment, even if you know how to use it. This way, the guy who owns the amp will feel safe and secure in the knowledge that they are in control of their own stuff.

STEP FOUR - SOUND CHECK
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I tell you this part as both a musician, an engineer, and an onlooker. Soundcheck is VERY important, and it is very important you do what is needed of you, for your own benefit.

Turning up ten minutes before the gig starts will mean you do not deserve a soundcheck. If you are late, you have to sacrifice this. If you are on time, do everything as instructed, then you can argue your cause for a soundcheck if you arent given one.

SOUNDCHECK is NOT a reheasal. When the engineer asks for drums, he wants to hear drums. Not Drums, with some guitar widdling over it, and the bass player playing along. The same applies to every instrument. Be prepared for soundcheck. Know which songs are most effective for soundchecking, perhaps songs where the most vocals are used, the widest variety of guitar sounds, etc. so that the engineer can get everything sounding as good as possible.

After your soundcheck, clear up and move out as fast as possible so that the next band can get their stuff set up. Typically, the headline band will soundcheck first, going through the lineup so the first band on the night will soundcheck last, and leave their gear setup.

STEP FIVE - PLAYING THE SHOW
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Ok. This step is entirely yours. You do as you wish. This is your "artistic" time. However, remember to respect the equipment, especially when its not yours, and remember to respect the other bands. Don't take the piss out of other bands on stage 'for a laugh', noone will be impressed. Also, when your time is up, stop playing. Running over your time will upset the promoter, the other bands and the venue. When you stop playing, leave the stage tidy and usable for the next band on.

STEP 6 - AFTER THE SHOW
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Tidy up fast when the gig is finished. Get your stuff packed up and put aside ready to load out. If you want to stand and chat, do it now AFTER you have tidied your stuff away. When the venue wants you to leave, leave. Remember to be polite to other bands and the promoter. Thank anyone who has helped you out in the course of the night. Don't act like fannies, noone will like you, and noone will help you load out.

I think that's about it, if anyone has anything to add, then please do.

[Pubic Wig]

Thats not elitist dude, its good advice and common sense.

[mrlizard]

Originally Posted by Clogs

Pt. 2.

STEP FOUR - SOUND CHECK
--------------------------

I tell you this part as both a musician, an engineer, and an onlooker. Soundcheck is VERY important, and it is very important you do what is needed of you, for your own benefit.

Turning up ten minutes before the gig starts will mean you do not deserve a soundcheck. If you are late, you have to sacrifice this. If you are on time, do everything as instructed, then you can argue your cause for a soundcheck if you arent given one.

SOUNDCHECK is NOT a reheasal. When the engineer asks for drums, he wants to hear drums. Not Drums, with some guitar widdling over it, and the bass player playing along. The same applies to every instrument. Be prepared for soundcheck. Know which songs are most effective for soundchecking, perhaps songs where the most vocals are used, the widest variety of guitar sounds, etc. so that the engineer can get everything sounding as good as possible.

After your soundcheck, clear up and move out as fast as possible so that the next band can get their stuff set up. Typically, the headline band will soundcheck first, going through the lineup so the first band on the night will soundcheck last, and leave their gear setup.

Also, any more than a 4 band bill its very rare to soundcheck all the bands, although some engineers are nice and do it. Don't go in a strop if you don't get a soundcheck unless you are the headlining band.

Sort the monitors during soundcheck, don't spend the entire gig saying 'cant hear ma vocals'

also it's really obvious when bands whinge about monitors to try and cover up their bad playing...

Stick to set times, don't overrun by an hour then wonder why the PA got turned off.

if you're the first band on, dont smash the fuck out of everthing, cos mics and things have to work till the end of the gig. Lots of young bands think its cool to smash shit up, and yeah its fair enough as long as it's your shit you smash up, don't jump off someone elses bass drum or smash your guitar up off a stage monitor without expecting a hefty bill or a kicking.

Treat peoples equipment with respect, other bands equipment as well as the pa, you break it you pay for it.

[Gusstav]

Never any truer words spoken. It bugs the fucking shite out of me when bands turn up and expect to use my head etc. Fair play ive always been of the school where use of cabs is cool but heads is out of the question.

If you turn up without a head it puts the band with the gear in a bad position as they will look like fannies if they say no and the equipmentless band cant play. Not really their problem but it kinda puts them in the situation where they have to loan out their gear.

As for the please and thanks but it is only nice to ask for a shot rather than plug in and say thanks after you use it. In my case if someone thanks me for the loan of my head in most cases they would be allowed to use it again if the need arose.

[mrlizard]

this thread should be sticky,

there should be a promoter one as well.

[njw]

Originally Posted by mrlizard

Also, any more than a 4 band bill its very rare to soundcheck all the bands, although some engineers are nice and do it. Don't go in a strop if you don't get a soundcheck unless you are the headlining band.

Sort the monitors during soundcheck, don't spend the entire gig saying 'cant hear ma vocals'

also it's really obvious when bands whinge about monitors to try and cover up their bad playing...

Very true, especially on a 4 band bill where load in is at 6 or so. You could find yourself in the situation at a gig where soundcheck begins at 3 or so in the afternoon, and in that case everyone might get a soundcheck (or at least if everyones on time). And with monitor problems, try to explain what you want - the engineer cant do magic, so saying "theres nothing in ma monitors" could be replaced by "could i please have some more guitars and vocals in my monitor please).

[njw]

Originally Posted by Gusstav

Never any truer words spoken. It bugs the fucking shite out of me when bands turn up and expect to use my head etc. Fair play ive always been of the school where use of cabs is cool but heads is out of the question.

If you turn up without a head it puts the band with the gear in a bad position as they will look like fannies if they say no and the equipmentless band cant play. Not really their problem but it kinda puts them in the situation where they have to loan out their gear.

As for the please and thanks but it is only nice to ask for a shot rather than plug in and say thanks after you use it. In my case if someone thanks me for the loan of my head in most cases they would be allowed to use it again if the need arose.

Yeah. If someone shows up without an amp and relies on using yours, you look like a total twat if you say no. It's not fair to put people in that position. People who use tube amps especially dont want to be put in the position where they have to be pressured into sharing their amp. I am almost always willing to share my cab with people, I spent a lot of money on it, surely thats reasonable enough? But my head I am not willing to share, and often I feel forced into it, then spend the gig watching nervously as someone plays distorted fuzz octave bass into my amp, with the gain turned up higher than it should be, and the bass up full.

[fraserlaeto]

yup, i agree.
i don't mind people using cabs, and i'm often fine with letting people with letting people use my (quite considerable) amp head. But go straight up and plug into someone's rig, and that's one way to make that someone not want to let you use anything.
Also, be understanding if someone doesn't want to let you use their stuff, it's their stuff, it's not their problem if the other bands don't have their own.
That said, i think it's just as reasonable to expect people with gear to remember when they were in that position, and to lend what they're comfortable with, people will appreciate it.

also...
something i do when we play, and appreciate when i've engineered:
when you go into the venue go find the soundman.
introduce yourself, tell him your line-up, and ask his name.
when he says his name's "dave", asking for "a bit more vocals if you can in this monitor please dave" is a bit more thoughtful than "more vocals".
at the end of your show, if the sound was good, thank the soundman. he'll appreciate it.

[mrlizard]

Remember that turning the vocals up in the monitor isn't as simple as turning a pot, you have feedback to contend with. Chances are the volume of the vocal in the monitor isn't going to change if you say more vocal in the monitor please.

[James_QBT]

This is informative, helpful (for the sound engineer stuff - Im clueless) and a good aid to those without manners!

James

[Pob]

One thing that pisses me off, is bands that have enough money to buy wireless systems etc and don't have a tuner. The audience therefore has to be subjected to 5min + of tuning during a set or out of tune guitars for the whole set. Buy a tuner. Best bit of kit you can get for making you sound good.

[rising signs]

Very good advice,wish my band would follow this on every occasion.

[Mugetsu]

Originally Posted by Gusstav

Never any truer words spoken. It bugs the fucking shite out of me when bands turn up and expect to use my head etc. Fair play ive always been of the school where use of cabs is cool but heads is out of the question.

If you turn up without a head it puts the band with the gear in a bad position as they will look like fannies if they say no and the equipmentless band cant play. Not really their problem but it kinda puts them in the situation where they have to loan out their gear.

As for the please and thanks but it is only nice to ask for a shot rather than plug in and say thanks after you use it. In my case if someone thanks me for the loan of my head in most cases they would be allowed to use it again if the need arose.

[Gusstav]

Originally Posted by Mugetsu

And you know fine well wee man that you are one of the few people who can use my gear whenever they need too lad.