Obvious Things To Bring To A Gig
While this site mainly tries to focus on the nerdy aspects of being in a band, there are a few common sense things that might be helpful to things. When playing a gig, how many times have you driven two hours to some venue only to realize you have no extra guitar strings or the venue doesn’t have enough mic stands for your horn section. Here’s a list of things, other than your instruments (if you forget those, you have bigger problems), that bands should try to bring to all shows….
- extra strings (extra guitars if you can)
- tuner (and extra batteries)
- extra picks
- extra guitar cables
- extra mic stands (especially if you’re a ska band!)
- notebook and pens (for mailing lists, writing set lists, etc.)
- your merch!
- some cash to make change when selling merch
- power cables (for amps, keyboards, etc.)
- power strip
- band-aids (some of us tear our fingers up while playing)
- finger nail clippers
- duct tape
- demos/one sheet (to give to other people who might want to book you)
September 26th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
I don’t know if you adressed this directly, but it might be a good idea to take a mixing board along to a gig too. Bands who start off in small venues are especially prone to showing up and finding out that they have to play straight. I shit you not, it happened to a Brazilian mambo combo who flew all the way to Chicago to play some gigs and wanted to play at my school. They showed up and there were no speakers or mixing board so they couldn’t play any songs. It was so pathetic of an effort on behalf of the venue/school that I left early.
drummers would want to bring extra drumsticks and heads. Nothings sucks like breaking a drum head during sounc check and not being able to use your floor tom for the rest of the night. They should make sure their drums aren’t broken in general. I sw one kid open his bag and remember his crash was broken. Not good. Rugs are a good idea, unless you kow the venue has one.
The tag team of Gatorade/h2o is a good one to have unless you know the venue is offering. Some venues can be really stingy.
The last thing I would tell every band to bring to every show is a map! Nothing says unprofessional like showing up late because you got lost. A local map may also tell you the location of a good burrito place in case you get hungry after the show. Being hungry, thirsty and with broken equipment is a good recipe for a bad show.
September 26th, 2006 at 2:03 pm
And capos. Don’t forget capos.
In all seriousness, remember to bring extra drumsticks, cymbal felts, and electrical tape too, for those of us who are drummers.
Extra instruments (a guitar, for example, or back-up keyboard) are pretty important if a string breaks mid-set and you don’t want to spend 15 minutes of your set time on re-stringing and re-tuning.
A change of clothes wouldn’t hurt either. I know I usually sweat through my shirt…so it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have some clean, warm clothes to put on, especially during those frosty chocolate winters.
And, finally, a digital camera. Take pictures. Lots of them…if not for promotion, then for memories…
September 27th, 2006 at 10:42 am
First of all kudos to Dave for a cool site/cool idea. I hope this gets huge!
One suggestion I have is to make sure you bring some lights unless you know the venue has this covered. After following bands for years, it seems they are always playing in dark bars, roller rinks, cubby holes and dungeons. Without some type of lighting, you not only have to try and play in the dark, but no one sees how hard you are rockin’ out.
Lights are cheap. You can get a complete beginner system for $150 that includes a 9′ tree, 4 par 38 (150 flood) cans, a footswitch and a chase/power system. Or you can go the old fashioned way with just taking par cans with colored floods lights and duct tape them to the drop ceiling (messy but it works). You’ll play better and people will actually remember what you looked like!
September 30th, 2006 at 11:05 am
couple things i try to bring whenever i play a show. whether you’re under lights or not, it is inevitable that you will sweat. usually a lot. i like bringing a clean t-shirt or sweatshirt to change into for afterwards. and deodorant. always bring deodorant.
another guitar with newly-stretched strings. some songs just might require the three strings you break in that one really fast song you love to play but always end up destroying your livelihood during. you know, that song?