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Last night I played another pick-up gig, and while I had some fun with it, it was a reminder of all the weirdness that is out there.
To begin with, I listened to some recorded material and looked at the set list and the instrumentation on the bandleader’s website before I was considering the gig, and I asked specifically about the load-in access, shading, etc., since it was to be an outdoor gig. “No worries”, says he. It was to be thoroughly covered, but well ventilated, with adequate backline power for fan, sound system inputs and outputs required are available, etc.
After committing to it, I find out that there will be no bass player, due to budget, and I offer to do it for only gas money and meals for Teri and I if it helps fund a bass player, and he gets one. I am already committed, but hate playing this kind of gig with keys guitar and drums – no bass.
We show up at 5pm for a 6pm start, and it is a traverse over 150 feet of bumpy (with fire ant mounds) grass surface, to a concrete patio, with the band setting up to face east. There is a 15x15 kiosk type tent top set up so that that frontline is in the shade, and the backline will not be, until the sun goes down. I looked at the set–up and said that if we could rearrange things so that I was in the shade from now until 8:30, and with help to lug equipment over the minefield, I would start setting up.
They move the tent and help with the cartage. After having confirmed in advance what was going to be available for sound system channels, I set up for kick/snare/overheads and start handing him cables, one at a time, identifying each. I get as far as kick and snare, and he tells me that the keyboard player unexpectedly brought an accordion, and that he forgot that the keyboard goes stereo in to the system, and, “do we really need overheads?”
I assure him that we do, but that I can go with just kick and overheads, and drop the snare mic.
5:40 pm and agenda is soundcheck / dinner / set / break / set. Keyboard player’s toys are broken, and agenda shifts to extended soundcheck and repair / set / dinner break / set.
After soundcheck, and the leader casually mentions that, his buddy at the country club and a couple of his friends are, “…going to use our drums and sound system to play a few tunes during the break.” I explain that I did not bring ‘our drums’. End of that theory.
Out of food at the buffet table by the first break; partially re-provisioned with 10 minutes left to the break.
BBQ on styro plates, and back for set two. Band leader does not realize that count-in serves to (i) coordinate the start, and, (ii) to set the tempo, and is satisfied with achieving the former with count-in, the latter via acceleration.
Set two over. Bass player and keyboard player engage in a vigorous version of the ‘name game’. “Say, do you know (insert name)?”. Of course not, but now I can tell you who I know…
_________________ Cliff
River City Trio
What if we did all have the same opinions?
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Cliff, you ol' bastid!
